On This Day

Hi

Frank McGrath began life as a jockey until 1920 when he began appearing as a stuntman. Later he progressed to playing supporting roles in B westerns and other pictures like The Life of Jimmy Dolan as the Ist Referee. He also played Slim in They were Expendable.
In 1957 he switched to TV but later returned to pictures and was still working up to the time of his death from a heart attack on May 13th at the age of 64.

Regards

Arthur

Hi

On this day 3rd February

94 years ago the actress Mary Carisle was born she was in Sweetheart of Sigma Chi.

78 years ago the vintage actor ted McNamara died. he had been in the John Ford picture Mother Machree, which John Wayne is also reckoned to have had a part as an extra.

68 years ago the rotund actor Victor Bueno was born he rose to fame with his first screen appearance in I Wonder What Happened to Baby Jane, and although he never appeared with the Duke he was in The Greatest Story Ever Told.

40 years ago Herbert J Yates died aged 85. The head of Republic studios his battles with John Ford and later John Wayne led to both men leaving the studio, but to his eternal credit he did bring forth albeit reluctantly, The Quiet Man.

34 years ago the actor John Litel died aged 79 he was in The Sons of Katie Elder

35 years ago Jay C.Flippen died aged 71. Normally seen as a sergeant in cavalry or war films, he was the old man in The Run of the Arrow with Ralph eeker and appeared with John Wayne in Flying Leathernecks, Jet Pilot and Hellfighters. He lost a leg towards the end of his career but continued making films until his death.

Regards

Arthur

Hi

On this day 4th February

105 years ago Bob Rose a stuntman who appeared in many films including She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, Rio Grande Hondo and The Alamo was born.

65 years ago the Scottish actress Margaret Mann died from cancer aged 72. She had not made her screen debut until she was well into her forties and she so impressed John Ford that he put her in Four Sons and Annie Laurie.

56 years ago Hank Bell died from a heart attack aged 58 he had featured in he Fighting Kentuckian.

51 years ago Tycoon was released in West Germany

Johnny Munroe: I've got a railroad to build.

37 years ago Jeffrey Hunter married Emily McLaughlan.

Regards

Arthur

Hi

On this day 5th February

100 years ago John Carradine was born. Originally known as the bard of hollywood and sometimes as the Ham of Hollywood because of his habit of reciting Shakespeare as he walked, he appeared in such notable films as Stagecoach, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Colter Ctaven Story and The Shootist.

88 years ago the cowboy actor Tim Holt was born he appeared as Lt Blanchard in Stagecoach.

87 years ago Red Buttons was born apparently he earned his nickname from the coat he wore whilst working as a New York doorman. He hung around in The Longest Day, and caught wild animals with John Wayne in Hatari.

36 years ago Thelma ritter died aged 58, she was in How The West Was Won.

24 years ago the little known actress Dolores Moran died aged 58. She appeared as herself in Without Reservations.

Regards

Arthur

Hi

On this day February 6th

32 years ago McQ was released in the US

57 years ago the producer Harry Rapf died aged 66 among his many prductions was Brown of Harvard.

63 years ago Fabian was born he was in Norh to Alaska

75 years ago Mamie van Doren was born she had a small part (if that was possible) in Jet Pilot.

110 years ago the actor Jay Wilsey who was also known as Buffalo Bill jnr as born he appeared in a number of westerns for poverty row studios including Texas Terror, Rainbow Valley and neath the Arizona Skies.

Regards

Arthur

Hi

On this Day 7th February

33 years ago The Train Robbers was released in the US

The Pinkerton man: Her name is Lilly, with two "L's." Matt Lowe was never married. Better luck next time!
Jesse: Lilly.
Grady: With two "L's."
Jesse: One of 'um must stand for "liar."

34 years ago the actress Ottola Nesmith died aged 82 often seen in Cecil B de Mille pictures such as Unconquered and The Greatest Show on Earth she was also in Reap the Wild Wind.

15 years ago Dick Winslow died age 75 he appeared in The Shootist.

5 years ago Dale Evans died aged 88 she featured briefly in War of the Wildcats.

Regards

Arthur

Hi

On this Day 8th February

112 years ago the director King Vidor was born in Texas. He directed many memorable films including The Big Parade. he also directed Bardelys the Magnificent which according to John Wayne was one of his first pictures playing a spear carrier with his friend Pexy Eccles.

106 years ago the British actor Jack Gargon was born he appeared in Pittsburgh.

104 years ago the actor Lyle Talbot was born. He appeared in almost 280 pictures and shows on film and television and from the 1950s appeared almost constantly on television on nearly every popular show you can name and possibly some you can't. He appeared in College Coach and The Life of Jimmy Dolan.

99 years ago the actor Ray Middleton was born. He only appeared in 26 films one of which was in Lady From Louisiana.

75 years ago Girls Demand Excitement was released in the US. Duke often said that this was the silliest film he ever appeared in.

Regards

Arthur

Hi

On this day 9th February

116 years ago the actor Artie Ortego was born he was in A Lady Takes A Chance

106 years ago the cinematographer Robert de Grasse was born he shot Flame of the Barbary Coast and Tall in the Saddle

105 years ago the actor Brian Donlevy was born he was in the First Rebel

and on the same day the actor Jimmy Murray was also born. Billed as one of the most gifted actors of his age tragically he couldn't stand the pace and after appearing in pictures such as Central Airport and Baby Face at the age of 35 and out of work he jumped or fell into the Hudson River and drowned.

