Unkempt, rough and tough looking members of the gang, or lynch mob, or vigilantes, or posse riders, or cow herders. They had minimal or no dialog, not much screen time, and were generally not listed in the film credits. Some would show up as a face in the crowd, portraying townspeople, barflys, deputies, wagon drivers, ranch hands, etc. We tend to recognize some of their faces, but have no clue as to their real names. |
Bud McClure Real name: His sound film appearances include at least 130 westerns and 13 serials. |
Bud McClure was another of the henchie brigade of the 1930s and appeared in nearly five dozen oaters starring Ken Maynard and Buck Jones in 1929 - 1936. McClure could also handle the reins of a stagecoach and wagon. Most of his movie jobs were unbilled/uncredited.
One of his few roles with more than a word or two of dialog occurs in Tom Tyler's DEADWOOD PASS (Freuler/Monarch, 1933). In the opening minutes, McClure is the stage driver and during a stop, he tells Tyler and pretty heroine Alice Dahl about a mysterious outlaw named "the Hawk". Suffering from cancer, Bud McClure passed away at his North Hollywood home on November 2, 1942. Although some of the data may be incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Bud McClure: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0565972/
The Family Search website (free), Ancestry.com (subscription), the California Death Index, and the death certificate provide more info on Bud McClure and family.
Find A Grave website notes that McClure is interred at Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood, California: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145632801/erwin-thomas-mcclure |
(Courtesy of Les Adams) In the above still and crop/blowups, Ken Maynard is prone among an entire regiment of henchies in THE FIDDLIN' BUCKAROO (Universal, 1933). From L-to-R are Slim Whitaker, Bud McClure, Frank Ellis (face in shadows), Roy Bucko (with Maynard's pearl handled six-shooter in his belt), Hank Bell (with Maynard's other pearl handled six-shooter in his belt), Jack Kirk (face in shadows), Jack King (tall hat), Fred Kohler, partial face of unidentified guy, and Buck Bucko. (Courtesy of Les Adams) At the reins is Bud McClure in the Johnny Mack Brown BOSS OF BULLION CITY (Universal, 1940). (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 wearing coat and pointing, and on the right is Hobart 'Tex' Parker. From Don Barry's TWO GUN SHERIFF (Republic, 1941). |
1937 | Jim Corey Real name: His sound film appearances include at least 216 westerns and 22 serials. |
1932 |
Jim Corey was born in New York state, and was a frequent henchman and stunt man. His film career began in silents and continued through the late 1940s.
Much of his silent film jobs were shorts and features at Universal starring Art Acord, Jack Perrin, Hoot Gibson, William Desmond, Harry Carey, others. In the 1930s, he shows up in about sixty oaters starring Buck Jones, Ken Maynard, and Tim McCoy. Corey is relatively easy to spot - he's thin and has a well lined face ... he wore a big, tall, round topped hat ... and he packed his six-shooter on the left side. Due to injuries, illness or lack of movie work, Corey listed his occupation as "guard work-various places" on his 1942 World War II draft registration. He passed away at the Los Angeles County General Hospital on March 26, 1950, the day after surgery for an abdominal aneurysm. Corey is interred at Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood, California. There was confusion with biographical info on our actor/stuntman Jim Corey (including the Internet Movie Database, which has been corrected). The mixup was because of another Jim Corey who is also interred at Valhalla. In November/December, 2010, ye Old Corral webmaster communicated with Jane Ritchey (nee Corey), the grand daughter of James Warren Corey, Sr. That Mr. Corey, Sr. was born in Long Pine, Nebraska in 1883, passed away January 10, 1956 in the Los Angeles area, and is interred at Valhalla Cemetery. Old Corral contributor Lila Ashear was able to locate a January 12, 1956 obituary on 72 year old James W. Corey, Sr. which confirms his interment at Valhalla. |
The Family Search website (free), California Death Index, death certificate, and funeral notice provide more on actor Jim Corey:
Although some of the data may be incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Jim Corey: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179789/ Find A Grave website notes that Corey is interred at Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood, California: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10061627/jim-corey |
(Courtesy of Bruce Hickey) Left to right are Jim Corey, John Wayne, and Tom Bay doing battle in Wayne's HAUNTED GOLD (Warners, 1932). (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above - Cliff 'Tex' Lyons (left) and Jim Corey (right) take a fall in Buck Jones' OUTLAWED GUNS (Universal, 1935). (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from L-to-R are Jim Corey, hero Dick Foran and Harry Woods in a lobby card from LAND BEYOND THE LAW (Warners, 1937), one of the better entries in the Foran series thanks to the direction of B. Reeves 'Breezy' Eason. The rider on the far right is Henry Otho, one of the henchmen working for Harry Woods. (From Old Corral collection) Above - Tom Tyler slugs it out with veteran henchman and stuntman Jim Corey in a still from BROTHERS OF THE WEST (Victory, 1937). (Courtesy of Bruce Hickey) L-to-R are Sherry Tansey, Jim Corey, Claire Rochelle, Johnny Mack Brown, Frank LaRue, and Ed Cassidy in a lobby card from BOOTHILL BRIGADE (A. W. Hackel/Republic, 1937). |