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.

Riley Hill Birth name variations: Roy Lawrence Harris Roy Laurence Harris 1914 - 1993 Right is a youthful and slim Roy Harris, circa 1940, when he worked at Universal ... and several years before he became "Riley Hill".

(Image courtesy of Jack Tillmany)

One of the more familiar faces in Monogram oaters of the 1940s was Riley Hill. As B western supporting work and bit parts faded, he successfully migrated to television, and during the 1950s, you can spot him in lots of TV westerns including RANGE RIDER, LONE RANGER, GENE AUTRY, ROY ROGERS, CISCO KID, WILD BILL HICKOK, more.

Something occurs in the mid 1950s, and this busy TV and movie performer exits the film/TV business ... but not completely. Over the next twenty-five years - roughly the mid 1950s to 1980 - he pops up in an occasional bit role on a TV show or in A or B grade film.

Riley Hill was born Roy Harris in Texas, and he used the Harris name in his early film work at Universal and Monogram in the late 1930s - early 1940s. He had some fairly meaty roles during his "Roy Harris at Universal period", including several with Johnny Mack Brown. Examples: he was "the Wolverine Kid" in LAW OF THE RANGE (Universal, 1941), and a lawman and JMB's brother, who gets killed by the outlaws, in RAWHIDE RANGERS (Universal, 1941).

Then he was off the screen for a couple years (1942 - 1944) for World War II service. Trade publications had news about Roy Harris:

• A blurb on studio contract signings in the October 16, 1940 issue of Variety noted that "Roy Harris sigged a player contract at Universal."
• The studio contract section in the September 17, 1941 Variety noted that "Roy Harris continues as an actor under option at Universal."
• August 5, 1942 issue of Variety listed folks leaving for World War II military duty. On the list was "Roy Harris, screen player, Army."

In late 1944, Roy Harris is back making westerns ... but using the name "Riley Hill". As Hill, he gets to play another "kid something-or-other" - this time as "the Sonora Kid", the crooked and downright nasty brother of Sunset Carson in SHERIFF OF CIMARRON (Republic, 1945). Then he becomes a member of Monogram's stable of baddies and appears in many oaters starring Johnny Mack Brown, Jimmy Wakely, and Whip Wilson.

In later years, Harris/Hill may have resided in Arizona, and/or New Mexico, and/or Texas ... or all three states or some combination thereof. Among his last film jobs was an uncredited role playing a reporter in WANDA NEVADA (1979) which starred Peter Fonda and Brooke Shields. That was filmed in Arizona, and Harris/Hill may have been living there at that time.

Les Adams has Harris/Hill identified in about 85 films, and that number includes 58 westerns as well as 3 Universal serials.

Census, World War II draft registration, Army enlistment, and other records indicates his birth name was Roy L. Harris and born in Texas in 1914. Family trees on Ancestry.com has Riley born Roy Lawrence Harris in 1914; parents were Charles Morris Harris and Irene Bowers Harris; and siblings included sisters Marjorie and Doris and brother Maurice.

In their Best Of The Badmen book, Boyd Magers, Bob Nareau and Bobby Copeland have a profile on Hill, and note that in his later years, he may have lived in the Tucson, Arizona area as well as Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico and Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The photo and information below from Johnny Hawk confirms that Hill resided in the Tucson, Arizona area circa 1975. And a much older and heavier Riley Hill did appear in a few of the PETROCELLI lawyer / mystery TV shows in 1974 - 1976. Filming of that series was in Tucson and the Old Tucson movie location.

In summary, Roy Lawrence Harris was born March 20, 1914 in Forth Worth, Texas and passed away on December 16, 1993 in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. His last residence zip code indicates Las Cruces, New Mexico (which is located in Dona Ana County). He was cremated and interred at Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum, Fort Worth,Tarrant County, Texas. Riley's father and sister Marjorie are also interred there.

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Riley Hill: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0384610/

Family Search, Ancestry.com, Social Security Death Index (SSDI), and other sources provide more on Riley Hill / Roy L. Harris. Note the variations in his middle name - Lawrence vs. Laurence.

