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.

Nelson McDowell Full name: James Nelson McDowell or Nelson James McDowell 187? - 1947

Missouri born Nelson McDowell was tall and lanky and - and based on e-mails I've received over the years, some people confuse him with Tex Ritter's later sidekick Lloyd 'Arkansas Slim' Andrews. McDowell seemed to specialize in playing undertakers, preachers, lawyers, etc.

He also portrayed an occasional sidekick ... and he did saddle pal duties with Bob Custer, Tex Ritter, Jack Randall, Jack Perrin and Tom Tyler.

His movie career began circa 1917 and over an approximate thirty year period, he did about 180 sound and silents. Les Adams has McDowell identified in about 106 sound films, of which 68 are westerns and 6 are serials.

Suffering from cancer, McDowell committed suicide, shooting himself on November 3, 1947.

You may want to go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral and then to the California Death Records database. There you will find a record for: James Nelson McDowell, born 8/14/1870 in Missouri, Mother's maiden name of Hampton, and he passed away in the Los Angeles area on 11/3/1947.

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Nelson McDowell: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0568316/

It's always interesting to click through excerpts of newspaper headlines and clippings at the Google newspaper archives at: http://news.google.com/newspapers
Be aware that most of the links provided in the Google newspaper archives go to newspaper websites where you have to pay to retrieve the full article. The following link will take you to a November 4, 1947 article requiring payment, and the lead-in reads "Film Veteran Ends His Life - Using an oldstyle pistol which he carried when he played western roles in motion pictures James Nelson McDowell 77 shot himself fatally in his home at 5302 ...": http://www.google.com/search?q=%22James+Nelson+McDowell%22&tbs=nws:1,ar:1&source=newspapers

Rick Albright was able to locate various information on McDowell. Rick adds: although his age jumps around a bit, I think these listings are for the same person. There is no sign of his wife after the travel plans of 1910 and I did not find her in the voter rolls when he appeared there. They may have divorced and he may have been in constant motion looking for acting work/on location and thereby missed by the census takers.

• 1870 census for Greenfield, Dade Co., MO: Our subject was not yet born but his parents, Nelson B. and Annie McDowell, as well as their daughter Helen A., age 1, were living together. The senior Nelson McDowell's occupation was given as clerk of the county court.
• 1880 census for Leadville, Lake Co., CO: James Nelson McDowell is age 9 and living with his parents and sister Helen. His father's occupation is now reported as working at a saw mill.
• 1900: census for Pasadena, Los Angeles Co., CA: James N. McDowell is listed as age 40 (should be about 30), married once, born MO, ditto parents, occupation is now dentist! and they reside at 985 S. Pasqual Street, Pasadena. His wife Lottie, age 45, married twice, born Canada. No children but they do have one Swedish-born servant, Alma N. Swanson, 25. A separate record shows James N. married Lottie Green in 1900 in Chicago, IL.
• 1910: Passport application: James Nelson McDowell and wife (unnamed) of San Pasqual Street, Pasadena, CA (same as census address). He lists his age as 45 and birth as 14 Aug 1865 (should be 1870) in Greenfield, MO and occupation as unemployed dentist. He is described as 6' 2" tall with blueish gray eyes and dark brown hair with gray at the temples, long face. They were to sail in June of 1910 on the S/S Minnesota of the Great Northern Steamship Company, leaving from Seattle, WA. (Note that Greenfield, MO matches the 1870 census and his birth day and month match his 1947 death record details even though the year is off by five.)
• I found no trace of him at all in 1920 or 1930, and I looked far beyond just L.A. or California in general.
• 1938 Voter Roll for Los Angeles: Nelson J. McDowell, actor, 1549 N. Western.
• 1940 Voter Roll for Los Angeles.: Nelson J. McDowell, actor, 1309 N. Hobart Blvd.
• 1944 Voter Roll for Los Angeles. Nelson J. McDowell, actor, 5302 Sunset Blvd.

Left is a screen capture of McDowell as "preacher David Gamut" from the 1920 silent THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS (1920) which starred Wallace Beery as "Magua, War Chief of the Hurons". A dozen years later, McDowell reprised that same role in the serial THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS (Mascot, 1932) which starred Harry Carey and featured Bob Kortman as "Magua".

