Past Celebrities — 2018

Celebrities from PAST Events Include:

(Celebrities are listed in alphabetical order. The Virginian Cast Members are shown in red below.)

Randy Boone

Born January 17, 1942, Clyde Randall Boone is an actor and country music singer. He is most well known for appearing in recurring episodes of all three 90 minute western television shows that aired during the 1960s: Wagon Train, The Virginian, and Cimarron Strip.”

At age twenty, Boone co-starred in his first acting role as Vern Hodges in the 1962–1963 NBC comedy-drama It’s a Man’s World, based on the activities of four young men living on a houseboat on the Ohio River. After It’s a Man’s World, Boone’s career skyrocketed. He guest starred on The Alfred Hitchcock Hour thereafter came his three Wagon Train episodes. Boone also appeared in an episode of The Twilight Zone. In 1963, Boone also joined The Virginian cast in its second season appearing in 46 episodes over three seasons as the singing cowboy Randy Benton, a romantic interest for a time for Betsy Garth, played by Roberta Shore.   Boone composed original songs that were featured in the series. For example, in a season four episode, “The Inchworm’s Got No Wings At All”, he sang and played his song during the opening credits, and the song’s melody continued throughout the episode, adding dimension and continuity to the story.

He won the Bronze Wrangler award from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in 1966 for his acting in the episode titled “The Horse Fighter”.

While on The Virginian, he guest starred on David Janssen‘s ABC series The Fugitive. He also starred in the film Country Boy as Link Byrd, Jr., a country singer. After The Virginian, Boone guest starred on episodes of Combat!, Bonanza, and Hondo. From 1967 to 1968, Boone co-starred in the western series Cimarron Strip in the role of 25-year-old photographer Francis Wilde, who is also a part-time deputy to Marshal Jim Crown, portrayed by series star Stuart Whitman. Boone made several television appearances, including Emergency!, Kolchak: The Night Stalker and the cult movie Terminal Island in 1973. The following year, he appeared as Deputy Dickie Haycroft in the television movie Savages, and starred in Dr. Minx in 1975. His last role was as Farkas in the 1987 film The Wild Pair (also known as The Devil’s Odds), about a narcotics officer and an FBI agent.

John Buttram

The nephew of Pat Buttram, well-known actor and side kick to Gene Autry, John Buttram has made a name for himself as he carries on his Uncle’s legacy. John has emceed the Gathering of the Guns festival for many years, starting out with them in Olive Branch, Mississippi and trailing along when the event moved to Tunica. Mississippi.

Buttram is proud of the way he can imitate his Uncle Pat;s voice to the letter and is a comedian in his own right. He has been asked to be the voice in two films: Gene Autry: White Hat, Silver Screen (TV Movie documentary) in 2007.  And John’s voice can be heard in The Trail of Tears:Cherokee Legacy in 2006.
Come visit with John and listen to the tales he can tell about his Uncle Pat.

Gary Clarke

Beginning his screen career with the 1958 film Dragstrip Riot, Clarke recalls that agent Byron Griffith, who had seen him perform in Glendale, arranged for an audition that eventually led to his filling the lead role. He went on to work in other films, including How to Make a Monster, and Missile to the Moon (both 1958), Date Bait (1960), and Passion Street, U.S.A. (1964). He has said he was a contract player at Universal Pictures. In the 1960-1961 season, he appeared as Dick Hamilton in the single-season NBC television series Michael Shayne, based on the fictional private detective character created by Brett Halliday, opposite Richard Denning as the title character.[3] Afterward, he appeared as Tad Kimball, a friend of the character Jess Harper, played by Robert Fuller, in the episode “The Fatal Step” of the NBC Western series Laramie.

Clarke played Steve Hill in the cast of the long-running TV Western series The Virginian, remaining on the show from 1962 to 1964. His last series as a cast-member was the 1967 ABC Western Hondo, playing Captain Richards.

Clarke said in an interview that his friend and co-star Steve Ihnat and he wrote the screenplay for director Ted V. Mikels‘ film Strike Me Deadly (1963),  though the film’s credits list only Ihnat and Mikels. Later that decade, Clarke under his birth name, Clarke L’Amoreaux, wrote several scripts for the NBC espionage sitcom Get Smart, which introduced the running character Hymie the Robot.  

