(Courtesy of Randy Laing)

As for Tyler, only one more starring role would be presented, Columbia's continued-next-week jungle escapade, THE PHANTOM (Columbia, 1943). In the pic on the left, Tyler is still trim and fit as the "ghost who walks", and his canine companion is Ace "the Wonder Dog" (playing "Devil"). At around forty years of age, and with signs of the rheumatoid arthritis affliction that would cripple him, Tom wandered the studios looking for work.  He staggered a block after being shot by Errol Flynn in SAN ANTONIO (Warners, 1945), reminding us of his earlier STAGECOACH portrayal.  He was in Army tans checking John Wayne and Robert Montgomery onto the last flight from Bataan in MGM's THEY WERE EXPENDABLE (MGM, 1945), a WWII adventure about the first use of PT (Patrol Torpedo) boats.  And he was with Wayne again, portraying a wounded Cavalry Corporal in SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (RKO, 1949). Smaller roles followed, usually as a baddie, in Tim Holt RKO features and the series of six Russ Hayden/Jimmy Ellison oaters for Lippert Pictures in 1950. Probably his best work from this later period is BADMAN'S TERRITORY (RKO, 1946); as Janis Paige's loyal cutthroat in THE YOUNGER BROTHERS (Warners, 1949); and as gunman Ringo in one of Tim Holt's best, RIDERS OF THE RANGE (RKO, 1950).

(Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from L-to-R are Harry Woods, Tom Tyler, Anita Camargo, Jack Kenny, Robert Shayne and Pedro De Cordoba (sometimes spelled Cordova) in the Warners "Santa Fe Trail" two reel short, GUN TO GUN (Warners, 1944). (From Old Corral collection) Former Hopalong Cassidy sidekicks Russell Hayden and Jimmy Ellison faced this trio of baddies in a half dozen oaters for Lippert Pictures, and this photo is from MARSHAL OF HELDORADO (Lippert, 1950). From left to right are a much older looking Tom Tyler, Dennis "Denny" Moore, and John (Bob) Cason. In the background on the left is Carl Mathews.

After bit parts in COW COUNTRY (Allied Artists, 1953) and several Gene Autry TV shows, a suffering Tyler moved back to Hamtramck, Michigan and lived with his sister (Katherine Slepski) until passing away May 1, 1954 of a heart attack and complications from scleroderma. The early 1950s was a time when many new fans were enjoying Tom's films which were being shown on television. Tom Tyler is buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Detroit.

Various newspapers from Monday, May 3, 1954 carried UP and AP syndicated death notices on Tyler who passed away on Saturday, May 1, 1954. Excerpts: "Tyler, his fortune dwindling and his stardom a thing of the past, died of a heart attack Saturday night in St. Francis hospital in suburban Hamtramck (Michigan) ... " ; " ... Tyler's fame began to soar in recent years among children who watched his old films on television." ; "Tyler whose real name was Vincent Marko returned to Detroit 18 months ago and was living at the home of a sister Mrs. Katherine Slepski." ; "Funeral services will be held from St. Augustine Catholic Church. Burial in Mt. Olivet Cemetery."

Trade publications also covered Tyler's passing:

May 4, 1954 Motion Picture Daily: "Vincent Marko, known as Tom Tyler in his portrayal of a cowboy in numerous westerns, died in his suburban Hamtramck, Mich. home at the age of 50, culminating a prolonged illness." ; "... survived by two sisters."

May 5, 1954 Variety: "Tom Tyler, 50, nee Vincent Marko, vet cowboy actor, died May 1 (1954) in Hamtramck, a Detroit suburb. He began his film career in 1927 after holding the world's weight-lifting championship ..."

