 | Unkempt, rough and tough looking members of the gang (or lynch mob, or vigilantes, or posse or cow herders) who had minimal or no dialog. They are generally not listed in the film credits. We tend to recognize some of their faces, but have no clue as to their real names. |
 (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from L-to-R are Tommy Coats, Bob Clark, Tom London, Harry Willingham, Herman Nolan, and Clyde Kinney in GHOST VALLEY RAIDERS (Republic, 1940), which starred Don Barry.  (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from L-to-R are Herman Nolan, Eddie Dew and Bud Osborne in a scene from RIDING THE WIND (RKO, 1942), which starred Tim Holt. |
Lewis 'Lew' Morphy 1904-1958 appeared in at least 80 westerns ... and counting Ken Jones, co-author of Heroes, Heavies and Sagebrush provides the following biographical info: Lewis Harris Morphy was a movie stuntman, sometime actor and an expert marksman. He once toured rodeos and the vaudeville circuits with a shooting act. He started his stage career under the name of Cheyenne Sharpshooter Murphy. One of his acts was to shoot chalk cigarettes and candles from the mouths of pretty girls on the stage. He gradually drifted into movie stuntwork and could be seen in many western films as a henchman or a face in the crowd. On November 7, 1958 Morphy shot and killed his wife, Kaye, former speedboat champion, and her mother in the couple's Laurel Canyon home. Spared when Murphy ran berserk was his father-in-law and 2 children. He called a friend and told him what he had done then went to the bedroom and shot and killed himself. Morphy was known to have a violent temper and had become increasingly despondent since the death of his mother 2 years before and was also brooding over the financial failure of a resort he owned in Tennessee. |
 (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from L-to-R are Chick Hannan, Hank Worden, Lew Morphy, Bob Baker, Wally West and Bob Card in THE SINGING OUTLAW (Universal, 1938). That's Herman Hack in the back row center with his hand in the air.  (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from L-to-R are William Desmond, Tom Smith, Charles Starrett and Lew Morphy in DOWN RIO GRANDE WAY (Columbia, 1942). |
 |  | John Beach appeared in at least 40 westerns and 1 serial |
 | | Earl Leslie Askam 1898-1940 appeared in at least 12 westerns and 4 serials Askam's most remembered roles were as 'Officer Torch' in the first FLASH GORDON serial and as 'Red' in THE HAWK OF THE WILDERNESS cliffhanger. Les Adams sent a tidbit from Film Daily, April 3, 1940: "Actor Earl Askam was stricken with a fatal heart attack while playing golf with actor Kermit Maynard yesterday, April 2, 1940. Askam was the brother of Perry Askam, concert star. His body will be sent to San Jose, California for burial." |
 | | Olin Caldwell Francis 1891 or 1892 - 1952 appeared in at least 37 westerns and 3 serials One of Olin Francis' better roles was as "Mule Bates"in the Tex Ritter TAKE ME BACK TO OKLAHOMA (Monogram, 1940). Playing a released convict, he's hired by Karl Hackett to handle the reins in an upcoming stage race ... as well as killing someone named "Tex". But he winds up going straight and helping former lawman Ritter, who earlier, had assisted in raising Bate's kid when he was sent to prison. |
 (Courtesy of Les Adams) John Wayne has his dukes on William Royle, and in the background, from L-to-R, are John Beach, Earl Askam and Olin Francis. From the Three Mesquiteers adventure, RED RIVER RANGE (Republic, 1938). |
| Carl 'Kansas' Moehring 1896 or 1897-1968 appeared in at least 62 westerns and 2 serials | |  |
| Jack Kenney 1886-1964 appeared in at least 20 westerns and 6 serials | ||
 (Courtesy of Fabian Cepeda) |  | |
| Pascale Perry Real name: Harvey Poirier 1895-1953 appeared in at least 96 westerns and 8 serials | |  |
 (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from L-to-R are Jack Ingram, Pascale Perry, Fred Kohler, Jr., Tom Tyler, Tom Chatterton, Sam Lufkin (bartender) and Al Taylor in a scene from the Three Mesquiteers RAIDERS OF THE RANGE (Republic, 1942). |