(Courtesy of Donn & Nancy Moyer) Above - early 1980s photo of Sunset Carson. | Clearing up the confusion ... or adding to it
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Sunset - family info, marriages and scuttlebutt Last updated: November, 2023 |
No birth certificate on Sunset. The following info is from the family Bible and Sunset Carson family members:Born: November 12, 1920 in Gracemont (Caddo County), Oklahoma
From Sunset's Social Security application dated June 30, 1937: Name: Mickey Harrison
Death Cerificate for Sunset shows: Died: May 1, 1990 in Reno, Washoe county, Nevada
Sunset's one brother and three sisters: Azalee (born 1927)
Sunset's 1st wife: Patricia Eleanor Hussey (born in Canada) Married: August 22, 1938 in Yuma (Yuma), Arizona
Sunset's 2nd wife: Betty Jo Price: Children: Michael
Sunset's 3rd wife: Dorothy Shockley Married: sometime in the early 1950s
Sunset's 4th wife: Margaret J. Nesbitt: Married: August 15, 1969
Sunset's 5th wife: Jean J. Davis Ancestry.com had the Nevada marriage index record of the June 17, 1989 marriage of Mickey Harrison to Jean J. Davis. |
Tidbits/comments/e-mails (oldest is at the top of this list):
Sunset's birth year has been reported in various publications and biographies - as well as in statements from Sunset - as: 1918, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1927, more.
In early 2005, Bruce Remick e-mailed with some additional info and comments: "... I noticed a question about the identity of Sunset Carson's brother, Dale. From the 1930 Census, it seems likely that in the family of Maurice and Azalee Harrison, son Herman D. Harrison, 6, was in fact Winifred's brother 'Dale' (Herman Dale Harrison) who apparently went by Dale rather than Herman. FYI, according to Census records, Sunset Carson's father, Maurice G. Harrison, appears in Gum Log, Union County, GA in the 1900 census in the family of John C. and Cara E. Harrison. Maurice was 2 years old (Feb 1898). John Harrison eventually moved to Caddo County, Oklahoma."
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A variety of newspapers carried info on Sunset who passed away on May 1, 1990 at the Washoe Medical Center, Reno, Nevada:
"Sunset Carson, 63, a 1940s cowboy movie hero, died Tuesday (May 1, 1990) in Reno, Nev., one day after winning a settlement in a three-year-old suit over money earned from some of his old pictures. He was 63. Mr. Carson apparently suffered a heart attack in his hotel room in Reno." Find A Grave website has a photo of the grave marker for Sunset Carson who is interrred at Highland Memorial Gardens, Madison County, Tennessee. Marker has 1920 as his birth year: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6359110/sunset-carson |
Sunset was born in Gracemont, Oklahoma, but the family moved to Plainview, Texas. The Plainview, Texas Herald newspaper has an article and photo on Sunset: https://www.myplainview.com/news/article/Looking-Back-Plainview-s-own-Sunset-Carson-once-8410716.php |
(Courtesy of Jerry Whittington) Above is Sunset Carson and his brother Dale Carson (Herman Dale Harrison). Some have commented that Dale was Sunset's twin brother. Enlargement below. He appeared in several of Sunset's later Walt Mattox/Astor films as 'Dale Harrison' and 'Dale Carson'. Jerry Whittington provides more on Dale Carson: I met Dale Harrison (Dale Carson) on a trip to New Orleans with Sunset Carson to set up distribution for MARSHAL OF WINDY HOLLOW with William H. Cobb who had over 1,500 theaters. The 16mm, 85 minute MARSHAL OF WINDY HOLLOW was to be blown up to 35mm for the theaters (not knowing at the time that the film would not be finished by Jack Cates). Mr. Cobb's distribution company had also distributed the five Astor films of Sunsets. Those five Astor Films were also shot in 16mm color and blown up to 35mm. All of Sunset's Astor films were printed in B&W 35mm with the exception of SUNSET CARSON RIDES AGAIN. Mr. Cobb thought that title was the best and should be printed in 35mm color and released. Mr. Cobb had the Dale Carson and Sunset Carson pictures in his office and Sunset gave me one ... so that's how I got the 8x10 B&W photo (above) of the two of them. Dale Harrison was a lot like Sunset, tall and lanky.
(Courtesy of Eddie Moore) Above - Sunset with son Michael at a 1980s Memphis Film Festival. Looks like actress Susan Oliver in the middle. (Courtesy of Larry Blanks) From L-to-R are Larry Blanks having dinner with Sunset Carson and his wife Jeannie Carson at the Lone Star Cafe in Fayetteville, Georgia in 1990. Less than two weeks after this photo was taken, Sunset Carson passed away. |