Hal Taliaferro (1895-1980) was an American cowboy actor. He was born in Sheridan, Wyoming, and raised on a ranch in Rosebud County, Montana, he became an expert horseman.
After serving in World War I, he moved to California where he worked as a wrangler for Universal Pictures. He entered films as an extra in 1915, and by the 1920s he was starring in silent Westerns under the stage name Wally Wales. His career declined with the talkies, so in the mid-1930s, he changed to a new stage name, Hal Taliaferro. He accepted supporting roles and even bit parts for the rest of his career.
In the 1950s, he retired to his family's ranch in Montana, and devoted himself to landscape painting until a series of strokes debilitated him. He died in Sheridan, Wyoming in 1980.
For me this is a nostalgic post because I remember my dad (1914-1998) telling me that Wally Wales was his favorite cowboy when he was a boy.
Hal Taliaferro's Santa Susana locations filmography:
Starring roles:
Pals of the West (1934) - Wally Wales (photo above right), Silver King the Horse and Yakima Canutt (Iverson Ranch) Imperial
The Pecos Kid (1935) - Fred Kohler Jr., Ruth Findlay, Roger Williams and Wally Wales - Commodore
The Vanishing Riders (1935) - Bill Cody, Bill Cody Jr., Ethel Jackson and Wally Wales - William Steiner
Law and Lead (1936) - Rex Bell, Wally Wales and Harley Wood - Colony
Supporting roles:
Fighting Through (1934) - Reb Russell, Rebel and Lucille Lund - Willis Kent
The Law of the Wild (1934) [serial] Rex, Rin Tin Tin Jr., Ben Turpin and Bob Custer - Mascot
Range Warfare (1934) - Reb Russell, Rebel and Lucille Lund (lobby photo above) States Rights
Mystery Mountain (1934) [serial] Ken Maynard, Tarzan and Verna Hillie (Iverson Ranch) Mascot
The Phantom Empire (1935) [serial] Gene Autry, Frankie Darro and Betsy King Ross (Iverson Ranch) Mascot
The Miracle Rider (1935) [serial] Tom Mix, Charles Middleton and Joan Gale (Iverson Ranch) Mascot
Heir to Trouble (1935) - Ken Maynard, Joan Perry and Harry Woods - Columbia
Western Courage (1935) - Ken Maynard, Geneva Mitchell and Charles K. French - Columbia
Lucky Terror (1936) - Hoot Gibson, Lona Andre and Charles Hill (Iverson Ranch) Diversion Pictures
Law of the Ranger (1937) - Robert Allen, Elaine Shepard and John Merton (Brandeis Ranch)(Iverson Ranch) Columbia
Heart of the Rockies (1937) - Robert Livingston, Ray Corrigan and Max Terhune - Republic
Painted Stallion, The (1937) - Ray Corrigan, Hoot Gibson and LeRoy Mason - Republic
The Trigger Trio (1937) - Ray Corrigan, Max Terhune and Ralph Byrd - Republic
Wells Fargo (1937) - Joel McCrea, Bob Burns and Frances Dee (Iverson Ranch) Paramount
The Lone Ranger (1938) [serial] Lee Powell, Chief Thundercloud and Lynne Roberts (Iverson Ranch)(photo courtesy of Bruce Hickey) Republic
Stagecoach Days (1938) - Jack Luden, Eleanor Stewart and Harry Woods - Columbia
The Thundering West (1939) - Charles Starrett, Iris Meredith and Sons of the Pioneers - Columbia
Frontiers of '49 (1939) - Bill Elliott, Luana AlcaƱiz and Charles King - Columbia
Man of Conquest (1939) - Richard Dix, Gail Patrick and Edward Ellis (Iverson Ranch) Republic
Western Caravans (1939) - Charles Starrett, Iris Meredith and Dick Curtis - Columbia
Zorro's Fighting Legion (1939) [serial] Reed Hadley, Sheila Darcy and William Corson (Iverson Ranch)(Burro Flats) Republic
Pioneers of the West (1940) - Robert Livingston, Raymond Hatton and Duncan Renaldo (Iverson Ranch) Republic
Adventures of Red Ryder (1940) [serial] Don 'Red' Barry, Noah Beery and Tommy Cook (Burro Flats) Republic
The Carson City Kid (1940) - Roy Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes and Bob Steele (Burro Flats) Republic
Cherokee Strip (1940) - Richard Dix, Florence Rice and William Henry - Paramount
Texas Terrors (1940) - Don 'Red' Barry, Julie Duncan and Arthur Loft (Iverson Ranch) Republic
