The 'brains' and 'action' heavies who had meaty roles and lots of dialog ... and the players who were fathers, ranch owners, lawman, mayors, judges, lawyers, storekeepers, newspaper editors, wardens, etc. |
(Courtesy of Minard Coons) | Dennis Moore Real name: Dennis Price Meadows Screen nicknames: 'Denny', 'Smoky' 1908 - 1964 Left is Dennis Moore - at about 37 years of age - and wearing his unique custom gunbelt with the two side buckles. |
Above are screen captures of a very young Dennis Moore (about 27 years old) along with the opening credits from John Wayne's THE DAWN RIDER (Lone Star/Monogram, 1935). Moore was billed third as "Denny Meadows". He did another with Wayne, THE LONELY TRAIL (Republic, 1936), and was billed as "Dennis Meadows". |
Yes! There was a fight between Moore and Wakely in August, 1945, and details are further down this webpage.
Comparing second lead Dennis Moore to Russell Hayden or James Elliison is fair game. But their roles in the Hopalong Cassidy adventures were expanded due to longer running times, good scripts and bigger budgets. And when they got into trouble or romantic entanglements, Hayden and Ellison could get away with saying sumthin' like "Aw shucks Hoppy!". Not so with Moore whose screen persona was serious and restrained.
In the post World War II period, Moore appears in Johnny Mack Brown and Whip Wilson Monograms and with singing cowboy Eddie Dean at Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC). In 1950, he was the principal heavy vs. Lash LaRue in KING OF THE BULLWHIP (Ron Ormond/Western Adventure, 1950). Also in 1950, he's a gang member in the six film series for Lippert Pictures that starred former Hopalong Cassidy saddle pals Russell Hayden and James Ellison.
He wore a unique gunbelt which buckled on the sides, not in the middle, and he'd either have one holster or two. I've included stills and lobby cards showing that gunbelt.
Dennis had better luck, better billing, and lots of screen time in serials. He was the lead or co-star in RAIDERS OF GHOST CITY (Universal, 1944; 13 chapters), THE MASTER KEY (Universal, 1945; 13 chapters), and Universal's last chapterplay, MYSTERIOUS MR. M. (Universal, 1946; 13 chapters). In between those cliffhanger assignments, Universal used him in other films including the Tex Ritter oaters and a character part in THE MUMMY'S CURSE (Universal, 1945). And it was Dennis vs. Roy Barcroft in THE PURPLE MONSTER STRIKES (Republic, 1945; 15 chapters). A decade later, he was the star/co-lead in the last two serials that were filmed, BLAZING THE OVERLAND TRAIL (Columbia, 1956; 15 chapters) and PERILS OF THE WILDERNESS (Columbia, 1956; 15 chapters). The episode total for those equals 84 chapters ... meaning Dennis Moore was on the screen ... a lot. Also note that Moore had the distinction of being in the last serial churned out by Universal and Columbia Pictures.
He became a fairly prolific performer on 1950s television and you can spot him in WILD BILL HICKOK, WAGON TRAIN, CISCO KID, BUFFALO BILL JR., GENE AUTRY SHOW, WYATT EARP, BAT MASTERSON, TOMBSTONE TERRITORY, lots more. Long time ago, I was watching the old SPIN AND MARTY TV series on the Disney channel. Harry Carey Jr. and Roy Barcroft had recurring roles, and in season three, an older Dennis Moore - sporting several days of beard stubble - was ranchhand 'Hank'.
Moore's deep, rich voice was in THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO (MGM, 1944). In scenes on the aircraft carrier Hornet, you can hear him barking out commands and warnings over the ship's intercom to the sailors and Doolittle Raiders. In the trailer for the Glenn Ford and Jack Lemmon COWBOY (Columbia, 1958), Moore wears a white shirt and tie and introduces the film. The ALL-STAR WESTERN THEATER radio program was broadcast from August, 1946 through August, 1948 and starred Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage. Dennis Moore was the star of 'The Phantom Rider' broadcast on December 22, 1946.
