Hoot - early 1920s | | Hoot - mid 1930s |
Hoot Gibson addendum, notes and tidbits. |
I do have newspaper obituaries on Hoot. He had been under treatment for cancer for about five years, and had a series of abdominal surgeries beginning in 1960. His most recent surgery was January 8, 1962, and afterwards, he returned to his Las Vegas home. During the Summer, his condition worsened and he passed away on August 23, 1962 at the Motion Picture Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California.
Funeral services were held on August 27, 1962, at Pierce Bros. Hollywood and burial at Inglewood Park Cemetery. Mourners included Ken Maynard, Roy Rogers, Monte Montana, Bob Steele, Tex Ritter, Bob Nolan (of the Songs of the Pioneers), Iron Eyes Cody, Wallace Ford, Buster Keaton, Jackie Coogan, Philo McCullough, Jack Mulhall, Reginald Denny, and Hoot's former wife Sally Eilers. Eddie Dean sang "Empty Saddles". Hoot's survivors included his widow Dorothy Dunstan Gibson; Lois Flanders. his daughter from a previous marriage; his sister, Mrs. Jessie Gasaway; and his brother, Leon Gibson.
If anyone wants a copy of obituaries or his death certificate, shoot the Old Corral webmaster an e-mail.
Over the years, I've received occasional e-mails advising that Gibson was born and/or raised in Herman, Nebraska (not Tekamah, Nebraska). However, Hoot's World War I and World War II draft registrations and the Nebraska State Historical Society have Tekamah, Nebraska as his birthplace. Herman and Tekamah are close to each other, about 8 miles apart.
Long time ago, I communicated with the Pendleton Roundup regarding movie cowboys that performed at their event and in particular, I was searching for info on Ken Maynard. Excerpts follow from a couple e-mails from them: "I just looked up the contestant list and I couldn't even find his name (Ken Maynard) on that. Hoot Gibson won the Round-Up All Around in 1912. Yakima Canutt won the All Around in 1919 and 1920 as well as 1917 and 1923."
Gibson was one of the few western movie performers who didn't do much TV work. However, he did appear in the March, 1955 I MARRIED JOAN episode titled "The Cowboy". If anyone wants, I have a newspaper TV section from Ed Tabor with a large (poor quality) image of comedian Joan Davis and Gibson during the filming of that show.
In 1979, Hoot Gibson was posthumously inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Another major award for western movie performers was the "Golden Boot" which was sponsored by the Motion Picture and Television Fund Foundation. Golden Boot events were held for twenty five years and the last was in 2007. Hoot was never recognized with a Golden Boot award.
Don't forget to visit the Old Corral section on Monogram's Trail Blazers ... and you'll find more photos, posters and lobby cards with Gibson.
Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Hoot Gibson: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0316995
The Internet Archive has some of Gibson's westerns which you can view or download: https://archive.org/details/moviesandfilms?and[]=%22hoot%20gibson%22#collection-date-archived
YouTube has a nearly seven minute long commercial for raising and selling Aristo Blue Chinchillas and the backdrop is Hoot and his Hoot Gibson Show TV program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itNWXPEzS6Y
The Santa Clarita Valley History in Pictures website has several webpages on Gibson and his rodeo:
Hoot Gibson in "The Mounted Stranger", 1930, Magic Lantern Slide: http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/lw2038.htm
Hoot Gibson Ranch Rodeo Ticket, May 1, 1932: http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/lw2035.htm
Hoot Gibson at Baker Ranch Rodeo, 1928: http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/cs2801.htm
Hoot Gibson at Baker Ranch Rodeo, 1928: http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/cs2802.htm
Hoot Gibson Ranch Rodeo Ticket, April 28, 1935: http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/lw2096.htm
Hoot Gibson Arcade Card for "King of the Rodeo", 1929: http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/lw2126.htm