(Image courtesy of Joe Tufano) Above from left to right are William Desmond, Nelson McDowell (with moustache) and an unidentifed player in one of Desmond's silent starring westerns or westerns for Universal (might be from the lost/missing serial THE VANISHING RIDER (Universal, 1928)). The unidentified actor reminds me of a youngish Budd Buster. (Image courtesy of Jay Wilsey's granddaughter and daughter, Tamera Mankini and Frances Eldene Wolski) Above are Jay Wilsey (Buffalo Bill Jr.) and his saddle pal Nelson McDowell in a still from LIGHTNING BILL (Superior, 1934). (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above top from L-to-R are Frank Yaconelli, Jack Randall and Nelson McDowell getting ready to surprise Bud Osborne (with the Winchester) and Robert Walker in a scene from PIONEER DAYS (Monogram, 1940).

(Image courtesy of Jay Wilsey's granddaughter and daughter, Tamera Mankini and Frances Eldene Wolski) Above is a cast and crew shot from LIGHTNING BILL (Superior, 1934), and in the background is the National Recording Co. sound truck. Most of the crew members are unidentified, but the performers include Nelson McDowell, Eva McKenzie, William 'Bill' McCall, heroine Alma Rayford, Jay Wilsey (Buffalo Bill Jr.), Denver Dixon (Victor Adamson), Bud Osborne and Black Jack Ward, Below is a crop/blowup from that cast and crew shot with names added on some of the faces. Tidbit about Eva McKenzie (upper left in the photo): her husband Bob McKenzie did a bunch of westerns, and their pretty daughter Fay McKenzie was a heroine to Bob Baker, Ken Maynard, others. To western film fans, Fay is probably best remembered as the female lead in five 1941 - 1942 Gene Autry Republic oaters.

William "Bill" McCall 1870 - 1938

Illinois born William McCall worked in about 230 films during a thirty year film career that spanned from 1918 through his passing in 1938. Some of his silent screen appearances were in Mack Sennett comedies. Note that 1918 start year - if correct, McCall would have been in his late forties when he began doing movies. His life and work prior to that is unknown.

Les Adams has McCall identified in about 80 sound films, of which 56 are westerns and 6 are serials. He did sound era westerns with Charles Starrett, Ken Maynard, Bill Cody, Buffalo Bill Jr. (Jay Wilsey), Reb Russell, Jack Hoxie, Bob Steele, others. In these, he was generally unbilled/uncredited as a townsman, saloon patron, lawman, etc. On a few occasions, he portrayed the kindly old father of the heroine. He also did a few 1930s Columbia shorts with Charley Chase and Andy Clyde.

The California Death Records database begins with 1940, so there's no information available on McCall.

Rick Albright was able to locate census information on McCall:

• 1920 census for Los Angeles, CA: Wm. McCall, renting, age 48, married, born IL, father born Ireland, mother born IL, actor/picture studio. Wife Catherine McCall, 43, married, born WI, parents born IL and WI, no occupation. Sister-in-law Josephine Schomer, 39, single, born IL, parents born IL and WI. No occupation. They reside at 447 1/2 Flower St., Los Angeles.
• 1930 census for Los Angeles (Beverly Hills), CA: William McCall, renting at $5,000, age 59, married at 29, born IL, parents born Northern Ireland and IL, occupation actor/motion pictures. Wife Catharine McCall, 54, married at 24, born WI, parents born IL and WI, no occupation. Sister-in-law Josephine Schomer, 50, single, born IL, parents IL and WI, no occupation. They reside at 9043 Lloyd Place, Beverly Hills.

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on William McCall: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564691/

It's always interesting to click through excerpts of newspaper headlines and clippings at the Google newspaper archives at: http://news.google.com/newspapers. While some of the articles are free, many go to newspaper websites where you have to pay to retrieve the full article. The following link will take you to a January 11, 1938 article requiring payment, and the lead-in reads "WillIam McCall beloved husband of Catherine McCall. Services Wednesday 2 p.m. at the chapel of Norqulst ...": http://www.google.com/search?q=%22WillIam+McCall%22+%2B%22Catherine+McCall%22&tbs=nws:1,ar:1&source=newspapers

(From Old Corral image collection) Above, from L-to-R are Jack Rockwell, H. B. Warner, Ken Maynard, Evalyn Knapp and Kenneth Thompson. The face between Maynard and H. B. Warner is William (Bill) McCall. Lobby card from IN OLD SANTA FE (Mascot, 1934). (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above are Bill Cody, Bill Cody Jr. and Catherine Cotter looking over the prone William 'Bill' McCall in a scene from OUTLAWS OF THE RANGE (Spectrum, 1936). Catherine Cotter made about a half-dozen mid 1930s oaters with Cody, Bob Steele and Fred Scott, and then disappeared.