Mike Tussey: Once upon a time, America’s kids had heroes — they were our Cowboys

Saturday mornings of the 1940’s and 50’s was a special time for America’s kids.

This is when we would migrate to our favorite movie theater and watch the cowboys take down the bad guys.

You could always tell the Good Guys from the bad because our heroes “always” wore the white Stetson hats. The bad guys wore the black ones – with the exception of Hopalong Cassidy, the Durango Kid and Lash Larue.

If you were in the theaters back then you would be cheering and might even hear a boo now and then.

Admission for the good times was only 25 cents; 15 cents to get in – and dime to spend. Of course, a dime would buy you TWO candy bars as they were only a nickel.

There were many white hat cowboys and yet, we all picked our favorite ones. However, one day we were told that one of those was actually: THE KING OF THE COWBOYS. The crowned King was soon known universally as the King who sang throughout his movies, yet still getting his man while good triumphed over evil.

The newly crowned King was: ROY ROGERS.

We loved him because he called us his “Little Buckaroos” and we all thought he was talking directly to us alone.

Roy Rogers was born in 1911 as Leonard Franklin Slye in Cincinnati. By 1919, the family bought a farm near Lucasville, Ohio. On Saturday nights the neighbors held square dances and Roy learned to yodel and sing as well. By 1931 he moved to Inglewood, California where eventually he met up with Bob Nolan of the “Sons of the Pioneers” and the rest is history.

He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and spent a great deal of time in Nashville. This is where I met Roy and Dale in 1968 at Memorial Auditorium back stage at a country music concert. They were indeed, two of the nicest people I ever met. My only regret was not recording our conversation.

Roy’s first movie hit the screens in 1935; and throughout the coming years, he appeared in 90 motion pictures. In 1943 according to the Motion Picture Herald’s Top 10 cowboys, Roy became #1 through 1954. If you loved Roy, you loved his Golden Palomino horse named “Trigger” and his German Shepherd dog – “Bullet.”

His fame was also punctuated by his new TV show that filmed 100+ episodes around 1950 for several years. Roy had his sidekicks, but in 1944 he met the love of his life, Dale Evans. They were soon married and become an unbeatable team on the silver screen and television. It seems that they always sang their new closing signature song that Dale wrote entitled: “HAPPY TRAILS” Roy passed in 1998 and Dale 3 years later.

Roy’s early days of acting as a virtual unknown when he appeared in unaccredited roles with another singing cowboy – GENE AUTRY. Gene was born in 1907 in North Texas as Orvon Grover Gene Autry. Like Roy Rogers, he too learned to play guitar and sing and got very good at it when Will Rogers urged him to sing professionally.

1928 brought some success when he sang at a Tulsa, Oklahoma radio station and became known as “Oklahoma’s Yodeling Cowboy.” Success was still coming when he signed with Columbia records in 1929 and performed in Chicago on WLS radio’s National Barn Dance. Gene’s movie career broke out quickly and flourished as well as his record sales. Of course, his signature hit theme song – “Back in the Saddle Again” became a huge hit and propelled his music to the top.

Autry made 640 recordings which included 300 songs he had written. His records sold over 100 million copies which included more than a dozen gold and platinum records. If you love Christmas Music, you obviously love Gene’s “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”, “Frosty the Snowman” and of course – “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.”

While serving in WWII his record contract was suspended during his military service; but returned after the war this time he would be known as: “KING OF THE SINGING COWBOYS.” Gene’s famous horse – “Champion” even had a radio and TV series on CBS named “The Adventures of Champion.”

Gene even created his very own “COWBOY CODE” that he wished to convey to kids everywhere:

·    The cowboy must never shoot first, hit a smaller man or take unfair advantage
·    He must never go back on his word or trust confided in him
·    He must always tell the truth
·    He must be gentle with children, the elderly and animals
·    He must not advocate or possess racially or religiously intolerant ideas
·    He must help people in distress
·    He must be a good worker
·    He must keep himself in clean thought, speech, action and personal habits
·    He must respect women, parents and our nation’s laws
·    The Cowboy is a patriot.