You can learn more about scleroderma at the Scleroderma Foundation website. The brief description of the disease from their website reads: Scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis, is a chronic connective tissue disease generally classified as one of the autoimmune rheumatic diseases. The word "scleroderma" comes from two Greek words: "sclero" meaning hard, and "derma" meaning skin. Hardening of the skin is one of the most visible manifestations of the disease. Go to: https://scleroderma.org/

The Motion Picture Herald and Boxoffice polls were conducted from about the mid 1930s through the mid 1950s.  With a few exceptions, the annual poll results would list the "Top Ten" (or "Top Five") cowboy film stars. In most cases, the winners were what you would expect - Autry, Rogers, Holt, Starrett, Hoppy, etc. Tom Tyler never achieved a ranking in those polls ... but the Three Mesquiteers were ranked during the years when Tyler was part of the series. See below.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

TYLER AND HIS WIFE, ACTRESS JEANNE MARTEL In the image above are Tyler and his wife Jeanne Martel, and her birth name was Ethel Jeanne Pezoldt or Jeanne Ethel Pezoldt. She and Tom worked together in several films, including SANTA FE BOUND (Reliable, 1936) and ORPHAN OF THE PECOS (Victory, 1937). This shot is a crop from LOST RANCH (Victory, 1937). On the left is a tradepaper article from November 22, 1937 about the filming of LOST RANCH noting that Tyler and Martel were married in September, 1937. Martel's film career consisted of less than a dozen B grade films, and very little biographical info is available on her. Appears she retired about the time that Tyler finished his series for Sam Katzman's Victory company and hit the sawdust trail with her new husband during his Wallace Brothers circus tour in 1937. Am unsure when they divorced, but they were together at the time of the 1940 census. Census records and the Tyler marriage license have Jeanne's parents as Jack Pezoldt and May Wentz, and both were born in Pennsylvania. Appears that Jeanne re-married and the California Death Index has a record for: Jeanne E. Nelson, born March 1, 1915 in Pennsylvania, and passed away April 24, 1980 in the Ventura, California area. Her father's last name was Pezoldt and her mother's maiden name was Wentz. There's a bit more on Jeanne Martel in the Heroines/Leading Ladies section on the Old Corral. Further down on this webpage is a link to the September 3, 1937 marriage license of Tyler and 21 year old Jeanne Martel-Pezoldt.

(From Old Corral collection)

TYLER'S RANGE COSTUME AND HIS HOSSES Tyler wore a variety of hats, shirts and gunbelts during his years on the screen. His armament consisted of either single or twin six-shooters, generally with pearl-handles, and his dominant gunbelt and holster rig had that decorative light colored edging and bullet loops that you can see in some of the photos and lobby cards displayed in these webpages.  On many occasions, Tyler opted NOT to wear a neckerchief.  He'd wear a dark shirt and hat in one film, and switch to a light colored shirt and white hat in the next movie.  By the mid 1930s, he seemed to have settled on blue jeans, shirts with drawstring collars, and no neckerchief. Tyler also rode a variety of horses, and in the 'Trusty Steeds' section of the Old Corral, I've identified at least seven different animals that he used. There were probably more. One of those steeds is shown in the photo left. As to Tom's riding capability - he wasn't bad for an easterner that became a western movie hero. A good example of Tyler at a full gallop (firin' his sixgun and riding a white horse) can be seen in the opening credits of the chapterplay BATTLING WITH BUFFALO BILL (Universal, 1931).

Though he was tall, muscular, and looked downright impressive, Tom was often saddled with slipshod efforts at Syndicate, Monogram, Reliable and Victory --- included were anemic production values, lack of directorial finesse, shoestring budgets and inane scripts.  Tyler often appeared stiff and ill-at-ease mouthing the oftentimes incredulous dialog.  Some writers note that Tom's delivery problems were due to his Lithuanian accent, but I'm not sure that is the case.  It may have just been a lack of training and experience.

Tyler also never developed into a proficient screen brawler (as was Bob Steele and Tex Ritter), and often appeared to swing and churn rather than pummel his antagonist into submission.