As to Dennis Moore the man, contemporaries including Myron Healey and Gregg Barton described him as a loner ... a private man ... not a team player. Screenwriter C. Jack Lewis worked with Moore on Lash LaRue's KING OF THE BULLWHIP (Ron Ormond/Western Adventure, 1950). In his book White Horse, Black Hat: A Quarter Century on Hollywood's Poverty Row (Scarecrow Press, 2002), Lewis described him as an unhappy fellow, possibly due to a plane crash which ended his flying career. A few quotes from Lewis' book:
" ... his constant off-stage expression was somewhere between a scowl and a frown, and he answered questions with as few words as possible. I found it easiest to stay away from him."
"... I could never get more than three words out of the scowling actor. It was pretty clear that he didn't like what he was doing, and I didn't understand why he continued to act."
I'm inclined to take those negatives with a grain of salt. Les Adams has Moore identified in about 175 films and that number includes 100+ westerns and eleven serials. Add in 90 or so TV appearances and Dennis was a busy man and his career spanned almost thirty years, from about 1932 - 1961. If he was cranky, ornery and a miserable human being, he wouldn't have gotten that much work.
The Lewis book - as well as other biographies - note that Moore was a pilot, loved flying, and was a flight instructor at Whitman [sic] Airport in the San Fernando Valley. But he was severely injured in a plane crash. Correction to those other bios - it's Whiteman Airport in the San Fernando Valley - more info is further down on this webpage. Was hopeful that I'd find some trace of the crash in trade publications or newspapers. Alas - nothing found. I even checked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) websites but their online plane crash records do not include the 1930s - 1950s. Jack Lewis discussed the plane crash in his book:
"He gave up show biz to fly as a transport pilot, but was involved in a crash that put him in the hospital for fourteen months. The only item the research library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has on this gent is a studio biography issued by the long-defunct RKO in 1941. ... says the actor broke 'every bone in his body' in the plane crash, but that has be be press agent overstatement. He never could have made it through the rough-and-tumble fight scenes of the low-budget picture world with those types of injuries."
Moore was buddies with actor Andy Devine who was also a pilot and had ties to Whiteman Airport. Aviation veteran Dick Probert and Andy established the Probert-Devine Aviation Corporation in 1946 at Whiteman Air Park. And Moore worked with them ... or for them. You'll find more details below on Moore, Andy Devine, and the Whiteman and Newhall airports.
Dennis was married at least three times. He was divorced at the time of the 1940 census. There was a September, 1942 marriage to Dorothy Alixe Cotton and he tied the knot with Marilyn Estelle Mason in 1947. Daughter Linda Meadows was born in 1950. And in 1952, Dennis, Marilyn and Linda received court approval to change their last name from Meadows to Moore.
Circa 1960, Dennis and Marilyn bought and operated the Brown Bear Gift Shop at Big Bear Lake, San Bernardino County, California. Suffering from heart problems due to rheumatic fever, Moore passed away on March 1, 1964 at his Big Bear Lake home.
Moore did not do military service in World War II, probably due to either plane crash injuries or medical issues from rheumatic fever.
Dennis Moore's nearly thirty year movie and television career is significant and he's one of my favorite B western and serial performers.
Dennis Moore MOVIE stats.
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Dennis Moore's movie work from 1932-1957 in westerns, serials, shorts, and other A and B grade films. Does NOT include TV roles. I've used the RELEASE dates (not filming dates) from the Internet Movie Database. Total films in this chart = 178. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
12 |
8 |
4 |
10 |
7 |
14 |
14 |
12 |
16 |
6 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
17 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
10 |
9 |
1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 |
Red indicates the years in which Moore was the lead or co-star in six serials: RAIDERS OF GHOST CITY (Universal, 1944), THE MASTER KEY (Universal, 1944), THE PURPLE MONSTER STRIKES (Republic, 1945), THE MYSTERIOUS MR. M (Universal, 1946), PERILS OF THE WILDERNESS (Columbia, 1956), and BLAZING THE OVERLAND TRAIL (Columbia, 1956). In 1953, he did no films and one TV show (an episode of Superman). Was 1953 the year when he was injured in that plane crash? |
Links
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Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Dennis Moore: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0601117/
Daniel Neyer's "The Files of Jerry Blake" serial website has a webpage on Dennis Moore doing serials: https://filesofjerryblake.com/serial-heroes/dennis-moore/ Boyd Magers' Western Clippings website has a profile on Dennis Moore: http://www.westernclippings.com/heavies/dennismoore_charactersheavies.shtml YouTube has the trailer for the Glenn Ford and Jack Lemmon COWBOY (Columbia, 1958). Introducing the film is Dennis Moore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnC2T31f_Mk
YouTube and the Internet Archive have public domain films with Moore which you can view or download:
All-Star Western Theater was broadcast from August, 1946 through August, 1948 and starred Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage. This half-hour program was initially broadcast over station KNX, The 'Voice of Hollywood'. Later shows were on the Mutual/Don Lee Broadcasting System. Many western movie performers appeared on the program and Dennis Moore was featured in 'The Phantom Rider' from December 22, 1946. That show is available on YouTube and the Internet Archive: The Google newspaper archive has a photo of a mustached Moore courting actress Paula Stone in 1936: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19361106&id=X4osAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xsoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6897,509074 |
More on Moore's flying ... plane crash ... crashes.
