Homage to six-gun heroes and their gallant horses

1940s publicity still of Charles Starrett and his horse Raider in Chatsworth's Garden of the Gods

In 2000, the Chatsworth Equine Cultural Heritage Organization (ECHO), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of horses in Chatsworth--a suburb of Los Angeles, California--was founded. 

ECHO recognized that horses had always been a vital part of the collective experience of Chatsworth, and are a living link to the history of Chatsworth; without horses, the economy, history, and character of Chatsworth would be profoundly different.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Jerry England Chatsworth ECHO founder (2005)

In 2003, the Chatsworth Neighborhood Council's Equestrian Committee was formed with the same mission as ECHO, so in 2009 ECHO's board members voted to dissolve the organization, and to donate its remaining funds (to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC)) for the purchase of a plaque paying homage to movie cowboys and their horses.  Asking that the plaque to be installed at Chatsworth's Garden of the Gods park (managed by the MRCA).

The installation of the plaque is planned for the summer of 2012.  The 28” by 18” bronze plaque will read as follows:

Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods was part of the Iverson Movie Location Ranch which flourished from 1912 until the late 1960s,  the golden era of the "B" Western movies, and was known as the "most shot up location in movie history."

Hollywood cowboys Rex Allen, Gene Autry, William Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy), Johnny Mack Brown, Sunset Carson, Gary Cooper, Ray "Crash" Corrigan, Eddie Dean, "Wild" Bill Elliott, William S. Hart, Hoot Gibson, Buck Jones, Allan "Rocky" Lane, Lash LaRue, Robert Livingston, Ken Maynard, Tim McCoy, Tom Mix, Clayton Moore (the Lone Ranger), George O'Brien, Roy Rogers, Randolph Scott, Charles Starrett (the Durango Kid), Bob Steele, and John Wayne, are a few of the hundreds who rode here with their trusted horses, and  left indelible hoof prints on these trails.

We pay  homage to those six-gun heroes and their gallant horses.  Thank you for the memories.

Chatsworth Equine Cultural Heritage Organization

In cooperation with Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy & Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority

More about Chatsworth's movie history

Jerry England - photo courtesy of Jelena Csanyi and the Chatsworth Historical Society (2010) 

Movie historian and author Jerry England (publisher of this blog)(photo above) has written several blog posts about movie locations and B-Western stars who worked in Chatsworth.

To read them on this blog search "Meanwhile back at the ranch," and "Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas" in the search box at the top left of this page.

To learn more about Jerry's books see:

Rendezvous at Boulder Pass - Hollywood's Fantasyland

by Jerry England, published 2010, Echo Press

ISBN: 978-0-615-21522-8

All new expanded study of historical Chatsworth, California movie location Ranches -- A primer on the Iverson Movie Ranch, and other filming locations in the Western San Fernando Valley -- Photos of your favorite silver-screen and six-gun heroes in action

http://www.cowboyup.com/Boulder_Pass.html

Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas

by Jerry England, published 2008, Echo Press

ISBN: 978-0-615-21499-3

A photographic study of the historical Chatsworth, California movie location Ranches -- Iverson Movie Ranch, Brandeis Ranch, Corriganville, Bell Location Ranch, Burro Flats, Spahn Ranch, Chatsworth Lake, and the Chatsworth Railroad Depot

http://www.cowboyup.com/Reel_Cowboys.html

Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas -- Bob Steele

Bob Steele (1907-1988) was a B-Western cowboy star of the late 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.  At Republic he played in several of the "Three Mesquiteers" films and at Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) he starred in their "Billy the Kid" series.  Over the years he also worked for several other small studios including Monogram, Supreme, Tiffany and Syndicate.

When his career as a cowboy hero began to fade in the late 1940s he kept busy by accepting supporting roles in many big movies like The Big Sleep,  Rio Bravo and Rio Lobo.  His television credits culminated in a supporting role in the "F Troop TV Series" (1965–1967).

