Roaming Range Reporter

Continued from April 2013, Smoke Signals

Reel Cowboys of Western Cinema

A Century of Silver Screen Heroes on Horseback
Number 13 in the Series

 
By Gary Eugene Brown

There was a Saturday Matinee cowboy who appealed to us kids that enjoyed rock 'em, sock 'em, all-out fights to finish between the good guy and the mustached villain. He wasn't tall in stature; however, he made up for it with his fists and horseback skills. His father was a prolific director of early B Westerns. He and his twin brother attended high school with a future major Western star known then as "Duke" Morrison. The cowboy actor featured this month was in the business over 60 years, longer than any of his peers. He was a boy actor in silent film shorts; became the youngest leading man ever in B Westerns; later settled into supporting roles when his hair was turning gray; and was a costar in a popular television series in the sunset of his life. During the height of his Western movie career, he set aside his cowboy hero persona to portray one of the most demented, sadistic roles in screen history, to the critics' amazement. The small, yet mighty Western star was known affectionately by us all as Battling

BOB STEELE

Robert and Nieta Bradbury were living in Portland, Oregon when twin sons Robert Adrian and William Curtis Bradbury were born on January 23, 1907. Their parents, being show people, toured the vaudeville circuit so the twins were often left with their paternal grandmother at the family ranch in Washington. The boys soon joined their parents as part of their act. Later the family moved to Glendale, California where the boys' father began a lengthy film career as a director and writer. In 1920, R.N. Bradbury took home movies of their two sons on vacation which led to them being distributed by Pathe Studios - Adventures Of Bill And Bob.  The two boys later became involved in high school athletics, Bob in baseball and brother Bill, the better athlete of the two, excelled in both football and track and field. Bill joined high school classmate, Marion Morrison (aka John Wayne) and played football for the USC Trojans.

Bob Bradbury quit high school in his junior year to go on location with his father or he hung around the studio trying to pick up small parts. He also took up boxing and fought a few amateur fights. Bob and Bill even formed a comedic vaudeville act, billed as "The Murdock Brothers." Bob would remain in show business; however Bill went on to become a successful California physician specializing in Gynecology and Obstetrics for clients such as Shirley Temple and Esther Williams. However, according to Bob Nareau's The 'Real' Bob Steele, a biography of the entire Bradbury family, brother Bill was asked by his father to do the singing for his high school chum, John Wayne, in a film he was directing Riders Of Destiny (1933). A third brother, James, was born in 1921. Bob as Robert N. Bradbury Jr., obtained small roles in historical westerns directed by his father, beginning with Daniel Boone Through The Wilderness (1926). According to the new book Bob Steele, Little Dynamite, by Bobby J. Copeland and Bill Russell, Oliver Drake, writer/director/producer for FBO, shared that they were planning a new Western series to star an uncast "young sensitive man" who was to be named "Bob Steele." Director R.N. Bradbury visited Mr. Drake and showed him some photos "of a kid about 19, with dark curly hair, sparkling eyes, that wouldn't stop." Drake asked the director if he could act. Bradbury replied, "He's a good actor." Drake said, "He looks good to me, and like the Bob Steele we've discussed." The director laughed and said, "I'm sure happy you like him, because he's my son." Drake commenced to change a story he had been working on for Tom Tyler and it became Bob Steele's first starring film - The Mojave Kid (1927). Bob thus became the youngest cowboy leading man in the history of Western cinema at the ripe old age of 20. In a review by Moving Picture World: "Bob proves to be a muscular lad, with a pleasing personality..." "The Mojave Kid film promises well for the series with the Western fans for the picture has snap and moves along at a good pace."
 
Bob Steele would make 20 silent westerns for FBO, Syndicate and Tiffany Studios, the last being The Oklahoma Sheriff (1930). Of these films, only A Texas Cowboy (Tiffany 1929) is available to the public today. His first "all talking" film for Tiffany was Near The Rainbows End (1930) produced for Tiffany by Trem Carr. It costarred Louise Lorraine, ex-wife of cowboy screen star Art Acord. One of the better Steele Tiffany westerns was Headin' North (1930), according to western film historian, Boyd Magers on his information packed Western Clippings website, which includes reviews of all the Steele cowboy sound films. Western Film historian Buck Rainey described the 5'5", 160 pounds, baby faced actor: "Though he did not measure up to his adversaries in stature, he compensated for this lack of the height and weight with his ability to project a strong action-adventure characterization; he was probably the best scrapper the silent westerns ever knew, regardless of the size. With his rapid-fire punches to the stomach followed by that right haymaker, he easily convinced audiences that he was the master over such big men as Charlie King or Robert Kortman." Don Miller in his Hollywood Corral said, "He looked especially good from the back, the compact, diminutive young man with exceptionally broad shoulders for his stature, swinging long looping lefts and rights with piston-like rapidity and precision. He was a welterweight contender smashing after the heavies, or heavyweights." "It was necessary for him to make the audience believe that he could knock about some huge bear of a baddie without getting squashed in the process." "It also gave every little kid hope, in a world of at times peopled with big bullies."