In the 1980s and 1990s, he wrote and produced television public-service announcements including Youth at Risk, narrated nonfiction short films including Promoting Healthy Behavior, and appeared in TV series including Dynasty and The Young Riders, in which he had a four-episode recurring role. His films in the 2010s include The Paperboy (2012) and Parkland (2013).

In 2014, the production company L’Amoreaux/Bartlett/Race/Thomas sought actors for an independent TV pilot, Bandits and Tadpoles, written by Bartlett and Thomas and directed by Clarke, about a young boy whose daydreams put him in the American Old West of the Owen Wister novel The Virginian. It filmed June 26–30, 2014, near Austin, Texas, under the title Billy and the Bandit, with a cast including James Drury and Roberta Shore, from Clarke’s old series The Virginian; eleven-year-old Jordan Elsass as Billy; Ava L’Amoreaux and Donny Boaz as his parents; and Buck Taylor as a ranch foreman.

Joe Cannon

Joe Cannon was born Jean Peloquin. He was discovered on the backlot at Universal Studios in 1967 when he sang his way onto The Virginian TV series with a song he wrote for his dad called “Mr Painter Paint My Dad”. He was a regular on the show and wrote several songs for the show until the series went off the air in 1969.

He appeared on the Grand Old Opry in Nashville and later he was managed by OMAC artists (Buck Owens) in Bakersfield. In 1971 Jean became Joe Cannon when he recorded for Lee Hazlewood. Joe lived with Lee in Sweden while Lee put the finishing touches on a movie he produced called Smoke where Joe’s album was the soundtrack for the movie. Joe returned to the Bay Area where he became a big draw and well known performer at the Tarr and Feathers and also performed a dozen national anthems for the 49ers professional football games. Joe is a favorite on the well known Portola and Rancheros Rides in California as well as currently being engaged for parties at yacht clubs, casinos and other venues.

Eventually Joe found his way to Sun Valley, ID and became a fixture on the après-ski circuit in the valley for about 20 years with his quick wit, thousand song repertoire, and impersonations. His reputation as a great entertainer continues to today. Joe continues to pack the house in Sun Valley and wherever he goes.

Don Collier

Don has made over 200 credited movie and television appearances. He has performed with John WayneRobert MitchumAnthony QuinnDean MartinTom SelleckJames Arness, and even Elvis Presley. His first role was as an extra in 1948 in the western Massacre River (1949). This was followed by two more westerns — Davy Crockett, Indian Scout (1950) and Fort Apache (1948) with John Wayne. Don later appeared in three more John Wayne movies. In 1959, Don won the leading role of U.S. Deputy Marshal Will Foreman in the NBC series, Outlaws (1960). Starring with Don was Barton MacLane and Jock Gaynor. The second season of Outlaws (1960) found Will Foreman as a full-fledged Marshal. New characters were played by Bruce YarnellSlim Pickens, and Judy Lewis. Don kept busy appearing on all the other western TV shows, such as Bonanza (1959), Gunsmoke (1955), Wagon Train (1957), Branded (1965), and Death Valley Days (1952). In 1968, he was cast as the foreman of the ranch The High Chaparral (1967) in David Dortort‘s latest western series of the same name. Working alongside a extremely talented and experienced cast, Don’s portrayal of Sam Butler was fundamental to the success of the highly acclaimed show, which ran until 1971.

But he wasn’t yet done with the old west. Even his commercials took advantage of his cowboy persona, when he became a 1980s icon as The Gum Fighter for Hubba Bubba Bubble Gum. More movies and TV kept him busy. Then he went further back in time when he was called on play the recurring role of William Tompkins in The Young Riders (1989) (1989-1992). Don continued to guest star on TV in and out of the west in Little House on the Prairie(1974), two made-for-TV Gunsmoke movies (Gunsmoke: To the Last Man (1992) and Gunsmoke: One Man’s Justice (1994)), a made-for-TV Bonanza movie (Bonanza: Under Attack (1995)), Banacek (1972), The Waltons (1971), Highway to Heaven (1984) and such big-screen movies as Tombstone (1993).

He worked on a western radio drama series titled West of the Story and was sidekick to Fred Imus on Sirius Radio’s weekly show, Fred’s Trailer Park Bash until Imus’ death in 2011. As of 2016, Don remains active with public appearances at Western and nostalgia shows and the 50th Anniversary of The High Chaparral event hosted in Sept. 2017 in Hollywood.