The 3rd of my TOP 3 Heroes has to be – HOPALONG CASSIDY. His given name was William Boyd and grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma while sadly losing his parents in his early teens and subsequently quitting school. He decided to go to Hollywood in 1919 with his premature gray hair. By 1920, he landed his first role as an extra in a Cecil B. Demille silent movie. In 1926 he landed a romantic lead in the “The Volga Boatman” and became a matinee idol earning near $100,000 annually.

For several years, times were bad and he was going broke and in 1935 was offered the lead role in the movie – “Hop-along Cassidy.” The role required Bill to walk with a limp caused by an earlier bullet wound. But, that fake limp was for one movie only. From 1935 through the 1950’s, Hoppy dominated 66 films thru 1948. In fact, his TV Show ranked #9 for 1951 – 1952 after beginning in 1949.

Like his colleagues, Rogers and Autry, Bill Boyd made sure that Hoppy didn’t smoke, drink, chew, or swear. He also rarely kissed a woman and let the bad guys draw first.

Hoppy and his beautiful white horse – “Topper” — rode into the sunset at his Bar-20 Ranch after all those glory roles passing at age 77 in 1972.

By the mid 1950’s a new era had begun and with that – a radio show that zoomed into TV fame. It’s a good bet you remember it very well, it was “Gunsmoke.” The title of the show certainly is synonymous with its mega star: JAMES ARNESS. Arness superbly played the title role of Dodge City Marshal – Matt Dillon.

After John Wayne recommended Arness for the role that began in 1955, it would run for 20 years winning many prestigious awards including being in the Top 10 ratings for 11 seasons. In fact, Gunsmoke’s legacy includes 4 consecutive seasons being ranked at #1.

James Arness was born in Minneapolis and while graduating in 1942 he was soon drafted into the US Army and later wounded in Anzio. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. From a radio announcer in 1945; it was onto to Hollywood by hitch hiking where eventually he was greatly noticed because of his 6’7 height. His fame was punctuated by his 1987 TV movie –“Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge” and others in the 1990’s as well. Arness died from natural causes at the age of 88 in 2011.

Other cowboy heroes who found success on the s
Silver Screen were – John Wayne in “True Grit” as Rooster Cogburn, Lash LaRue, Tom Mix, Clayton Moore ( the Lone Ranger), Red Ryder, the Cisco Kid, Sunset Carson, Bob Steele, Randolph Scott, Chuck Conners (the Rifleman ), Tex Ritter, Buster Crabbe, Tim Holt, Johnny Mack Brown, Charles Starret (the Durango Kid), and Rex Allan.

From the mid 40’s through the 50’s and beyond, you would find that the movies and series always highlighted the famous – SIDE KICKS.

Here are a few of the great ones: Jay Silver Heels (Tonto), Smiley Burnette, Ken Curtis (Festus Hagan), Gabby Hayes, Andy Devine, Al Fuzzy St. John, Pat Brady, Bobby Blake (Little Beaver) and Pat Buttram.

So, there they are.

Each and every one graced the Silver Screen and TV for millions of America’s kids and fans. I was there and I hope you were too.

If you’re like me, it’s likely you’ll search and find our cowboy heroes from yesteryear on the TV channels of today.

If you’re watching them, be sure and wear a white hat and always remember to practice the COWBOY CODE.

Mike Tussey has “retired” from a 60-plus-year career as a legendary play-by-play announcer for over 2000 football, baseball, and basketball games, including most recently for ESPN+. His career also includes a stint in law enforcement, teaching and coaching, and writing books, including the “Touchdown Saints.” He grew up in Eastern Kentucky and now lives in Florence with his wife, Jo. He has opened another “Door of Opportunity” and is now a regular columnist for the NKyTribune.

Featured Photo by NKyTribune editor Judy Clabes: Behringer-Crawford Museum display featuring Roy Rogers

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