However, when given better material such as CAPTAIN MARVEL, THE PHANTOM and the Mesquiteers features, Tom's overall performance was enjoyable and above par.  But perhaps his real calling was gunfighter roles such as POWDERSMOKE RANGE and STAGECOACH, for his voice, penetrating stare, and sinister mannerisms brought instant hisses (and critical acclaim).

His seven serials rival that of cliffhanger "king" Buster Crabbe.  Overall, Tyler had a near thirty year career spotted with ups and downs, trials and tribulations, mediocrity and success.  Interestingly, his career and that of Bob Steele were remarkably similar.  But because of fan appeal, talent, luck or whatever, Steele is remembered today along with the likes of Jones, Mix, and other big names.  Yet Tom Tyler seems to have been forgotten.  He deserves better for his 90+ western starring roles represent both extremes of the B western spectrum, from the Poverty Row oaters at Freuler/Monarch, Reliable and Victory to the quality and polish of Republic.  Thankfully, much of his work is available on video and occasionally aired on cable.

Tom Tyler was a talented workhorse who brought some real excitement to those wonderful Saturday matinees.

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Tom Tyler: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0878927/

Many of Tyler's westerns are public domain and are available on YouTube and the Internet Archive:
   Tyler films on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22tom+tyler%22&lclk=long&filters=long
   Tyler films at the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/search.php?query=%22tom%20tyler%22%20AND%20collection%3Amoviesandfilms

The "Trigger Tom blog" has lots of images and interesting tidbits on Tyler: https://triggertomblog.blogspot.com/

Kerry Gammill's Monster Kid website has an interview with Universal leading lady Peggy Moran. Included is a comment that she didn't know the name of the actor portraying Kharis in THE MUMMY'S HAND. There's also several photos of Tyler as the mummy. Go to: http://gammillustrations.bizland.com/monsterkid2/id5.html

Mike Tyler, the nephew of western and cliffhanger hero Tom Tyler, established a website on his Uncle. But when I checked in May, 2017, the website was no longer working: http://tomtyler.8m.com/

There's a page on Tom Tyler, including lots of images, at Brian Walker's Drive-In Theater website: http://www.briansdriveintheater.com/tomtyler.html

Daniel Neyer's "The Files of Jerry Blake" serial website has info on Tyler: https://filesofjerryblake.com/serial-heroes/tom-tyler/

Bryan Shedden has a website on the Phantom which includes a biography on Lee Falk: http://www.deepwoods.org/lee_falk.html

Captain Marvel originally appeared in Whiz Comics #1 (1940) which was published by Fawcett. The character is now owned and copyrighted © by DC Comics: http://www.dccomics.com/

Tyler was sponsored by the Los Angeles Athletic Club and won the 1928 A. A. U. (Amateur Athletic Union) heavyweight weightlifting championship, lifting 760 pounds. However, their website was no longer online when I checked in 2020. However, the Internet Archive Wayback Machine does have a copy of the old website at: https://web.archive.org/web/20191228091752/http://www.lifttilyadie.com/Results/AAUChamps.htm

One story about Tyler's early years was that he and family moved to Detroit / Hamtramck, Michigan in the early 1910s. In July, 2020, I did more research and found the 1915 New York State census for the family as well as World War I draft registration for Tom's father. The family was NOT living in Michigan:

• The 1915 New York census is available on Ancestry.com but not on Family Search. Living in Moriah, Essex County, New York are 41 year old Frank Marks [sic] (born Russia; occupation "miner"), his 41 year old wife Helen (born Russia), 15 year old son Frank (born U.S.), 13 year old son Vincent (born U.S.), 7 year old son Joseph (born U.S.), 9 year old son Mal???? (born U.S.), and 4 year old daughter Kate (born U.S.).
  (The census takers worksheet shows "Marko" as the family name. Kate is probably his sister Katherine Slepski, who Tyler lived with in Hamtramck, Michigan during his last days. And 9 year old son Mal???? is probably his sister Malianne / Molly.)
• World War I draft registration dated September 12, 1918 for Tom's father - 45 year old Frank Marko was born August 15, 1873 and was a naturalized citizen. He's a "miner", working for Witherbee Sherman Co. in Mineville, Essex County, New York. Nearest relative was Helen Marko, and they lived in Witherbee, Essex County, New York: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXT5-Z7J
• Found no 1920 census records indicating that Frank Markowski / Marko and family were in Detroit / Hamtramck, Michigan circa 1920.

