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Unkempt, rough and tough looking members of the gang, or lynch mob, or vigilantes, or posse riders, or cow herders. They had minimal or no dialog, not much screen time, and were generally not listed in the film credits. Some would show up as a face in the crowd, portraying townspeople, barflys, deputies, wagon drivers, ranch hands, etc. We tend to recognize some of their faces, but have no clue as to their real names.




John Beach
Full name: John Alden Beach
1903-1953

Appeared in about 40 westerns and 1 serial, all of which occurred from late 1936 through early 1941.


John Beach was a good lookin' guy who may have been groomed for better roles than the typical B western henchie/background player.

His forty or so film appearances occur over a period from late 1936 through early 1941. Most were Republic oaters as well as fifteen of the William Boyd / Hopalong Cassidy adventures. And from Tinseltown tradepapers, we know that Beach was under contract for a year or two to Harry 'Pop' Sherman, the producer of the Hopalong series.

After a handful of 1941 releases, Beach exited the movie business.


  Although some of the data may be incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on John Beach: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0063476

There's a lot of information below on John Beach. In summary, he was born November 9, 1903 in New York City to a socially and politically prominent family. Beach's father married widow Camilla Havemeyer in 1899, and the Havemeyer family was also wealthy and part of the New York elite. In the mid 1930s, Beach was in Santa Cruz, California and playing polo, riding steeplechase, and involved in horse show events for the Pasatiempo Country Club. In 1936, he began his brief film career in Republic oaters and Hopalong Cassidy adventures. During the 1940s, he got married, worked for Lockheed aircraft, and had a daughter. Circa early 1950s, he, wife Constantine, and daughter Camilla lived in Greenwich, Connecticut and Beach owned the Equine Pharmaceutical Corporation in New York City. He passed away on September 22, 1953 at his home in Greenwich, Connecticut.



The search for John Beach included records from Family Search (free), Ancestry.com (subscription), ProQuest obituaries, Newspaper Archive, Newspapers.com, the Internet Archive, and other sources.

A 1936 article in the Film Daily tradepaper contained THE clue that led to finding John Beach and I've highlighted that article with an

There's a couple common threads in our search for John Beach:

1) Beach has a connection to Charles F. Havemeyer and the Havemeyer family of Long Island, New York. Beach's father and mother were Frederick Ogden Beach and Camilla Woodward Havemeyer Beach. Camilla's first husband Charles F. Havemeyer committed suicide and she later married Frederick Ogden Beach. That Havemeyer connection is highlighted below in this color.

2) John Beach married Constantine Eugenie Johnston in 1944, and I've highlighted the Johnston name in this color.


In the 1930s, Beach was living in Santa Cruz, California and was a horse lover, rider, and played polo. And Hollywood tradepapers had blurbs on Beach in 1936, the year in which he began his brief film career:

  • Santa Cruz, California newspapers had articles circa 1932 - 1940 of John Alden Beach riding in steeplechases and polo matches for the Pasatiempo Country Club. The November 23, 1934 Santa Cruz (California) News noted that "Mr. Beach has for the past several years been a member of the staff of Pasatiempo Country Club."
  • An article titled "Socialite Goes Cinematic" appeared in the October 29, 1936 issue of Film Daily. Excerpts: "John Beach, New York society figure and brother of Charles F. Havemeyer, internationally known sportsman and yachting enthusiast, yesterday signed a contract to play a role in ... 'Trail Dust', to be produced by Harry Sherman for Paramount." ( Charles F. Havemeyer and John Beach were half-brothers - they had the same mother but different fathers. That tie to the Havemeyer family led to the discovery of more on our western movie actor John Beach.)
  • Excerpt from the November 12, 1936 issue of Film Daily about the latest Hopalong film: "... 'Trail Dust', in which John Beach, former New York society man, will make his film debut."
  • In the December 24, 1936 Film Daily, there's a Season's Greetings and Happy New Year full page ad from Hopalong Cassidy producer Harry Sherman. The ad notes that Sherman has the following people under personal contract: William Boyd, James Ellison, George Hayes, Stephen Morris (Morris Ankrum), and John Beach.


