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 - Charles Starrett and Hank Bell.

Hank Bell Full name: Henry Branch Bell Nicknames: "Hank", "Handlebar" 1892 ? - 1950

People may not know Hank Bell's name, but they certainly recognize his face and trademarked moustache.

Above - Hank Bell in BORDER VENGEANCE (Willis Kent, 1934) which starred Reb Russell.

According to his World War II draft registration, Henry Branch Bell was born in 1892 in Dunlap, California, a small unincorporated area in Fresno County. However, 1892 is suspect as his grave marker shows 1886 (and my gut feel is that 1886 is correct or closer to his real birth year).

Bell appeared in 400+ silent and sound features and serials and his Hollywood career spanned about thirty years, from about 1920 through the early 1950s (several films in which he appeared were released after his death). He frequently wore a badge and portrayed a sheriff, marshal, Texas Ranger, deputy, etc. And he was one of a dozen or so actors that could drive a stage. On a few occasions, he even did sidekick duty.

He free-lanced anywhere and everywhere, doing credited and unbilled roles at major production companies as well as Poverty Row. He appeared in about fifty films and serials at Republic Pictures during the years 1935 - 1949, and over half of those were oaters with Rogers, Autry, Sunset Carson, and Wild Bill Elliott. He was frequently employed by Columbia Pictures in cliffhangers and westerns with Elliott as well as the Charles Starrett series. There were additional Columbia paydays with Bell in about a dozen Three Stooges, El Brendel, Andy Clyde, and Charley Chase comedy shorts. And he shows up in many sagebrush adventures with Ken Maynard, Buck Jones and William Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy). There's some movie stats on Bell further down this webpage.

He has a meaty role in Bob Steele's LAW OF THE WEST (SonoArt-World Wide, 1932). In that, Bell is the lawman father of Steele who, as a young child, gets stolen and raised by nasty Ed Brady. He's one of Tom Keene's saddle pals in BEYOND THE ROCKIES (RKO, 1932) ... but is killed off early in the film. Hank has an unbilled role as henchman "Polka Dot" in the Johnny Mack Brown BILLY THE KID (MGM, 1930). And another uncredited role as the stagecoach driver in the Joe E. Brown comedy SHUT MY BIG MOUTH (Columbia, 1942).

You can also spot him as a "face in the crowd" in A grade films. Examples: he's a member of the posse / lynching party in THE OX-BOW INCIDENT (20th Century Fox, 1943); Hank is one of many farmers looking for help from Gary Cooper in MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN (Columbia, 1936); and he's among the locals at the dance in THE EGG AND I (Universal - International, 1947) which starred Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert.

Bell is prominently mentioned in Diana Serra Cary's book The Hollywood Posse: The Story of a Gallant Band of Horsemen Who Made Movie History (Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1975). Diana was "Baby Peggy" Montgomery and she starred in over a hundred comedy shorts in the 1920s. Her father was B-western performer and stuntman Jack Montgomery. On page 36, she writes about a meetup circa 1920 in Los Angeles between Montgomery and Hank Bell, two cowboys who were short on cash and looking for work. And Jack Montgomery refers to his longtime friend as "Handlebar" Hank Bell:

"The two friends stepped into a nearby cafe to continue their reunion over coffee, but instead of good news it seemed both had only hard luck to share. Hank Bell was a seasoned cowhand, about thirty-five at that time, who hailed from a tank town near Waco, Texas. He was tall, rawboned, with startling bright blue eyes and a high-bridged nose. His russet hair was set off by a huge handlebar mustache that drooped well below his chin. The mustache not only softened the hard line of his long, lantern jaw, but it had given him his nickname."

There's more on pages 38-44 which I'll summarize: Jack Montgomery and Bell connected with old pals 'Slim' Whitaker, Bill Gillis, Shorty Miller and Ed Hendershot, and all wound up at the Waterhole bar in Hollywood. The boys tell Hank and Jack about how they found steady employment as "riding extras in pictures". A day or so later, Whitaker took the pair out to Mixville or another Edendale movie company in Los Angeles. And they were hired as riders for $5.00 a day ... and the studio even provided them with a box lunch.

A Los Angeles Times newspaper article mentions that Bell collapsed and died from a heart attack on February 4, 1950 while at a cafe on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. However, his death certificate indicates that he passed away at the Hollywood Receiving Hospital in Los Angeles. There's a link further down this webpage with that article.

  Although some of the data may be incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Hank Bell: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068235/

Hank Bell's work in features, serials and shorts. I've used the RELEASE dates (not filming dates) from the Internet Movie Database so the results may be a little skewed. Total film count in this chart = 410.
32	16	18	26	15	15	25	21	15	17	23	24	27	23	33	15	18	9	11	12	10	4	1
1920- 1929	1930	1931	1932	1933	1934	1935	1936	1937	1938	1939	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947	1948	1949	1950	1951- 1952

Information on Hank Bell and family was found at the Family Search website (free), Ancestry.com (subscription), newspapers, trade publications, California Death Index, death certificate, and other sources.