Bob Steele Santa Susana location filmography:

Ambush Trail (1946) - Bob Steele (Corriganville) PRC

Arizona Whirlwind (1944) - Ken Maynard, Hoot Gibson and Bob Steele 

Bandits of Dark Canyon (1947) - Allan Lane and Bob Steele - Republic

Billy the Kid in Texas (1940) - Bob Steele - PRC

Billy the Kid Outlawed (1940) - Bob Steele - PRC

Billy the Kid's Fighting Pals (1941) - Bob Steele with Al St. John - PRC

Billy the Kid's Gun Justice (1940) - Bob Steele with Al St. John - PRC

Billy the Kid's Range War (1941) - Bob Steele with Al St. John - PRC

Blocked Trail, The (1943) - Bob Steele and  Tom Tyler (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Code of the Outlaw (1942) - Bob Steele - Republic

Death Valley Rangers (1943) - Ken Maynard, Hoot Gibson and Bob Steele (Corriganville)(photo above) Monogram

Doomed at Sundown (1937) - Bob Steele (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Durango Valley Raiders (1938) - Bob Steele (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Feud Maker, The (1938) - Bob Steele (Brandeis Ranch)(photo above) Republic

Gangs of Sonora (1941) - Robert Livingston, Bob Steele and Rufe Davis (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Gauchos of El Dorado (1941) - Bob Steele, Tom Tyler and Rufe Davis (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Great Train Robbery, The (1941) - Bob Steele (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Lone Star Raiders (1940) - Robert Livingston, Bob Steele and Rufe Davis (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Navajo Kid, The (1945) - Bob Steele (Corriganville) PRC

Outlaw Trail (1944) - Hoot Gibson, Bob Steele and Chief Thundercloud (Corriganville)(photo above) Monogram

Pals of the Pecos (1941) - Robert Livingston, Bob Steele and Rufe Davis (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Paroled - To Die (1938) - Bob Steele - Republic

Phantom Plainsmen, The (1942) - Bob Steele, Tom Tyler and Rufe Davis (Iverson Ranch)(photo above) Republic

Prairie Pioneers (1941) - Robert Livingston and Bob Steele (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Raiders of the Range (1942) - Bob Steele, Tom Tyler and Rufe Davis (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Red Rope, The (1937) - Bob Steele (Brandeis Ranch) Republic (photo above) 

Riders of the Rio Grande (1943) - Bob Steele, Tom Tyler and Jimmie Dodd (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Ridin' the Lone Trail (1937) - Bob Steele - Republic

Saddlemates (1941) - Robert Livingston, Bob Steele and Rufe Davis (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Santa Fe Scouts (1943) - Bob Steele, Tom Tyler and Jimmie Dodd (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Shadows on the Sage (1942) - Bob Steele, Tom Tyler and Jimmie Dodd (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Sheriff of Redwood Valley (1946) - Bill Elliott and Bob Steele (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Six Gun Man (1946) - Bob Steele - PRC

Smokey Smith (1935) - Bob Steele and George “Gabby” Hayes - William Steiner

Sonora Stagecoach (1944) - Hoot Gibson, Bob Steele and Chief Thundercloud (Corriganville) Monogram

Sundown Saunders (1935) - Bob Steele - States Rights

Thunder in the Desert (1938) - Bob Steele - Republic

Thunder Town (1946) - Bob Steele (Corriganville)(photo above)  PRC

Thundering Trails (1943) - Bob Steele and Tom Tyler - Republic

Trail Blazers, The (1940) - Robert Livingston and Bob Steele (Iverson Ranch)(Corriganville) Republic

Trigger Law (1944) - Bob Steele and Hoot Gibson (Iverson Ranch) Monogram

Trusted Outlaw, The (1937) - Bob Steele (Iverson Ranch)(photo above) Republic.  My favorite.