The Santa Clarita Valley History in Pictures website also has articles and photos of wife Sally Eilers, Hoot's plane crash at the 1933 National Air Races in Los Angeles, more: https://scvhistory.com/scvhistory/lw3013.htm
The Nebraska State Historical website has several photos, posters, lobby cards, etc. on Gibson: https://historynebraska.catalogaccess.com/search?search=%22hoot+gibson%22&page=1&size=10&withImages=false
The Nebraska State Historical Society has a (very brief) biography on Gibson: https://history.nebraska.gov/publications/hoot-gibson
In 1979, Hoot Gibson was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/performers/1624/
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has their Walk of Fame. Go to their website and do a search for Hoot Gibson who has a star at at 1765 Vine Street: http://www.walkoffame.com
Hoot Gibson flew in the 1933 National Air Race in Los Angeles (which included pilots such as Amelia Earhart and Roscoe Turner). Hoot piloted a J-5 Swallow and raced against Ken Maynard who had his own J6-7 Stearman biplane. Gibson crashed after a steep turn going around one of the race pylons. He survived the crash, but the plane was destroyed. Photo of the crashed plane at: https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/los-angeles-ca-photo-shows-a-view-of-hoot-gibsons-plane-news-photo/515982448
In 1946, Hoot and some partners opened the D-4-C Ranch near Las Vegas. The ranch had bungalows, an airfield, restaurant, gambling, dude ranch amenities, and catered to guests who came to Vegas for a quickie divorce. Quickly say "D4C". Now say "Divorcee". Got the drift? You'll find a photo of the ranch entrance along with examples of D-4-C Ranch poker chips at:
https://www.grnewsletters.com/archive/spinettis/Hoot-Gibsons-D-4-C-Ranch-274389105.html
http://www.silver-state-treasures.com/lasvegs/d4cranch.htm
Hoot may have worked in a mid 1940s film/short titled LIFE IN LAS VEGAS, but no one has ever seen it. If made, it may have been a travelogue or a promotional film for Nevada or Las Vegas or Hoot's D-4-C Ranch. The Rockabilly Hall of Fame website has a B&W image on the film and it shows Gibson along with Bill Woods and a youngster named Buddy. The image notes that LIFE IN LAS VEGAS was from 1945 and it's a "Technicolor Movie for Monogram Pictures". However, the combination of (high priced) Technicolor and (low budget) Monogram doesn't ring true. If anyone has info on this film, please shoot the Old Corral webmeister an e-mail. Go to this webpage and scroll about a third of the way down: http://www.rockabillyhall.com/Scrapbook31.html (When I checked this website in mid 2022, it appears to be no longer working.)
Hoot's parents - Hiram J. Gibson and Ida Belle Richards, and step-mother, Carrie Ella 'Ellie' Carter. |
(Courtesy of Dennis Davis) Many thanks to Dennis Davis for the above family photo. He and ye Old Corral webmeister connected back in 2003. Dennis writes: "My mother recently passed away and was the family historian with many pictures which I've been reviewing for family CD's. One of the pictures was Hoot Gibson's parents. Hoot's mother (Ellie Carter) was my grandfather's (Albert H. Carter) sister."
Current information indicates that "Ellie" was Hoot's step-mother, and her full name was Carrie Ella Carter. See info below.
(Dennis Davis - your old e-mail address is no longer working. Shoot the Old Corral webmaster an e-mail please.) |
Hiram J. Gibson was Hoot's father and his occupations in the 1900 through 1930 census were "Salesman", "Well driller" "Manager - Grocery Store" and "Caretaker - Ranch".
Marriage, census records, and family trees indicate that Hoot's mother was Ida Belle Richards (born Indiana circa 1871). She and Hiram divorced and she re-married several times. When the 1910 census was taken, Hoot was living with her and new husband F. M. Lewis in Los Angeles.
In 1911, Hiram married Carrie Ella Carter (born Iowa circa 1882) in Iowa, and she was Hoot's step-mother (and that's her in the above photo). Interestingly, they married a second time in 1912 in Nebraska.
