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Fuzzy's costume.

(From Old Corral collection) Above and below - Al 'Lash' LaRue and St. John in his "Fuzzy costume" which consisted of a longish beard, pushed up hat, baggy shirt, well worn and over-sized pants with suspenders, and a tattered vest. And quite often, you can spot patches on the pants and vest. (Courtesy of Walter & Elaine Flanagan) Got an e-mail from Elaine and Walter Flanagan about Lash, and we appreciate them also providing the above photo.  Walter Flanagan writes: "As a kid, I went to the movies every Saturday morning and saw the usual two westerns. I met Lash LaRue in Memphis, TN in 1992 at a B-movie festival and got his autograph on this picture of him and Fuzzy St. John. He was attired in all black as usual and was sitting at a table surrounded by video tapes of western movies being sold by another man. I took it that he had hired Lash to bring people to his table. No one was around at the time, so I was able to spend a few minutes talking to Lash. I had heard of his problems with addiction and being arrested in Miami for vagrancy. I told him of seeing his westerns on Saturday mornings at the movies and how much I enjoyed them. As I looked at the autographed picture of him and Fuzzy, I asked him if Fuzzy was still with us. He lowered his head, shook it back and forth, and said, 'No', and with a pause, 'Fuzzy's gone!' I told him I was sad to hear that, and that it was a pleasure to see him in person, and I wished him all the best." Walter Flanagan March, 2002

"Fuzzyisms" Rollin' a cigarette with one hand was one of his talents. He seemed to always twirl his six-shooter. He often put his hand on the back of his head, scratched a bit, and the hat moved down on his forehead. Occasionally, ol' Fuzz would do a comic mount or dismount on his trusty steed, including swinging his right leg over the horse's head and sliding off the saddle. When there was trouble, ol' Fuzz would "hitch up" his trousers. There were many trips and falls down the stairs, up the stairs, etc. And there was the "leaning gag" in which Fuzz leans against a building, fence, hitching post, whatever ... and falls down.

(Image courtesy of Carol Murray and her "Jack Hendricks Photo Album") Above - autographed photo from Al to B western henchman Jack Hendricks. Am guessing this photo was late 1930s - perhaps when Al was doing TRIGGER PALS (Grand National, 1939) - as his beard was longer in the Crabbe and Lash oaters. Blowup / crop of his signature below:

Al St. John's movie stats.
Al in westerns, shorts, other films. Have included his silent short and feature quantities. I've used the RELEASE dates (not filming dates) from the Internet Movie Database so the results may be a little skewed. Total early films during 1913-1929 = 180 (includes Keystone Cops, 'Fatty' Arbuckle comedies, and Al's own starring silent comedies for various production companies). Films during 1930-1952 = 154. Total films in this chart = 334. Al and Kenneth Harlan did their RKO vaudeville tour from mid 1932 - early 1935, and those years are marked in RED. Al's peak western sidekick period ran from 1940 - 1952 with Bob Steele, Buster Crabbe, George Houston, Bob Livingston, Don Barry and Lash LaRue and those years are highlighted in this COLOR. Al was busiest in 1941 - 1943 when he sidekicked in both the Lone Rider and Crabbe sagebrushers at Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) and some with Don Barry at Republic Pictures.
102	78	6	7	6	4	1	6	7	9	9	2	8	13	17	14	8	9	7	8	13
1913- 1919	1920- 1929	1930	1931	1932	1933	1934	1935	1936	1937	1938	1939	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947	1948- 1952

Al St. John Trivia.
Les Adams checked his database and has Al in 92 films in which he played "Fuzz", "Fuzzy", "Fuzzy Jones", "Fuzzy Q. Jones", et al. For comparison, William Boyd was "Hopalong Cassidy" in 66 Hoppy adventures plus a guest appearance in THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH. And Gene Autry portrayed "Gene Autry" in 88 of his 90 starring films for Mascot, Republic and Columbia.) St. John never appeared in a sound serial. There were a few occasions when Al played a western movie no-good. Examples: he's one of the rustlers working for brains heavy Harry Worth in the Hopalong Cassidy BAR 20 RIDES AGAIN (Paramount, 1935). in John Wayne's RIDERS OF DESTINY (Lone Star/Monogram, 1933), Al and Heinie Conklin get a lot of screen time portraying two bumbling and fumbling henchmen in Forrest Taylor's gang.
On the right is a pressbook ad for FUZZY SETTLES DOWN (PRC, 1944) and on the right, Buster Crabbe has a neck lock on perpetual nemesis Charlie King. St. John played the crusading owner of a local newspaper. This oater is unique in that it's the only B western to have the sidekick's name as part of the title.	(Courtesy of Les Adams)

 Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Al 'Fuzzy' St. John: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0820607/

St. John worked in scores of (mostly) shorts with his uncle, Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, who was the star and / or director: https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?roles=nm0000779,nm0820607

Al worked with prolific director Sam Newfield on about 75 films during the years 1937 - 1946: https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?roles=nm0820607,nm0627864

The Internet Archive has many films with Al St. John. There are silents with 'Fatty' Arbuckle (some featuring Buster Keaton) as well as B westerns: https://archive.org/details/movies?query=%22al+st.+john%22

YouTube has an Al St. John collection which includes a starring silent for Fox and Educational as well as a couple of clip compilations from his silents: https://www.youtube.com/user/AlFuzzyStJohn

There's an official Al St. John website: https://www.alstjohn.net

Charles Simic has an article on Arbuckle, Keaton, St. John, and Fatty Arbuckle's Comique film studio on East 48th Street in New York City: https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2012/12/07/manhattans-forgotten-film-studio/

Al has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: https://walkoffame.com/al-st-john/

There's a bunch of photos of St. John, Arbuckle, Buster Keaton, etc. on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/confetta/sets/72157623118554862/

There were three marriages:

Al's first was to Marion Lillian Ball (1891 - 1975) who had been previously married. Marion L. Hill and Al were husband and wife from 1914 - 1923 and daughter Mary Jane St. John was born October 9, 1918 in Los Angeles.

Al's second wife was Yvonne June Villon (1901 - 1957; born France), and he was her third husband. June Price Pearce married Al on July 6, 1926, and they were together over thirty years, through her death in 1957.

Al's third wife was Florence 'Flo Bell' Moore and they were together when he passed away in 1963.

• July 12, 1923 Variety: "Al St. John, comedian in Fox pictures, is the defendant in a divorce action. His wife charges him with cruelty and habitual intoxication."
• Newspapers carried a report on the August 1, 1923 divorce of Al and Marion Lillian St. John: "LOS ANGELES, Aug. 2 - Marion Lillian St. John, yesterday obtained an interlocutory decree of divorce from Al St. John, motion picture comedian ..." ; "Mrs. St. John was given custody of their five-year-old daughter, Mary Jane."
• April 23, 1924 Variety: "After Lillian St. John had listened to her husband, Al St. John, the picture comedian, plead for a reduction of her weekly alimony of $137.50 and her chauffeur's salary of $150 monthly, also allowed by the court, Mrs. St. John stated she would dismiss the chauffeur and drive the car itself. This being satisfactory, the court proceedings were dismissed."
• June, 1924 Photoplay magazine: "Another celebrity who is pleading poverty is Al St. John. The screen funny man, through his lawyer, declares he is wasting away under the yoke of too much alimony - that he just can't pay $1500 per month to his divorced wife - and she declares she can't get along with less."
• July 6, 1927 Variety: "Al St. John surrendered to the sheriffs office when informed a warrant had been issued for his arrest by a San Diego court. The warrant charged him with failure to support a minor child. The child is a five-year-old daughter, now in the custody of its mother, Mrs. Lillian St. John, who obtained a divorce in 1923 on charges of cruelty. She was awarded $150 monthly alimony. St. John was released on $500 bail. The screen comedian was married to June Price Pierce in July, 1926. He was preparing to leave for Europe with Roscoe Arbuckle when the warrant was issued."
• September 4, 1929 Variety: "Al St. John, film comic, was given a indefinite sentence to the county road gang by Superior Court Judge Burnell. Court held that the comedian was guilty of contempt by his continuous ignoring of the order that he pay alimony to his former wife, Lillian St. John."
• September 11, 1929 Variety: "Al St. John, film comedian, must serve with the County road gang until he has earned $1642 alimony alleged due his former wife, Mrs. Lillian St. John."
• April 23, 1930 Variety: "Al St. John, comedian, ordered to pay his wife $530 back alimony within two weeks or do a stretch."
• August 27, 1930 Variety: "Al St. John was up for alimony again. His ex-wife's attorney said 'We'd rather see this man work than go to jail.' Al said he has a number of jobs 'coming up.' Continued three weeks."
• October, 1930 Motion Picture News: "Al St. John is reported in a jam for $1,400 in arrears on alimony ..."
• December 17, 1930 Variety: "Al St. John ... summoned to court about $1,100 back alimony, said he had no work. The court gave him 30 days' grace to get work."
• May, 1931 Silver Screen magazine: "Al St. John, screen comedian, had just ten cents in his pocket when a judge asked him to pay $60 back alimony - but he didn't go to jail this time, which was sort of a relief."
• April 1, 1936 Variety: "Al St. John, film comedian, arrested on year-old warrant charging non-support of 17-year-old daughter."

