 (Courtesy of Ron Blum) Mystery Painting May, 2006: Ron Blum e-mailed about this large painting. Ron writes: There is nothing on the back (marks, dates, names, etc.). There is an artist's signature but it is tough to read. It appears to start with "Lan" and the second word appears to begin "De". I think it is either a movie magazine cover, or perhaps some sort or preliminary piece for some poster or promotional piece. It is large, about 24 by 36. It is oil on canvas that has been removed from the stretcher bars. I did circulate this to some Old Corral contributors. No - it's not a Buck Jones comic cover. No - it's not a promo image or piece from any of Buck's films, including Jones' BLACK ACES (1937). Any detective out there with some details on the where, when and why of this? June, 2009 update from Ron Blum: "... I ended up selling it and saw that it sold again at a Western Auction somewhat later. I don't think they found out anything else about it." |
 (Courtesy of Will Harinsky) John Doe #24 Will Harinsky acquired the above photo (and three other variations of the same pose) in February, 2004 at a Serial and B western movie convention in Tucson from a dealer of various flats and posters. All 4 photos are about 5" x 3" in size. The bag they came in was old, worn, and yellow with a stamp that reads "Republic Pictures" in black ink. Anybody have any info on this image? |
 (Courtesy of Steve Scalici) Jane Doe #1 The name Nancy Chambers isn't familiar to us, at least as a B-western performer. Perhaps she was a rodeo or circus performer, or worked in a western swing band. Anybody have any info on her? |
John Does #5 and #6  (Courtesy of Ed Phillips) The above photo shows Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams standing on the right, and in the window are a half-dozen faces which are shown below. Photo from SINGIN' IN THE CORN (1946), which starred Judy Canova.  Bottom row L-to-R are Frank Lackteen, Frances Rey, and Nick Thompson. The top row L-to-R are Chief Yowlachie, John Doe #5 and John Doe #6. Got an e-mail from Phil Arnold who was in touch with stuntman Jack Lilley. Lilley identified our John Doe #5 as Tom Humphries. The man in the top right might be Charles Randolph. |
John Doe #1 Is this Herman Nowlin/Nolan? Nope! Photos of the real Herman Nowlin/Nolan are in "The Henchies" section.  Above, our John Doe #1 with Al 'Fuzzy' St. John in a crop from a lobby card from GUNSMOKE TRAIL (Monogram, 1938) which starred Jack Randall.  Above - John Doe #1 on the right in Bob Steele's BILLY THE KID OUTLAWED (PRC, 1940), and on the left is Sherry Tansey.  (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above - John Doe #1 on the left with George Morrell in a crop from a lobby card from Johnny Mack Brown's RANGE LAW (Monogram, 1944).  Above, John Doe #1 in the center. On the left is Henry Wills and right is Joseph Eggerton in a scene from JMB's FIGHTING BILL FARGO (Universal, 1941).  (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above left to right in the front row are Buck Moulton w/ sixgun, Bud McClure next to him w/ sixgun, Carleton Young is in the center with coat and pointing, and on the right is Hobart 'Tex' Parker. Our John Doe is in the right background and is wearing a dark hat. Scene from the Don Barry starrer TWO GUN SHERIFF (Republic, 1941). |
John Doe #2  Above - our "short guy" John Doe #2 is in the middle between Jack Randall and Tom London in Randall's WILD HORSE RANGE (Monogram, 1940). Spotted him in the background as a townsman in the Hopalong Cassidy STAGECOACH WAR (Paramount, 1940). He is NOT Fox O'Callahan as both John Doe #2 - and Fox O'Callahan - are together as members of Glenn Strange's gang in Tom Keene's WESTERN MAIL (Monogram, 1942). |
John Doe #3  (Courtesy of Ed Phillips) Above from L-to-R are Robert Walker, Frank Ellis, Dick Rush, Edmund Cobb, John Doe #3, Charles Starrett, George Morrell (behind and right of Starrett). In the background on horseback are Steve Clark and Tex Cooper (Buffalo Bill-looking character). Scene from Starrett's TWO-FISTED SHERIFF (Columbia, 1937). Below is a blowup of the face of John Doe #3. John Doe #3 is NOT Robert Gleckler.  |