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I've discovered nothing new on Dennis Moore and plane crashes. However, there are irregularities and questions in the several biographies / profiles on the man.
The Jack Lewis book mentions Moore's 1941 RKO studio biography and that he broke 'every bone in his body' in a plane crash (which means it happened in 1941 or earlier). Boyd Magers Western Clippings website notes that Moore was a transport pilot and the accident occurred in 1952: "The crash left him with every bone in his body broken and small hope for him to live. Fourteen months in the hospital and nearly two more years of rest and recovery made him as good as new." Looking at the Moore movie chart above, his workload is light in 1952-1954. But if you include television appearances, 1953 is a year with only one TV and film job. Was that the year of the crash and his recovery? And then we have Moore as a flight instructor ... or flying out of ... Whitman Airport in the San Fernando Valley. There is no Whitman Airport in the San Fernando Valley. But there is a Whiteman Airport and Wikipedia has a webpage: "Whiteman Airport (previously known as Whiteman Air Park) is a general aviation airport in the northeastern San Fernando Valley community of Pacoima, in the city of Los Angeles, California. The airport was founded as 'Whiteman Air Park' in 1946 on a farm by pilot Marvin Whiteman Sr. as a non tower controlled, private airport.": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiteman_Airport Moore was pals with actor Andy Devine who was also a pilot. Aviation veteran Dick Probert and Devine established the Probert-Devine Aviation Corporation in 1946 at Whiteman Airpark near Pacoima, California. Moore worked for them. The September 23, 1948 Newhall (California) Signal newspaper had reports of a plane crash at the Newhall Airport. The pilot had ignored warnings to not take off due to fog and visibility problems. Excerpt from article: "Dennis Moore, field manager for the Propert-Devine Corporation which leases and operates the field, did not like the look of things. He sought to dissuade (pilot) Joseff from taking off ..." As we find more on Moore as a pilot / flight instructor and/or plane crashes, we'll update this section. |
The August, 1945 fight between Jimmy Wakely and Moore. | ||
Jimmy Wakely's daughter Linda Wakely (nicknamed 'Lindalee' by her Dad) authored a biography on her father titled See Ya Up There, Baby - The Jimmy Wakely Story (Shasta Records, 1992). Lindalee wrote about the altercation between her Dad and Moore. My paraphrase on the event - in late August, 1945, during a drinking session with some cowboy film cohorts, Moore got agitated about playing saddle pal to Wakely. Inebriated, he went to Wakely's home, some fisticuffs ensued, and Wakely was wounded in the head from a knife. Moore was taken into custody, but Jimmy refused to press charges.
There were newspaper reports on the incident:
In the September 1, 1945 Los Angeles (California) Times newspaper. Headline: "Movie Cowboys Call Off Quarrel." ; "... walked into (Deputy District Attorney Howard) Hinshaw's office and said they wanted to forget the whole thing."
