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HANDSOME STAR — Roy Rogers was billed “King of the Cowboys,” and his film success confirmed this judgment. Even though his last movie
was in the 1950s, the “King” has continued to make personal appearances and recordings which has kept his vivid memory alive.
AMERICAN LEGEND — It was once said about Tom Mix that he knew more mayors by their first names than any man in America and at the time that
included the President ! He was a genuine cowboy whose real-life exploits rivaled those he did on the screen. FOX HERO — George O'Brien enjoyed a short career as a cowboy movie star of prominence for Fox Movietone. He was seen in quickly forgotten films such as “Fair Warning,” but didn't have the staying power of more notable western actors.
TV STAR — Buddy Ebsen did many western films before being “discovered” by TV and cast in the “Beverly Hillbillies” and other long running, popular series. While not a major “B” western star, he was never the less well known for-his character roies.
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STILL RIDING — Montie Montana, former honorary mayor of Northridge, California is one of the perenial rodeo stars who got his start in films, brief as it was as a western hero.
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Country” co-starring Joel McCrea, he quit abruptly, and has not even made a public appearance of note since then.
He has been resolute in not granting interviews and devotes himself to his important business interests in oil and real estate, and now lives in Beverly Hills, one of the few former cowboy stars who can say that he has been careful with his money. Ken Maynard for instance died in a rumble-tumble trailer house in a San Fernando valley park for people down on their luck.
Taking a cue from Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea “retired” from films in 1962 after “Ride The High Country,” but recently started a comeback with a new picture, “Mustang Country,” which he hopes will re-establish the family movie. Starting in 1920, McCrea has had a long running association with American theater audiences, and spends much of his time helping the Cowboy Hall of Fame near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, or enjoying his ranch near Camarillo, California.
Will Rogers was fond of giving advice to young actors, (John Wayne among them) and once told McCrea to invest in land in the San Fernando Valley — which he did with great success.
Another cowboy star who invested in the San Fernando Valley is Bob Steele. Starting in 1919 he graduated to the ranks of top western heroes before the advent of TV. He still plays occasion character roles, but prefers the quiet life with his wife Virginia at their home in the San Fernando Valley north of Hollywood.
Jimmy Wakely was a singing cowboy star whose rise began in the
early 1930’s. Gene Autry had led the way as a singing cowboy, and Wakely was able to tag along with starring roles in his own pictures on the strength of that phenomenon in movies. Autry helped Wakely establish himself in the cowboy music business in Hollywood, and in 1939 he got his first starring role with Roy Rogers in “Saga of Death Valley.”
Later he was a “B” western star in his own right doing 28 films for Monogram Pictures, before turning to the “big band” sounds and touring in that era. He still has his recording company and releases via mail order Gene Autry, Eddie Dean and Merle Travis among others.
He lives in exclusive Toluca Lake, a suburb of North Hollywood, not far from Bob Hope, and looks back on his career in films with great affection.
Gene Autry was another young actor who took Will Rogers advice (which was consistently good it appears) and went to Hollywood where the latter helped establish him in the movie industry. After one of the longest runs of any singing cowboy, Autry is still interested in entertainment and owns several radio and TV stations and many other interests. He is probably the wealthiest of all the former men who rode the cowboy range, and has been faithful to his former friends and associates of the early days.
Autry rode Champion in movies and had a special bridle that looked like six-guns among other “trick” appointments as part of his western garb. His records have sold in the millions and he has been a wise investor outside the fields of broad