Family Search (free) and Ancestry.com (subscription) have more on Hoot's parents and step-mother:
- September 18, 1888 marriage of 22 year old Hiram J. Gibson and 18 year old Ida Bell Richards in Tekamah, Burt County, Nebraska: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5Z2-CK3
(Ancestry.com had the September 18, 1888 Nebraska marriage license for 22 year old Hiram J. Gibson (born Tekamah, Nebraska) and 18 year old Ida Bell Richards (born Lawrence County, Indiana).
- 1890 census is unavailable - it was lost in a 1921 fire (and water damage) at the Commerce Building in Washington, D.C.
- 1900 census summary and census takers worksheet - renting at 608 1/2 Broadway, Los Angeles are 34 year old Hiram J. Gibson (born Nebraska; occupation "Salesman"), his 29 year old wife Ida B. (born Indiana; occupation "Saleslady"), 8 year old son Edmund Gibson (born Nebraska), 11 year old son Leon, and and 9 year old daughter Jessie: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9PF-JT4
- 1910 census summary and census takers worksheet - 44 year old Hiram J. Gibson (born Nebraska; occupation "Well driller") is divorced and a boarder living in Tekamah, Burt County, Nebraska: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLW5-JJ3
- 1910 census summary and census takers worksheet - owning their home in Los Angeles are 32 year old F. M. Lewis (born New York; occupation "carpenter"), his 37 year old wife Della (born Indiana), 17 year old stepson Edmund R. Gibson (born Nebraska; single; occupation "cowboy") and 19 year old stepson Leon J. Gibson (born Nebraska; single; occupation "laborer"). This was the first marriage for F. M. Lewis and second marriage for Della: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVL9-6GF
- September 19, 1911 marriage of 46 year old H. J. Gibson and 31 year old Ella Carter in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XJ85-V2K
Ancestry.com had the marriage ledger - this was the second marriage for Hiram (born Nebraska; occupation "Engineer") and the first for Ella (born Iowa).
- October 30, 1912 marriage of 46 year old Hiram J. Gibson and 31 year old Earrie [sic] Ella Carter in Burt County, Nebraska: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5Z5-96T
- 1920 census summary and census takers worksheet - 53 year old Hiram J. Gibson (born Nebraska; occupation "Manager - Grocery Store") and 38 year old wife Ella (born Iowa) are renting in Tekamah, Burt County, Nebraska: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCVX-HNV
- 1930 census summary and census takers worksheet - renting in Santa Margarita, San Luis Obispo County, California are 63 year old Hiram J. Gibson (born Nebraska; occupation "Caretaker - Ranch") and his 48 year old wife Carrie E. (born Iowa): https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCNF-D6F
- 1940 census summary and census takers worksheet - 56 year old J. N. Anderson (born Iowa; occupation "Police Man") and his 63 year old wife Della (born Indiana) own their home at 1335 West 38th Place, Los Angeles: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9Z7-2XF
- World War II draft registration dated April 27, 1942 and Hoot is living with his mother Della at her home in Los Angeles - 49 year old Edmund Richard Gibson (Hoot) was born August 6, 1892 in Tekamah, Nebraska. He lives at 1335 West 38th Place, Los Angeles, and occupation is "Own Employment". Contact is Mrs. Della Anderson, also residing at 1335 West 38th Place, Los Angeles: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4DQ-1X8
The California Death Index, ProQuest obituaries, the Newspaper Archive (subscription), trade publications and other sources have death information on Hoot's father, mother and step-mother:
- May 29, 1937 Motion Picture Daily: "Atascadero, Cal., May 28 (1937) - Hiram J. Gibson, father of Hoot Gibson, is dead here. He was 73."
