"The last roundup" for silent comedians?

[Brent Walker]

Blystone died on the street outside the studio (just about two blocks south of where the Keaton/Chaplin studio and Technicolor/UCLA Archives is, in fact) while he was taking a break. I've assumed he may have been in a western costume when he was stricken.

[Chris Snowden]

As a teenage movie fan in the early 1920s, one of Tex Ritter's favorite performers was Snub Pollard. When Tex got a western series at Grand National about a dozen years later, he requested Snub so often that the comic soon became a regular sidekick of his.

[Paul F Etcheverry]

If you haven't seen the John Wayne vehicle In Old California (1942), check it out for a hilarious turn by Edgar Kennedy.

[Ian Elliot]

I'd just add to the thoughts expressed above that I reckon the uninhibited action and humour of silent comedy dovetailed nicely with the robust, elemental western. And I imagine that the comics were accustomed to working quickly and resourcefully, something no doubt appreciated by producers and directors working on short budgets and shooting schedules.

I don't know if you're seeking an exhaustive list, Chris, but Eddie Boland's last credit appears to be the Three Mesquiteers' HIT THE SADDLE (1937), and Chester Conklin was lured out of retirement for his last part, in A BIG HAND FOR THE LITTLE LADY (1966).

[Richard M Roberts]

I'd just add to the thoughts expressed above that I reckon the uninhibited action and humour of silent comedy dovetailed nicely with the robust, elemental western. And I imagine that the comics were accustomed to working quickly and resourcefully, something no doubt appreciated by producers and directors working on short budgets and shooting schedules.

I don't know if you're seeking an exhaustive list, Chris, but Eddie Boland's last credit appears to be the Three Mesquiteers' HIT THE SADDLE (1937), and Chester Conklin was lured out of retirement for his last part, in A BIG HAND FOR THE LITTLE LADY (1966).

Well, A BIG HAND FOR THE LITTLE LADY doesn't really fit under the heading "B-western", its a big-budgeted picture that fits into the odd little niche' known as the "poker movie". However, Conklin does have a nice little scene with Burgess Meredith in it, and Conklin did indeed do a few B-westerns earlier on, usually in small parts as townsfolk and the like, but he does have a great part playing Sheriff Sandy McQueen in one of the first Hopalong Cassidy westerns, CALL OF THE PRARIE (1936), which also features Hank Mann as well.

Speaking of Eddie Boland, one of his few big talkie parts is not a B-western, but a fun little horror-comedy made by Big 4, which made mainly very low budget westerns, called MURDER AT DAWN (1932), where he plays Jack Mullhall's buddy, and is married to Marjorie Beebe. Boland does some good running frightened bits in the film, which is one of those fun "forgotten horror" quickies that also tend to feature comedians in them as well.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Rob Stone]

Johnny Crawford told me the story about Snub Pollard. Johnny is a big time silent film fan and has been since he was a child. So he would bug the Assistant Director on "The Rifleman" who was responsible for casting the "atmosphere" (non-speaking extras) to hire some of the old timers. If you look close enough you'll see Eva Novak in some episodes. So Johnny got them to hire Snub and he shows on for the shoot on a Friday and even brings his own make-up kit. Between every shot Johnny goes over and talks to Snub, eats lunch with him and is really jazzed about meeting one of his favorites. Snub shows him his famous mustache and promises Johnny a signed photo and that he would bring it on Monday since he got a call back. Snub died over the weekend. Johnny went to the funeral.

[Richard M Roberts]

I'd just add to the thoughts expressed above that I reckon the uninhibited action and humour of silent comedy dovetailed nicely with the robust, elemental western. And I imagine that the comics were accustomed to working quickly and resourcefully, something no doubt appreciated by producers and directors working on short budgets and shooting schedules.

I don't know if you're seeking an exhaustive list, Chris, but Eddie Boland's last credit appears to be the Three Mesquiteers' HIT THE SADDLE (1937), and Chester Conklin was lured out of retirement for his last part, in A BIG HAND FOR THE LITTLE LADY (1966).

You know, I think that Eddie Boland credit for HIT THE SADDLE may be erroneous (what, the IMDB be wrong? perish the thought!). Boland died in 1935, and HIT THE SADDLE came out two years later, and Republic wasn't so picky as to let a film sit on the shelf for two years or so. And, it seems to be someone named Ed Boland, not Eddie Boland as he was always credited. That may make the Edward Boland listed as being in RANGE WARFARE an erroneous credit as well. Boland is in THE CATS PAW, and that may be his real final credit, but I have not seen either of the two westerns to be definite on this, so if anyone has, feel free to chime in.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Chris Seguin]

Here's Andy Clyde as California Carson on a Hopalong Cassidy "Capitol Record Reader".

http://www.kiddierecords.com/archive/week_20.htm

Be sure to click through the picture book when the horse whinnies!

[Chris Seguin]

Here's some footage from Finlayson's appearance in Roy Roger's "Grand Canyon Trail". He's the same old Fin, and just seems perfectly suited for B-Westerns. Apparently this was originally shot in the "TruColor" process which was notoriously unstable, so only black & white prints remain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ccLa8_O23k

[Richard M Roberts]

Here's some footage from Finlayson's appearance in Roy Roger's "Grand Canyon Trail". He's the same old Fin, and just seems perfectly suited for B-Westerns. Apparently this was originally shot in the "TruColor" process which was notoriously unstable, so only black & white prints remain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ccLa8_O23k

Trucolor was just another version of Cinecolor, and it wasn't particularly unstable. I think the color negs on GRAND CANYON TRAIL are still in the Republic Collection (owned by Paramount now). It's just that those handful of Roy Rogers Trucolor westerns went out in Black and White with the rest of the Rogers films in the television syndication because it was cheaper and most stations were running them in black and white anyway. You noticed the Trucolor credit was blacked out in the opening titles of that video material, which says that was taken from a syndication print.

RICHARD M ROBERTS (who has aTrucolor print of TRAIL OF ROBIN HOOD)