Alex Cord

A festival favorite, who never ceases to please his fans, Alex is a true cowboy with a rodeo background. Today he resides in Texas on his working horse ranch and is a popular published author.

Mr. Cord starred in a wide range of film and television roles on both sides of the law. He first appeared in a role on lifelong friend Robert Fuller’s Laramie series. However, it was his third big screen role that garnered attention as the ‘Ringo Kid’ in the 1966 Stagecoach remake.  In 1977 he garnered accolades for his sympathetic role as Grayeagle alongside Ben Johnson, Jack Elam, Iron Eyes Cody, and Paul Fix. His role as Michael Coldsmith Briggs III – aka “Archangel” – in the TV series Airwolf gained Alex a whole new generation of fans. He has also added the title of author to his resume and has several awards and nominations for both film and stage work. In 2001 Alex was a proud recipient of the Golden Boot Award.

James Drury

Starting his film career in small roles at M-G-M, it was at 20th Century Fox that Jim started to be noticed by fans in films like, Forbidden Planet and The Last Wagon. In his next film, Love Me Tender, he played one of the Reno brothers alongside Richard Egan and Elvis Presley, in his first film role. On television he guest starred on many westerns such as, Broken Arrow, The Texan, Bronco,  Have Gun Will Travel, Cheyenne, The Rebel, The Rifleman, and Lawman, just to name a few. During this time Disney Studios took noticed and cast him in several projects including, The Nine Live of Elfago Baca, Toby Tyler, Pollyanna, and Ten Who Dared.
In 1962 Jim appeared in the film classic Ride the High Country alongside western legends Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea. That same year would bring fame and great appreciation of fans all over the world when Jim was cast as The Virginian, which ran for ine seasons and 249 episodes ending its run under the name, The Men from Shiloh in 1971.
In 1991 he was recognized for his contributions by being inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers, at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, in Oklahoma City.

Michael Druxman

Michael B. Druxman (born February 23, 1941) is a screenwriter. His scripts for B-movie producer Roger Corman include Cheyenne Warrior (1994) with Kelly PrestonDillinger and Capone (1995) starring Martin Sheen and F. Murray Abraham and The Doorway (2000) with Roy Scheider, which he also directed. Druxman is also the author of one-person plays, including Lombard and Jolson.

Additionally, Michael is the author of several non-fiction works about Hollywood, it’s movies and the people who make them, including Basil Rathbone: His Life and His Films, The Art of Storytelling: How To Write A Story… Any Story, and Make It Again, Sam: A Survey of Movie Remakes, plus two novels, Nobody Drowns in Mineral Lake and Shadow Watcher.

His memoirs, My Forty-Five Years in Hollywood and How I Escaped Alive, were published in August 2010, by Bear Manor Media. Druxman has been married to Sandra Moss since April 29, 2001.

Ken Farmer

Ken has so many talents it’s hard to describe him. Is he a successful actor who writes, or a successful writer who acts? The answer is both, however along with co-author Buck Stienke, Ken has written almost a dozen books – probably exceeding that number by the time you read this. Most notable is his work with the Black Eagle Force and The Nations series of books, as well as a successful writer for screen and television.
His screen and television roles include his memorable gun down as Deputy Kyle by Kevin Costner in Silverado, as well as appearances in Uncommon Valor, Friday Night Lights,  Another Pair of Aces: Three of a Kind, Dallas, and Walker, Texas Ranger. Ken’s great sense of humor makes him a favorite with fans and peers alike.

 

 

 

 

Clu Gulager

Making his first festival appearance at the Spirit of the Cowboy Festival, Clu appeared in many early TV western classics including, Wanted Dead or Alive, Have Gun – Will Travel, Laramie, The Rebel, Wagon Train, and Audie Murphy’s only TV series, Whispering Smith. In 1961, he was signed to play William Bonney, aka Billy the Kid to Barry Sullivan’s Pat Garrett for 75 episodes of The Tall Man on NBC. In 1966, Clu was added to the cast of The Virginian, for its third season as Deputy Sheriff Emmett Ryker, where he rode with the men of Shiloh for four seasons through most of season six.