Bob Steele then signed with World Wide Pictures and made six B westerns beginning with South Of Santa Fe (1931). The most worthy of these films was Riders Of The Desert (1932) which featured the bad guy George Hayes who went on to become one of our must beloved sidekicks - Gabby Hayes. In 1932, Trem Carr Productions signed with Monogram Studios to distribute Bob Steele westerns. His salary was $2000 per month. He earned every penny of his salary in Hidden Valley (1932) filmed in the popular location of Lone Pine, California with the Alabama Hills and the majestic Sierra Nevada as backdrop. One particular scene was when Bob rescued his girlfriend's brother from an ancient Indian tribe. The scene called for him to climb a rope ladder up to a hovering dirigible with the injured brother on his back. Bob Steele once commented, "We did most of our own stunts too, in those days. Johnny Mack Brown, Buck Jones, Rex Bell and I did our own stunt work - at least up to the 1940s, when stuntwork really came into its own profession. At about this time, Rex Rossi began doubling for Bob and they would remain friends for life. Bob was selected as the lead in a 12 chapter, nonwestern serial for Mascot The Mystery Squadron (1933) which costarred fellow cowboy star Guinn "Big Boy" Williams. John Wayne, Bob's former high school chum, would replace him at Monogram after eight Western moving picture shows.

Following the Monogram era, Bob signed with independent producer A.W. Hackel. Even though they were low budget westerns, they were popular with the younger set. Hackle saw the financial potential in making Bob Steele westerns. Several of them were directed by his father R.N. Bradbury. The first in the 32 western series, over a four year period, was A Demon For Trouble (1934). The films of this era were action packed included humor and portrayed the hero as a happy-go-lucky, drifting cowboy. Also, it was OK for the cowboy hero to kiss the leading lady instead of his horse. As an aside, Bob was one of the few cowboy actors who did not give costar billing to a horse. The independent films were released through Supreme Pictures, Commodore and later Republic Studios. The best of the series included Big Calibre (Supreme 1935), Smokey Smith (Supreme 1935), Trail Of Terror (Supreme 1935), The Law Rides (1935) and Sundown Saunders (Supreme 1936). Bob Steele's first release at Republic was Calvary (1936). Other notable films in the series were Lightnin Crandall, Trusted Outlaw, Arizona Gunfighter, Ridin The Lone Trail and Colorado Trail, all released in 1937. The last Bob Steele film of A. W. Hackle's to be released by Republic Studios was Durango Valley Raiders (1938).
 
Earlier in 1935, Bob Steele was signed by RKO to costar in Powdersmoke Range, the first of the popular Three Mesquiteers series, created by author William Colt MacDonald. It was billed as "The Barnum and Bailey of Westerns." Bob remarked, "Anybody who rides a horse was in it." Besides Bob, it featured Harry Carey Sr., Hoot Gibson, Big Boy Williams, Tom Tyler, William Desmond, Buzz Barton, Wally Wales, Buffalo Bill Jr., Franklyn Farnum and William Farnum, all of which at one time or another, were leading men in Western films. In a few years, Bob Steele would play one of the main roles in the Three Mesquiteers series for Republic Studios.

The next move in Bob Steele's career was actually a step backwards. However, he never had a problem finding work and was one of the busiest actors in all of Hollywood. Harry S. Webb and his partner, Bernard B. Ray of Metropolitan Pictures was the bargain basement...on second thought....the cellar of the B oater studios. Some speculate that the wave of the "singing cowboy" did not fare well for Bob Steele. Regardless, he kept working in the trade while others did not. Of the eight films Bob did for Metropolitan, Wild Horse Valley (1940) appeared to be the best of the litter. Copeland and Russell in their bio on Bob Steele noted he made many "bad B-Westerns... through no fault of his own. He gave it his all regardless of the lousy products turned out by the poverty row studios that featured him." "While fans may have been disappointed in the movies, they were never disappointed in Steele's performance."

