Fred Burns and Bob Burns

Bob Burns

Real name:
Robert Emmett Burns

1884 - 1957

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Fred Burns

Real name:
Frederick Dana Burns

1878 - 1955

(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

Bob and Fred Burns were real life westerners --- Fred was born in 1878 at Fort Keogh, Montana and Bob in 1884 at Glendive, Montana. Fort Keogh in the Montana Territory was constructed soon after the Battle of the Little Big Horn, and remained an active Army post through the early 1900s. The death certificate on Fred Burns lists his father as John Leonard Burns and his Mother's maiden name as Martin; other documents identify his Mother as Alice B. Martin.

Hollywood bios on Fred mention that he was a bronc buster for the Buffalo Bill and Miller Brothers' 101 Wild West shows. The brothers wound up in Hollywood circa 1911-1912. In those early days, Bob starred in silent oaters for Vitagraph while Fred did leads at Biograph with Lillian Gish. Bob even did some 1920s starring work, and Grapevine Video has the following silent listed in their online catalog:

When talkies arrived, the brothers were firmly entrenched in supporting and bit parts, most often in westerns, and both specialized in portraying a ranch owner/foreman, the local lawman, the father of the heroine, etc. Occasionally, one or the other would do a stint as a baddie, often masquerading as a stalwart member of the community.

A few examples of their varied supporting roles follows:

Bob Burns' last film was the 1954 LAWLESS RIDER which starred Johnny Carpenter. Fred's last film work was at Republic Pictures, circa post World War II.

Bob's son Forrest Burns did some henchie/bit roles in the 1940s-1950s. There's some confusion on the spelling of his first name - some list "Forest" (single R) while other sources use "Forrest" (two R's).

You may want to go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral. Then visit the California Death Records database where you will find records for:

Old Corral contributors Dale Crawford and Jim Sorensen report that both Fred Burns and Bob Burns were cremated, and they are interred at the Chapel of the Pines, Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood, California.

Les Adams has Fred Burns identified in about 175 sound era films and of these, 161 are westerns and 13 are cliffhangers. Les' count on Bob Burns is similar --- about 195 sound era films which includes 179 westerns and 8 chapterplays. Les also notes that the brothers appeared together in at least 42 westerns and 4 serials.

Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on the Burns brothers and Bob's son Forrest Burns. Click below:

Do NOT get our western and serial Bob Burns confused with vaudeville and film performer Bob "Bazooka" Burns, the "Arkansas Traveler". The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has info on him: http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0122589/

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Betty Boyd, Mary Carr, Archie Ricks, Harry Todd, Jack Kirk, and Bob Burns in a scene from GUNLAW (Majestic, 1933) which starred Jack Hoxie.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R in the front are Fred Burns, Maude Eburne, Carol Hughes and Hal Taliaferro. L-to-R on horseback are Bob Card, Ted Mapes and Jack Montgomery. Crop from a lobby card from THE BORDER LEGION (Republic, 1940).

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Ted Mapes, Sally Payne, Chuck Baldra, Roy Rogers, unidentified woman and Fred Burns in a crop from a lobby card from IN OLD CHEYENNE (Republic, 1941).

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Art Dillard, Lee Reynolds and 2/3 of the face of Forrest Burns in a scene from SANTA FE UPRISING (Republic, 1946), one of the Red Ryder yarns starring Allan Lane.

(Courtesy of Dorothy Hack)

During the filming of THE BISCUIT EATER (Disney/Buena Vista, 1972) - Dorothy Hack (daughter of prolific western henchie Herman Hack) is sandwiched between two B-western henchies. On the left is Forrest Burns and on the right is Joe Phillips. Bob Burns was Forrest Burns' father.