Clu continued to guest star in dozens of television presentations including TV westerns like, Bonanza, Kung Fu, The Gambler, The North and the South, Book II, and Walker Texas Ranger. His numerous films include, The Last Picture Show, The Killers, Winning, Molly and Lawless John, and McQ with John Wayne. In 1985, Clu gained a whole new era of fans when he appeared in the cult classic, The Return of the Living Dead. In 1999, he appeared as Bar 20 Ranch owner Buck Peters in a one shot film about Hopalong Cassidy called Gunfighter.

Most recently, Clu has been appearing in films for his oldest son director John Gulager, starting with Feast whose executive producers included Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Wes Craven. Their last collaboration was the 2012 comedy/horror film Piranha 3DD, alongside David Hasselhoff, Christopher Lloyd, and Gary Busey.

 

James Hoffpauir

James Hoffpauir and Bob Terry

James Hoffpauir is an actor and director, known for Hero In The Rain (2005), Truth or Fiction (2011), and Sundown (2013). He has written, directed, acted, and produced lasting and innate messages throughout his work. James is a perfectionist. In 2012 he founded his own production company called Crossroads Live. Hoffpauir has interviewed many well know stars such as Robert Fuller, Alex Cord, Michael Dante, and many others.  His interviews can be seen on his facebook page “Crossroads Live Show with Jim and Debbie.”

L.Q. Jones

In his 1955 film debut in Battle Cry, he was credited under his birth name Justus E. McQueen. His character’s name in that film, however, was “L. Q. Jones”, a name he liked so much he decided to adopt as his stage name for all of his future roles as an actor. Mr. Jones appeared in numerous films in the 1960s and 1970s. He became a member of Sam Peckinpah‘s stock company of actors, appearing in his Klondike series (1960–1961), Ride the High Country (1962), Major Dundee (1965), The Wild Bunch (1969), The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970), and Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid (1973).

Jones was frequently cast alongside his close friend Strother Martin, most memorably as the posse member and bounty hunter “T. C.” in The Wild Bunch. Jones also appeared as recurring characters on such western series as Cheyenne (1955), Gunsmoke (1955), Laramie, Two Faces West (1960–1961), and as ranch hand Andy Belden in The Virginian (1962). He was cast in the military drama series Men of Annapolis, on the CBS western Johnny Ringo, and on the NBC western Jefferson Drum. He made two guest appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of con artist and murder victim Charles B. Barnaby in the 1958 episode “The Case of the Lonely Heiress.” He also appeared in an episode of The A-Team titled “Cowboy George” and two episodes of The Fall Guy as Sheriff Dwight Leclerc.

Jones directed, was the executive producer, and adapted the screenplay for the cult post-apocalyptic film, A Boy and His Dog (1975). Other films include Men in War (1957), The Naked and the Dead (1958), Flaming Star (1960), Cimarron (1960), Hell Is for Heroes (1962), Hang ‘Em High (1968), Stay Away, Joe (1968), The Brotherhood of Satan (1971), which he co-produced and wrote, Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan (1975) Lone Wolf McQuade (1983), The Edge (1997) The Mask of Zorro (1998), and A Prairie Home Companion (2006).

Jones has continued to work in Hollywood, and as the lines on his craggy face have deepened, he turns up more frequently as crusty old westerners, especially in multiple TV guest spots. He turned in an interesting performance as a seemingly good ol’ boy Nevada cowboy who was actually a powerful behind-the-scenes player in state politics who leaned on Robert De Niro‘s Las Vegas mob gambler in Martin Scorsese‘s violent and powerful Casino (1995).

Sara Lane

Born to actor James Rusty Lane and Sara Anderson on March 12, 1949 Susan Russell Lane had minimal acting lessons before she was cast on The Virginian (1962). In 1965 Sara was a teen co-star playing Kit Austin in the thriller, I Saw What You Did, acting alongside Joan Crawford and John Ireland. Ms. Lane was in The Trial of Billy Jack (1974) in the role of Russell which she reprised in Billy Jack Goes To Washington in 1977.

After she retired from acting, she and her husband became joint owners of Havens Wine Cellars in Napa Valley. She has a daughter, Sara Scott, and an adopted son, James Scott. She now works with children with various types of problems.