- A syndicated death notice was carried in various newspapers on Hiram J. Gibson: "Hiram J. Gibson, 73, father of Hoot Gibson, film cowboy, died in the Atascadero, Calif. hospital, his son was informed. The elder Gibson was in the furniture business in Templeton, Calif ..."
- California Death Index for 70 year old Hiram J. Gibson, born about 1867, and he passed away on May 27, 1937 in the San Luis Obispo, California area: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKS9-937B
- A syndicated death notice was carried in various newspapers on stepmother Ella Gibson: "POMONA, Calif., Sept. 7 (1937) - Film cowboy Hoot Gibson's stepmother, Mrs. Ella E. Gibson, died yesterday. She was the widow of H. J. Gibson."
- California Death Index for 56 year old Ella E. Gibson, born about 1881, and she passed away on September 4, 1937 in the Los Angeles, California area: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKS9-933M
- ProQuest obituaries had a death notice on Hoot's mother from the January 24, 1947 Los Angeles Times newspaper - excerpts: "Mrs. Della Anderson, mother of Edward [sic] (Hoot) Gibson, former cowboy actor, died Wednesday at her home, 6217 11th Ave. A native of Indianapolis, Mrs. Anderson came here 43 years ago." ; "... leaves her husband Junius, retired Los Angeles police officer and real estate broker ..."
- California Death Index for Della Anderson, born July 24, 1876 in Indiana, and she passed away January 22, 1947 in the Los Angeles, California area: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VG52-GWD
On the trail of Hoot Gibson. |
Postcard of Hoot's home at 814 North Bedford Drive, Beverly Hills, California which he bought in the 1920s. He - along with a butler and maid - were there when the 1930 census was taken. When he and actress Sally Eilers married in June, 1930, Hoot had moved to a new residence at 1324 Miller Drive, Los Angeles. |
The Family Search website (free), Ancestry.com (subscription), California Death Index, and the death certificate provide more on Hoot Gibson:
- 1890 census is unavailable - it was lost in a 1921 fire (and water damage) at the Commerce Building in Washington, D.C.
- 1900 census summary and census takers worksheet - renting at 608 1/2 Broadway, Los Angeles are 34 year old Hiram J. Gibson (born Nebraska; occupation "Salesman"), his 29 year old wife Ida B. (born Indiana; occupation "Saleslady"), 8 year old son Edmund Gibson (born Nebraska), 11 year old son Leon, and and 9 year old daughter Jessie: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9PF-JT4
- 1910 census summary and census takers worksheet - owning their home in Los Angeles are 32 year old F. M. Lewis (born New York; occupation "carpenter"), his 37 year old wife Della (born Indiana), 17 year old stepson Edmund R. Gibson (born Nebraska; single; occupation "cowboy") and 19 year old stepson Leon J. Gibson (born Nebraska; single; occupation "laborer"). This was the first marriage for F. M. Lewis and second marriage for Della: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVL9-6GF
- World War I draft registration dated June 5, 1917 for 24 year old Edmund Richard Gibson and he was born August 6, 1892 in Tekamah, Nebraska. He is married; lives at 1307 Hawthorne, Glendale, California; and occupation and employer is "Actor - Universal Film Co. - Universal City". He supports his wife and mother, and lists a "Few broken bones": https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZV2-DQS
- 1920 census summary and census takers worksheet - renting on Hudson Avenue, Los Angeles are 26 year old E. R. Gibson (born Nebraska; married; occupation "Actor - Motion Pictures") and 24 year old partner Vaughn McWright (born Indiana; single; occupation "Director - Motion Pictures"): https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHQN-4XN