Under Texas Skies (1940) - Robert Livingston, Bob Steele and Rufe Davis (Corriganville)(Iverson) Republic

Valley of Hunted Men (1942) - Bob Steele and Tom Tyler (Iverson Ranch) Republic

West of Cimarron (1941) - Bob Steele and Tom Tyler (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Westward Bound (1944) - Ken Maynard, Hoot Gibson and Bob Steele (Corriganville) Monogram

Westward Ho (1942) - Bob Steele and Tom Tyler (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Wildfire (1945) - Bob Steele - Screen Guild

Wild Westerners, The (1962) - James Philbrook (Garden of the Gods) Columbia (photo above--supporting role)

Double R Bar Ranch -- Roy Rogers’ Chatsworth Home

Roy Rogers' ranch in Chatsworth, CA 1957

More than four decades (2012) after Roy Rogers and Dale Evans moved away from the San Fernando Valley, memories of their Double R Bar Ranch still live on in Chatsworth.

In a 1987 quote Dusty Rogers said, "We moved from the Hollywood Hills to Encino in the San Fernando Valley, then to a ranch in Chatsworth. We always moved away from the encroaching population because Dad liked his privacy. He wanted his kids raised on a ranch, where they could have horses and pigs and chickens and cows."

In 1955, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans purchased a 138-acre rancho in Chatsworth for $120,000. Over time, additional land was added, and eventually the ranch was estimated to be 300+ acres, some of which may have been leased. The original rancho had a small house that had been built in 1938. Roy and Dale expanded the house to approximately 6000 square feet.

The home address was 9839 Andora Avenue, Chatsworth in the 1950s

The Roy Rogers Show ran on NBC TV from 1951 to 1957. The show featured the Double R Bar Ranch, located near the fictional town of Mineral City. In reality it was the Chatsworth home ranch of Roy Rogers, "The King of the Cowboys" and Dale Evans, "The Queen of the West."

The Double R Bar Ranch was surrounded by Chatsworth's rocky hills, and having its stables at home made it the perfect location for the show. As Roy said, “You could rollout of bed and start filming.”

Most of the earlier shows had been filmed on the Iverson Ranch and the Goldwyn Studios lot, but statements from Roy in the video documentary "Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys" (1992) confirm that the Double R Ranch in Chatsworth was featured in many later TV episodes.

In 1963, Roy announced plans to subdivide 138 acres of his Chatsworth Ranch. The property to be developed was bounded on the east by Andora and Cactus avenues, on the south by a parallel line 200 feet south of Plummer Street that extended to the Los Angeles City boundary on the west, and on the north by a parallel line extended from Lassen Street to the Los Angeles City boundary on the west. Roy and Dale kept their ranch house and a small acreage, with a stable for Trigger (Van Nuys News, June 1963).

In 1964, Roy sold 131 acres to a subdivider for $1.3 million plus part of the gross. The first unit to be developed was 55 lots on 33 acres.

Roy Rogers with his new 1958 Chevrolet in the driveway of the Double R Bar Ranch

In 1965, after Roy and Dale lost a child in a bus accident on a church outing--their third child to die--the couple sold the remaining property and moved to the high desert near Apple Valley, California. Perhaps Chatsworth held too many sad memories for them.

Roy, Dale and kids in their backyard about 1956

In 1969, industrialist Eugene Kilmer acquired the former Rogers estate, which included the 6,000 square-foot ranch house (6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms), a guest house, tennis court, pool and spa on 3.5 acres of land, along with an additional 100 undeveloped acres (Los Angeles Times, Dec 2, 1984). (His son Val Kilmer became a well-known movie actor.)

In 1992, Eugene Kilmer's wife Senga was living in the house that had originally belonged to Roy and Dale (Los Angeles Business Journal, Jan 6, 1992).

In 1997, Roy and Dale last appeared in Chatsworth for the dedication of the Chatsworth Rail Station, where they sang "Happy Trails to You."

The new owner kept Roy and Dale's sprawling pink ranch house at the top of Trigger Street pretty much original (Los Angeles Times, July 7, 1998): A rock with a waterfall seen in several of Roy's films is in the backyard.  His and hers closets built in the master bedroom for the Rogers' large wardrobe of western outfits remains.  The recreation room fireplace has spurs, horseshoes, bridle bits and other equestrian artifacts embedded into the stone work.  A terrazzo tile floor still has the fading initials of Roy, Dale and six of their children.

(left to right) Sandy, Roy and Dusty about 1960

The old Rogers' home, presently located on 22832 W. Trigger Street, last sold August 9, 2001 for $1,650,000. (City of Los Angeles Planning Department website).

