Buck Jones / Iconic Images / Steeds of Renown
Part 1
“In my pictures we never let up on the action. They’ve got as much movement as the silents. In the last one I rode a horse through a plate-glass window, and that’s the sort of thing pictures need.” – Buck Jones.
(MFW: Haven’t heard how Silver felt about that)
An interesting publicity photo – as the first in my series of Iconic Images of Western Stars rearing on their Steeds. Why interesting? Because you can’t see Buck’s face! He might as well be wearing sunglasses and a beard. Makes me wonder why they even released it? But it’s the only photo I could find of Buck rearing up on Silver. If you know of another, please send it over.
You no doubt noticed that Buck’s horse is called Silver – same name as the Lone Ranger’s famous horse. However, Silver was a fairly common name for white horses before the ‘Ranger showed up.
Buck Jones – A Short Bio
Actor / Producer / Director / Writer
Actor (168 movies) / Producer (23 credits) / Director (3 credits) / Writer (3 credits) / Self (8 credits)
Buck Jones (December 12, 1891 – November 30, 1942)
Birthname: Charles Frederick Gebhart
born on the outskirts of Vincennes, Indiana
From Wikipedia
- In 1907, Jones joined the US Army a month after his sixteenth birthday. (His mother had signed a consent form that gave his age as eighteen)
Was Assigned to the Philippines – October, 1907, served in combat and was wounded during the Moro Rebellion. Honorably discharged at Fort McDowell, California. - Had an affection for race cars. Worked extensively as a test driver for the Marmon Motor Car Company.
- October 1910, re-enlisted in the US Army. Second honorable discharge from the Army in October 1913.
- Began working as a cowboy on the 101 Ranch near Bliss, Oklahoma.
- He was hired by Universal Pictures for $5 per day as a bit player and stuntman.
- Later worked for Canyon Pictures, then Fox Film Corporation, eventually earning $40 per week as a stuntman. With Fox his salary increased to $150 per week.
- Became a backup to Tom Mix. Led to his first starring role, The Last Straw (1920)
- By 1925 Jones had more than 160 film credits to his name and joined Hoot Gibson, Tom Mix, and Ken Maynard as the top cowboy actors of the day.
- 1928 started his own company, independently produced film The Big Hop (a non-Western) which failed.
- Then organized a touring Wild West show – also failed due to the faltering economy of late 1929.
- Talking pictures replacing silent films – and Westerns briefly fell out of favor.
- Signed with then-humble Columbia Pictures for Westerns for $300 a week, a fraction of his top salary in the silent film days.
- Re-establishing him as a major movie name. During the 1930s he starred in Western features and serials for Columbia and Universal Pictures.
- His star fell again in the late 1930’s when singing cowboys became the rage.
- He rejoined Columbia in 1940, starring in the serial White Eagle . The new serial was a hit. Jones was reestablished.
- His final series of Western features, co-produced by Jones featured The Rough Riders trio: Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, and Raymond Hatton.
- 1937, Jones starred in Hoofbeats, a 15-minute radio program.
- Tragic Death: Buck Jones was one of the 492 victims of the 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston, Massachusetts.
MFW: Buck Jones: An interesting and admirable man. An authentic cowboy who knew how to role with the punches – kept re-inventing himself with each shortfall – until his tragic end.
Next:
Buck Jones / Iconic Images / Steeds of Renown
Part 2
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I added a link from our post to you. They go well together.
Thank you for this … was able to acquire a torrent. Will watch this tonight – if Rose isn’t too tired.
It’s a fun movie 🙂
A great post! That’s an incredible resume, both as a patriot and in Hollywood. You’ll our (Garry and I did it together) post today. Also old Western movie stars.
These old time guys – and gals – were Old Guard. Had a work ethic – were patriotic – and resourceful.
They were raised on the farms and the ranches. Combine this with a Military background and got hard boned and authentic people.
I think one of the worst things (I probably said this before) was the elimination of the draft.
Some don’t agree of course. But I never saw a couple of years of service hurt anybody. Usually it was an experience that greatly benefited.
As for the draft, I would agree had it been equally distributed, but anybody with money could (and did) find a way around it, so it was mostly poor kids who wound up in the front lines. It wasn’t such a big deal in peace time … but there has been very little peace since WW II. Mostly, it’s been one war after another.