Beach's wealthy and socially prominent parents:

  • Ancestry.com had the marriage index (not the license) for the October 19, 1890 marriage of Charles F. Havemeyer to Camilla Woodward at Islip, New York.
  • The California Digital Newspaper Collection website has an article on the May 10, 1898 suicide of Charles F. Havemeyer at his home in Roslyn, Long Island, New York: https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SFC18980511.2.32
  • Ancestry.com had the marriage index (not the license) for the November 28, 1899 marriage of Frederick O. Beach to Camilla Havemeyer in Manhattan, New York City. These were John Beach's parents.
  • John Beach's father was Frederick Ogden Beach and he passed away on December 16, 1918 at his Park Avenue home in New York City. There were obituaries and funeral notices in New York and Boston newspapers. Excerpts:
    "BEACH - Suddenly, on Dec. 16 at 525 Park Av., Frederick Ogden, husband of Camilla W. Beach. Interment at Woodlawn."
    "Mr. Beach married the widow of Charles O. Havemeyer, who died by a bullet wound - self inflicted the coroner's jury found ... Mrs. Havemeyer became Mrs. Beach about two years later."


John Beach was born 1903 in New York City ... he's in California in the 1930s ... and wealth from his mother's estate:

  • New York Birth Index - John Alden Beach was born November 9, 1903 in New York City to Frederich O. Beach and Camilla Moss Beach: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2W43-L6G
  • Ancestry.com had the 1925 New York census. Camilla Beach has two sons living with her at 120 75th East, New York City - 24 year old Fred D. Beach (occupation "Real estate") and 21 year old John A. Beach (occupation "Insurance banker").
  • November 24, 1934 newspaper article - excerpt: "NEW YORK, Nov. 24 - The will of Camilla W. Beach, filed today, bequeathed a quarter share of the ... estate to her son, John Alden Beach, of Santa Cruz, Calif., and also half of the principal of a trust fund ... Three other brothers share the residue."


Family Search and newspapers have info on John Beach's wife Constantine Eugenie Johnston.

  • 1920 census - 48 year old Albert Johnston (occupation "Mining Engineer"), his 45 year old wife Constantine J., 9 year old daughter Constantine E., and four servants were living in Greenwich, Fairfield County, Connecticut: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCFD-HCT
    1930 census - 58 year old Albert Johnston (occupation "Engineer-Mining Company"), his 55 year old wife Constantine, 19 year old daughter Constantine, and six servants were living in Greenwich, Fairfield County, Connecticut: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMP3-K9G
    1940 census - renting at 6010 1/2 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles, California were 30 year old John K. O'Meara (born Pennsylvania) and 27 year old wife Constantine J. (born New York). John's occupation was "Executive Aviation-Passenger Line": https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9CD-55C
  • The Newspaper Archive website had several articles on the November 25, 1941 death of John K. 'Jack' O'Meara. Excerpts: Headline: "GLIDER PILOT JACK O'MEARA DIES IN CRASH." "John K. O'Meara, 32, a former glider champion, was killed yesterday in the crash of a basic trainer monoplane he was testing for the Harlow Aircraft company of Alhambra (California)." ; "... is survived by his widow, the former Constantine Eugenie Johnston, New York social figure ..."


Beach exited the movie business ... worked for Lockheed Aircraft ... married Constantine Johnson in 1944 ... daughter Camilla was born in 1945 ... and the family winds up in Greenwich, Connecticut.

