<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2ILyDr_0wEjxAHv00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2ILyDr_0wEjxAHv00" width="1140" height="570" ><figcaption>Image by Nimesh Niyomal</figcaption></figure>Few actors can boast a filmography as extensive as the John Wayne; the quintessential Golden Age of Hollywood actor, Wayne was a prolific performer who appeared in dozens of classic films, establishing himself as one of the most recognizable leading men in cinema history. With a particular specialty for starring in Westerns, Wayne defined the image of a Hollywood cowboy as he helped bolster the success of the genre, which was at its most lucrative in the early 20th century. Wayne's popularity was ubiquitous, and in the late 1930s he starred in arguably the largest Western franchise of the time, The Three Mesquiteers — a series of movies with over 4 dozen installments, easily dwarfing even the exhaustive Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though The Three Mesquiteers aren't the household names they once were, their legacy as one of the largest film franchises continues to be felt in the genre, and in cinema, today.John Wayne, Ray Corrigan, and Max Terhune Played the 'Three Mesquiteers' The Three Mesquiteers were based on a series of books by William Col MacDonald, and were produced by Republic Pictures. A portmanteau of The Three Musketeers and mesquite, a plant common to the Southwestern United States, The Three Mesquiteers followed a trio of cowboys named Stony Brooke, Tucson Smith, and Lullaby Joslin; throughout the expansive list of films, each of these characters were played by a number of different actors. Taking inspiration from the famous literary trio, the characters embarked on exciting and classic Western adventures. Throughout a whopping 51 films, The Three Mesquiteers fought outlaws, searched for gold, stole from tax collectors, and, in a later movie, even fought Nazis. The Three Mesquiteers were built on the foundation of traditional Westerns, but the sheer quantity of their films meant that they explored a truly wide variety of stories.Though John Wayne is the most recognizable of these performers, he was neither the first nor the longest-tenured of these Western stars. The first in the film series was The Three Mesquiteers, which was released in 1936, and starred Bob Livingston, Ray Corrigan, and, in his only appearance a mesquiteer, Syd Saylor. Though Saylor wouldn't return for future installments, Livingston and Corrigan went on to become the most tenured actors in their roles, as Stoney Brooke and Tuscon Smith, respectively. Livingston appeared in an incredible 29 films, while Corrigan appeared in 24. Max Tehrune rounded out the list, as he portrayed Lullaby Joslin 21 times. Despite being the most lucrative box-office name, Wayne only starred as Stoney Brooke from 1938 to 1939, though he did get eight movies done in that short span of time. Wayne joined the franchise with 1938's Pals of the Saddle, leaving after 1939's New Frontier, which paved the way for Livingston to return as Stoney Brooke. And though she only appeared in seven films, actress Lois Collier was sometimes referred to as the Fourth Mesquiteer because of the prominence of her role during her appearances.<h2>Republic Pictures Made 51 'Three Mesquiteers' Movies </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0NUnuZ_0wEjxAHv00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0NUnuZ_0wEjxAHv00" width="825" height="413" ><figcaption>Image via Republic Pictures</figcaption></figure>The rollout of Three Mesquiteers films stands as one of the most prolific streaks of filmmaking in Hollywood history, as Republic Pictures released a tremendous 51 films in less than a decade, from 1936 to 1943. And that number only accounts for the movies made by Republic Pictures, as other studios had also released their own adaptations of The Three Mesquiteers within that period. However, it was the Republic Pictures installments that truly cemented their legacy and popularity. At their peak in 1939, Republic Pictures released nine Three Mesquiteer films, beating out their previous record of eight the year prior. Besides their first year, where they released three installments, the studio never debuted fewer than 4 films in each of the subsequent years.The Three Mesquiteers were wildly successful, not just within their genre, but in Hollywood as a whole, influencing other studios to create their own "trigger trios" inspired by the Mesquiteers. Even among Western B-movies, which were known for their relatively rapid production and releases, The Three Mesquiteers stands out as the most abundant, creating an enormous film franchise decades before it became the status quo. No other film series can boast the sheer quantity and efficiency this film franchise had. Though the MCU might be more lucrative and cross-platform, Star Wars has become a galaxy in its own right, and iconic characters such as Dracula may have more film appearances in total, The Three Mesquiteers hold their ground in Hollywood history.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2bjanm_0wEjxAHv00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2bjanm_0wEjxAHv00" width="960" height="1440" ></figure>The Three Mesquiteers WesternActionMusicRelease DateSeptember 22, 1936 DirectorRay Taylor CastRobert Livingston , Ray Corrigan , Syd Saylor , Kay Hughes , J.P. McGowan , Gene Marvey , John Merton , Al Bridge , Allen Connor , Duke York , Milburn Stone , Frank Yaconelli Runtime61 Minutes Main GenreWestern WritersJack Natteford , Charles R. Condon The Three Mesquiteers is currently available to rent or buy on Prime Video in the U.S.</div></body>

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John Wayne Headlined a Forgotten Western Franchise That Was Bigger Than the MCU

Few actors can boast a filmography as extensive as the John Wayne; the quintessential Golden Age of Hollywood actor, Wayne was a prolific performer who appeared in dozens of classic films, establishing himself as one of the most recognizable leading men in cinema history. With a particular specialty for starring in Westerns, Wayne defined the image of a Hollywood cowboy as he helped bolster the success of the genre, which was at its most lucrative in the early 20th century. Wayne's popularity was ubiquitous, and in the late 1930s he starred in arguably the largest Western franchise of the time, The Three Mesquiteers — a series of movies with over 4 dozen installments, easily dwarfing even the exhaustive Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though The Three Mesquiteers aren't the household names they once were, their legacy as one of the largest film franchises continues to be felt in the genre, and in cinema, today.