What caused this "professional jealousy"? Moore (and Lee 'Lasses' White) were helpers in Wakely's first two oaters, SONG OF THE RANGE (Monogram, 1944) and SPRINGTIME IN TEXAS (Monogram, 1945). Then Moore was replaced by John James. That demotion may have been the trigger that set Moore off.
| (Courtesy of Les Adams) New Wakely sidekick John James is on the left side of this duotone title lobby card from RIDERS OF THE DAWN (Monogram, 1945). 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. |
On the trail of Dennis Meadows / Dennis Moore |
The Family Search website (free), birth records, California Death Index, newspaper reports, and the death certificate provide more on Dennis Moore / Dennis Meadows and family. Note the different birth dates in the info below - January 28, 1908 vs. January 26, 1908:
Find A Grave website has a photo of the grave marker for: |
Moore in Serials |
(From Old Corral collection) Above - Moore battles Lionel Atwill in the chapterplay RAIDERS OF GHOST CITY (Universal, 1944). (From Old Corral collection) Above from L-to-R are Milburn Stone (later 'Doc' on TV's GUNSMOKE), Alfred LaRue, and Dennis Moore in a still from the thirteen episode serial THE MASTER KEY (Universal, 1945). Yes - this is an early film role for Lash LaRue before he became Lash. In this, he's billed as Alfred La Rue and plays "Migsy", the street smart leader of a group of teenagers helping Stone, Moore and heroine Jan Wiley outwit Addison Richards. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above - Rick Vallin as 'Little Bear' gives assistance to Dennis Moore in the chapterplay PERILS OF THE WILDERNESS (Columbia, 1956). Note the thinning hair on Moore. |
Moore playing character / support roles in B westerns |
(From Old Corral collection) Above from left to right are John Wayne, Yakima Canutt and a young Dennis Moore (billed as Denny Meadows) in Wayne's THE DAWN RIDER (Lone Star/Monogram, 1935). (Courtesy of Les Adams) Left to right are Morris Ankrum, Dennis Moore, William Haade - and sitting is George Sowards - in the Hopalong Cassidy PIRATES ON HORSEBACK (Paramount, 1941). (From Old Corral collection) Above is a still from the RIDERS OF THE WEST (Monogram, 1942), one of the eight Monogram Rough Riders adventures starring Buck Jones, Tim McCoy and Raymond Hatton. From left to right are Christine McIntyre, Sarah Padden, Raymond Hatton (white coat), Harry Woods (without his usual moustache), Walter McGrail, Buck Jones (sitting on desk), and Bud Osborne. Dennis Moore is kneeling over the floored Robert Frazer. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above are Lois Collier and Dennis Moore in a scene from the Three Mesquiteers' RAIDERS OF THE RANGE (Republic, 1942). Lois Collier (real name: Madelyn Jones) did a number of 1940s B films and some early TV work - she was the girlfriend to BOSTON BLACKIE in the 1950s TV series which starred Kent Taylor. She was the female lead in the serial JUNGLE QUEEN (Universal, 1945). And at Republic Pictures, Lois was the heroine in THE FLYING DISC MAN FROM MARS (Republic, 1950) cliffhanger as well as seven of the later Three Mesquiteers adventures. (Courtesy of Bill Telfer) Above from L-to-R are Dennis Moore, Christine McIntyre, Raymond Hatton and Johnny Mack Brown in a lobby card from WEST OF THE RIO GRANDE (Monogram, 1944). In the background are Hal Price (purple shirt), and Steve Clark is behind Johnny Mack's hat. Christine McIntyre was the resident leading lady in the Columbia Pictures short subjects production unit, and today, is best remembered for her work in about three dozen two-reel comedies starring the Three Stooges. (From Old Corral collection) Former Hopalong Cassidy saddlemates Jimmy Ellison and Russell Hayden made six yarns for Lippert Pictures in 1950 and faced this trio of baddies - from left to right are Tom Tyler, Dennis Moore, and John (Bob) Cason. And Moore still wears a custom gunbelt, though it is different (and more battered) than the one in the photo at the top of this webpage - check the buckle. In the background on the left is Carl Mathews. (Courtesy of Minard Coons) KING OF THE BULLWHIP (Ron Ormond/Western Adventure, 1950) is Lash LaRue's most remembered film. In the finale, Lash does a cliff-top "battle of the whips" against baddie "El Azote" who was played by Dennis Moore. |