In 1939, Bob Steele had an opportunity to read for a role in a major, mainstream film based upon the novel Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck. The director was the talented Oscar winning Lewis Milestone. Produced by Hal Roach Studios, known primarily for their comedies, the film received four Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. After Bob Steele met with the director, Milestone, "Millie" to his friends, was so excited, he gleefully spouted "I've finally found my Curley!" The role of the sadistic foreman with a Napoleonic complex and overly jealous of his wife, was critically acclaimed by reviews of that period and even film enthusiasts of today: "A wonderful adaption of Steinbeck's with Lon Chaney Jr. giving a breakout performance that propelled him to stardom. Cowboy star Bob Steele also gets to show his acting chops in a supportive role of Curley." (Journal & Courier, Lafayette, IN) The scene of Curley beating up the much larger Lennie (Lon Chaney, Jr.), who wouldn't defend himself because he didn't want to hurt the much smaller man, is a gut wrenching moment in film. Also, Bob in one particular scene in the movie mounts his horse in an athletic yet nonchalant manner that was usually reserved by the finest horsemen such as the late Will Rogers, Tom Mix, Buck Jones or Ken Maynard.

Bob again landed on his feet and signed for the Billy the Kid series with PRC, a notable upgrade from Metropolitan Pictures. The films also included the silent film comedian Al "Fuzzy" St. John as his trusted sidekick. Billy The Kid Outlawed (1940), the first of six films, was a well done B western film. Bob, before all the PRC films were released, was summoned back to Republic to costar in the popular series The Three Mesquiteers. The new trio consisted of Bob Livingston as Stony Brooke, Bob Steele as Tucson Smith and Rufe Davis as Lullaby Joslin.  The first outing was Under Texas Skies (1940) which the Hollywood Reporter reported contained "the best group of entertainers of the year." Bob Livingston would leave after filming Gangs Of Sonora (1941), one of the best of the series. He would be replaced by Tom Tyler who was a part of the FBO stable of cowboy heroes, along with Fred Thomson and Bob Steele during the Golden Era of cinema. The next film in the trio series, which saw Bob moving up to the top billing, was also well received Outlaws Of Cherokee Trail (1941). Eventually Rufe Davis was replaced by Jimmy Dodd, of the future TV series Mickey Mouse Club. The last of the Three Mesquiteers films was Riders Of The Rio Grande (1943). Republic felt that they could do no more with the characters and were concentrating instead on films for Roy Rogers and Don "Red" Barry and a new series Red Ryder with Wild Bill Elliott.

Copeland and Russell, in their fine bio, on Steele reported as to how Bob Steele viewed Bob Livingston and vice versa. Livingston was not known to be overly friendly with his costars. Steele recognized that Livingston wanted to remain the top dog as he would push his horse to the limit in chase scenes in order to be out in front. Bob said, "Finally I told him 'Bob, we're running the horses a little too much, and I know why...I'm not here to compete with anybody...I'll just hold my horse back.' Then we had an understanding and that was that." "He was a hell of a guy. I enjoyed working with him. We got along fine." Bob Livingston on Steele: "Bobby Steele and I got along very well." Livingston related that he and "the little banty rooster" use to have fun at the expense of the new directors. They'd ask where their marks were going to be. Then according to Livingston, "I'd bring a shovel into the scene and dig a deep hole (where my mark was), about a foot deep and stand in it"...Bob would go and get an apple box (to stand on) and come back." "Bobby and I have always got along." Bob Steele would star in 20 of the Three Mesquitter films.

Bob's popularity in the former series led him to being signed by Monogram to costar as third billing to the legendary Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson in The Trail Blazers westerns. Bob's first film with the two aging super stars was Death Valley Rangers (1943). It, along with Westward Bound (1944), was well received. However, Maynard left the series after the third film with Bob Steele, even though he had top billing. He was replaced with Chief Thundercloud, the first "Tonto" of the silver screen, who moved to the number three slot. Sonora Stagecoach (1944) received higher than average reviews. Later that year, Hoot and Bob became a duo with Marked Trails. Trigger Law (1944) was the last of what use to be called The Trail Blazers. Bob later commented regarding Ken Maynard: "Ken was a great guy, but he had a different attitude toward the (Trail Blazers) series. Hoot and I were just having fun, but Ken acted like we were making Gone With The Wind."

Bob then made two Technicolor westerns directed by Robert Tansey who had previously directed and produced the Trail Blazers series: Wildfire (1945) and The Northwest Trail (1945) which was distributed by Screen Guild. He returned to PRC to make the last of his western films as the cowboy hero, beginning with: Navajo Kid (1945) and ending with Thunder Town (1946). Ambush Trail (1946) was considered the best of these PRC westerns. Interesting note for you trivia fans, in the last few pictures, Heaven forbid, Bob Steele joined the likes of Jack Holt and Errol Flynn by sporting a mustache. He had let it grow out for another part in a non-western.

