I view the Old Corral website as a cooperative effort, and you can see a lot of that in material provided by fans, collectors, and family members that are mentioned below.  If you have some suggestions, e-mail me with your ideas ... if you have a stash of great photos or lobby cards, and access to a scanner, e-mail me with the info, and maybe we can use (and I'll give you picture credit, of course).

What began in May, 1998 as a commentary and pictorial on the trio westerns from Monogram Pictures and Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) has significantly expanded.  A lot of people and organizations have helped by furnishing material, ideas, questions and encouragement ... and that has added much to the content, quality and accuracy of the Old Corral.

 If you wish to find a particular name, simply use your web browser's built-in FIND function and that will allow you to search down this page.  In the upper left of your screen, you should see the word 'EDIT'.  Click on that, and in the drop down menu, click on 'FIND' to do your search.  In web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Edge, Firefox, Opera and others, you can also hit the Ctrl-F key combination to open the FIND box (hold down the Ctrl Key in the lower left of your keyboard, and also press the key for the letter F).  In the 'Find What' box, type in a name. When done typing, begin the search by clicking on the 'Find Next' button which will take you to the first occurrence of that word or phrase (or to the end of this page, if no match is found).  Keep clicking on the 'Find Next' button to continue down to all the matches.

Special thanks to cowboy fan and collector Minard Coons, for all his help, insight and encouragement with the Old Corral ... and for providing pictures, memorabilia and memories on those great B western actors, actresses and films. Without Minard's help, the Old Corral would be significantly less.

Minard Coons in 1972 with his pals, Max Terhune and Elmer Sneezeweed.

In the Summer of '99, I was very pleased to connect with western film expert Les Adams, who co-authored Shoot-Em-Ups with Buck Rainey.  About twenty years ago, Les also wrote and published a series of softcover 'zines titled Yesterday's Saturdays, and each issue highlighted a couple dozen B westerns and included cast lists, plot synopsis, ad cuts, etc.  I really appreciate Les' insight and input on the western, as his expertise on the genre far exceeds my knowledge level.

Special thanks to family members and friends of B-western performers and production personnel who provided valuable info and images:

• Linda Calvert Jacobson provided photos and family info on her great uncle Tom Smith, a prolific face-in-the-crowd.
• Rick Sparks for LaVarre family info and photos. Rick is the grandson of John Merton (Myrtland LaVarre) and his uncle was Lane Bradford (Myrtland LaVarre, Jr.).
• Augie Gomez's daughters, Gale and Gerrie, for for photos and help on the webpage on their father.
• Rob Leavitt for providing info and photos on his Great Uncle Al Taylor.
• Special thanks to Diana Serra Cary for help on the webpage on her father, Jack Montgomery ... and her many remembrances of the actors and riders that did westerns. Diana was "Baby Peggy" Montgomery and she starred in over a hundred comedy shorts in the 1920s.
• Thanks to the Newill Family for sharing memories and photos of James 'Jim' Newill who was Renfrew of the Royal Mounted and a member of PRC's Texas Rangers.
• One of my favorite leading ladies is Mary Hart / Lynne Roberts. Special thanks to Lynne's son Bill Samuels, grandson Paul Samuels, and Paul's wife Maggie for family info and photos.
• Carol Murray for all the wonderful photos from her "Jack Hendricks Photo Album".
• Thanks to Johnny Hawk for a photo and remembrances of his friend Riley Hill.
• Dave Butler for images and info on the Jed Buell Midgets in THE TERROR OF TINYTOWN.
• Jakob Stegelmann provided a photo and remembrances on film historian Janus Barfoed.
• David Hill shared photos and remembrances of Duncan Renaldo.
• Walt Grigg for the photos and info on his "ALLSTAR COWBOYS" vending card machine.
• Tamera Mankini for info and lots of photos on her grandfather, Jay Wilsey (Buffalo Bill, Jr.) and Wilsey's wife, actress Genée Boutell.
• For years, I had searched for photos of prolific director Sam Newfield. In 2010, my wish came true. Thanks to Wheeler Winston Dixon and Mark Heller for providing photos of Newfield.
• Cliff Ledger for photo and remembrances on his friend Sunset Carson.
• Thanks to Karen Gauny Crisalli and "Sunny" Campbell for family photo and biographical info on their grandfather, John Bridges.
• Virgil Johnson for photos and remembrances of Sunset Carson and George O'Brien.
• Thanks to Peggy Kelly for the profile on Thornton Edwards.
• Cherryl Rylee Bacot for various photos and info on her grandfather John Preston, who did some mountie films in the mid 1930s.
• Jan Tache and Harley White for sharing information and photos on their mother, Jill Jackson Miller, who used the names of Harlene Wood, Harley Wood, and Jill Martin during her heroine work in westerns and a serial.
• Thanks to Bryanna Holt for the Holt Family photo and a photo of Tim Holt's Golden Boot and National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum awards.
• Kevin Coffey for his help in identifying many of the singers and musicians who worked in various musical groups that performed in the ol' western film.
• Special thanks to Tom McGeeney for sharing information and photos on Karl Hackett.
• Linda Wakely for info and help on the biography of her Dad, singing cowboy Jimmy Wakely.
• Thanks to Elizabeth and Charles Milton and Tom Baker for all the wonderful family photos and info on their relative Bob Custer.
• Marilyn and Harry Carey, Jr. for info and help on the biography of Harry, Sr.  And Marilyn also assisted with the profile of her Dad, prolific performer Paul Fix.
• Cynthia Brown Hale for being available when I had questions about her Dad, Johnny Mack Brown, and for the family photos on her Dad's induction to the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame.
• There were various members of the western singing/musical groups called the Arizona Wranglers and the Range Riders. Thanks to relatives of the members who provided info and photos: Mike Hunter, Frank Underwood, Jack Jones, Herb Stokes.
• Brothers Ken and Homer Dupuy for the great photos and family tree information on their relative, Don 'Red' Barry.
• Retired Arizona Film Commission director Bill MacCallum for his remembrances on stuntman Fred Graham.
• Tony Cameron for help on the biography of his Dad, Rod Cameron.
• Walt Weed for help on the biography of his Dad, Bob Baker.
• Republic Pictures expert Jack Mathis who was always helpful and available when I had a question about someone or something at Republic Studios.
• Patrick Curtis for providing photos and authoring the biography on his friend, George Montgomery ... and for all the help and info on the annual Golden Boot awards program.
• Pamela 'Brooke' Tucker for the family info and great photos of her Dad, Forrest Tucker, and her grandfather, I. Stanford Jolley.
• Donn and Nancy Moyer for all the wonderful remembrances and photos of Colonel Tim McCoy in the late 1950s with the Carson Barnes Circus, as well as great info and pictures of singing cowboy Fred Scott and his wife Mary.
• Andy Southard who also was a friend to Fred Scott, and provided pictures, including the ceremony when Scott received his Golden Boot Award.
• John F. White for help and assistance in the preparation of the webpage on his grandfather, Dan White.
• Elsimae 'CiCi' Morse, for providing info and family photos on her grandfather, Frank LaRue.
• Melody Waters for the biographical info and family photos on her Dad, singer/musician Ozie Waters.
