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Saddle Pals & Sidekicks



(From Old Corral collection)

Above, Andy Clyde (1892 - 1967) was born in Scotland, and during the 1920s, was part of the comedy stable at Mack Sennett's studio. In the 1930s, he made a bunch of two-reel shorts for Columbia. To western fans, his best remembered role is playing 'California Carlson', the saddle pal to William Boyd's Hopalong Cassidy. In the late 1940s, Clyde was at Monogram as the sidekick to Whip Wilson, and was a regular cast member of early TV shows THE REAL MCCOYS and LASSIE.

Les Adams has Clyde identified in 200+ sound era films and that includes 58 westerns.

At the Helensburgh HeritageTrust Scottish Charity website, there's a nice article on Andy Clyde as well as a photo of Andy and his wife, former Mack Sennett bathing beauty Elsie Maud Tarran:
Article: http://www.helensburgh-heritage.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=710:andy-clyde-film-star&catid=81:the-arts&Itemid=458
Photo: http://www.helensburgh-heritage.org.uk/displayimage.php?album=24&pid=720#top_display_media

Find A Grave website has a photo of the grave marker for Clyde at Forest Lawn - Glendale: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4538

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Andy Clyde: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167395/



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are William Boyd, Russell Hayden, Andy Clyde and Morris Ankrum in a lobby card from WIDE OPEN TOWN (Paramount, 1941). This was released in late Summer, 1941 and was Russell Hayden's twenty seventh and final Hoppy film. His next job was at Columbia, helping Charles Starrett.



(Courtesy of Minard Coons)

Above - Whip Wilson and sidekick Andy Clyde in Whip's ABILENE TRAIL (1951).




(Courtesy of Minard Coons)

Above - sidekick Harry Harvey, Sr. (1901 - 1985) with singing cowboy Fred Scott during their late 1930s films.  Harvey easily migrated to TV work and was "Sheriff Tom Blodgett" in the ROY ROGERS TV show (Blodgett was also portrayed by Reed Howes).

In the 1950s, he was frequently employed at Gene Autry's "Flying A" production company and working on TV shows ANNIE OAKLEY, RANGE RIDER, more. And he had a meaty role as a medicine show owner - and father of Gail Davis and Dick Jones - in Gene's WAGON TEAM (Columbia, 1952).

He did many bit and supporting roles in A grade films, and a couple of examples are: he was manager Joe McCarthy in THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES (1942), the saga of Yankee baseball player Lou Gehrig (played by Gary Cooper); and he's the doctor telling Jimmy Stewart about June Allyson's medical condition in THE GLENN MILLER STORY (1954).

Les Adams has Harvey identified in 250+ sound era films, and that includes 82 westerns and a dozen cliffhangers.

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Harry Harvey, Sr.: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0367543/

His son, Harry Harvey, Jr. (1929-1978) did film and TV work as well as directing some TV shows like MANNIX.

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Harry Harvey, Jr.: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0367405/



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above are Charles 'Slim' Whitaker and Harry Harvey in a scene from LONE STAR PIONEERS (Columbia, 1939), which starred Bill Elliott.



(Courtesy of Dale Crawford & Jim Sorensen)
Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood, California, Lot 17, Section 933, Block L.




(From Old Corral collection)

Above are Maxwell Emmett 'Pat' Buttram (1915 or 1917 - 1994) and Gene Autry.  Buttram was Autry's saddle pal during his later Columbia films as well as Autry's Melody Ranch radio program.  He was one of the National Barn Dance performers during the 1930s, and ultimately went to Hollywood.  In later years, he portrayed Mr. Haney on TV's GREEN ACRES.  He was also the founder of the 'Golden Boot Awards' which honored western film performers. Les Adams has Buttram identified in 18 films, and 17 of those are westerns.

Pat married actress and B western heroine Sheila Ryan in late 1951, and the pairing would last until her death in 1975. The Buttrams were proud parents of a daughter named Katherine.

Pat passed away on January 8, 1994 from kidney failure at the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center.


(From Old Corral collection)
Above - Pat Buttram's wife, Sheila Ryan.