- April 20, 1922 Los Angeles, California marriage license of 28 year old Edmund Gibson (born Nebraska; occupation "Actor") to 20 year old Helen Johnson (born Missouri; occupation "Actress"). His parents were H. J. Gibson and Della Richards. He was divorced and this was his second marriage and her first: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8F1-LLY
- California Birth Index for daughter Lois Gibson - she was born June 5, 1923 in Los Angeles, and her mother's maiden name was Johnston [sic]: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V25L-1ND
- 1930 census summary and census takers worksheet - owning his home at 814 North Bedford Drive, Beverly Hills, California is 36 year old Edward [sic] R. Gibson. He is divorced; occcupation is "Actor - Motion Pictures"; and he was a World War I veteran. Three other people are living there - 37 year old William D. Brown (born New York; occupation "Servant - Butler"), his 30 year old wife Johanna (born Holland; occupation "Servant - House Maid"), and 67 year old mother-in-law Elizabeth M. Bronson (born New York): https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCFX-HVX
- June 27, 1930 Los Angeles, California marriage license of 36 year old Edmund Richard Gibson (born Nebraska; occupation "Actor - Moving Pictures") to 21 year old Sally Eilers (born New York; occupation "Actress - Moving Pictures"). His parents were Hiram J. Gibson and D. Richards. He was divorced and this was his third marriage and her first. Hoot's home address is now 1324 Miller Drive, Los Angeles:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93H-7FWX?i=2282&cc=1804002
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893H-76G9?i=2283&cc=1804002
- World War II draft registration dated April 27, 1942 and Hoot is living with his mother Della at her home in Los Angeles - 49 year old Edmund Richard Gibson (Hoot) was born August 6, 1892 in Tekamah, Nebraska. He lives at 1335 West 38th Place, Los Angeles, and occupation is "Own Employment". Contact is Mrs. Della Anderson, also residing at 1335 West 38th Place, Los Angeles: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4DQ-1X8
- Death certificate: 70 year old Edmund Richard Gibson, AKA Hoot Gibson, and wife Dorothy Gibson lived at 4119 Smoke Ranch Road, Las Vegas, Nevada. He was born August 6, 1892 in Nebraska; was a World War I veteran; occupation was "Actor"; and parents were Hiram J. Gibson (born Nebraska) and Stella Stilson (born England). He had been suffering for years with colon cancer. He was hospitalized for four days at the Motion Picture Home and Hospital, Woodland Hills, California, and passed away there on August 23, 1962. Pierce Brothers - Hollywood was the funeral director and burial at Inglewood Park Cemetery.
- California Death Index - Edmund R. Gibson was born August 6, 1892 in Nebraska and he passed away August 23, 1962 in the Los Angeles area: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPNZ-B4B
- There were death and funeral notices in many newspapers - Hoot's survivors were wife Dorothy; daughter Mrs. Lois Flanders; sister Mrs. Jessie Gasaway; and brother Leon Gibson.
Find A Grave website has a photo of the marker for Hoot Gibson who is interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4341/hoot-gibson
The Google Newspaper archive has obituaries / death notices on Hoot:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19620824&id=zX8sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Fc0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=1901,3184138&hl=en
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19620823&id=yA0fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FpoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2848,3034446&hl=en
Daughter Lois (1923 - 2012). |
Lois served as a WAC (Women's Army Corps) during World War II. She and husband Patrick Flanders resided in Los Angeles, but moved to Carson City, Nevada in 1989. Patrick passed away in 2008 and Lois died in 2012.
