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Unkempt, rough and tough looking members of the gang, or lynch mob, or vigilantes, or posse riders, or cow herders. They had minimal or no dialog, not much screen time, and were generally not listed in the film credits. Some would show up as a face in the crowd, portraying townspeople, barflies, deputies, wagon drivers, ranch hands, etc. We tend to recognize some of their faces, but have no clue as to their real names.



Above and below
Ray Jones circa 1940
Ray Jones

Full name possibilities:
Rayden Charles Jones
Raden Charles Jones

1898 - 1975

appeared in about 180 westerns, 6 serials, and lots of early TV shows


  Texan Ray Jones is another familiar B western "face in the crowd", and he generally did uncredited roles as a henchman, townsman, barfly, et al.

Les Adams has Jones identified in 180+ western movies and 6 serials.

As with many other B western supporting players, Jones migrated to early TV work and can be spotted in episodes of GUNSMOKE, HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL, WYATT EARP, more.

His film and television career spanned 30+ years, from about 1930 through the early 1960s.

In the information below, note that his first name may be Raden (not Rayden). Pure guess - he probably got nicknamed "Ray" as a child. And as time went by, Raden/Ray morphed into Rayden.

There was an unknown first marriage. He married Irene Cole (1910 - 1980) in 1933, and they had a son, Rayden Douglas Jones (1934 - 2006).

Suffering from cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Ray Jones passed away on October 27, 1975 at Broadway Community Hospital, Los Angeles.

The Three Stooges net website has Ray Jones in a few shorts with the zany trio: http://www.threestooges.net/cast/actor/4065/



On the trail of Ray Jones:
The Family Search website (free), Ancestry.com (subscription), ProQuest obituaries, California Death Index, Social Security Death Index (SSDI), newspapers and other sources have info on our B western actor Ray Jones.

Three common threads in the info below are:

1. Ray's mother was Deamer Escoe, and there are several variations of her name which I've highlighted in this color.
2. Ray's wife was Irene Cole, and I've highlighted her in this color.
3. There was a brother named James / Jim, and I've highlighted him in this color.
His parents were easy to locate in various records. But there's issues in finding Ray Jones, western movie actor. We'll begin with info that Ray reported about himself:

The Ray Jones and Irene Cole 1933 marriage license list his parents as John R. Jones and Deamer Escel [sic] (born Texas).

Family trees on ancestry.com have his parents as John Rasmus Jones (1864-1923) and Deamer A. Escoe (1872-1950). In 1923, Deamer re-married, and her second and last husband was Joel Thomas Lee Dean (1871-1931).

But there's no Ray / Rayden / Raden with them in the 1900 and 1910 census. However, there is a son named Dewie / Dewey who was born about 1898. Could "Dewie / Dewey" be our Ray / Raden / Rayden Jones?

Census, births, deaths, and other info:
  • 1890 census is unavailable - it was lost in a 1921 fire (and water damage) at the Commerce Building in Washington, D.C.
  • 1900 census - living in the Creek Nation, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) are 39 year old John Jones (born Alabama; occupation "Medical Doctor"), his 28 year old wife Dema [sic] A. (born Texas), 10 year old daughter Clorence (born Texas), 9 year old son James (born Texas), 1 year old son Dewey (born Texas), and a boarder. The census taker enumerated the family on June 11-12, 1900 and Dewey has a November, 1899 birth date and is 6/12 old (meaning 6 months old): https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSR1-68W
  • 1910 census - living in Self Creek Township, Pike County, Arkansas are 45 year old John R. Jones (born Georgia; occupation "Physician"), 37 year old wife Deamie [sic] (born Texas), 18 year old son James (born Texas), 12 year old son Dewie (born Texas), 6 year old daughter Olga (born Oklahoma) and newborn son Haskell (born Arkansas). Census takers worksheet has "Daisy town" as part of the location: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKVL-975
  • 1920 census - owning their home in Wheeler, Van Buren County, Arkansas are 56 year old John R. Jones (born Georgia; occupation "Physician"), his 48 year old wife Demer A. (born Texas), 16 year old daughter Olda [sic] (born Oklahoma), 11 year old son Haskell (born Arkansas), and 9 year old daughter Beatress (born Arkansas): https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDFL-4S5
  • Ray and Irene's son, Rayden Douglas Jones:
    California birth index record for Rayden Douglas Jones, born June 5, 1934, and his mother's maiden name was Cole: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2Q7-22N
    Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rayden Douglas Jones. He was born June 5, 1934, passed away May 14, 2006, and last residence was Vista, San Diego County, California: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J5JZ-M4H
  • 1940 census summary and census takers worksheet - 40 year old Rayden Jones (born Texas), 28 year old wife Irene (born Maine) and 5 year old son Douglas (born California) are among many renters at 1401 North Ridgewood Place, Los Angeles, and they lived in Los Angeles in 1935. Jones was born in Texas; completed school through the 8th grade; occupation is "Actor - Motion Pic", and in 1939, he worked 26 weeks and earned $1400.00: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K9CX-HZC
  • Death certificate: 76 year old Rayden Jones passed away on October 27, 1975 at the Broadway Community Hospital, Los Angeles. Cause of death was cancer of the lung, liver and sigmoid, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He was born November 11, 1898 in Texas; is divorced; and home address was 5401 Fountain Avenue, Los Angeles. Parents were John R. Jones and Deamer Escoe (birth places unknown). Death certificate informant was Public Administrator (indicating that no family members were there for him). Funeral director was Pierce Brothers - Los Angeles and burial at Rosedale Cemetery (now known as Angelus Rosedale Cemetery).
  • The California Death Index and the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) have records for Rayden Jones, born November 11, 1898 in Texas, and passed away on October 27, 1975 in the Los Angeles area:
    https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPHP-T11
    https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JG3P-JQQ
  • ProQuest obituaries had a (brief) funeral notice from the November 7, 1975 Los Angeles (California) Times newspaper. Excerpt: "JONES, Rayden ... gravesite services ... at Rosedale Cemetery." No mention of a wife or other family members.

Ray Jones' mother, wife and son Rayden:




(Old Corral collection)

Sitting at the saloon table with their beers are Ray Jones (left) and unidentified player (right). Left to right In the background are Jack Evans, Benny Corbett and Chester Gan. Crop from a still from the Reb Russell oater FIGHTING THROUGH (Willis Kent, 1934).



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Marjorie Manners, Archie Ricks, Ray Jones, Buster Crabbe, unidentified man and woman, Frank Hagney, unidentified woman, I. Stanford Jolley (with the six-shooter), and on the far right is an unidentified player. Still from Crabbe's BLAZING FRONTIER (PRC, 1943). Don't be fooled by the badge on Hagney as he and Stan Jolley are the gang leaders in this Billy the Kid yarn.



(Old Corral image collection)

Above from left to right are Jack Hendricks (AKA Ray Henderson), Buster Crabbe, Frank Ellis, Al 'Fuzzy' St. John, Ray Jones and Lorraine Miller in a still from BORDER BADMEN (PRC, 1945).



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Leonard Penn and Jim Bannon, and inside the stage are Ray Jones and Black Jack O'Shea. From WANTED, DEAD OR ALIVE (Monogram, 1951), which starred Whip Wilson.



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