Reel Cowboys of Western Cinema

A Century of Silver Screen Heroes on Horseback

By Gary Eugene Brown

This is number 2 in a series of brief bios of those popular, cowboy movie leading men from William S Hart to Kevin Costner, idolized by youngsters who attended the Saturday afternoon matinees. I was one of them.

TOM MIX

Contrary to a studio publicist, Tom Mix, the "Idol of every boy in the world", wasn't born in El Paso, Texas, nor did he fight in the Boer War, wasn't a Texas Ranger and didn't ride alongside Pancho Villa in the Mexican Revolution. However, the fascinating life he lived didn't need embellishment.

Born Thomas Hezekiah Mix in Mix Run, Pennsylvania on January 6, 1880, Tom grew up the son of a teamster in Du Bois, PA. This enabled him to learn the ways of the horse while fantasizing about being a cowboy on the open range. Tom eventually migrated to the West - Oklahoma - where he served as a physical fitness trainer, bartender, Drum Major for the Oklahoma Calvary Band and Night Marshall of Dewey, before joining the historic Miller Brothers 101 Ranch and Wild West Show. It was at the 101 where Tom's popularity took off like a rocket. Even though he became a top hand and rodeo star, it was his charming, "aw shucks" personality and matinee idol looks that captured the interest of the Easterners vacationing at the ranch.

The 101 was the jumping off point for many future cowboy heroes. Those who called the Ponca City ranch home were Will Rogers, Hoot Gibson, Charles Gebhart (Buck Jones), Art Acord, Jack Hoxie and the legendary Bill Pickett. Once when the ranch hands were passing the time away, Bill Pickett vaulted off his horse onto a steer, grabbed the horns and wrestled it to the ground. Bill then sunk his teeth into the lower lip of the bovine, let's go of the horns and lifts his arms in victory, holding the steer down with only his teeth. This prompted Tom to say....."I can do that!"  He mounted up, rode a steer down, jumped on it and took it to the ground, sunk his teeth into the steer's lip while letting go of the horns and looked back at his pards for approval. Then the steer, shook his head, knocking out Tom's front teeth. During his Hollywood career, his million dollar smile was really only worth the price of store bought dentures.

In 1909, Col. William Selig of the Selig Polyscope Company, received permission from the Millers to film Ranch Life in the Great Southwest. Tom, who was the stock wrangler, wrangled a part in the production. Tom photographed so well that Selig signed him to a contract. He stayed with Col. Selig from 1910 to 1917. Tom realized he was a bankable star and was deserving of making pictures with a larger budget, so he signed a contract with William Fox. It was the beginning of a long term relationship beneficial to both parties. Fox could always count on Tom Mix westerns making money so that his studio could produce melodramas that were not as popular at the box office.

Contrary to the stoic, realist William S Hart who preferred to wear traditional cowboy attire. The jocular Tom Mix wore specially designed (by him) flashy outfits that a working cowboy could not afford. No doubt, he was a showman who enjoyed the limelight; however Tom always felt more at home with the Gower Gulch cowboys than the highbrow, aristocratic neighbors in Beverly Hills that his third wife Victoria preferred.

Tom's films were a delight for young and old alike. He would utilize humor, select panoramic, background locations and perform amazing stunts on Tony, the Wonder Horse. Even though the dangerous stunts resulted in many injuries, his $17,000 per week salary minimized the pain considerably. Known to drink, smoke and utter an occasional curse word, Tom would never do so on film or where there were children present. Tom Mix got it! He clearly understood, that like it or not, he was a role model to children who saw his photoplays. Some of the best Fox films, available on DVD, are: Sky High, Just Tony, Riders of the Purple Sage, The Great K&A Train Robbery and The Last Trail.

In 1928, Fox Studios and Tom became embroiled in a major contract dispute. The studio bureaucrats tried to make their number 1 star drastically reduce his production budgets. As result, Tom left the studio he helped build and signed a contract with Joseph P Kennedy (father of JFK), the head of FBO studios, to make silent westerns. However, the quality of the movies could not compare with the Fox films. Tom realized it was time to join the sawdust trail in the tradition of Buffalo Bill. Tom joined the Sells Floto Circus and discovered what he enjoyed most - performing for his many fans that still considered him King of the Cowboys. Later, Tom would establish his own circus, however after a few seasons; bad weather, corrupt government officials, competition and creditors on his tail, eventually took its toll.

Universal Studios in 1932, asked Tom to star in 9 sound westerns. He was assured they would be first rate cowboy films, and first rate, for the most part, they were. The best of the series were Destry Rides Again, The Rider of Death Valley and Texas Bad Man. Also, My Pal the King is of interest in that Tom gave boyish Mickey Rooney his first costarring role in a full length film and Tom was able to showcase his Tom Mix Circus and Wild West Show.

In 1935, Nat Levine, of Mascot Studios, wanted the still popular cowboy star to come back to tinsel town and make a 15 chapter serial - The Miracle Rider. Tom, now 55, was feeling the aches from his many injuries. He still cut a dashing figure on Tony Jr.; however there were some stunts he shouldn't attempt so he consented to using a double on the horse stunts. The million dollar production was very popular among the Saturday Matinee set. However, it would be Tom Mix's last film and so he returned to the circus life until the late 30s.

On October 12, 1940, while driving north on the old highway between Tucson and Phoenix in his customized 1937 Cord, Tom came over a rise and saw a crew working on the road. Driving too fast, to avoid killing some of the workers, he turned sharply, flipped his car thereby breaking his neck. The King of the Cowboys was dead.....long live the new King.

Adela Rogers St. Johns (ARSJ), Hollywood columnist, reporter and screenwriter, shared about being invited on Sunday afternoons to join Tom Mix and William S Hart in visits to the home of the legendary, lawman Wyatt Earp. She said the three larger than life heroes would sit around sipping whiskey, discussing their two favorite subjects - Shakespeare and Jesus. ARSJ, who wrote two of Mix's screenplays, in describing Tom, remarked "....how truly the man was 'in character' always, whether on the screen or off. That is what made him so delightful and easy to write for. You wrote him as he was, as he lived."
            

For further information: Tom Mix by Paul E. Mix, McFarland & Co.; The Amazing Tom Mix by Richard Jensen and The Tom Mix Book by Merle "Bud" Norris.

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GARY E BROWN
is the retired Police Chief of Monterey, CA; Ashland, OR and San Clemente. However, his avocation is collecting western art and memorabilia including many Tom Mix items. Tom Mix was his father's hero, so he is Gary's as well. Gary wrote an article on Tom Mix for The National Film & Collectors Magazine - Hollywood Studio Magazine, as well as a recent article on Tom Mix's final day for American Cowboy magazine. He has also written articles on the Western Photoplays of the Golden Era and lectured on the Western Heroes of the Silver Screen. He can be reached at montereycowboy@hotmail.com or found, most mornings, at his son Jordan's Mavericks Coffee House in Visalia, CA....the site of "possibly the best coffee in the world" with walls of vintage cowboy movie posters and a collection of 66 original, autographed photos of yesterday's cowboy heroes.