• Tom and Debbie Bahn and Leota Whitaker Gandrau for the info and family photos on screen baddie Charles 'Slim' Whitaker.  Leota is Slim's daughter and Debbie is Slim's great granddaughter.
• Dixie Carson for the info and photos on her Dad, stuntman/stunt coordinator Fred Carson.
• Deborah Duffy for the info and photos on her father-in-law, stuntman/stunt coordinator Cliff 'Tex' Lyons.
• John Wright for the writeup and photos on his friend, Ray Whitley.
• Pamela Leigh Powers for the biographical profile and photos on her friend, western bad guy Mike Ragan/Holly Bane.
• Philippe Yaconelli and Ernie Yaconelli, the son and brother of B-western sidekick Frank Yaconelli, for providing bunches of family photos and history on Frank.
• Much appreciation to Brett Miller, Ed Crawford, Jim Crawford and Karla Cool who are family members of the KMBC Texas Rangers singin' group, for providing info and photos on their relatives.
• Hank DeCato for the photos and info on his friends Freddy Martin and Jerry Scoggins, who were members of the Cass County Boys singin' group that worked with Gene Autry in films and radio. More Cass County Boys photos came from Mary Jane Johnson Dodson, the wife of the late Bert Dodson who was a member of the Cass County Boys.
• William Geraghty for help and assistance on the webpage that I constructed on his famous relatives, The "Geraghty's of Hollywood".
• Mary Toluchanian for photos and genealogical info on one of her family members, prolific performer Edmund Cobb.
• Parry Hall for the info and photos on his Dad, Eddie Hall.
• Richard Kumler for great photos and info on Jack Luden. Richard's Mom was married to Luden in the 1940s.
• Ed Tabor for the writeup on his friend, Johnny Bond, along with photos and other material, including some vintage material on Buffalo Bill Jr. and Rex Lease.
• Dale Berry for the photos and info on his friend, prolific screen bad guy Kenne Duncan.
• Jim Martin for various photos and info, including material on his friend Rodd Redwing.
• Joel Towler for his photos and remembrances of Ken Maynard and his wife Bertha.
• Emmy Award winner Sherwood Schwartz, the creative genius behind GILLIGAN'S ISLAND and THE BRADY BUNCH television shows, for his remembrances of Dave 'Tex' O'Brien.
• Jerry Whittington for a bunch of great photos and his remembrances on Sunset Carson, Ken Maynard, Tex Ritter and the making of the MARSHAL OF WINDY HOLLOW.
• Jack Jones for all the info and photos on his Dad, Jack Jones, who was a multi-purpose western performer that did stunts/doubling, singing, banjo playin', and bit/supporting roles.
• Tom Bupp for the wonderful photos of his father and uncle, child stars Tommy Bupp and Sonny Bupp respectively, and both kids did B westerns in the 1930s.
• Tracy Terhune for all the info on his Dad, stuntman Bob Terhune, and his grandfather, Max Terhune.
• Dave Tansey for help and photos on the various members of the 'Tansey Family' who worked behind and in front of the camera in scores of B westerns.
• Everett Cain for the photos and info on his Uncle, burly baddie Ace Cain.
• Diane S. Gray for the photos and information on her grandfather, movie producer Jesse J. Goldburg.
• Mark Webb and Bob Webb for the photos and info on their grandfather and father respectively, serial/western film director and producer Harry S. Webb of Reliable Pictures.
• Jim Hamby for info and photos of his friend, heroine Donna Martell.
• Doris Lauter for help, assistance and photos on her hubbie, TV and film performer Harry Lauter.
• Belinda Kirkhuff for help, assistance and photos on her grandfather, prolific performer Jack Kirk (Jack Kirkhuff).
• All the great photos and info from Dick Madigan and western/serial heroine Virginia Herrick.
• Martha Crawford Cantarini for some photos on a young Tim Holt on the polo field ... and some photos and info when she did stuntwork and doubling for many of Hollywood's top leading ladies.
• Debbie Holden's enthusiasm for her relative, Eddie Dean, was the impetus for me to do more on that great singing cowboy, and Debbie also provided some great photos of both Eddie Dean and his brother Jimmie Dean.
• Joe Taylor and Patty Corbett provided a lot of great memories and pictures when the Indiana Red Birds country western singin' group worked with some of our favorite western heroes, and those photos are in their Memories section.
• Videotape guru Larry Imber who worked for Columbia Pictures in the 1940s. Larry provided some great photos, memories and writeups on Mascot's Nat Levine, Charles 'Durango Kid' Starrett, more.
• Music performer/conductor/composer John Beal added remembrances of his Cub Scout master Duncan Renaldo as well as hero and supporting player Harry Lauter.
• Stephen Lodge and Larry Scott for their remembrances of prolific henchman Herman Hack.
• J. P. Sloane for his writeup on his Godfather, Lash LaRue.
• Dianne Reynolds for photos and correspondence with her screen fav, Marshall Reed.
• Bill Raymond for pictures and tidbits about his days working for Ray "Crash" Corrigan at the Corriganville Movie Ranch from 1960-1966.
• Long before the Old Corral website was born, there were a lot of wonderful people who helped when I was doing some writings for various publications --- included were Buster Crabbe, Mascot Pictures' boss Nat Levine, Kermit Maynard's wife Edith, and producer/director Ed Finney.