There are some common threads in the below information - Hank's mother was Sarah Alice Elam / Ehlam and I've highlighted her last name in this color. Hank's brothers were Fred O. Bell and Elmer Lee Bell, and I've highlighted their names in this color. Unknown if there were other siblings.

Here's Hank ... and no luck finding the 1900 or 1910 census with him and his parents.

• 1920 census summary and census takers worksheet - 33 year old Henry T. Bell (born California about 1887) is one of many lodgers living in a hotel / rooming house at 237 South Hope Street, Los Angeles. He is single and occupation is "Stockman - Motion Pictures": https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MHQK-S4X
• Ancestry had the 1922 California Voter Registration for Henry Bell, 237 South Hope Street, Los Angeles, and his occupation was "Actor".
• 1940 census summary and census takers worksheet - 49 year old Henry Bell (born California) and 37 year old wife Viola (born Michigan) are renting at 4521 Rosewood Avenue, Los Angeles. Henry's occupation is "Actor - Motion Picture production", and in 1939, he worked 12 weeks and earned $2600.00: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K9CC-G2L
• 1942 World War II draft registration - 50 year old Henry Branch Bell is living at 1137 4/5 Lodi Place, Los Angeles. Birth date and location are January 21, 1892 in Dunlap, Fresno County, California, and occupation/employer is "Free Lance Actor - Central Casting". His wife is not listed as the contact - instead, it is E. L. Bell, 328 Abby Street, Fresno, California: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-16386-36193-20?cc=1861144&wc=MMRW-1RY:n931865833
• Death certificate: Henry Branch Bell was born January 21, 1892 in California; was divorced; occupation was "Actor - Motion Pictures"; and he passed away on February 4, 1950 at the Hollywood Receiving Hospital, Los Angeles. His home address was 1137 4/5 Lodi Place, Los Angeles. The death certificate contains a coroner investigation check box with signature (rather than medical statements of the hospital doctor / attending physician). Cause of death was coronary sclerosis. Funeral director was Pierce Bros. and burial at Valhalla Cemetery. Hank's parents were Francis Bell and Sarah Elam, and the informant on the death certificate was Fred Bell (his brother, according to the newspaper funeral notice and obituary below).
• California Death Index mirrors the death certificate - Henry Branch Bell was born 1/21/1892 in California, Mother's maiden name of Elam, and he passed away on 2/4/1950 in the Los Angeles area: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPKQ-QKN
• The February 5, 1950 Los Angeles Times newspaper had a death notice on Hank: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98691491/death-notice-for-western-movie-actor/
• The February 7 and 8, 1950 editions of the Los Angeles Times newspaper had a funeral notice and an obituary. Excerpts: "Funeral services for Henry B. Bell, 58, cowboy actor, ... interment in Valhalla Cemetery ... Born in Dunlap, Cal. ... leaves a brother, Fred Bell.". No children or other relatives were mentioned: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98691395/funeral-notice-for-western-movie-actor/
• February 15, 1950 issue of Variety had a death notice - excerpts: "Henry Bell, 58, cowboy film actor, died Feb. 4 ... following a heart attack."
• Find A Grave website has a photo of the grave marker for H. B. 'Hank' Bell (1886 - 1950) who is interred at Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood, California. The marker has his birth year as 1886, not 1892: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81749075/henry-branch-bell

Hank's parents, Francis M. Bell and Sarah Alice Elam. Alas - no luck finding 1880, 1900 or 1910 census info on them. The 1890 census is unavailable - it was lost in a 1921 fire (and water damage) at the Commerce Building in Washington, D.C.

• Francis M. Bell married Sarah Alice Elam in San Joaquin, California on October 3, 1877 (and this matches the parent names on Hank's death certificate): https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V2Z7-624
• Ancestry.com and Family Search had several California Voter Registrations for Francis Marion Bell:
  1876 California Voter Registration - 21 year old Francis Marion Bell was born about 1855 in California and is a farmer in San Joaquin, California.
  1877 California Voter Registration - 21 year old Francis Marion Bell was born about 1856 in California and lives in San Joaquin, California.
  1880 California Voter Registration - 24 year old Francis Marion Bell was born about 1856 in California and is a farmer in San Joaquin, California.
  1884 California Voter Registration - 29 year old Francis Marion Bell was born about 1855 in California and is a farmer in Fresno, California.
  1890 California Voter Registration - 35 year old Francis Marion Bell was born about 1855 in California and is a farmer in Tulare, California.
  1894 California Voter Registration - 39 year old Francis Marion Bell was born about 1855 in California and lives in Sacramento, California.
  1896 California Voter Registration - 40 year old Francis Marion Bell was born about 1856 in California and is a laborer in Sacramento, California.

Hank's brother Fred O. Bell.