Cowboy Legacy -- Great grandma was hanged for witchcraft

Cowboy Legacy -- Great grandma was hanged for witchcraft

According to Connecticut court records--in the year of 1662--a young girl named Ann Cole began naming certain townspeople as witches.  Ann, who had suffered from epileptic or similar seizures for years, would cry out during these seizures that witches were tormenting her.  She named three people as her primary tormenters: Nathaniel Greensmith, his wife Rebecca, and Mary Barnes.

In early January 1663 a trial was held to hear the various testimonies of the plaintiff and the defendants.   Rebecca Greenfield quickly confessed to being a witch and, with many ludicrous tales, implicated her husband Nathaniel.   Evidently, Mary defended herself and denied being a witch.

On January 25, 1663 both of the Greensmiths and Mary Barnes were found guilty.  They were hanged that very day.  No chance for an appeal was given.  “Justice” was swift in those days.  The so-called witches had the distinction of being the last 3 persons executed in Connecticut for this crime.

Mary Barnes (my 10th great grandmother) was the wife of Thomas Barnes.  She had been born 15 April 1625 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut, and married Thomas about 1647 soon after he arrived in Connecticut.  We do not know Mary's maiden name.  Some researchers suggested it was Andrews or Andrus, but my research indicates that Mary Andrews was the second wife of Thomas Barnes.

Thomas Barnes had been born about 1615 in England and died in Farmington, Connecticut 1689. Thomas and (first wife) Mary Barnes (who was hanged as a witch) were the parents of 3 children: Sarah, Benjamin and Joseph.  

Sarah Barnes (Mary's only daughter), was born about 1648, married John Scoville in 1666.  They were among the earliest settlers of Haddam, Connecticut.  John and Sarah Scoville were the parents of four boys: John Jr., William, Edward and Benjamin Scoville.

William Scoville (the second eldest) was born about 1672, and married Martha Unknown (some say she was Martha Bailey).  William and Martha were the parents of William Scoville Jr., born about 1710, who married Hannah Shailer in 1734.  They were the parents of Hannah Scoville who married Oliver Bailey (French Indian War and Revolutionary War veteran) who ultimately settled in Bradford County, Pennsylvania.  To learn more about Oliver Bailey and his descendants see

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/01/cowboy-legacy-puritan-new-england-1638.html

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/01/cowboy-legacy-pioneer-trails-westward.html

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2011/10/cowboy-legacy-iowa-territory-1845-to.html

All of Oliver's descendants (including yours truly) can claim lineage descends from a witch : >)

Afterword

Because I was born on October 30th I always considered Halloween to be a second day of my birthday celebration.

How cool it would have been if I knew about Mary Barnes, the witch, when I was a child.  Just maybe it explains why I don't always have complete trust in my fellow man.

Meanwhile back at the ranch -- Cave Rocks (Indian Hills)

Meanwhile back at the ranch is a continuing series about "rock stars" (landscape features) on the old Iverson Movie Location Ranch in Chatsworth, California.  For more information see: http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2011/10/iverson-movie-location-ranch-chatsworth.html

The tomb in Perils of Nyoka (1942) is a false front across Cave Rocks

About 1965, construction began the Ronald Reagan Freeway (118), and the Iversons sold 17.5 acres for the development of a mobile home village (photo below).  Today the Indian Hills Mobile Home Village sits immediately south of the freeway on the west side of Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

The area known as Indian Hills had been one of the busiest filming locations on the lower ranch and included such well-known rock formations as Split Rock, Hook Rock, Cave rocks, and Lash's Archway (photo below - clockwise from top left).  It also had been the location of the Iverson Ranch Western Street.  

I'm going to describe the aforementioned formations located around the Indian Hills Mobile Home Village pool area in a series of posts beginning with Cave Rocks in this post.

Cave Rocks (above as they appear today) are actually two boulders with a separation between them.  Film companies built a false front between them enabling the formation to appear as a cave, tomb, or even a Western mine.