 

 

Charlie LeSueur

A performer most of his life Charlie LeSueur began as a teen playing with several popular rock bands in the Phoenix, AZ area. Charlie moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to become part of a popular children’s show, Hotel Balderdash. Traveling between California, Utah and Arizona, Charlie performed in film and on television in various projects until settling in Arizona with his wife, Dawn, and their six children. Soon after adding one more member to the family. LeSueur is our lead moderator for the Cowboy Way MayFest Celebrity Question and Answer sessions.

In 1992, Charlie had the opportunity that would change his life forever when he became permanent moderator of the celebrity panels at the Festival of the West in Arizona. From there he gained a reputation for his skills and is now invited to moderate panels throughout the country. In 1998, he wrote his first book, The Legends Live On: Interviews with the Cowboy Stars of the Silver Screen, (updated in 2015 and officially available only on Kindle). 2014, was a big year for Charlie when he became Arizona’s Official Western Film Historian and had his bootprints added to the wall of fame in the Apacheland Movie Set “Audie Murphy Barn,” which has been relocated to the Superstition Mountain Museum. In 2015, Charlie became a fellow at the Smithsonian affiliated Scottsdale’s Museum of the West where he presents monthly programs on the subject. When not performing at the museum and other venues throughout the country Charlie still continues to act in film projects and teaches classes on western film as a college course.

 Boyd Magers

Knowledgeable about all phases of Western films, over the last 35 years Boyd Magers has moderated over 250 Western celebrity guest star discussion panels at Western festivals all over the country. Mr. Magers will be moderating a Q & A Session each day at the 2018 Cowboy Way MayFest. From 2009 to 2015 Boyd originated and co-sponsored ‘A Gathering of Guns’ for the Memphis Film Festival. Following and during a 16 year career in radio, Boyd began to contribute articles on Westerns to various publications. In 1977 he established VideoWest which soon became the most respected source for Western movies and TV episodes on video for over 35 years. From 1987 to 1994 Magers contributed a regular column on Westerns to “The Big Reel” and “Classic Images” and contributed articles to several others. He’s also provided research data and material to over 50 books and several TV/video documentaries. Boyd wrote hundreds of B-Western film reviews used in “Video Movie Guide” and Leonard Maltin’s “Classic Movie Guide”. In 1994 he began self-publishing “Western Clippings which has become the primary source and authority for thousands of Western readers. He also maintains his website, www.westernclippings.com.  Boyd’s first book, Westerns Women, was published in 1999 and was followed by Ladies of the Westerns, So You Want to See Cowboy Stuff, The Films of Audie Murphy, Best of the Bad Men, Gene Autry Westerns, and B-Western Movie Reviews Vol. 1-3. He’s very proud to present what has been acknowledged as the ultimate book on TV Westerns, A Gathering of Guns: A Half Century History of TV Westerns.

Don Quine

Don Quine was born on September 11, 1938 in Fenville, Michigan. As a college student he discovered that acting rather than medicine, held more interest for him. Quine utilised a scholarship to the University of Colorado in Boulder as a pre-med student, but his heart was not in his studies and he audition for the American Theatre Wing in New York City. After being accepted, he later studied, at the Neighborhood Playhouse and landed the role of Tom Stark in the off–broadway premiere of Robert Penn Warren’s award winning All the King’s Men. He also acted with Julie Harris in the TV production of Ethan Frome. Don then moved to Hollywood where he did guest starring roles in TVs Dr. Kildare, Rawhide, The Fugitive, and 12 O’Clock High. The role of tough guy Joe Chernak on Peyton Place gained Don further recognition and was responsible for his becoming the new young star of the classic television western The Virginian, playing the role of Stacy Grainger as it was going into its fifth season. Other guest starring appearances include Hawaii 5-0 and Torch Song with Raquel Welch. In the late 1970s Don segued from acting to becoming a promoter of full contact karate with a decade long running show on ESPN called PKA Karate, the Kick of the 80s. Mr. Quine is also a writer, currently working on his Novel.

Julie Ann Ream

Julie Ann Ream shares her memories of a bygone era when Western music, movies, and television shows made in the San Fernando Valley were king. She is a writer, historian, and producer of live events and Western Award Shows. Ms. Ream currently works with many museums around the United States, assisting in their Western preservation endeavors, most notably the San Fernando Valley Relics Museum, which houses a display of her famous family.