The Family Search website (free), Ancestry.com (subscription), Social Security Death Index (SSDI), California Death Index, Georgia Death Index, Newspaper Archive, trade publications, and newspapers have more on Al St. John and family.

• 1890 census is unavailable - it was lost in a 1921 fire (and water damage) at the Commerce Building in Washington, D.C.
• Family Search has 1890 and 1892 voter registration records for Al's father, Walter St. John, who is living in Santa Ana, Orange County, California.
• 1900 census summary and census takers worksheet - living in San Jose Township, Pamona city Ward 5, Los Angeles County are 49 year old Walter St. John (born Ohio; occupation "Farm Laborer"), his 29 year old wife Nora N. (born Indiana) and their 8 year old son Alfred: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9PL-RJQ
• 1910 census summary and census takers worksheet - living in Los Angeles are 58 year old Walter St. John (born Ohio; occupation "Contractor - House Builder"), his 39 year old wife Nora N. (born Indiana) and their 17 year old son Alfred (born California; occupation "Actor - Theater"): https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVL3-X5H
• October 5, 1914 marriage license of 22 year old Alfred St. John (born California; occupation "Actor") and 22 year old Marion L. Hill (born Minnesota) in Los Angeles. His parents were Walter St. John and Nora Arbuckel [sic]. Her parents were E. J. Ball and L. M. Allen. Was his first marriage and her second, and her maiden name was Marion L. Ball: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K88M-XH7
• World War I draft registration dated May 6, 1917 in New York City - 24 year old Alfred St. John was born September 10, 1892 in Santa Anna [sic], California. He's married; living on West 47th Street in New York City; and occupation was "Actor", working for the Comique Film Co. (which was Arbuckle's company). Al also listed three years of military service as a Private - 7 Regt. in ?? California: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6JC-BD5
• California Birth Index for Mary Jane St. John, born October 9, 1918 in Los Angeles County, and mother's maiden name was Ball: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VGHW-CSS
• Ancestry had the 1918 Long Beach, California City Directory: Alfred St. John (actor) and wife Marion live at 33 Surfline Place.
• 1920 census summary and census takers worksheet - renting at 4411 Victoria Park Place or Drive, Los Angeles are 27 year old Alfred St. John (born California), his 27 year old wife Marion (born Minnesota), one+ year old daughter Mary Jane (born California), and a cook and butler. Al's occupation is "Actor - Motion Pictures": https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHQV-HQW
• 1920 census summary and census takers worksheet for Al's parents - renting at 4258 Dalton Avenue, Los Angeles are 68 year old Walter St. John (born Ohio; occupation "Contractor - House builder"), his 48 year old wife Nora N. (born Indiana), and a roomer: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH7M-87P
• Newspapers carried a report on the August 1, 1923 divorce of Al and Marion Lillian St. John: "LOS ANGELES, Aug. 2 - Marion Lillian St. John, yesterday obtained an interlocutory decree of divorce from Al St. John, motion picture comedian ..." ; "Mrs. St. John was given custody of their five-year-old daughter, Mary Jane."
• June 28, 1926 marriage license of 33 year old Alfred St. John (born California; occupation "Motion Pictures") and 29 year old June Price Pearce (born France) in Los Angeles. Charles Roscoe Arbuckle and his wife Doris were witnesses. Second marriage for him and third marriage for her, and her maiden name was June Villon. His parents were Walter St. John and Nora Arbuckle. Her parents were Joseph Villon (born France) and Helen McAllespie (born France):
  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L93H-WVF1?i=2186&cc=1804002
  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L93H-WVRC?i=2187&cc=1804002
• 1930 census summary and census takers worksheet - Al is living with his parents. 78 year old Walter St. John (born Ohio) is head of household. He and his 58 year old wife Nora N. (born Indiana) are renting at 4418 Greenleaf Street, Los Angeles. Living with them are 37 year old son Alfred St. John (born California; occupation "Actor - Motion Pictures"), his 33 year old wife Yevone [sic] (born France; and this is Yvonne June Villon Price Pearce St. John), and her 10 year old son Raymond B. Price (born Pennsylvania). Al was not a military veteran: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XC8Q-27M
• 1930 census summary and census takers worksheet for Al's ex-wife Marion and daughter Mary J. 39 year old Marion L. St. John (born Minnesota) and 11 year old daughter Mary J. (born California) are renting in Los Angeles. Marion is divorced and no occupation is listed: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCV4-8WH
• 1942 World War II draft registration for 49 year old Alfred St. John. He was born September 10, 1892 in Santa Anna [sic], California, and he and wife June reside at 107 North Swall Drive in Los Angeles. His employer is Producers Pictures Inc. (Producers Pictures Inc. was an early name of the film company that morphed into Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC).). He's 5' 8" tall and 140 pounds: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-16385-65950-5?cc=1861144&wc=MMRW-1TJ:n1139734133
• Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Al St John, born September 10, 1892 in California, and passed away in January, 1963: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V3LF-FNG
• Ancestry.com had the Georgia Death Index - 70 year old Alfred St John passed away on January 21, 1963 in Toombs County, Georgia (Lyons, Georgia is in Toombs County). Al's residence was Paulding County, Georgia.

