Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas -- John Carroll

John Carroll (1906 - 1979) was a American born actor and singer.  He appeared in several Western films in the 1930s and 1940s, and is probably best known for his role as Zorro in Zorro Rides Again in 1937.

John Carroll's Santa Susana locations filmography includes:

Zorro Rides Again (1937) [serial] starring John Carroll, Helen Christian and Reed Howes (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Fabulous Texan, The (1947) starring Bill Elliott, John Carroll and Catherine McLeod (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Wyoming (1947) starring Bill Elliott, Vera Ralston and John Carroll - Republic

Angel in Exile (1948) starring John Carroll, Adele Mara and Thomas Gomez (Corriganville) Republic

Old Los Angeles (1948) starring Bill Elliott, John Carroll and Catherine McLeod (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Old Los Angeles (1948) starring Bill Elliott, John Carroll and Catherine McLeod (Iverson Ranch) Republic

1908, Montana Schoolmarm Finds Romance

My sweet little wife Joyce spent over thirty years teaching English in Los Angeles schools, so when this photo was taken in a Wyoming photography studio I affectionately called it "Cowboy and Schoolmarm."  

What could be more romantic I thought.  But, then I recently discovered a real tale about a schoolmarm and her real old West romance.

Stella May Brown, my grandmother's older sister, was born 3 Dec 1888 in Roswell, Miner County, South Dakota during one of her family's forays into the West seeking the perfect homestead location.  The photo above was taken about 1980, in Missouri as the search for a perfect home continued.

Eventually Stella's parents -- Abraham Lincoln Brown and Neva Plympton Brown found their way to Creston, Montana where they would spend the rest of their days.

After finishing her own schooling -- at Cayuse Prairie school in Creston, Montana -- Stella became the teacher at another nearly Montana school.  The school house was a log cabin that had been constructed by two young brothers Ray and Len Schlyer.

Apparently Len Schlyer was swept off his feet by the lovely young schoolmarm, and the two were wed in December of 1908.

I believe the photo above was their home in the early 1920s.

Len built a sawmill in nearby Kalispell, Montana, but fires caused by spontaneous combustion of sawdust piles became a problem, so the family moved to New York state about 1929.  

Len passed away in 1940, and Stella lived until 1971, but never remarried.

Thank Goodness For Traveling Photographers

Having your Photograph taken became popular during the Civil War when many young men marched off to war with a brand new photo of their sweetheart or mother in their vest pocket.  Photographing the war made it necessary for photographers to outfit a wagon that could carry their cameras and double as a darkroom.  Thus the idea of a traveling photographer was born.

Following the war from -- especially during the 1880s and 1890s -- many photographers took their craft on the road…

Traveling photographers with railroad photo cars 

I have this mental image of great grandma in her sod house out on the Nebraska prairie -- her first baby is about six-months old now, but she knows there's no way she can afford to go visit her family and friends in the east.

Then someone tells her a train with a photographer is coming to town, and that's only two hours away with a horse and wagon.  When she got to the railroad station she most likely found the Hutchings Railroad Photo Car sitting on a siding and open for business for the next week or so.

The Hutchings Railroad Photo Car was a train car set up as a traveling photography studio.  They worked along the railroads of Kansas and Nebraska.  Hutchings Railroad photographers advertised in local papers announcing the date of their arrival.  Sometimes they also pass out handbills and put up posters after they arrived.

A visit of the Hutchings Railroad Photo Car was a treat not soon forgotten, and left you with a treasure to always be remembered.

Traveling photographers with horse-drawn vans and wagons

Picture great granddad working on his new barn in rural Montana when a stranger in a horse-drawn wagon comes up the road and pulls into the driveway.  

The stranger's helper unloads a camera on a tripod and points it in the direction of the barn. Wanting to know what he's doing granddad climbs off the barn asks about his intentions.  

The stranger explains to grandpa that his barn has been selected to be photographed, and that if he'll get the family together they can be included in the photograph -- for the price of $2.50 -- and they'll have a professional photograph, that will impress the neighbors, or can be made into a postcard to mail to kin folks.

At that point grandpa had two choices: 1. Grab your pitchfork and run the stranger off the place or, 2. Call mother, the children and get the new buggy out front and pose.

Apparently Abraham Brown decided $2.50 was worth the price of a nice photo of his Creston, Montana homestead.

Thank goodness for those early traveling photographers because I've got cigar box full of pictures that are a family treasure to be handed down to future generations.

Reel Annie Oakleys in the Santa Susanas

The real Annie Oakley (1860 – 1926), was an American sharpshooter and exhibition shooter.  Annie Oakley's astonishing shooting talent eventually led to a starring role in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. 

Her rise to fame in the late 19th century caused her to become one of the first American women to become a "superstar".