More on Tom Tyler:

• 1930 census summary and census takers worksheet - 26 year old Thomas Tyler (born New York) was a roomer living with Edward M. and Irene C. Bottar at 212 South Hamilton Drive, Beverly Hills, California. He was single, occupation was "Actor - Movies", and he was not a military veteran: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCFF-3CB
• September 3, 1937 Los Angeles County marriage license of 33 year old Tom Tyler (born New York state) to 21 year old Jeanne Martel-Pezoldt (born Pennsylvania), and this was the first marriage for both. Occupations were "Actor - Motion Picture" and "Actress - Motion Pictures". Tyler's parents were Frank Markowski and Helena Montolina, both born in Russia. Martel's parents were Jack Pezoldt and May V. Wentz:
  https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8VM-QX1
  https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-29944-11681-5?cc=1804002
  https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-29944-13116-99?cc=1804002
• September 3, 1937 wedding photo of western movie hero Tom Tyler and actress Jeanne Martel in the September 4, 1937 Los Angeles Times newspaper: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104734814/the-los-angeles-times/
• There were newspaper articles on their September 3, 1937 wedding ... and the newlyweds were traveling to Georgia where Tom was to continue headlining the Wallace Bros. Circus: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104735626/the-macon-news/
• 1940 census summary and census takers worksheet - 34 year old Tom Tyler (born New York) and 23 year old wife Jean (born Pennsylvania) were lodgers at 3096 ??? Hollywood Drive, Los Angeles, and the house/building is owned by Bertha Cronberg. Tyler reported he was living in Los Angeles in 1935, occupation was "Actor - Motion Picture Studio", and in 1939, he worked 13 weeks and earned $5000.00+. No occupation listed for his wife. The census taker visited on May 6, 1940, and Tom and Jean (Jeanne) were still married: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K9CD-ZX2
• World War II draft registration dated February 14, 1942 - 38 year old Tom Tyler was born August 9, 1903 in Witherbee, New York. He lived at 3096 Lake Hollywood Drive, Los Angeles; employer was Republic Studios; he was 6 feet, 1 inches tall and weighed 200 pounds; and contact was Paul Wilkins, 8853 Sunset Boulevard. (Trade publications and newspapers indicate that 1940s clients of Hollywood talent agent Paul Wilkins and his Paul Wilkens Agency included Tyler, Robert Mitchum, Charles McGraw, Jeff Corey, more.): https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGF9-4FXD
• Various newspapers carried UP and AP syndicated death notices on Tyler who passed away on Saturday, May 1, 1954. Excerpts: "Tyler, his fortune dwindling and his stardom a thing of the past, died of a heart attack Saturday night in St. Francis hospital in suburban Hamtramck (Michigan) ..." ; "... Tyler's fame began to soar in recent years among children who watched his old films on television." ; "Tyler whose real name was Vincent Marko returned to Detroit 18 months ago and was living at the home of a sister Mrs. Katherine Slepski." ; "Funeral services will be held from St. Augustine Catholic Church. Burial in Mt. Olivet Cemetery."

Detroit and Los Angeles newspaper death and funeral notices on Tyler:
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75434760/los-angeles-evening-citizen-news/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75437071/detroit-free-press/

Find A Grave website has a photo of Tyler's grave marker at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8671/tom-tyler

Wikipedia has info on Moriah, Port Henry, Mineville, Witherbee, et al: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moriah,_New_York