The 'brains' and 'action' heavies who had meaty roles and lots of dialog ... and the players who were fathers, ranch owners, lawman, mayors, judges, lawyers, storekeepers, newspaper editors, wardens, etc.

Le Roy Franklin Mason 1903 - 1947 His first name is often spelled as Leroy or LeRoy

(From Old Corral image collection)

(From Old Corral image collection)

A native of North Dakota, Le Roy Mason began his twenty year long film career in the mid 1920s doing bits and minor supporting roles. His earliest roles appear to be in the Tom Tyler silent westerns for FBO (Film Booking Office). Mason's burly size led him to be typecast as a screen bad guy, and he was featured in oaters and cliffhangers from most of the major and minor production companies. Mason was under a term player contract(s) with Republic Pictures beginning July, 1943, and continuing through his death on October 13, 1947. That Republic contract provided Mason with security and a regular paycheck, but it also allowed Republic to utilize him in a lot of films ... and they did. His film credits at Republic, from 1936-1947, number about 100 pictures, mostly cliffhangers and westerns. Les Adams has Mason identified in about 175 sound era films - of these, 113 are westerns and 13 are serials. Mason suffered a heart attack during the filming of the Monte Hale western, CALIFORNIA FIREBRAND (Republic, 1948). He was hospitalized for about a month and passed away at the Birmingham VA hospital in Van Nuys, California. You may want go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral, and then to the California Death Records database. There you will find a record for: Leroy Franklin Mason, born 7/2/1903 in North Dakota, Mother's maiden name of Nelson, and he passed away on 10/13/1947.

(From Old Corral image collection) Wild Bill has baddie Le Roy Mason under control in this lobby card from MOJAVE FIREBRAND (Republic, 1944).  The youngster is Harry McKim (Sammy McKim's brother).

Several folks have e-mailed asking if Mason ever portrayed a good guy. The answer is yes ... a few times. Circa 1935-1937, producer Maurice Conn was churning out mountie and western adventures starring Kermit Maynard. During that same time period, Conn also produced a series of about ten films starring youngster Frankie Darro. Assisting Darro in the initial films was Le Roy Mason (billed as Roy Mason). Mason had worked with Frankie about ten years prior in the Tom Tyler FBO silent westerns. In the later Darro films for Conn, Kane Richmond became the adult helper, replacing Mason. On the right are Mason and Darro in a pressbook image from VALLEY OF WANTED MEN (Conn, 1935).

(Image courtesy of Les Adams)

Rick Albright checked the 1910, 1920 and 1930 census and found the following info on the Mason family:

In 1930, he was living at 408 Franklin St., Los Angeles, CA with his wife. They were renting at $150 a month. He was age 26, married at age 24, born North Dakota, father and mother born Ohio and North Dakota (the later birth locale may be wrong). His occupation was listed as "actor/film studio". His wife, Rita Mason, 23, married at 21, was born New York to parents born in Oklahoma and Ireland. No occupation.

In 1920, there is a LeRoy Mason living in Larimore, Grand Forks Co., North Dakota at age 16, which would seem to be our guy. He's living with his divorced mother, Bertha Mason, 42, born Norway, and his sister, Florence, 13, born ND. The missing father is listed as born Ohio, which fits, but the mother's Norwegian birth does not match the 1930 info ... but, if LeRoy was at work when the census taker visited Franklin Street, the new wife may have misstated or the census taker may have made a mistake (fairly common, in my experience).

This same Mason family was in Larimore, ND in 1910 also, but the father was home. He's S.F. Mason, 50, married second time 12 years ago, born Ohio, parents born PA and KY, occupation hotel/Sherman House. Bertha is 33, married once, 12 years ago, born Norway, ditto parents. In addition to three half-siblings, Leroy, 6, has two full siblings: William, 9; Florence, 3; both born ND.

The LeRoy in 1920 and 1910 seems to be the correct guy, but the mom's Norwegian birth does leave some doubt.

Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Le Roy Mason: http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0556813/

Mason was married (and divorced?) to silent screen actress Rita (Violette) Carewe. Rita Carewe (1909-1955) was a 1927 WAMPAS Baby Star, and the daughter of director Edwin Carewe. Rita Mason is listed as Mason's wife in the 1930 census info above. The IMDB has info on Rita's brief film career: http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0136892/

Jim Tipton's Find A Grave website has a photo of the marker for Mason at Forest Lawn - Glendale. When viewing the photo of the marker, note that there appears to be a space in Mason's first name - spelled Le Roy, not Leroy or LeRoy: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11552

(Courtesy of Les Adams) Above is the pressbook cover from LURE OF THE WASTELAND (Al Lane Pictures, 1939) which starred Grant Withers. Withers and Le Roy Mason are shown in the left corner inset.  "Al Lane" was another alias of producer/director/script writer and jack-of-all-trades Robert Emmett 'Bob' Tansey. (From Old Corral image collection) From L-to-R are John Wayne dancing with Adele Pearce (later screen name of Pamela Blake) while baddies Yakima Canutt and Le Roy Mason look on. From WYOMING OUTLAW (Republic, 1939), one of the Three Mesquiteers adventures. (From Old Corral image collection) Above are (from left to right) Chief Thunder Cloud (Victor Daniels), stuntman Dave Sharpe brandishing a pair of sixguns, and Le Roy Mason in a photo of a lobby card from SILVER STALLION (Monogram, 1941). (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above, Ken Maynard has his grips on Mason in BLAZING GUNS (Monogram, 1943), one of the Trail Blazers films. (From Old Corral image collection) Above, from L-to-R are Bud Geary, Hal Taliaferro (Wally Wales), Le Roy Mason (seated), and Kenne Duncan in VIGILANTES OF DODGE CITY (Republic, 1944).