Reed Howes

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 Les Adams)

Above is the title lobby card for MILLION DOLLAR HAUL (Superior/Stage & Screen, 1935), a police yarn which was one of Reed Howes' last starring roles. On the left is Howes and Tarzan, and on the right is Janet Chandler and William Farnum. Below is a crop from another of the MILLION DOLLAR HAUL lobby cards - shown from L-to-R are Janet Chandler, Robert Frazer and Howes.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Born in Washington, D.C., Hermon Reed Howes served in the Navy during WW1. Biographical info is sketchy, but most note that he was a Harvard graduate and one of the "Arrow Collar Men" models during the 1920s --- these were ads for Arrow shirts. His Hollywood career began around 1923 in silents for filmmaker Ben Wilson, and included starring roles. However, lead roles for Howes came to an end with the coming of sound.

Ed Tabor dug out his 1935-1936 Motion Picture Almanac and following is the info listed for Howes:

Howes, Reed: Actor. b. Washington, D.C.; h. 6 feet; brown hair and gray eyes; e. University of Utah, Harvard Graduating School; hy. aviation, swimming, basketball, wrestling and squash. Stage career; opposite Peggy Wood in "Artist's Life," supported Billy Burke in "Intimate Strangers." Screen work with Fox, Rayart, Warners, Paramount. Pictures include "Fashion Madness," Columbia; "Ladies Night In A Turkish Bath," First National; "Hellship Bronson," Gotham; "A Million for Love," Sterling; "Sawdust Paradise," Paramount; star in "Russ Farrell, Aviator," Educational; "Come Across," Universal; (1932), "Devil On Deck," Sono Art-World Wide.

Many of the B western and serial players were NOT great with dialog delivery. I've always rated Howes low in this category --- his voice and personality seemed to have no zip, no "pizzazz". And since he lacked charisma and didn't have the bulk or menace of a Harry Woods, Roy Barcroft, Fred Kohler, he wound up relegated to supporting roles and bit parts for the remainder of his career.

During the sound era, Howes appeared in about 165 films, of which 102 were westerns and 26 were chapterplays. He did about 30 films at Republic during the period 1937-1950 --- approximately 2/3 were westerns and the remainder were serials. Howes' cinema swan song was in THE SINISTER URGE (1961), one of the z grade horror flicks churned out by Ed Wood, Jr. (PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE and others).

In the early 1950s, Howes was among many who transitioned to TV work and he appeared in episodes of WILD BILL HICKOK, THE GENE AUTRY SHOW, ANNIE OAKLEY, CISCO KID, more.

Les Adams adds: "Howes was in many Randolph Scott films over about a 15-year period dating from the late 1930s --- possibly as a stand-in, or he was a friend, or it was just a casting accident. Perhaps an Old Corral visitor knows. And I suspect the reason that so many of the old-time western players --- Howes, Osborne, Tyler, Keene, Lyle Talbot --- were cast in Ed Wood pictures was because Alex Gordon was involved in a lot of those films."

Above from L-to-R are John Carroll, Harry Strang, Reed Howes (without moustache), and Helen Christian in a scene from the serial ZORRO RIDES AGAIN (Republic, 1937).

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Reed Howes, Dave O'Brien, Carleton Young, Bob Steele, Claire Rochelle and Ted Adams in a scene from Steele's RIDERS OF THE SAGE (Metropolitan, 1939). Note the 'butt forward' gunrig on Howes.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Ray Henderson, Carleton Young, Louise Currie, Kenne Duncan, Bob Steele, John Merton, Hal Price, Reed Howes and Al 'Fuzzy' St. John in a scene from Steele's BILLY THE KID OUTLAWED (PRC, 1940).

Ol' Charlie King has the drop on Ken Maynard, and by this time, both had added some extra pounds around the waistline. Frank Wayne is on the far left and Bob Terry and Reed Howes are between Maynard and King. Lobby card from LIGHTNING STRIKES WEST (Colony, 1940).

Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Reed Howes. Click HERE.

Jim Tipton's Find A Grave website has a photo of the grave marker of WW1 Navy veteran Hermon Reed Howes at the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California, and the marker notes he was born in Washington D. C. His first name is shown as Hermon (with an O), not Herman (with an A): http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9710