Copeland and Russell recorded some direct quotes from other actors who worked with Bob Steele. Lois Collier (leading lady in seven Mesquitters films): "Bob was a good actor and a great horseman. He was also a practical joker - sometimes funny and sometimes not so funny." Louise Currie: "If the Encyclopedia Britannica had a category for Western Movie Stars, all that would be needed was a picture of Bob Steele." "Bob was able to meet the requirements for demanding shots, wrangle the animals, remember his lines, get the 'bad guy' and kiss the girl, all the while making it look effortless." Beatrice Gray: "You know in a two-shot the star always gets the best camera angle. Bob would take me by the shoulders and move me into the best angle and say. 'Let's get your pretty face in the camera; they've seen enough of me.' In the acting business, something like this is unheard of as most actors are always angling for the best shots." Gene Autry (laughing) said: "I always hated Bob Steele; he could out fight me and Rogers put together." Roy Rogers: "Gary Cooper was always my favorite cowboy, but Bob wasn't far behind. I agree with Gene - he could out fight us both."

For all intense purposes, Bob Steele was no longer a leading man after 1946. However, he never rested on past laurels and continued to remain employed in Hollywood as a character actor or unaccredited part in many films, often as a bad guy or just one of the nameless faces in the posse. Bob was also a prolific actor in the new medium of television. In 1946, he was selected to portray the hit man Lash Canino in Warner Brothers The Big Sleep starring Humphrey Bogart as Phillip Marlow and Lauren Bacall. His gun battle with Bogie is a film noir classic moment. However, his below average height (5'5") is magnified as he leads Bacall (5'8"), his hostage, to a get-away car. However, who really notices such things when a gangster is sticking a blue steel, Colt Police Special 38 in your back? Bob would return to play in another Bogart film, The Enforcer (1951).

Bob Steele was cast in many television shows, one being a special guest role as "Chaps Callahan", an aging, former cowboy film star on Family Affair...type casting they say! He was a frequent guest on Rawhide, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp and Walt Disney's Texas John Slaughter series. However, he is most known for his portrayal as Trooper Duffy, the self-proclaimed only survivor of the siege of the Alamo, in the popular comedy series F Troop. Copeland and Russell noted that Forrest Tucker, one of the main leads in F Troop once showed up on the set and noticed Bob Steele was not there. He was told by the director that Steele was not needed. Tucker left the set and said emphatically; "When you get Bob back. Call me." He left and the studio wasted no time in getting Trooper Duffy to return to the studio. He was in all but two of the 65 episodes during the 1965 - 67 seasons.

Other films that he was readily noticed in were Killer McCoy (1947) with Mickey Rooney; Cattle Drive (1951) with Joel McCrea; and Hang Em' High (1968) with Clint Eastwood, whom he had worked with on several of the popular Rawhide TV series. Thanks to the former classmate of he and his brother Bill, John Wayne, Bob was cast in five of the Duke's films, the first being Island In The Sky (1953) and the last Rio Lobo (1970).

On the personal side, Bob Steele was married three times. The first two were during his early cowboy film era, with both lasting only a short duration. However, Bob then married Virginia Nash Tatem on August 29, 1939 and the marriage lasted until his death. They had no children. Virginia tolerated his long standing bout with alcoholism. However, his friend, fellow actor and alcoholic Dana Andrews, convinced Bob he could quit drinking if he would only try and join AA with him. In turn, he conquered the demon rum and remained sober the last 20 years of his life. Bob was an excellent golfer and was much sought after in celebrity golf tournaments. He died of complications due to a history of emphysema and an onset of pneumonia on December 21, 1988. Bob had earlier asked his sister-in-law if his ashes could be joined with those of his twin brother Bill who had died in 1971. His urn is alongside his brothers at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery in the Columbarium of Remembrance.

Burt A. Folkart, a LA Times Staff Writer wrote an Obituary for Bob Steele two days after the actors passing: "...and by 1927, despite his small stature, was a full-blown cowboy star." "Steele possessed an icy stare with which he froze the bad guys in the black hats and his stern countenance often proved sufficient to run them out of town without the necessity of gunplay." "Although Steele deprecated his acting talents, telling a 1966 interviewer that 'I never went for all this hoop-de-do about being an actor and demanding high salaries' he possessed a talent normally suppressed by the material dealt him." "One exception was the role (of Curley)...in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men in 1939. In it he is a sadistic bully who torments a simple-minded giant (Lennie, played by Lon Chaney, Jr.). Critics called his portrayal powerful; many were astounded that an actor of his limited background could give depth to such a dark and profound role." "Films, no matter how inconsequential, had been good to him. 'When a lot of 'em (actors) were starving, I was content to do bit parts just to be active...' he said in 1966. 'Why disintegrate because of pride?"  Well said Battling Bob Steele....you had a strong work ethic and the absence of an inflated ego...can't say the same about today!

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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.

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