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(Courtesy of Minard Coons)

Above from L-to-R are Tex Ritter, Dub 'Cannonball' Taylor and Bill Elliott in KING OF DODGE CITY (Columbia, 1941), the first of the Elliott-Ritter series at Columbia. After this film, Taylor would become the saddle pal to former Hoppy sidekick Russell Hayden who was in a new series at Columbia.
When Tex Ritter left producer Ed Finney and Monogram Pictures, he and trusty steed White Flash went over to Columbia Pictures to add some tunes to the Bill Elliott series.  Dub 'Cannonball' Taylor was the sidekick in the first Elliott-Ritter film, but then Taylor was assigned to Russell Hayden's new western group.  Frank Mitchell replaced Taylor.  Eight films were made.

Then Ritter moved on to Universal to help Johnny Mack Brown. And Bill Elliott signed with Republic Pictures.


In the mid to late 1940s, Monogram Pictures had Jimmy Wakely as their singin' cowboy, and his first five oaters featured two helpers. In SONG OF THE RANGE (Monogram, 1944) and SPRINGTIME IN TEXAS (Monogram, 1945), Dennis 'Denny' Moore and Lee 'Lasses' White were his sidekicks. In Wakely's next three - SADDLE SERENADE (Monogram, 1945), LONESOME TRAIL (Monogram, 1945), and RIDERS OF THE DAWN (Monogram, 1945) - the trio was Lasses White and John James (as 'Dusty'). Then the three member team was dropped and Wakely's solo helper was Lasses White, and later, Dub 'Cannonball' Taylor.



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Wakely sidekick John James (as 'Dusty') is on the left side of this duotone title lobby card. In the upper right, wearing the top hat, is Jimmy's other helper, Lee 'Lasses' White. Musical assistance was from Wesley Tuttle and His Texas Stars. And the answer is Nope! This Wakely RIDERS OF THE DAWN (Monogram, 1945) wasn't the same storyline as the earlier RIDERS OF THE DAWN (Monogram, 1937) which starred Jack Randall.


After a couple years as a solo star, Johnny Mack Brown got help from Tex Ritter in his series of westerns at Universal, and they would do seven films together.  Ritter had been with producer Ed Finney at Grand National and Monogram, and had also helped Bill Elliott at Columbia.

At the end of this series, Johnny Mack went to Monogram and would remain there for about ten years.  Ritter had one more starring series left --- he replaced Jim Newill in the Texas Rangers series at Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC).

(From Old Corral collection)



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Whip Wilson (right) starred in 22 sagebrushers for Monogram circa 1949-1952, and his most frequent sidekick was comedian Andy Clyde. However, in five of his films, he was teamed with Fuzzy Knight (far left) and Jim Bannon (center).


From L-to-R are Al 'Fuzzy' St. John, George Houston and Dennis Moore in a crop from a lobby card from one of Houston's Lone Rider films for Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC). Moore did a lot of second leads - he gave a hand to Tex Ritter at Universal, was the helper to Jimmy Wakely at Monogram, and aided Bob Livingston at PRC (when Livingston replaced Houston in the Lone Rider series).
(Courtesy of Les Adams)



(Courtesy of Les Adams)
Left is the cover of the pressbook for FIGHTING PIONEERS (Resolute, 1935), one of a quartet of oaters featuring Tom Mix's daughter Ruth and Buzz Barton and starring Rex Bell.  The other three films were THE TONTO KID (Resolute, 1935), SADDLE ACES (Resolute, 1935) and GUNFIRE (Resolute, 1935).

Note the proclamation at the top of the pressbook: "The Three Aces of the Saddle Ride Again !" and the photo insets at the top are from L-to-R, Ruth Mix, Rex Bell and Buzz Barton.


The cowgirls/heroines were often a member of the 'hero team', and examples shown below are Nell O'Day with Johnny Mack Brown and Fuzzy Knight at Universal, and Betty Miles assisting Tom Keene and Frank Yaconelli at Monogram.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

(Courtesy of Les Adams)


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