She was also was known as "Miss Annie Oakley", "Little Sure Shot", and "Little Miss Sure Shot"

Like Buffalo Bill -- Annie Oakley's fame led to several movies and television shows about her life (both real and mythical).

Reel Annie Oakley titles fllmed in the Santa Susanas include:

Annie Oakley (1935) starring Barbara Stanwyck as Annie Oakley, Preston Foster and Melvyn Douglas (Iverson Ranch) RKO

"Annie Oakley" (1954) TV Series -- Gail Davis as Annie Oakley (81 episodes, 1954-1957)

Alias Jesse James (1959) starring Bob Hope, Rhonda Fleming, Wendell Corey and Gail Davis as Annie Oakley (Iverson Ranch) United Artists

Other roles loosely based on Annie Oakley's life include:

Oklahoma Annie (1952) starring Judy Canova, John Russell, Grant Withers (Chatsworth) Republic

Lay That Rifle Down (1955) starring Judy Canova, Robert Lowery, Jil Jarmyn (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Reel Buffalo Bills in the Santa Susanas

The real William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody (1846 - 1917) was an American scout, bison hunter, and showman.  Col. William Frederick Cody got his nickname "Buffalo Bill" after the American Civil War when he had a contract to supply Kansas Pacific Railroad workers with buffalo meat.  Cody is purported to have killed 4,282 American bison (commonly known as buffalo) in eighteen months, (1867–1868).

As one of the most colorful figures of the American Old West, Buffalo Bill started performing in shows that displayed cowboy themes and episodes from the frontier and Indian Wars.  He founded his Buffalo Bill's Wild West in 1883, taking his large company on tours throughout the United States and, beginning in 1887, in Great Britain and Europe.

Because Cody became an American folk hero it was natural for Hollywood to make dozens of movies and TV episodes based on his life's adventures.

Reel Buffalo Bill movies filmed in the Santa Susanas include

Iron Horse, The (1924) starring George O'Brien, Madge Bellamy, Charles Edward Bull and George Waggner as Buffalo Bill (Iverson Ranch) Fox Film Corp

Annie Oakley (1935) starring Barbara Stanwyck, Preston Foster, Melvyn Douglas and Moroni Olsen as William 'Buffalo Bill' Cody (Iverson Ranch) RKO

Miracle Rider, The (1935) [serial] starring Tom Mix, Joan Gale, Charles Middleton and Tex Cooper as Buffalo Bill (Iverson Ranch) Mascot

Custer's Last Stand (1936) [serial] starring Rex Lease, Lona Andre, William Farnum and Ted Adams as Buffalo Bill Chapters 6 & 7 (Iverson Ranch) Stage & Screen

Plainsman, The (1936) starring Gary Cooper, Jean Arthur, James Ellison as Buffalo Bill (Iverson Ranch) Paramount

Outlaw Express (1938) starring Bob Baker, Cecilia Callejo, Don Barclay and Carlyle Moore Jr. as Bill Cody - Universal

Young Buffalo Bill (1940) starring Roy Rogers as Buffalo Bill, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Pauline Moore (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Pony Express Days (1940) starring George Reeves as William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody, David Bruce, Frank Wilcox (Burro Flats) Warner Bros.

Days of Buffalo Bill (1946) starring Sunset Carson, Peggy Stewart, Tom London (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Buffalo Bill Rides Again (1947) starring Richard Arlen as Buffalo Bill, Jennifer Holt, Lee Shumway (Iverson Ranch) Jack Schwarz

Law of the Golden West (1949) starring Monte Hale as Bill Cody, Paul Hurst, Gail Davis (Iverson Ranch) Republic

King of the Bullwhip (1950) starring Lash La Rue, Al St. John, Jack Holt and Tex Cooper as Buffalo Bill (Iverson Ranch) Western Adventures

Buffalo Bill in Tomahawk Territory (1952) starring Clayton Moore as Buffalo Bill, Slim Andrews, Charles Harvey, Rodd Redwing (Corriganville) United Artists

Riding with Buffalo Bill (1954) [serial] starring Marshall Reed as Bill Cody, Rick Vallin, Joanne Rio, Shirley Whitney (Iverson Ranch) Columbia

Badman's Country (1958) starring George Montgomery, Neville Brand, Buster Crabbe and Malcolm Atterbury as Buffalo Bill (Iverson Ranch) Warner Bros.

Visiting Col. William F. Cody's TE Ranch

Sitting Bull and Col. William F. Cody

About 1895, Col. William F. Cody established the TE Ranch, on the South Fork of the Shoshone River about thirty-five miles from Cody, Wyoming.  After acquiring the property, he brought in cattle from Nebraska and South Dakota.  The late 1890s were relatively prosperous years for "Buffalo Bill's Wild West", so he bought more land to add to the TE Ranch which eventually grew to about 8,000 acres of prime grazing land for about 1,000 head of cattle.