St. John retired from film-making in the early 1950s after the Lash LaRue series ended. He continued doing personal appearances at circuses, fairs, rodeos, and lots of small town theaters and gatherings. He passed away on January 21, 1963 from a heart attack while working with the Tommy Scott Wild West show.

Bill Russell, in his March, 2001 Western Revue magazine, included an interview with Doc Tommy Scott - St. John worked on the show for about five years, and his death was in Lyons, Georgia (not the oft reported Vidalia, Georgia).

Various newspapers carried a death notice and obituary:

January 22, 1963 newspaper article: "LYONS, Ga. - A trouper till the last, Al St. John, the comical Fuzzy Q. Jones of Western movies, died of a heart attack yesterday in the arms of his wife, Flo-Bell Moore. St. John, 70, was stricken at his hotel as he awaited a personal appearance with his wife last night in nearby Vidalia."

Excerpts from another January 22, 1963 newspaper article: "LYONS, Ga. - Private services will be held ... died of a heart attack Monday in a motel room ... St. John's body was to be cremated ... and the ashes deposited at his Double F Ranch at Homosassa Springs, Fla."

The Associated Press syndicated death announcement reported that Al was scheduled for personal appearance at the Vidalia, Georgia American Legion Club. Survivors were his wife, Flo-Bell Moore, Mrs. Minta Durfee Arbuckle (Fatty Arbuckle's first wife), and Raymond Price, a son from Al's second wife June. No mention of daughter Mary Jane.

• California Death Index for Al's daughter Mary Jane - Mary Jane Loyle was born October 9, 1918 in California, father's name was St John, mother's maiden name was Ball, and she passed away May 5, 1994 in the Orange County, California area: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPS2-DVN
  
  
• 1920 census summary and census takers worksheet - owning her home in Los Angeles are Henrietta Krause (head of household; divorced). Also living with Henrietta are her 26 year old sister June Price (born Ireland; married) and her 1+ year old son Raymond Price (born Pennsylvania). No occupations listed for anyone. Family Search has June as 36 years old, but the census takers worksheet shows 26: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHQF-WJS
• California Death Index for Al's second wife, Yvonne June StJohn. She was born June 1, 1901 in other country, father's last name of Villon, and she passed away in the Los Angeles area on September 17, 1957: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPC1-MC4
  
  
• California Death Index has dual records for Raymond Beach Price and Raymond Beach Stjohn. He was born May 20, 1919 in Pennsylvania, mother's maiden name of Villion, and he passed away on October 2, 1981 in the Los Angeles area:
  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VGBG-RJ6
  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPNR-NNW
  
  
• California Death Index and Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Al's first wife, Marion St John. She was born March 14, 1891 in Minnesota, and passed away September 27, 1975 in Orange County, California. SSDI has her death date as October, 1975:
  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VP25-QBD
  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JG3R-YWY
  
  
• September, 1974 article and photo of Fuzzy's last wife Flo at the St. Petersburg (Florida) Times newspaper website: https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TSUxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UXkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6669,456690&dq=al+fuzzy+st+john&hl=en
• June, 1969 article in the Ocala, Florida Star-Banner newspaper about Flo's charitable work: https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6T0xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_wUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7273,7408506&dq=al+fuzzy+st+john&hl=en
  
  
• Al's parents:
  California Death Index for Nora Nell Arbuckle St. John - she was born April 6, 1871 and passed away on January 19, 1960 in the Los Angeles area: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPWY-FT5
  California Death Index for 88 year old Walter St. John - he was born in 1851 and passed away on August 25, 1939 in the Los Angeles area: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKS9-NYLN

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