Google Newspaper archive has an obituary on Pat Buttram: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19940109&id=uMFPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7AcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6667,5162053&hl=en

Find A Grave website has a photo of the grave marker for Pat Buttram who is interred in Haleyville, Alabama: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1802

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Pat Buttram: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0125426/




(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Vincent 'Vince' Barnett (1902 - 1977) and Ken Maynard, and on the ground is Martin Garralaga.  From Maynard's BOOTS OF DESTINY (Grand National, 1937).

Les Adams has Barnett identified in about 145 sound era films, and that includes two dozen westerns.

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Vince Barnett: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0055998/




(From Old Corral collection)

Si 'Rawhide' Jenks (sometimes Cy Jenks) was a comic on the Orpheum vaudeville circuit.  His real name was Howard H. Jenkins (1876 - 1970), and he was born in Pennsylvania.  In the 1920s, he and Lilian Hartford worked together in comedy routines in vaudeville and they were married in New Jersey in 1926.  They moved to Hollywood in 1929 and both began film work.  In his fifties, Jenks started his Hollywood career in early sound films.  And during the next 20+ years, he specialized in portraying old sheriffs, old prospectors, and assorted toothless old codgers.  Jenks can be spotted in both A and B grade films, including low-budget westerns starring Roy Rogers, the Trail Blazers, more.

Jenks was not a consistent sidekick, though he did portray a helper to a few cowboy heroes like Bob Steele, Charles Starrett, Tim McCoy and Sunset Carson. Examples of Jenks as a sidekick - and getting lots of dialog and screen time: he's "Buffalo Brady" in the Bob Steele THE RIDER OF THE LAW (Hackel/Supreme, 1935) and "Buckshot", the saddle pal to Charles Starrett in THE COWBOY STAR (Columbia, 1936).

Si and wife Lilian spent their final years at the Motion Picture and Television Home and Hospital facility in Woodland Hills, California.  Si passed away in 1970 and Lilian passed in 1983.

Les Adams has Jenks identified in about 160 sound era films, and that includes 75 westerns and 4 chapterplays.

Find A Grave website has a photo and info on the final resting place for Si Jenks at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills. The grave marker shows that Howard H. Jenkins was a member of the Pennsylvania infantry during the Spanish American War: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5895396

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Si Jenks: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0421041/



(Image courtesy of Jay Wilsey's granddaughter and
daughter, Tamera Mankini and Frances Eldene Wolski)

Above are Buffalo Bill Jr. (Jay Wilsey) and his wife Genée Boutell giving an assist to Si Jenks in a still from RAWHIDE ROMANCE (Superior, 1934).




(From Old Corral collection)

Above - cowboy hero Tom Tyler has his mitts on Dick Alexander in a lobby card from MYSTERY RANGE (Victory, 1937), one of the cheapies churned out by Sam Katzman's Victory Pictures. On the left is Milburn Morante and the heroine is Jerry Bergh. Dick Alexander is best remembered as "El Lobo" in ZORRO RIDES AGAIN (1937) serial and as "Prince Barin" in the first two FLASH GORDON chapterplays.

Milburn Charles Morante (1887 - 1964) was a vaudeville performer who worked in silent era comedy films with his brother Al and father Joe. Around 1918, he formed his own film company, Mercury Pictures, with his family on the payroll. Morante directed a few 1921 - 1922 silents with future B western badman George Chesebro in the lead. His Mercury/Morante Productions company was short-lived and by the mid 1920s, Morante was directing some Pete Morrison oaters at Universal.

In sound era westerns, he generally portrayed a grizzled ol' propector, a store owner, a cook, a drunk, etc. Like Si Jenks, Morante was an occasional sidekick. And there is confusion with the spellings of Morante's first and last name - for example, sometimes he was billed as "Milt" and sometimes his last name was listed as "Moranti".

Les Adams has him identified in 140+ sound films and that includes 130 westerns and 9 serials.

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Milburn Morante: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0603096/

California Death Index and Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Milburn C. Morante - he was born April 4, 1887 and passed away on January 28, 1964 in the Los Angeles area:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VGTL-MD8
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J5XQ-72S



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Bud Osborne, Rex Lease and Milburn Morante in a scene from the Lease starrer PALS OF THE RANGE (Superior, 1935).



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are expert driver Post Park, Jimmy Wakely and Milburn Morante in Wakely's RIDIN' DOWN THE TRAIL (Monogram, 1947). The arm-in-a-cast for Post Park was an excuse for Wakely to handle the reins, but if Jimmy got into trouble, Park was ready to take over.



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