I'm grateful to the following organizations / sources:

• The Internet Archive is a treasure trove of old Hollywood trade publications and fan magazines ... and online access to that material adds much to the biographies on the Old Corral.
• The Motion Picture & Television Fund Foundation for help and photos on their annual Golden Boot awards program.
• Culver Military Academy and to Alan Loehr, Director of Alumni Relations at Culver, for the great photos and info on Tim Holt.
• Ed Skipworth of Rutgers University Archives, and Leslie Kimble and Linda Cox of Blair Academy, for all the help and pictures of George Houston.
• The Northwestern University Wildcat Sports Information Office, the University Archives at the Northwestern University Library, the Philadelphia Eagles professional football team, the Missouri Military Academy, and the East West Shrine Game organization for their help and assistance in the biography of Reb Russell.
• Ellen Bailey, archivist at the Pasadena Playhouse, who confirmed that western players such as Morris Ankrum and Bill Elliott studied and performed there.

Following is a rambling list, in no particular order, with some additional thanks to the B-western experts, writers, collectors, and fans who contributed with articles, images ... and their time:

• Western movie fan and collector Sam Lawson for autographed photos from his collection.
• Western fan, author, and collector Bruce Hickey for many photos and lobby cards from his collection.
• Author and expert on Roy Rogers and Trigger Leo Pando for the bio on horse trainer Glenn Randall.
• Author Merrill McCord for assisting in the bio of great leading lady Nell O'Day.
• Western film and TV researcher Phil Arnold for help on identifying lots of faces ... and for a bunch of actor and stunt man contracts.
• Film researcher Jack Tillmany for many great portrait shots of B western players.
• Big Top expert Fred D. Pfening, Jr. for all of the great circus-related info, pictures and posters.
• Author Gene Blottner for discovering Monogram heroine and great rider Betty Miles (and doing the biography and providing images of Betty after her Hollywood western days were over).
• Author Geoffery Orr for the biographical info and photos of singer, big band leader and western hero Smith Ballew.
• Author Michael R. Pitts for info on Texas Rangers and Renfrew star James Newill as well as prolific performer Steve Clark.
• Sean Burns for his article on hero and singer Tex Williams.
• Sci-Fi and movie fan/author Val Warren for the pics from the fabulous Bob Burns Museum.
• Donn and Nancy Moyer, Dave Twomey/Happy the Clown, and Ancel Cook for sharing their photos with us in the "Memories" pages.
• Larry Blanks provided many film festival photos and also did the writeup on Bob Allen.
• Jerry Schneider, who has the Movie Locations Guide website (links are everywhere among my pages) provided some photos and some investigative work on movie location questions.
• Cowboy/serial fan and collector Bob Siler provided some valuable information on Lee Powell, Bob Livingston, and Livingston's brother, Jack Randall.
• Stan Segal provided some great info on a circus performance he attended around 1940 in which the masked Lee 'Lone Ranger' Powell was the featured performer.
• Mark Tourin for his writeup on Adrian Booth/Lorna Gray.
• Author Martin Grams, Jr. for the writeup on the Hopalong Cassidy radio program.
• Dennis Landadio and Ted Monroe provided encouragement, questions and ideas about Republic Pictures and the Three Mesquiteers ... and their communications were the impetus to get me moving on the Mesquiteers webpages.  Dennis Landadio also provides the reviews on his favorite western series, Republic's Three Mesquiteers.
• Lee VanNatter jogged my memories by provided some remembrances of a time back in the 1940s when he and his brother saw these westerns and cliffhangers on the silver screen.
• Texan Ken Burke suggested that we need info and pictures on those great villains and supporting players that added so much pleasure to the cowboy film ... and that got me started on the Villains, Heroines, and Sidekicks pages.