• 1930 census summary and census takers worksheet - 40 year old Fred O. Bell (born California) is living at the U. S. Naval Hospital at Mare Island, Vallejo, California. He is single, occupation Marine Corps, and was a World War I veteran: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCJS-7NB
• California Death Index for Fred O. Bell, born February 14, 1890 in California, mother's maiden name of Elam, and he passed away December 15, 1960 in the Fresno, California area: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VGR8-FK2
• Find A Grave website has a photo of the grave marker for Fred O. Bell, born February 14, 1890, and passed away December 15, 1960. He was a retired Marine Corps Master Sergeant and is interred at Liberty Veterans Cemetery, Fresno, California: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22918984/fred-o.-bell

Hank's brother Elmer Lee Bell.

• 1930 census summary and census takers worksheet - 46 year old Elmer L. Bell (born California; occupation "Fireman - Fire Dept."), his 36 year old wife Florance [sic], four sons, and three daughters reside in Fresno, California: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCX1-CZ7
• 1940 census summary and census takers worksheet - 59 year old Elmer L. Bell (born California), 48 year old wife Florence A. (born Iowa) and four children. They own their home at 328 Abby Street, Fresno, California, and Elmer is a Fresno "fireman": https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9QJ-9H2
• California Death Index for Elmer Lee Bell, born June 15, 1886 in California, mother's maiden name of Ehlam, and he passed away June 26, 1945 in the Fresno, California area: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VGY8-329
• Find A Grave website has a photo of the grave marker for Elmer Lee Bell. He was born June 15, 1881 in California, passed away June 26, 1945, and is interred at Belmont Memorial Park, Fresno, California. Also included is a newspaper clipping and obituary notice - in June, 1945, Elmer and wife Florence were killed when their pickup truck collided with a passenger train, and survivors were brothers Fred O. Bell of Highway City, and Hank Bell of Hollywood: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/189262178/elmer-lee-bell

(Courtesy of Les Adams) Above is a crop from a lobby card from OUTLAWED (FBO, 1929), and from left to right are Tom Mix, Al Ferguson and a clean shaven Hank Bell. This was one of the five silents that Mix did for Film Booking Office (FBO) in the late 1920s. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Bob Custer is on the right and a youngish Hank Bell is on the left in this lobby card from THE LAST ROUNDUP (Syndicate, 1929). The galoot in the prone position may be Cliff Lyons. (From Old Corral collection) In BEYOND THE ROCKIES (RKO, 1932), Tom Keene battles rustlers and is assisted by three helpers. The quartet of heroes are, from left to right, Ernie Adams, Julian Rivero, Tom Keene, and Hank Bell (and they called themselves "the roamin' rovers"). They even serenade us with some tunes around a campfire and at the ranch. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from L-to-R are John Elliott, Bill Cody and Hank Bell looking over Iron Eyes Cody. In the right background are Sheila Mannors and Andy Shuford. From Cody's TEXAS PIONEERS (Monogram, 1932). (Courtesy of Les Adams) In the above still and crop/blowups, Ken Maynard is prone among an entire regiment of henchies in THE FIDDLIN' BUCKAROO (Universal, 1933). From L-to-R are Slim Whitaker, Bud McClure, Frank Ellis (face in shadows), Roy Bucko (with Maynard's pearl handled six-shooter in his belt), Hank Bell (with Maynard's other pearl handled six-shooter in his belt), Jack Kirk (face in shadows), Jack King (tall hat), Fred Kohler, partial face of unidentified guy, and Buck Bucko. (From Old Corral collection) Above - moustached Hank Bell has the drop on Reb Russell and trusty steed Rebel in BORDER VENGEANCE (Willis Kent, 1935). (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above - Fred Kohler, Sr. versus Buck Jones in BORDER BRIGANDS (Universal, 1935). Hank Bell, with his usual handlebar moustache, is in the middle watchin' the action. (From Old Corral collection) Above - Julian Rivero is the Spanish-garbed gent on the far left. William Desmond and Earl Dwire are in the darkened doorway. Blackie Whiteford is restraining Tyler, and burly Dick Alexander has the butt of his six-shooter aimed at Tom's head. The heroine is Jean Carmen, who would later change her screen name to Julia Thayer and become the rider of the titled horse in Republic's cliffhanger, THE PAINTED STALLION (Republic, 1937). Prone on the step is Hank Bell, minus his usual moustache. From Tyler's BORN TO BATTLE (Reliable, 1935). (Courtesy of Bruce Hickey) Above from left to right are John Merton, Hank Bell, Harlene Wood, and Kermit Maynard in a lobby card from Kermit's VALLEY OF TERROR (Ambassador/Conn, 1937). (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from L-to-R are Hank Bell, Charles Starrett, Kenneth MacDonald, Iris Meredith and Ed Cobb in SPOILERS OF THE RANGE (Columbia, 1939). This was another lawman role for Bell. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from left to right are Hank Bell, Pierre Watkin, George 'Gabby' Hayes and William 'Billy' Benedict in a scene from the Roy Rogers oater JESSE JAMES AT BAY (Republic, 1941). (From Old Corral collection) Above are Bill Elliott, Adrian Booth, Jack Holt, Hank Bell and Andy Devine in a scene from THE LAST BANDIT (Republic, 1949). Note that both Elliott and Devine are wearing butt forward gunbelts.