Marshall Reed

Marshall Reed began his film career in Hollywood during the later days of World War II. If you saw any of the Republic, Monogram/Allied Artists and PRC westerns from the mid 1940s through the early 1950s, chances are quite good that Reed was among the cast, usually as a baddie.

Marshall Reed was a very busy man. Les Adams has identified Reed in about 175 films of which 130 are westerns and 17 are serials. His serial and western film credits at Republic number about fifty films.

Once in a while, Reed got to assist the hero. And he did have one starring role --- he was the lead in in one of the last cliffhangers, RIDING WITH BUFFALO BILL (Columbia, 1954). That was one of many Columbia chapterplays produced by Sam Katzman, and it utilized lots of stock footage from their earlier serial, DEADWOOD DICK (Columbia, 1940).

There's some scuttlebutt that Reed was under consideration by Republic as the star of the Red Ryder series (after Bill Elliott was promoted to A features). But Allan Lane got the job as Red Ryder.

As time went on, and the B western and chapterplay faded into the Hollywood sunset, Reed migrated to TV work. He was a regular playing the role of "Inspector Fred Asher" on the 1950s police show THE LINEUP which starred Warner Anderson and Tom Tully. In the 1950s through 1970s, he often did minor supporting roles and bit parts in TV programs such as THE LONE RANGER, CISCO KID, KIT CARSON, LASSIE, DRAGNET, PERRY MASON, more. Reed also had a role in one of the worst sci-fi/horror movies, THEY SAVED HITLER'S BRAIN (1963).

Reed was handsome, tall and looked good in the saddle. About the only negative reaction that I have is that he had a rather monotone voice.

Reed had suffered from a brain tumor, and passed away from a massive hemorrhage on April 15, 1980 at age 62. Go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral. The California Death Records database as well as the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) have records on Marshall Jewel Reed --- his birthplace and birthdate was Colorado and 5/28/1917, and he passed away on 4/15/1980.

Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Marshall Reed: http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0715577/

(Courtesy of Minard Coons)

Above, mid 1970s photo of Marshall Reed signing autographs and meeting fans at one of the film conventions.

(From Old Corral image collection)

Above, Johnny Mack Brown and Raymond Hatton (with shotgun) have the drop on Marshall Reed (black shirt) and Terry Frost (red shirt) in GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS (Monogram, 1946).

(From Old Corral image collection)

Above, from L-to-R are Marshall Reed, Bill Kennedy, Johnny Mack Brown, Raymond Hatton and Virginia Carroll in TRIGGERMAN (Monogram, 1948).

(Courtesy of Minard Coons)

Above, from L-to-R are Myron Healey, Steve Clark, Marshall Reed, John Merton, Max Terhune, and on the far right wearing the suit is Hugh Prosser. From WESTERN RENEGADES (Monogram, 1949), an entry in the Johnny Mack Brown series.

(From Old Corral image collection)

Above, Tim Holt is roughing up Marshall Reed in this lobby card from GUNPLAY (RKO, 1951).

(Courtesy of Virginia Herrick & Dick Madigan)

Much of the B western and serial work had faded away by the early 1950s, and many of the heroes and supporting players wound up working in early TV shows. Above are, from L-to-R: Jackie Coogan, Marshall Reed, Virginia Herrick and Russell Hayden in a scene from one of the early TV sagebrush series, the syndicated COWBOY G-MEN. This TVer first appeared on the little screen in 1952 and starred Hayden and Coogan.