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.

Perry Murdock Perry Harrison Murdock 1901 or 1902 - 1988

Oklahoma born Perry Murdock was a close friend of Bob Steele, and they were together on about three dozen Steele films, beginning with Bob's FBO silents and continuing into his 1930s sound westerns. Murdock sometimes portrayed Steele's sidekick as well as doing henchie/support roles. During this period, he dabbled in script writing and assistant directing, and also had parts in a few Rex Bell and John Wayne oaters.

By the late 1930s, Murdock quit acting and moved behind the camera. And in the 1940s, he was a member of the Property/Set Decoration group at Republic Pictures.

Republic Studios expert Jack Mathis has a photo and a mention of Perry Murdock in his Republic Confidential, Volume 1, The Studio (Jack Mathis Advertising, 1999). Quote from page 160 of Jack's book follows (and a photo is on that page also):

"One of the studio's top set dressers, (Earl) Wooden was in the good company of Moe Braun, Otto Siegel, James Redd, Charles Thompson, George Milo, and Perry Murdock who always embellished Republic sets with scrupulous realism and detail."

Murdock continued to apply his set decoration talents on television, and his TV credits include WAGON TRAIN, LEAVE IT TO BEAVER, ALFRED HITCHCOCK, THE RESTLESS GUN, lots more.

Les Adams has Perry identified in about 40 films, all of which are westerns.

A couple examples of Murdock's brief acting career are:

• he's Bob Steele's buddy and both break out in song in Steele's first talkie, NEAR THE RAINBOW'S END (Tiffany, 1930).
• Murdock's finale as an actor was portraying a nasty in the goofy/unconventional BORDER PHANTOM (A. W. Hackel/Republic, 1937), also with Steele.

You may want to 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: Perry Harrison Murdock, born 9/18/1901 in Oklahoma, mother's maiden name of Davis, and he passed away in the Los Angeles area on 4/19/1988. There is a corresponding record in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI).

  Although some of the data may be incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Perry Murdock: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0613806/

The Family Search website has info on Murdock:

• 1930 census for Perry Murdock ... and Robert A. Bradbury (Bob Steele) who are living in the Los Angeles area: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XCJ1-3VP
• 1940 census on 38 year old Perry H. Murdock, 27 year old wife Erma, and 3 year old daughter Linda M. who reside in the Los Angeles area: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K9HL-1JJ
• 1940 census takers worksheet on Perry, wife Erma, and 3 year old daughter Linda M. Their home address is 11851 Laurelwood Avenue, Los Angeles, and Perry's employment is "Property man or swing hand in Property Department of Film Studios": https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-27793-4528-41?cc=2000219&wc=MMYH-F61:788245476

Above is a screen capture of Perry Murdock and Lafe McKee from Bob Steele's first sound film, NEAR THE RAINBOW'S END (Tiffany, 1930). In this, Steele and Murdock harmonize on a couple tunes including "Ragtime Cowboy Joe". (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from left to right are Perry Murdock (as Steele's helper 'Snicker'), Bob Steele and Barbara Luddy in a scene from Steele's HEADIN' NORTH (Tiffany, 1930). Luddy did other films and TV work, but is best remembered as the star of radio's "The First Nighter" program. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above - leading lady Rita Rey and lawman Perry Murdock in a crop from a still from the Bob Steele OKLAHOMA CYCLONE (Tiffany, 1930). The director was J. P. McCarthy and Murdock was assistant director. (Courtesy of Dorothy Hack) Above from left to right are lawman Earl Dwire (standing), Gordon Clifford (sitting), Perry Murdock, John Wayne, Herman Hack (as a Deputy) and Reed Howes in a scene from Wayne's PARADISE CANYON (Lone Star/Monogram, 1935). In this one, Murdock and Clifford are singers/entertainers working on the medicine show run by fast talking Earle Hodgins.