76 years ago Men Without Women was released in the US

55 years ago Sands of Iwo Jima was released in Sweden and

Red River was released in West Germany.

37years ago the actor George 'Gabby' Hayes died aged 83 his pictures with John Wayne were many and varied.

Regards

Arthur

Hi

On this day 10th February

48 years ago Jet Pilot was released in Sweden.

76 years ago Robert Wagner was born he appeared in The Longest Day

82 years ago the child actor Tommy Bupp was born. he brother of Sonny Bupp he appeared with John Wayne in Conflict.

100 years ago Lon Chaney jnr was born. Known as Creigton Chaney (he refused to adopt his fathers name until after his father had died) he appeared in the serial The Three Musketeers.

101 years ago the actor HJohn Dierkes was born. Before becoming an actor I believe he worked in a government position possibly tax but left to become an actor. One of his first roles was also one of his best that of |Jim Conklin in the Red Badge of Courage. He also appeared with Duke in The Alamo.

102 years ago the director John Farrow was born,.Raised and educated at Winchester (just down the road from me) he served in both the Canadian and Royal Navies, he was a great scholar and the author of a number of books and was made a grand something or other by the pope. He was also supposed to be a bit of a womaniser and was also the father of Mia Farrow. At one time he had both Frank Sinatra and Anfre Previn as son in laws. Oh and yes with all this going on he found time to direct John Wayne in The Sea Chase and Hondo.

109 years ago Dame Judith Anderson was born in Sidney Australia. The first Australian actor to be honoured by bieng made a Dame of the british Empire she was in Tycoon.

26 years ago Wally Wales better known as Hal Talaferro died aged 84 he played Old Leather in Red River.

Regards

Arthur

Hi Sue

I particularly liked The Red Badge of Courage, and thought it was a pity that it was so short.

For anyone interested in learning more about the trials and tribulations Huston had in making that film and his battles with MGM there is a good book called PICTURE by Lillian Ross first published in 1953 by Victor Gollancz and re-issued in paperback in 1986 by Andre Deutsch Limited printed in Great Britain by Ebenezer Baylis and sons Ltd Worcester.

Regards

Arthur

Hi

On this day 11th February

103 years agothe actor Rex Lease was born in starring roles during the 1920s he went on to gradually slip down the scale and ended the 30s and 40s in minor B pictures playing supporting roles.

51 years ago the actress Ona Munson died from an overdose at the age of 51 she appeared with John Wayne in Lady From Louisiana and Dakota.

30 years ago the actor Lee J Cobb died aged 64, his played Willie loman bith on stage and screen in Death of A Salesman and featured in the last part of How The West Was Won.

29 years ago the film editor Carl Pierson died at the age of 85. Best known working in conjunction with Robert North Bradbury, Paul Malvern, Linsley Parsons and E.R.Hickson he was one of the unsung heroes who brought many of John Wayne's Lone Star pictures such as Desert Trail Rainbow Valley Neath Arizona Skies to life.

Regards

Arthur

Hi Kieth

I have just looked that link up, It's very informative and a good read.

Regards

Arthur

Hi

On this day February 12th

123 years ago the actor Ludwig Stossel was born.

108 years ago the actor Wallace Ford who appeared in They Were Expendable was born.

87 years ago Forrest Tucker was born. A veteran of 147 pictures he made his film debut in the 1940 picture The Westerner. He appeared in three pictures with John Wayne including Chisum. During a break in filming John Mitchum showed Tucker his collection of poems for America Why I love her. It was Tucker who got Mitchum to show them to Duke and the rest as they say is history.

73 years ago His Private Secretary was released in the UK

58 years ago James Arness Married the supporting actress Virginia Chapman

30 years ago the actor Sal Mineo was found stabbed to death. He was on his way home from a play rehearsal.

Regards

Arthur

Hi

On this day 13th February

111 years ago the actress Helen McKellar was born she appeared in Three Faces West and Dark Command.

100 years ago the make up artist and member of one of the most famous dynasty's in Hollywood History Wally Westmore was born. He was the make-up supervisior on El Dorado.

44 years ago Fred 'Snowflake ' Toones died aged 56 he was the bell hop in Red rRver Range.

38 years ago Mae Marsh died aged 72 she featured in Donovan's Reef.

29 years ago the supporting actor Jack Gardner died aged 74 he was in Pitsburgh

26 years ago David Janson died aged 48. Best known for his portayal of the Fugitive chasing the one armed man in The Fugitive, he also appeared in The Green Berets.

and ....

1 year ago On this Day saw the first light of day. It baffles me where the year has gone and I think I have almost achieved what I set out to do. By hook and sometimes by crook I managed to put an item in for every day albeit if it only contained one minor actor but I suppose they all count.

This should have been the last entry but at the beginning I didn't used IBMD so perhaps I may let it drift on until its reaches its natural conclusion.

The future? When Kevin's proposed newsletter gets off the ground I may be able to do a film star or film of the month, I don't know (and with 2,500 names to choose from even with my maths this topic could go on for the next 208 years, :lol:

but I jest honest

My Very Regards to all who have contributed over the year.

Arthur