  • 1940 census and census takers worksheet - 36 year old John Beach (born New York) was single and completed four years of high school. He's a lodger in the home of 47 year old widow Dorothy Scoullar (and her three children) at 2938 Virginia Road in Los Angeles and he resided at that address in 1935. His occupation was "Motion picture actor", and in 1939, he worked 40 weeks and earned $2441.00: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K9C1-D3Q
  • August 2, 1944 newspapers had a marriage announcement. Excerpts: "Mrs. John K. O'Meara, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Wheeler Johnston of Greenwich, Conn. and John Alden Beach, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Frederic Ogden Beach, of New York city, were married Monday ... Lt. Commander Charles F. Havemeyer, U.S.N.R., of Syossett, L. I. was the best man for his half-brother. The couple will live in Los Angeles, where Mr. Beach is with the Lockheed Aircraft corporation, having just returned after two years of foreign service."
  • Ancestry.com had his World War II draft registration - 38 year old John Alden Beach was born November 9, 1903 in New York, New York. He lived at 2942 Virginia Road, Los Angeles and employer was Lockheed Aircraft, Burbank, California. He's 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 205 pounds.
  • California Birth Index for Camilla Johnston Beach - she was born July 6, 1945 in Los Angeles and mother's maiden name was Johnston: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VG4G-TJX
  • Ancestry.com had several Los Angeles County voter registrations for John A. and Constantine J. Beach:
    1940 and 1942 Los Angeles county voter registrations:
    Beach, John A, 2942 Virginia rd ... actor (next door to his 2938 Virginia Road address in the 1940 census)
    1946 Los Angeles county voter registration:
    Beach, Mrs Constantine J, 5260 Angeles Crest
    No listing for John
    1948 and 1950 Los Angeles county voter registrations:
    Beach, Mrs Constantine J, 5260 Angeles Crest
    Beach, John A, 5260 Angeles Crest
  • In the 1940s - early 1950s, there's newspaper mentions of Beach as a participant and judge in various horse shows and riding club events in California and Connecticut.
  • There was an obituary and funeral notice in September 22 and September 24, 1953 editions of the New York Times newspaper. Excerpts:
    "Greenwich, Conn ... John A. Beach ... president of the Equine Pharmaceutical Corporation of 50 East Fifty-second Street, New York, died today at his home. His age was 49. His wife, the former Constantine Johnston, is publisher of The Greenwich Time. In addition to his wife he leaves a daughter, Camilla J. of Greenwich, and a half-brother, Charles F. Havemeyer of Cold Spring Harbor, L. I."
    "BEACH - John Alden, suddenly, at Greenwich, Conn., Sept. 22, 1953, beloved husband of Constantine Johnston Beach, father of Camilla Johnston Beach and brother of Charles F. Havemeyer. Services at ... Woodlawn Cemetery, New York City ..."
  • Ancestry.com had the Connecticut Death Index - John A. Beach passed away on September 22, 1953 in Greenwich, Fairfield County, Connecticut.
  • Lastly, there's a Havemeyer family tree on Ancestry.com, and John Alden Beach was born November 9, 1903 and passed away on September 22, 1953 in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Find A Grave website has information on Beach and his parents, Frederick and Camilla Beach, who are interred at Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York:
John Alden Beach (1903 - 1949): https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/187895988/john-alden-beach
Camilla Woodward Moss Beach (1869 - 1934): https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/128813146/camilla-woodward-beach
Frederick Ogden Beach (1856 - 1918): https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126722713/frederick-ogden-beach



Above - crop from a half page ad for President John A. Beach's Equine Pharmaceutical Corporation in New York City - in the March, 1949 issue of The Maryland Horse magazine (from the Maryland Horse Breeders Association, and the magazine is available at the Internet Archive).




(Courtesy of Les Adams)

John Wayne has his dukes on William Royle, and in the background, from L-to-R, are John Beach, Earl Askam and Olin Francis. From the Three Mesquiteers adventure, RED RIVER RANGE (Republic, 1938).



(From Old Corral collection)

Above is a re-release lobby card from Gene Autry's GOLD MINE IN THE SKY (Republic, 1938). From left to right are Smiley Burnette, Autry, a young George Montgomery (peering over Champion's saddle), partial face may be Frankie Marvin, unidentified player with his back to the camera (may be Craig Reynolds). The moustached guy on the right is John Beach. An on the far right is a partial face of Art Dillard. Crop/blowup below showing Montgomery (left) and Beach (right).





(Courtesy of Belinda Kirkhuff)

Above is a still from the Don Barry THE TULSA KID (Republic, 1940). From left to right are Matty Roubert, Fred 'Snowflake' Toones, Luana Walters, Ethan Laidlaw, George Douglas, Noah Beery Sr., John Beach and Jack Kirk.



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