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Saddle Pals & Sidekicks



(From Old Corral collection)

Above from L-to-R are Smiley Burnette, great rider Betsy King Ross, Gene Autry at the microphone, and Frankie Darro in producer Nat Levine's cliffhanger, THE PHANTOM EMPIRE (Mascot, 1935), which is the third film collaboration of Autry and Burnette.  Their first two films were IN OLD SANTA FE (Mascot, 1934) and MYSTERY MOUNTAIN (Mascot, 1934), both of which starred Ken Maynard.



(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.



(From Old Corral collection)

Above from L-to-R are: Kermit Maynard, Smiley Burnette, Gene Autry, Fay McKenzie, Frank M. Thomas, Robert Homans, and Jack Kirk in a lobby card from SIERRA SUE (Republic, 1941). Tidbit: Frank M. Thomas was the father of Frankie Thomas, star of the cliffhanger TIM TYLER'S LUCK and TV's TOM CORBETT, SPACE CADET.



(From Old Corral collection)

Above are Jean Porter (cowboy hat and buckskin jacket), heroine Fay McKenzie (white blouse & green scarf), Edith Fellows (blue blouse), Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette. The tall galoot in the back row center is 'Cactus Mack' McPeters and a youthful singer/songwriter Johnny Bond is on the far right. Lobby card from HEART OF THE RIO GRANDE (Republic, 1942) which is among the last batch of films that Autry did at Republic prior to entering World War II service.



(From Old Corral collection)

Above - Eddie Dew with the sixgun and behind him is Smiley Burnette and Charles Miller in this lobby card from Dew's second (and last) starring film, RAIDERS OF SUNSET PASS (Republic, 1943), one of the short-lived John Paul Revere series.



(From Old Corral collection)

Above, from L-to-R are Smiley Burnette, Bud Geary, Bob Livingston, George J. Lewis and Leander de Cordova in the last film of the short-lived John Paul Revere series, THE LARAMIE TRAIL (1944).  Livingston had been working at PRC as the 'Lone Rider', but got the call to return to Republic to take over the Revere series which had initially starred Eddie Dew.



(From Old Corral collection)

After exiting Republic Pictures in 1944, Smiley was the sidekick to Charles 'Durango Kid' Starrett in 50+ films. Look close at this title lobby card from THE BLAZING TRAIL (Columbia, 1949). Charles Starrett and Smiley Burnette are left-handed - when this card was made, they reversed the image of Starrett and Smiley.



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