1940 census summary and census takers worksheet - 17 year old Lois Gibson (born California) is a ward. She is living with silent screen actress Josie Sedgwick and other Sedgwick family members at the Sedgwick home in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California. Josie had a couple siblings in the movie business - her sister was silent serial heroine Eileen Sedgwick and her brother was Edward Sedgwick, who directed about twenty of Hoot's silent westerns at Universal: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K97H-39F
88 year old Lois G. Flanders passed away on February 4, 2012 at her home in Carson City, Nevada:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5Z-WM9D
https://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/2012/feb/08/obituary-lois-g-flanders/
Find A Grave website has a photo of the marker for Lois G. Flanders (1923 - 2012) at Lone Mountain Cemetery, Carson City, Nevada: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/158340930/lois-g.-flanders
1. Hoot's first marriage was to rodeo performer Rose Wenger (1892 - 1977). They tied the knot on September 6, 1913 in Pendleton, Oregon just prior to both performing in the annual Pendleton Round-up and rodeo. They divorced in 1920. Rose Wenger Gibson went to Hollywood with hubby Hoot, and circa 1915, she took over the 'Hazards of Helen' role from Helen Holmes. When that occurred, she became "Helen Gibson". Below are newspaper and trade publication highlights on Hoot and Rose:
Above - Rose Wenger Gibson circa 1917 when she was "Helen Gibson" and doing films for Kalem. |
- September 8, 1913 Pendleton, Oregon East Oregonian newspaper had a lengthy article on the September 6, 1913 marriage of Hoot and Rose Wenger.
- September 15, 1913 Pendleton, Oregon East Oregonian newspaper had Pendleton Round-up rodeo results: "Rose Wenger Gibson, the Round-up bride, defeated Tillie Baldwin in the cowgirl's Roman race ..." ; "Her husband, Hoot Gibson, captured the same event for the cowboys, winning from Art Seale and Ben Corbett."
- September 30, 1913 Pendleton, Oregon East Oregonian newspaper: "The Gibsons had a great success in Boise. 'Hoot' won the cowboys' relay race, the standing cowboys' race, several firsts in the cowboys' pony race and first in the trick riding. His wife, who was formerly Rose Wenger, duplicated her husband's performances in the events for cowgirls, winning the relay, pony and standing races and also the trick riding contest."
- October 27, 1914 Pendleton, Oregon East Oregonian newspaper: "Saturday quite a number of people in the Alta theater audience were suprised to see the familiar faces of Ed 'Hoot' Gibson and his wife who was Rose Wenger, both former Round-up performers, on the screen ..." ; "(they) were married in this city just before the 1913 Round-up."
- September 2, 1916 Motion Picture News - excerpts: "Ed 'Hoot' Gibson, husband of the famous Helen ..." ; "wife is busy in the west trying to get herself killed in some of the stunts she pulls off in the 'Hazards of Helen' for Kalem."
- September 7, 1918 Motion Picture News: "Hoot Gibson, cowboy actor and prize winner at scores of Rodeos, has enlisted in the Tanks Division, and will leave in a few days for training. Gibson is the husband of Helen Gibson, who is to continue her work before the camera."
- January 4, 1919 Motion Picture News: "Hoot Gibson, husband of Helen Gibson, the star of 'Captured Alice', is expected to return to Los Angeles next week, as he expects to be honorably discharged from the army at Camp Dix, N. J. this week."
- March 29, 1919 Moving Picture World: "Helen Gibson ... is back at Universal City and will appear in a new series of two-reel melodramas. Hoot Gibson, recently returned from military duty, will support his wife in these pictures."
- November, 1920 Picture Play Magazine: "Helen Gibson was until recently the wife of 'Hoot' Gibson, the Universal cowboy actor. Helen was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 27, 1894. She has no children."
- April, 1921 Picture Play magazine: "Hoot Gibson and Helen Gibson were married until Helen recently secured a divorce from husband Hoot."
- July, 1950 newspapers: "... Helen Gibson celebrated her 35th year in movies by appearing with Audie Murphy in her 200th film, 'Kansas Raiders'." ; "Miss Gibson's career began in 1915 ... She graduated to westerns, and was the first wife of the famous film cowboy Hoot Gibson. They were married in 1913 and divorced in 1920."
Find A Grave website notes that Rose Wenger / Helen Gibson passed away on October 10, 1977 in Roseburg, Douglas County, Oregon: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81609163/helen-gibson
Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Helen Gibson (real name: Rose Wenger; 1892 - 1977): http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0316993
2. wife number two was Helen Johnson and they were married from 1922 - 1929. Hoot's only child, daughter Lois Gibson, was born in 1923:
- There's a link above to their April 20, 1922 Los Angeles, California marriage license in which Hoot is divorced and Helen Johnson was his second marriage.