• Delayed Texas Birth Certificate for Roy Lawrence Harris, born March 20, 1914 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas to 32 year old Charlie Morris Harris (born Texas; occupation "Ford Dealer") and 31 year old Mary Irene Bowers (born Texas; occupation "Housewife"). This birth certificate / affadavit was filed by his mother and notarized July 20, 1942 - and probably required for his World War II enlistment in the Army: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XLQS-3XX
• 1920 census summary and census takers worksheet - owning their home in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas were 36 year old Charles Harris (occupation "Agent - Auto"), his 35 year old wife Irene, 12 year old daughter Marjorie, 9 year old daughter Doris, 7 year old son Maurice, and 5 year old son Roy. All were born in Texas: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC9J-791
• 1930 census summary and census takers worksheet - owning their home in Fort Worth, Texas were 48 year old C. M. Harris (born Texas; occupation "Motor Car Dealer"), his 47 year old wife Irene B. (born Texas), and several children including 16 year old Roy Harris (born Texas). (Careful when viewing this information as the terrible penmanship of the census taker caused many name errors when this worksheet was indexed and converted into digital format.): https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HVJW-V3Z
• 1940 census summary and census takers worksheet - Roy L. Harris was 26 years old (estimated 1914 birth year), born in Texas, lived in Fort Worth, Texas in 1935, and was a lodger residing at 6106 Barrows (?) Drive in Los Angeles. Occupation was "Extra actor - Motion Picture Studio", and in 1939, he worked 26 weeks and earned $1900.00: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K9CL-N2P
• Ancestry.com had his World War II draft registration dated October 16, 1940. 26 year old Roy Laurence Harris was born March 20, 1914 in Fort Worth, Texas. He lived in North Hollywood; employer was Universal Pictures; and he's 5 feet, 11 inches tall and 150 pounds. (Note the spelling of his "Laurence" middle name. He signed the registration as "Roy Laurence Harris".)
• Army enlistment record - Roy L. Harris was born 1914 in Texas; Civilian Occupation of Actor; and enlisted in the Army on July 27, 1942 in the Los Angeles area: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KMNW-BY9
• Army enlistment record at the National Archives and Records Administration adds a few additional details - Roy L. Harris was single and had one year of college: https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=all&tf=F&sc=24994,24995,24996,24998,24997,24993,24981,24983&bc=sl,fd&txt_24995=roy+l.+harris&op_24995=0&nfo_24995=V,24,1900&cl_24996=91&op_24996=null&nfo_24996=V,2,1900&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=7952929
• Social Security Death Index (SSDI) has a record for 79 year old Roy L. Harris, born March 20, 1914 in Texas, and passed away on December 16, 1993 in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. His last residence zip code indicates Las Cruces, New Mexico (which is located in Dona Ana County): https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JR14-Y27
• Funeral and cremation notices for 79 year old Roy Lawrence Harris:
  January 1, 1994 Albuquerque Journal: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/116218925/funeral-notice-for-roy-lawrence-harris/
  January 2, 1994 Albuquerque Journal: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/116227826/message-from-family-of-roy-lawrence/

Find A Grave has a record for Roy 'Riley Hill' Harris who is interred at Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/243147504/roy-harris

(Image courtesy of Johnny Hawk) Special thanks to Johnny Hawk for the above photo of Riley Hill. Below are remembrances that I've summarized from several e-mails from Johnny: I met Riley in Tucson in the early to mid 1970s. The photo was taken in his hay day in a Hollywood studio back lot. The horse was one of the Silvers of Lone Ranger fame. Riley was living in a small house on a ranch that Lee Marvin owned. Lee was a common sight in Tucson, riding around in his Pontiac convertible. Riley had a 1965 BMW and a 1963 Lincoln convertible with suicide 4 doors. I last saw him in the late 1980s while I was repairing the road outside his apartment in north Tucson. He was disappointed in me for not staying in the music business. As far as I know, he had no wife. He said his Mom had a whole block of buildings in down town Austin, Texas. He complained quite a bit about stomach/gastro problems. We played a lot of gin together when we lived in Tucson. I'm still playing music and I wish he could see me now. And I him. He was a great friend. I hope this helps and keeps a little of Riley alive. (I got the photo from Riley when) I was singing in a band at the Hilton in Tucson in 1975 where all the players stayed when doing work at Old Tucson and such. The autograph in the bottom right is difficult to read. It says: Johnny Hawk You have the talent Your break will come. Riley 1975 Johnny Hawk September, 2010

(Courtesy of Minard Coons) Above from L-to-R are Max Terhune, Nell O'Day, Riley Hill (billed as Roy Harris), Ray Corrigan and John King in a scene from the Range Busters' ARIZONA STAGECOACH (Monogram, 1942). In this film, Harris/Hill is Nell O'Day's brother and gets involved with a gang run by Charlie King. Released in late Summer, 1942, ARIZONA STAGECOACH was one of Harris/Hill's last film appearances before a couple year break for World War II military service. (Courtesy of Les Adams) From L-to-R are stuntman Eddie Parker, Johnny Mack Brown and Riley Hill in a scene from TRIGGER FINGERS (Monogram, 1946). (Courtesy of Minard Coons) Above from L-to-R are Johnny Mack Brown, Gerry Patterson, Riley Hill, Max Terhune and Terhune's dummy Elmer in a scene from LAW OF THE WEST (Monogram, 1949). (Courtesy of Minard Coons) Above from L-to-R are Riley Hill, Johnny Mack Brown and Max Terhune in RANGE JUSTICE (Monogram, 1949). (From Old Corral collection) Above from left to right are Kenne Duncan, Andy Clyde, Riley Hill and Reno Browne in a still from the Whip Wilson SHADOWS OF THE WEST (Monogram, 1949).