Her Grandfather, Taylor “Cactus Mack” McPeters was a cowboy, stuntman, musician, and actor who worked as a sidekick to Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. He appeared in over 300 films and television shows, including most of John Wayne’s B westerns. Julie’s Uncles, Glenn Strange and Rex Allen also had far reaching careers. Rex, the “Arizona Cowboy” had a voice that is still treasured in narrations he did for Walt Disney. Glenn Strange was a stuntman, musician, and cowboy before becoming an actor. He is best known for his role as the Lone Ranger’s nemesis, “Butch Cavendish” and “Sam, the Bartender” in the long running series Gunsmoke.

Raised between Hollywood and Arizona, Julie Ann Ream is a Hollywood insider and consummate storyteller. Her support of everything to do with Cowboys as well as film and television history helps preserve this important genre for future generations.

Don “Little Brown Jug” Reynolds

Don “Little Brown Jug” Reynolds was once billed as the “World’s Smallest Cowboy”. He was in the saddle almost from the time he was out of diapers and made his first public appearance in 1939 at age two in a rodeo in Eric, Oklahoma. Don went on to travel the rodeo circuit throughout US/Canada with his Father, Fess Reynolds. His father enrolled him in the Turtles organization (the founding organization of the current PRCA) and Don is the youngest surviving member which numbers about ten or so.

In 1943, Fess was competing in Madison Square Garden. “Jug” was unable to participate due to child labor laws but he was allowed to practice his act. It so happened young Reynolds was practicing in the arena at the same time as Roy Rogers and Trigger, the starring act. Roy invited the Reynolds to come to California promising he would get Jug into the movies. At age seven Don made his first movie, Yellow Rose of Texas, with Roy. Don made many movies with various stars and was the last to play “Little Beaver” in the final four Red Rider/Little Beaver movies. He retired from movies in his mid-teens.

Jug’s father taught him the family business—to train animals for rodeos, movies, and commercials. Reynolds has worked with many different animals over the years including his final job in New Zealand for the movie series Lord of the Rings. Don spent almost a year training “Shadowfax”, the beautiful white horse of the good wizard, Gandalf, which had to be ridden without bridle or saddle and had to learn many tricks and routines that were featured in the series.

Jug is now retired and lives in Bowie, Texas where he works at perfecting the art of “doing nothing”.

Diane Roter

An American actress best known for her appearances in the long-running TV western The Virginian, Diane Roter appeared in its fourth season, which ran from 1965 to 1966. Next Diane appeared in an episode of Laredo which was a spin-off from The Virginian series in 1966 and later appeared in an episode of the TV show Family Affair in 1969. She is also known as Danielle and made appearances in television and film from 1959 until 1970.

Currently Diane Roter is a professional writer, actor, director, critic and arts journalist. Also, she is a certified teaching artist. Diane has also worked as an editor, computer tutor, algebra teacher, writing and performance coach and a political organizer. She is as also known as Dani Roter.

On The Virginian, she played the character of Jennifer Sommers, Judge Henry Garth’s (Lee J. Cobb) niece. She joined the show taking the place of Betsy Garth (Roberta Shore) who left the show in the previous season. Her time in the TV series was cut short when Lee J. Cobb left the series before his contract was completed in the middle of the fourth season. Jennifer Sommers’ character was independent, confident, sharing and she helped others in her day to day activities. She was left “home alone” many times as Judge Garth made business trips preparing to become the new Wyoming Territory Governor.

Roberta Shore

Roberta Shore is a retired American actress and performer. As a child, she was cast as the Yodeler for It’s a Small World. She co-starred in several Walt Disney productions featuring the Mouseketeers and thus came to be associated with them even though she was not actually a Mouseketeer. Roberta appeared as Annette Funicello‘s rival Laura Rogan in Annette‘s self-titled series and as French-speaking Franceska in The Shaggy Dog (1959).

Aside from Disney, Shore had a featured role in the 1959 screen version of Blue Denim, duetting with Warren Berlinger, and an uncredited cameo appearance in A Summer Place as Sandra Dee‘s gossipy schoolmate Anne Talbert. Later she played Ricky Summers in the 1960 movie Because They’re Young, Jenny Bell in The Young Savages (1961), and in an uncredited role as Lorna in Stanley Kubrick‘s 1962 version of Lolita.