Cave Rocks with a false front creating a mine (above) in Riding with Buffalo Bill (1954).  Look at the top left of the rock formation and you'll see a hook shaped rock which we'll discuss in another post.

The screenshot above is from Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941), and gives you a wider view of Cave Rocks and surrounding formations.

In the screenshot above from White Eagle (1941) the bad guys use Cave Rocks as a hideout mine.

This screenshot (above) from Three Ages (1923) is the earliest use of Cave Rocks that I've found so far.

Movies with Cave Rocks scenes include:

Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941) starring Tom Tyler and Frank Coghlan Jr. - Republic [serial]

Gay Amigo, The (1949) starring Duncan Renaldo and Leo Carrillo - United Artists

King Of The Rocket Men (1949)(Ch 9) starring Tristram Coffin, Mae Clarke and Don Haggerty (Imdb Iverson) Republic [serial]

Perils of Nyoka, The (1942)(Ch 4) starring Kay Aldridge, Clayton Moore and Lorna Gray (Iverson) Republic [serial]

Return of Wild Bill, The (1940) starring Bill Elliott - Columbia

Riding with Buffalo Bill (1954) starring Marshall Reed - Columbia [serial]

Three Ages (1923) starring Buster Keaton, Margaret Leahy and Wallace Beery

Valley of Vanishing Men, The (1942) starring Bill Elliott - Columbia [serial]

White Eagle (1941) - Buck Jones (Iverson) Columbia [serial]

Cowboy Wisdom -- Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't bothering you none

I gotta admit the thrill of seeing grizzly bear roaming in it's natural habitat is pretty darned exciting.  My hunter instinct sure gets on high alert, and sometimes I forget I'm carryin' a camera instead of a .30-06.  

When you know three people have been killed (in or near Yellowstone National Park) during the past few months you outta be a little smart about how close you get to ol' ephraim.

It's amazing to me how some folks just don't savvy the good advice offered by the park service folks.  Rangers recommend that if you are on foot you should not approach within 300 yards of grizzly bears.  They suggest if you are adjacent to your vehicle that you stay within 2 yards of entering it, but only if a grizzly is no closer than 25 yards to you.

When I took the photo above I was about a hundred yards from this grizzly.  When I first approached I didn't know just where the bear was.  It was only after I got next to these photographers that I could see the bear.

I snapped a few quick picks--all the time thinking… a grizzly can run 35 miles per hour, maybe he'll get to these guys first, and how fast can an old guy with an artificial hip run?

I've seen lots of bears in Canada and the United States while traveling in a canoe, on horseback, or driving a car, but this is the closest I've been to a grizzly on foot. 

So in the future I think I'll heed some good ol' cowboy wisdom… Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't bothering you none, and just stay in the truck (< :

Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas -- William Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy)

William Boyd (1895 – 1972) was a B-Western star who was best known for his portrayal of Hopalong Cassidy.

In 1935, Boyd won the title role for the original Hopalong Cassidy movie, and went on to make 66 films ending in 1947.  He even produced the final 12 films.

Believing in television's potential, he purchased the rights to the Hopalong Cassidy character (including books and films) for $350,000, and released the films to television in 1949.  They became extremely popular and began a long-running history on television. Like Rogers and Autry, Boyd licensed much merchandise, including such products as Hopalong Cassidy watches, trash cans, cups, dishes, Topps trading cards, a comic strip, comic books, radio shows and cowboy outfits.  Boyd so completely identified with his character that he dressed as Hoppy in public.

Bill's Santa Susanas locations filmography

Dangerous Venture (1947) - William Boyd - United Artists

Lumberjack (1944) - William Boyd with Andy Clyde (Iverson Ranch)(photo above) United Artists

The Marauders (1947) - William Boyd (Iverson Ranch)(photos above and below) United Artists

Mystery Man (1944) - William Boyd (Iverson scenes) United Artists

The Showdown (1940) - William Boyd (Iverson Ranch) 

Undercover Man (1942) - William Boyd (Iverson Ranch)(lobby photos above and below)

Several of the "Hopalong Cassidy TV Series" (1952–1954) episodes had outdoor scenes filmed on the Iverson Ranch.