Charles B. Murphy and William Desmond

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Charles Bernard Murphy

1881 - 1942

Ken Jones, co-author of Heroes, Heavies and Sagebrush provides some biographical info on Charles B. Murphy: he was born in Independence, Missouri on December 12, 1881 and began his film career about 1920. He appeared in many western and non-western films, and rarely received billing. He was killed while working in a Hopalong Cassidy film, reportedly LOST CANYON (UA, 1942). He was driving a wagon and was thrown from the seat when the front wheel hit a rock and the vehicle overturned. He died from his injuries on June 11, 1942 in a Bakersfield, California hospital.

Les Adams has Murphy in 60+ sound era films, and that includes 29 westerns and 16 chapterplays.

Go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral, and follow the link to the California Death Records database --- they have a record for Charles Bernard Murphy, 1881-1942.

Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Murphy: http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0614146/

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Murphy, Buck Jones pummeling Le Roy Mason, and Syd Saylor in a scene from WHEN A MAN SEES RED (Universal, 1934).

(Courtesy of Ken Jones)

Above from left to right are Earl Dwire, Steve Clark, Tom Keene, Oscar Gahan, Murphy and Denver Dixon (Victor Adamson) in a scene from Keene's ROMANCE OF THE ROCKIES (Monogram, 1937).

(Image courtesy of Jack Tillmany)

William Desmond

Real name: William Manion/Mannion

1878 - 1949

William Desmond was born in Ireland, and raised in New York City. During the early 1900s, he did extensive stage and vaudeville work, and his Hollywood career began around 1915. He was a popular hero, and starred in many silent serials. When sound arrived, he was around fifty years of age, and his leading man days were over. For the next two decades, he did bits and supporting roles, primarily in westerns and chapterplays.

Les Adams has Desmond in about 100 sound era films, and these include about 50 oaters and three dozen cliffhangers.

Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on William Desmond: http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0221488/

(Courtesy of Fred D. Pfening, Jr.)

(Image courtesy of Joe Tufano)

Above from left to right are William Desmond, Nelson McDowell and an unidentifed player in one of Desmond's starring silents for Universal (might be from the lost/missing serial THE VANISHING RIDER (Universal, 1928)). The unidentified actor on the right reminds me of a youngish Budd Buster.

(From Old Corral image collection)

Above from left to right are William Desmond, Lucile Browne, Rex Bell and Yakima Canutt in a scene from the serial, BATTLING WITH BUFFALO BILL (Universal, 1931), which starred Tom Tyler.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are William Desmond, Tom Smith, Charles Starrett and Lew Morphy in DOWN RIO GRANDE WAY (Columbia, 1942).