The Border Legion (1940) - Roy Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes and Carol Hughes - Republic
In Old Cheyenne (1941) - Roy Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes and Joan Woodbury (Iverson Ranch) Republic
Under Fiesta Stars (1941) - Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette and Carol Hughes (Iverson Ranch) Republic
Bad Man of Deadwood (1941) - Roy Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes and Carol Adams - Republic
Jesse James at Bay (1941) - Roy Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes and Sally Payne - Republic
Red River Valley (1941) - Roy Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes and Sally Payne (Iverson Ranch) Republic
Romance on the Range (1942) - Roy Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes and Sally Payne - Republic
Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die (1942) - Richard Dix, Edgar Buchanan and Frances Gifford - Paramount
King of the Mounties (1942) [serial] starring Allan Lane, Gilbert Emery and Russell Hicks (Iverson Ranch) Republic
Heart of the Golden West (1942) - Roy Rogers, Smiley Burnette and George 'Gabby' Hayes - Republic
Song of Texas (1943) - Roy Rogers, Sheila Ryan and Barton MacLane - Republic
Frontier Law (1943) - Russell Hayden, Fuzzy Knight and Dennis Moore - Universal
Silver Spurs (1943) - Roy Rogers, Trigger and Smiley Burnette (Iverson Ranch) Republic
Cowboy in the Clouds (1943) - Charles Starrett, Dub Taylor and Julie Duncan - Columbia
The Fighting Seabees (1944) - John Wayne, Susan Hayward and Dennis O'Keefe (Iverson Ranch) Republic
Lumberjack (1944) - William Boyd, Andy Clyde and Jimmy Rogers (Iverson Ranch) United Artists
Cowboy and the Senorita (1944) - Roy Rogers, Trigger and Mary Lee (Iverson Ranch) Republic
The Yellow Rose of Texas (1944) - Roy Rogers, Trigger and Dale Evans (Iverson Ranch) Republic
Haunted Harbor (1944) Kane Richmond, Kay Aldridge and Roy Barcroft (Iverson Ranch) Republic
Vigilantes of Dodge City (1944) - Bill Elliott, Robert Blake and Alice Fleming (Iverson Ranch) Republic
Zorro's Black Whip (1944) [serial] George J. Lewis, Linda Stirling and Lucien Littlefield (Iverson Ranch) Republic
Utah (1945) - Roy Rogers, Trigger and George 'Gabby' Hayes (Iverson Ranch)(screenshot left above) - Republic
The Scarlet Horseman (1946) [serial] Peter Cookson, Paul Guilfoyle and Janet Shaw (Iverson Ranch) Universal
The Phantom Rider (1946) - Robert Kent, Peggy Stewart and LeRoy Mason (Iverson Ranch)(photo courtesy of Bruce Hickey) Republic [serial]
In Old Sacramento (1946) - Bill Elliott, Constance Moore and Henry H. Daniels Jr. (Iverson Ranch) Republic
Heading West (1946) - Charles Starrett, Doris Houck, Hank Penny and Smiley Burnette - Columbia
Plainsman and the Lady (1946) - Bill Elliott, Vera Ralston and Gail Patrick (Iverson Ranch) Republic
West of Sonora (1948) - Charles Starrett, Steve Darrell and George Chesebro - Columbia
The Gallant Legion (1948) - Bill Elliott, Lorna Gray and Joseph Schildkraut (Garden of the Gods) Republic
Blood on the Moon (1948) - Robert Mitchum, Barbara Bel Geddes and Robert Preston (Iverson Ranch) RKO
Colt .45 (1950) - Randolph Scott, Ruth Roman and Zachary Scott (Iverson Ranch) Warner Bros.
California Passage (1950) - Forrest Tucker, Adele Mara and Estelita Rodriguez (Iverson Ranch) Republic
'Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas' is a continuing series about "six-gun heroes that performed on movie location ranches in Chatsworth, California. For more information about Chatsworth filming locations see http://www.cowboyup.com/ to find information about my books: Rendezvous at Boulder Pass: Hollywood's Fantasyland - 2010 and Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas - 2008.
Reel Cowboys index -- Chatsworth's Six-Gun Heroes