- May 13, 1922 Moving Picture Weekly: "MARRIED - Hoot Gibson, Universal's Western star, to Helen Johnson, member of Pat Rooney's vaudeville act ... on April 20th. Congratulations!"
- June 23, 1923 Exhibitors Herald: "'Hoot' Is a Daddy" ; "The latest Hoot Gibson special production is entitled Lois Charlotte Gibson and arrived at Angelus hospital here where mother and baby are doing well. The popular Universal star was married last year to Miss Helen Johnson."
- January 16, 1929 Variety - excerpt: "Los Angeles, Jan. 15 (1929). Helen Gibson filed suit for divorce here against Hoot Gibson, cowboy star under contract to Universal. Custody of the five-year-old daughter is asked."
- February, 1929 newspaper reports: "LOS ANGELES ... Helen Gibson, who obtained a divorce from him on the ground of desertion ..."
3. wife number three was actress Sally Eilers (1908 - 1978) and they were married from 1930 - 1933. Her full name was Dorothea Sally Eilers:
- There's a link above to their June 27, 1930 Los Angeles, California marriage license in which Hoot is divorced and Sally Eilers was his third marriage.
- July 2, 1930 Variety had a marriage announcement: "Sally Eilers to Hoot Gibson in Hollywood June 28 (1930). Both picture actors."
- September 26, 1933 Variety: "Sally Eilers and Hoot Gibson, screen players, free of marital bonds through a Mexican divorce granted nearly a month ago."
Find A Grave website has a photo of the marker for Sally Eilers who is interred at Forest Lawn (Glendale), Glendale, California: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3515/sally-eilers
Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Sally Eilers (full name: Dorothea Sally Eilers; 1908 - 1978): http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0251755
4. Hoot's fourth - and last marriage - was to Dorothy Irene Dunstan and they were together from 1942 through his death in 1962. She was born in 1920 and was nearly thirty years younger than Hoot:
- various newspapers carried A. P. and U. P. syndicated stories on their wedding - excerpts:
"LAS VEGAS, Nev., July 3 (1942) - Edmund Richard (Hoot) Gibson ... and Dorothy Irene Dunstan, 22 ... yodeler in his show, were married today ..."
"LAS VEGAS, Nev., July 3 (1942) - Hoot Gibson, former cowboy star of the screen ... was married to Dorothy Irene Dunstan, 22, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa. ..."
- The Los Angeles Times newspaper website has the obituary on 94 year old Dorothy Irene Gibson who passed away December 2, 2014 at West Hills Hospital, West Hills, California: https://www.latimes.com/socal/glendale-news-press/community/tn-gnp-dorothy-irene-gibson-february-16-1920-december-2-2014-20141208-story.html
(Courtesy of Boyd Magers) | | Left are Hoot and his third wife Sally Eilers (1908 - 1978) in a scene from CLEARING THE RANGE (Allied, 1931).
Sally - whose full name was Dorothea Sally Eilers - worked in three of Gibson's Universals: THE LONG, LONG TRAIL (Universal, 1929), ROARING RANCH (Universal, 1930) and TRIGGER TRICKS (Universal, 1930).
Their marriage lasted 3+ years, from June, 1930 through September, 1933. |
| | Left - Dorothy Irene Dunstan was born February 16, 1920 and hailed from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
She and Hoot were married on July 3, 1942 in Las Vegas, and they were together through Hoot's financial difficulties, medical problems, and his 1962 death at the Motion Picture Home and Hospital, Woodland Hills, California.
After Hoot's passing, Dorothy re-located to California.
94 year old Dorothy Irene Gibson passed away December 2, 2014 at West Hills Hospital, West Hills, California.
This photo is probably circa 1944 as Hoot is wearing his Trail Blazers hat and uniform. |