The dynamic duo running little Reliable Pictures were Bernard B. Ray and Harry Webb (remember Webb from Tom's earlier Syndicate days?). Formed in late 1933, Reliable had Jack Perrin in his last starring hurrahs in features as well as the Bud 'n' Ben shorts with Benny Corbett.

They hired Tom in 1934 for a cinema tour encompassing two plus years and eighteen films, all of the oater variety.  Most of these were budgeted around $8000 and were clearly aimed at the bottom half of double bills at second and third rate movie houses.  As expected, the batch must be considered as no more than average with a few showing some good signs.

Franklyn Farnum and Wally Wales (before he became Hal Taliaferro) added their talents to SILVER BULLET (Reliable, 1935); William Desmond joined BORN TO BATTLE (Reliable, 1935); Wales came back to SILENT VALLEY (Reliable, 1935) as well as TRIGGER TOM (Reliable, 1935), which also had a brief role for Al St. John in his pre-Fuzzy days; Rex Lease, another near star who wound up playing supporting roles for decades, showed up in FAST BULLETS (Reliable, 1936); and SANTA FE BOUND (Reliable, 1936), Tom's last bit of mediocrity for Webb and Ray is worthwhile since the femme fatale is pretty Jeanne Martel, a gal who would become Mrs. Tyler ... for a brief time.

Above - 1934 trade ad for the first batch of Tom Tyler oaters from Bernard B. Ray and Harry S. Webb's new Reliable Pictures company. (Courtesy of the Robert Webb Family) Above - the Hollywood home of Reliable Pictures circa 1935 at the corner of Beachwood and Sunset Boulevard. The facilities were torn down in the 1990s, but did serve as soundstages 1 and 2 for Columbia Pictures.

Might be difficult to read, but the sign in the above photo proudly proclaims: RELIABLE PICTURES CORP. B. B. Ray     H. S. Webb Featuring Tom Tyler    Jack Perrin Richard Talmadge Note the credits at the bottom of this poster on the right with Harry Webb doing double duty: associate produced by Harry S. Webb and directed under his Henri Samuels pseudonym.

1935

(Courtesy of the Robert Webb Family) Above - a pause in the action from MYSTERY RANCH (Reliable, 1934), one of the eighteen oaters that Tom Tyler did for Reliable Pictures in the mid 1930s. Above are: 1. Bernard B. Ray (producer/director) 2. star Tom Tyler 3. Harry S. Webb (producer/director) 4. Scriptwriter/Reliable Vice President Rose Gordon (Harry S. Webb's wife). And leading lady Roberta Gale is seated between Tyler and B. B. Ray.

(Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from L-to-R are Frank Hall Crane, Louise Gabo, a smiling Jack Perrin (billed as "Jack Gable"), Tom Tyler, Roberta Gale, George Chesebro and Tom London in a scene from MYSTERY RANCH (Reliable, 1934). (From Old Corral collection) In TERROR OF THE PLAINS (Reliable, 1934), Tom Tyler has his right arm around Charles "Slim" Whitaker and his left arm is restraining William Gould. In the background: Herman Hack is on the left with arms raised; Silver Tip Baker has the handlebar moustache; Robert Walker (as the sheriff) is on horseback in the far right background; in the far right foreground, tallish Frank Rice (portraying Tyler's sidekick "Banty") has a hold on an unidentified player. (From Old Corral collection) Tom has the villain in a real predicament in this scene from TERROR OF THE PLAINS (Reliable, 1934). (From Old Corral collection) Poster for RIO RATTLER (Reliable, 1935).