• Cowboy film expert and author Bobby J. Copeland for doing the narratives on Bob Baker and Whip Wilson, as well as providing various other tidbits.
• Ed Phillips has provided lots and lots of wonderful photos of the B-western and serial performers.  And he also did some investigating into Chief Thunder Cloud's work at Corriganville as well as the existence of the "lost/missing" trio western film that Ray Corrigan made in the late 1940s with Max Terhune and Bill Hale (brother of Monte Hale).
• Jim Giles for making available some custom Windows desktop wallpapers that he made.
• Bob Tomko is a fan of Johnny Mack Brown and provided some neat magazine articles about his favorite cowboy hero.
• Paul Dellinger for authoring the great writeups on Eddie Dean, Lash LaRue, Rex Allen, Sunset Carson, and others.
• Comic sleuths Lansing and Andrea Sexton provided some great info on the comic book series of Johnny Mack Brown, Hopalong Cassidy, Lash LaRue and others.
• Bill Sasser for all the wonderful photos of many of our favorite heroes and heroines that attended various film conventions.
• Appreciation to other folks who have provided pictures, lobby cards, et al: Theresa Schuyler, Gregory R. Jackson, Jr., Bob Nareau, J. Cooper, Bill McCann, Don Swinford, Jacque Lauderbaugh, Scott Groll, Gary Goltz, Betty Richards, Colette 'Coleen' Crowder Stoneking, Erik Conard, J. P. Fannie, Randy Laing, C. Craig Coomer, Pat LaRosa, Janice Graves, Walter & Elaine Flanagan.
• Sky Corbin for identifying many of the western film hosses, particularly with Gene Autry's 'Champions'. And Derwood Harris for input on Roy Rogers' Triggers.  Additional 'horse help' came from Shery Jespersen, Leon Jackson, Ernie Lanterman and Denny Linser.
• Author Hans J. Wollstein for his write-ups on heroine Marion Shilling and Buddy Roosevelt as well as the WAMPAS baby stars, and for providing info on many of the silent cowboy film stars who went on to do talkies.
• Author Boyd Magers for several articles and biographies, as well as his Best (and Worst) of the West film reviews ... and for being available when I have questions.
• George Coan and Leo Pando, the creators of the monthly The Old Cowboy Picture Show (TOCPS) newsletter for photos and info.
• Author and Tom Mix expert Bud Norris for his input and guidance on the Mix webpages.
• Author Dave Smith for his help and input on Buck Jones, screen baddie Kenneth MacDonald, and the "Geraghty's of Hollywood".
• Calvin Castine and Lisa Bulger for their continuing research on Tom Tyler.
• Bill Cappello for the biography of Grand National's singin' cowgirl Dorothy Page.
• Author Bill Russell for the write-ups on Bill Cody, Wayne Morris, Buzz Barton, more.
• To the trio of Dale Dalton Crawford, James George 'Jim' Sorensen and Richard Alan Silverman for ferreting out nitty-gritty background and biographical info on some of our favorite western performers like Jack Rockwell. And more thanks to Dale and Jim for a bunch of grave marker photos.
• Ken Jones, the co-author of Heroes, Heavies and Sagebrush, for photos, biographical info and for help in identifying some of the forgotten henchies and other performers.
• Doug Bruton for the writeup on Dale Evans as well as providing his remembrances of western film performers doing personal appearances.
• Kudos to singer/musician/entertainer Don McLean along with Ken O'Rourke, A. J. Siarkowski and Paul Prouty for their help, info and photos on the expanded William Boyd/Hopalong Cassidy section.
• Duane Fulk for reports and photos on the annual Hoppy Festival in Cambridge, Ohio.
• Rick Albright for searching the California census records and providing tidbits on many of the B-western performers and their families.
• Author Larry Hopper for being available when I (and Old Corral visitors) have questions about musicians and musical groups ... and in particular, questions about Bob Nolan and the Sons Of The Pioneers.
• "Legends In Leather" gunbelt designer and craftsman Jim Lockwood for his help on B-western gunbelts, holsters, buckles, et al.
• Phil Cohen for keeping an eye out for B-western newspaper articles and obits.