Cody also operated a dude ranch offering pack horse camping trips, and big game hunting from the TE Ranch.  Over the years he entertained many notable guests from Europe and America.  Through the years there have been many owners of the TE Ranch, but Robert W. Woodruff, one time president of the Coca Cola Company, decorated it with furniture built by Thomas Molesworth during his tenure.

Cody's TE Ranch about 1920

While I was exhibiting at the Western Design Conference in 1994, I had an opportunity to visit the TE Ranch.  It takes about an hour from downtown Cody to drive to the ranch on the South Fork Road which follows the beautiful South Fork of the Shoshone River.  

As it turned out I would buy my horse Sunup in the same vicinity about a year later, but that's another story.

I will never forget arriving at the TE Ranch because we were greeted by gorgeous bald eagle sitting on the ranch gate.  I did not get to go into the old ranch house, but just walking about the barns and corrals was impressive enough.  

The ranch foreman had a spotting scope set up on the edge of a barley field, and we soon learned he was keeping an eye on a grizzly sow with two year old cubs that were grazing on barley.

Between 1987 and 1999, I made about a dozen and a half trips through Yellowstone National Park to visit Cody, Wyoming for Cody Old West Antique Shows and Western Design Conference exhibits.  Some of my fondest memories are hanging out with friends in the beautiful town of Cody, Wyoming.

Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas -- Grant Withers

Grant Withers (1904 - 1959) was an American film actor.  During his career he did manage a 10-year contract at Republic Pictures. 

His friendships with both John Ford and John Wayne secured him a spot in nine of Wayne's films, but later roles dwindled to supporting parts, mainly as villains in B-movies, serials, and finally television.

Grant Withers' Santa Susana locations filmography includes:

Fighting Marines, The (1935) [serial] Grant Withers, Adrian Morris, Ann Rutherford (Iverson Ranch) Mascot

Hollywood Round-Up (1937) - Buck Jones, Helen Twelvetrees, Grant Withers (Brandeis Ranch) Columbia

Masked Rider, The (1941) - Johnny Mack Brown, Fuzzy Knight, Nell O'Day - Universal

Fighting Seabees, The (1944) - John Wayne, Susan Hayward and Dennis O'Keefe (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Utah (1945) - Roy Rogers, Trigger, George 'Gabby' Hayes (Iverson Ranch) - Republic

Bells of Rosarita (1945) - Roy Rogers, Trigger, George 'Gabby' Hayes (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Dakota (1945) - John Wayne, Vera Ralston, Walter Brennan (Iverson Ranch) Republic

In Old Sacramento (1946) - Bill Elliott, Constance Moore, Henry H. Daniels Jr. (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Wyoming (1947) - Bill Elliott, Vera Ralston, John Carroll - Republic

Fort Apache (1948) - John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Shirley Temple, Pedro Armendáriz and John Agar (Corriganville) RKO

Old Los Angeles (1948) - Bill Elliott, John Carroll, Catherine McLeod (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Gallant Legion, The (1948) - Bill Elliott, Lorna Gray, Joseph Schildkraut (Garden of the Gods) Republic

Angel in Exile (1948) - John Carroll, Adele Mara, Thomas Gomez - Republic

Plunderers, The (1948) - Rod Cameron, Ilona Massey, Lorna Gray (Corriganville)(Iverson Ranch) Republic

Last Bandit, The (1949) - Bill Elliott, Lorna Gray, Forrest Tucker (Brandeis Ranch) Republic

Hellfire (1949)  - Bill Elliott, Marie Windsor, Forrest Tucker (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Savage Horde, The (1950) - Bill Elliott, Lorna Gray, Grant Withers - Republic

Spoilers of the Plains (1951) - Roy Rogers, Trigger, Penny Edwards (Iverson Ranch)(Corriganville) Republic

Utah Wagon Train (1951) - Rex Allen, Koko, Penny Edwards (Burro Flats)(Iverson Ranch) Republic

Captive of Billy the Kid (1952) - Allan Lane, Black Jack, Penny Edwards (Corriganville) Republic

Leadville Gunslinger (1952) - Allan Lane, Black Jack, Eddy Waller (Iverson Ranch) Republic

Oklahoma Annie (1952) - Judy Canova, John Russell, Grant Withers (Chatsworth) Republic

Iron Mountain Trail (1953) - Rex Allen, Koko, Slim Pickens (Burro Flats)(Iverson Ranch) Republic

White Squaw, The (1956) - David Brian, May Wynn, William Bishop, Nancy Hale (Iverson Ranch) Columbia

Last Stagecoach West, The (1957) - Jim Davis, Mary Castle, Victor Jory (Towsley Canyon, Newhall) Republic

And... a plethora of TV series episodes throughout the 1950s.