(From Old Corral collection) Above - Jones sneaking up on Ward Bond (on the left) and Bob Kortman (center) in a re-release lobby card from THE CRIMSON TRAIL (Universal, 1935). (From Old Corral collection) Above - Buck Jones vs. the crazed John Bleifer (as 'Loco') in this re-release lobby card from THE CRIMSON TRAIL (Universal, 1935). |
(From Old Corral collection) | In the webpages on Ken Maynard, I noted some of the problems that he caused during his 1933 - 1934 stay at Universal. From the February 15, 1934 issue of the Hollywood Reporter:
Headline: "Buck Jones Set for Ken Maynard Spot" ; "Those on the inside say that Buck Jones will probably be Universal's western star when Ken Maynard finishes his present picture, 'Doomed To Die'. This picture, his eighth on present contract, is also the last on the contract. It is reported that Maynard isn't very anxious to renew ... and it is rumored that Universal isn't so hot to have him."
With Maynard's exit, Carl and Junior Laemmle, the bosses at Universal, needed an established range rider as a replacement. Earlier, they had used Buck in the serial GORDON OF GHOST CITY (Universal, 1933) and apparently liked what they saw as well as the positive fan reaction at the box office. They hired Buck, and as part of the deal, gave him production powers and started him off with a $1,000.00 per week salary plus extra pay for stories used in the productions. Jones would stay with Universal through 1937, do twenty-two films and three additional cliffhangers.
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Peggy Campbell restrains Buck in a scene from WHEN A MAN SEES RED (Universal, 1934). Campbell did a handful of films in the mid 1930s and that included a couple westerns with Jones and one with Bob Steele. | (From Old Corral collection) |
(From Old Corral collection) In the lobby card above, Buck Jones is cuddlin' with pretty Madge Bellamy. Of Jones' five cliffhangers, GORDON OF GHOST CITY (Universal, 1933) is probably the best. The plot involves a rich vein of gold that runs under an old store in Ghost City which is owned by Bellamy's grandfather. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from left to right are Charles B. Murphy, Buck Jones pummeling LeRoy Mason, and Syd Saylor in a scene from WHEN A MAN SEES RED (Universal, 1934). (From Old Corral collection) Above from L-to-R are Jones, Charlotte Wynters and Frank Rice in a re-release lobby card for THE IVORY-HANDLED GUN (Universal, 1935). (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above - Jones on Silver chats with George Hayes, several years before he became 'Windy' and 'Gabby', and in the right background is Frank LaRue. From THE THROWBACK (Universal, 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. (Courtesy of Donna Patterson) Above are Benny Corbett, Buck Jones, and Charles King (without his usual mustache) in Buck's SUNSET OF POWER (Universal, 1935). Corbett and King were Buck's helpers in this. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above - Polly Ann Young (Loretta Young's sister) and Buck Jones comfort the injured Carl Stockdale in THE CRIMSON TRAIL (Universal, 1935). (From Old Corral collection) Above from L-to-R are Charles Brinley, Buck Jones, Charles K. French and Paul Fix in this re-release lobby card for THE CRIMSON TRAIL (Universal, 1935). (Courtesy of Les Adams) Left to right are Muriel Evans, Dickie Jones and Buck Jones on his trusty hoss Silver in SMOKE TREE RANGE (Universal, 1937). (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from left to right are Ezra Paulette, Harold Hodge, Frank McGlynn, Sr., and Buck Jones in a lobby card and crop/blowup from SUDDEN BILL DORN (Universal, 1937), one of Buck's worst oaters. Cyprian 'Ezra' Paulette was a musician and is best remembered for his years with the Beverly Hill Billies. McGlynn, Sr. did five films with Jones, including THE ROARING WEST (Universal, 1935) chapterplay. If his 1866 birth year is correct, McGlynn, Sr. would have been about 72 years old when he worked in this Buck Jones western. |