There are a variety of other western and serial fans who have provided input and comments relating to a particular individual or subject (such as Eddie Dean, Tommy Scott, etc.).  Those contributors are mentioned and credited within those specific Old Corral webpages.

Lastly, if I missed YOUR name, please accept my sincere apologies ... it wasn't intentional.  As I've grown older, I've found that I need Post-It notes stuck to my shirt to remember things.  But quite often, those durn notes are still attached when I run the shirts through the durn washin' machine.  Please shoot me an e-mail with a subject of "Hey forgetful - remember me!", and I'll gladly add your name to the list of contributors and helpers to the Old Corral.  Click HERE to send an e-mail to Chuck Anderson, the Old Corral Webmaster - a separate window will open.

There's several books which have become my primary references:

• Jack Mathis' Valley Of The Cliffhangers (Jack Mathis Advertising, 1975), which is THE definitive reference book on the serials of Republic Pictures.
• Republic Confidential, Volume 2, The Players by Jack Mathis (Jack Mathis Advertising, 1992) contains film credits and contract information for everyone who appeared in Republic films.
• Shoot-Em-Ups by Les Adams and Buck Rainey (Arlington House, 1978), which contains title, cast, director, release date, et al on just about every western film of the sound era.  If you're a fan of the B-western, get yourself a copy of this superb reference book.  There were several different publication dates, and you'll need to locate a used copy.  But copies are available, and you can find one at a reasonable price.  Off the Old Corral homepage, click on the Books/Print/Newsletter menu item, and several websites are listed for used books.
• Shoot-Em-Ups Ride Again by Buck Rainey was published in 1990 by Scarecrow Press, and contains updates/corrections to the original volume.
• Film expert Jon Tuska knew and interviewed Ken Maynard and Nat Levine (and lots of other Mascot alumni) for articles in his Views & Reviews magazine (which is no longer published).  Those articles, and a lot more details, were incorporated into Tuska's book The Vanishing Legion: A history of Mascot Pictures 1927 - 1935, which is the definitive history of Mascot Pictures, and includes much about Levine's involvement with Ken Maynard, Tom Mix and others.  Originally published as a hardbound by McFarland in 1982, the book has been reprinted in a softcover edition.
• Don Miller's original softcover Hollywood Corral (Film Fan Monthly, 1976) was both fun and interesting reading, thanks to Miller's writing style.  That book was re-issued with significant enhancements and extra articles by Packy Smith and Ed Hulse (Riverwood Press, 1993), and I obtained a copy of the expanded book via Borders. It is now out-of-print, but you may be able to find a copy via a used book seller.  Over the years, I gathered Boxoffice and Motion Picture Herald poll information on the cowboy stars from various sources, and it was extremely time-consuming to locate the year-by-year poll data due to my chaotic filing system.  The updated Smith/Hulse version of Hollywood Corral contains a quick reference to the top ten poll results from the mid 1930s to the end in the mid 1950s, and I'm thankful to them for providing that information.
• There are two books which I use to check radio show credits, titles and dates: Handbook Of Old-Time Radio, A Comprehensive Guide To Golden Age Radio Listening And Collecting by Jon D. Swartz and Robert C. Reinehr (Scarecrow Press, 1993), and On The Air, The Encyclopedia Of Old Time Radio by John Dunning (Oxford Press, 1998).
• While I have material and books on individual television programs, my quick reference to TV shows, Nielsen ratings, prime time schedules, etc., is The Complete Directory To Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946 - Present, 7th Edition, by Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh (Ballantine Books, 1999).

Regards,
Chuck Anderson
ye Old Corral curator and webmeister