Shore’s television credits include appearances on Playhouse 90, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Donna Reed Show, The Lawrence Welk Show (a singing appearance in 1959),[1] several Western series including Maverick, Wagon Train, The Tall Man, and Laramie, and regular roles on Father Knows Best (as Joyce, Bud Anderson’s girl friend), The New Bob Cummings Show and The Virginian.

Shore featured prominently as a series regular within the first three seasons of The Virginian as Betsy Garth, the daughter of Shiloh Ranch owner Judge Garth played by Lee J. Cobb. After the mid-1960s, Shore did little in the way of movies or television. In 1962, she starred alongside Candy Moore in a failed television pilot Time Out for Ginger. She reemerged in 1984 as a radio disc jockey and program host in Salt Lake City, Utah.

 Dean Smith

Dean Smith
Dean Smith

Born in Breckenridge, TX, Dean spent his early years on his grandparents’ ranch. Here he learned his duties as a ranch hand and the rewards being close to the soil and animals can bring. Dean spent Saturdays at the local movie house watching his cowboy heroes—Gene Autry, Monte Hale and Roy Rogers who left a lasting impression on young Dean and eventually led him into the film business.

After Dean’s hitch in the Army he met a young fellow named James Baumgarner who was doing small parts in TV westerns at the time. This interested Dean very much as his thoughts drifted back to those wonderful days of watching his cowboy heroes. In the Fall of ‘57 Dean moved to California and looked up his old friend, now renamed James Garner. With Garner’s help it was not long before Dean was at work in his first film, Born Reckless, a rodeo yarn with Jeff Richards and Mamie Van Doren.

Soon, Dean found himself in Sonora, CA, doubling for Dale Robertson who would become a life long friend. At the height of the TV western boom Dean’s credit sheet was indeed impressive with work on Maverick, Gunsmoke, Iron Horse, Virginian, Bat Masterson, Outcasts, The F.B.I., Tall Man, Have Gun Will Travel, Riverboat, Ironside, Zorro, Texas John Slaughter, Cimarron City, Wagon Train, Laramie, Lawman and dozens of others.

Dean’s ability and likable personality had him on a steady rise in Hollywood. He soon moved into bigtime feature films—Cheyenne Autumn, Rio Bravo, Rio Lobo, The Alamo, Ulzana’s Raid, “Macintosh and T.J., The Undefeated, Big Jake, Rio Conchos, and A Distant Trumpet. In 1974, Dean had his first starring role as Kit Carson in the family film, Seven Alone.

Justifiably proud, Mr. Smith earned a gold medal in 1952 at the Helsinki Winter Olympics medaling in the 400 meter relay. Dean, also played pro for L.A. Rams in 1957.

One of the best western stuntmen ever in the film business, Dean is also adept at fights, high falls, cars, fire gags and all other tricky things a top stuntman is called upon to perform. He is an honorary member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association along with many other accolades. Dean and his horse, Sunday, perform at rodeos and dozens of charity events around the country each year. In the tradition of his cowboy heroes, he always has time for an autograph or photo with his admirers.

Bob Terry, Master of Ceremonies

James Hoffpauir and Bob Terry

Bob Terry is an actor and sought after TV personality. He is the host of several television shows including Western Theater, Cowboy Cliffhangers, and Tales From Tombstone. He has also appeared as a special guest on other TV shows, among these is the Carley Twisselman TV series This Old Horse. Bob along with his wife Johnie, starred in and hosted the Ride TV Christmas Special Christmas with Bob Terry. Additionally he is a talented performer, writing and performing western music.

Bob is CEO of Wild West Toys, an American toy manufacturing company featured in episodes of the Texas Country Reporter and How It’s Made TV shows. Bob is founder and President of Westerns On The Web Productions, providing thousands of hours of classic western films for free online viewing and producing original online western entertainment, such as the classic style western series Sundown and the mystery series Lost Treasures of the Old West. www.WesternsChannel.com a subscription channel dedicated to Westerns, is Bob’s most recent endeavor.

Bob is very dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Classic American Western Films and the values these films project. With thousands of western films in his collection Bob provides TV networks and other venues with western movies and television show episodes.

Bob and his wife Johnie live in North Texas in the log home they built. They have been married since 1988 and have 3 children and 1 granddaughter. Together they play music at churches and western gatherings. Their hobbies include collecting old west antiques.