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14SmokeSignalsACenturyofSilverScreenHeroesonHorsebackNo.15intheSeriesByGaryEugeneBrownTheyoungmanknownasTheDothanAntelopefromasmallAlabamatownwasreveredbysportsenthusiaststhroughoutthecountry.HisathleticismalongwithhandsomefeaturesandSouthernmannerseventuallyledhimtoHollywood.Atfirstthemanwithaplainnamewasgoingtobealeadingmanorperhapsagracefulhoofer.HeplayedthemaleleadinseveralmelodramasinwhichhewasactuallypaidtomakelovetotheleadingladiesofthedayMaryPickfordJeanHarlowJoanCrawfordNormaShearerMaeWestMarionDaviesandthemysteriousGretaGarbo.HisfuturewithMGMwasassureduntilanotheryoungmancamealongandtookhisspotatthestudio.HoweverfatewassuchthathisrejectionbyMGMbenefitedthosewhopreferredhorseoperasovermushylovestoriesashewouldgoontobecomeoneofthemostreveredandlonglastingBwesternfilmheroesofalltime.Nodoubthewasalwaysagentlepersonhoweverhefoughtlikeamanpossessedrodelikethewindandwasthebestgunspinnerofthemall.AssuchwebrokeintoourpiggybanksinordertoseehislatestcowboypictureshowattheSaturdayafternoonmatinee.HewasandstillisourheroJohnHenryBrownandhiswifeHattiewelcomedJohnMackBrownintotheworldinDothanAlabamaonSeptember11904.Johnwasoneofninechildren.Eventhoughhisfatherwasarespectedbusinessmantherewaslittleextramoney.JohnrecalledhisyouthinwesternfilmhistorianBobbyJ.CopelandswellresearchedJohnnyMackBrownUpCloseandPersonalMyfatherwasamerchantinDothanbutmyspendingmoneyorextrasIwantedlikeabaseballmittandsoonIhadtoearn.TodothisIsoldpapers.OneofthepapersIsoldwaspublishedbyWilliamRandolphHearst.ThefirstpictureImadeinHollywoodco-starredMarionDaviesHearstsprotg.Youneverknowhowfaranewspapercareerwilltakeyou.Johnwasverypopularinschoolwasinvolvedindifferentathleticendeavorsperformedinschoolplayswasasuperbdancerplayedthemandolinwouldsingonoccasionandwasvotedthemosthandsomeboyoncampus.HoweverhewasmostknownforhisprowessonthegridironwhichledtohisbecominganAllStateprepstar.AssuchhewasheavilyrecruitedbybothAuburnandAlabamahoweverwithurgingfromhismotherhechoseTheCrimsonTide.JohnnyMackashewascalledbyhisschoolchumsreceivednationalattentionduringhissenioryear1925-26atAlabama.QuarterbackPooleyHubertandJohnMackBrownhalfbackanddefensivebackwerethestarsoftheteam.BrownwasselectedAll-SouthernConferenceSECFirstStringHalfBackandHubertwasfirstteamQB.HubertandBrownledtheTidetoa9and0recordshuttingouteightoftheiropponentswhilegivinguponlysevenpointsallseason.IntheirJOHNMACKBROWNHIGHNOON