 (From Old Corral collection) From L-to-R are Bob Steele, Hoot Gibson and Ken Maynard in a lobby card from DEATH VALLEY RANGERS (Monogram, 1943), Steele's first Trail Blazers' film and he is billed third. |
 (From Old Corral collection) Cornering Bob Steele are veteran baddies Al Ferguson (left) and George Chesebro (right) in a lobby card from DEATH VALLEY RANGERS (Monogram, 1943). Steele's drawstring shirt is back.
 (From Old Corral collection) Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson were the duo that were Monogram's initial Trail Blazers. Bob Steele was available to join the team due to the demise of the Three Mesquiteers series at Republic ... Ken and Hoot needed some younger blood to add some vitality and pep to the films. Above is the trio circa 1943-44. From L-to-R are Ken Maynard (now riding the white Tarzan II), Bob Steele, and Hoot Gibson. Gibson is riding Rusty, the Wonder Horse which had ridden by Jack Randall and Tom Keene in their series at Monogram. The original Tarzan died about 1940. When Maynard exited the Trail Blazers, Chief Thunder Cloud came in as the replacement - Thunder Cloud rode Rusty and Gibson rode a different mount.
 (From Old Corral collection) Above - Betty Miles with Bob Steele during their 1940s work at Monogram in the Trail Blazers series.
 (From Old Corral collection) Shot from the back of a camera truck, this picture is of Bob Steele on the 'running insert' road at Ray 'Crash' Corrigan's Corriganville movie ranch. Notice the tire tracks on the road. This is probably from DEATH VALLEY RANGERS (Monogram, 1943), Steele's first as a member of the Trail Blazers.
 (From Old Corral collection) Chief Thunder Cloud (Victor Daniels) is on the left riding Rusty the Wonder Horse ... along with the other Trail Blazers' stars, Bob Steele (center) and Hoot Gibson (right).
 (From Old Corral collection) Above from left to right are Gene Alsace (now calling himself "Rocky Camron"), Betty Miles, Hoot Gibson, Chief Thunder Cloud (Victor Daniels) and Bob Steele in a scene from SONORA STAGECOACH (Monogram, 1944), the last of Monogram's Trail Blazers series.
 (From Old Corral collection) Takin' a break at Monogram during the filming of OUTLAW TRAIL (Monogram, 1944), one of the Trail Blazers trio westerns. Above from L-to-R are Hoot Gibson, Victor Daniels/Chief Thunder Cloud, Gene Alsace (Rocky Camron), Jennifer Holt and Bob Steele. Jennifer Holt was the sister of RKO cowboy Tim Holt, and a frequent leading lady to Johnny Mack Brown, Eddie Dean and Lash LaRue in the 1940s. |