Hopalong Cassidy
Hopalong Cassidy
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 8/14/2011
Hopalong was transformed into a clean-cut hero during a series of 66 popular films beginning in 1935. Milford re-wrote his earlier stories to fit the popular film conception. All of this led to a comic book series modeled after the films.
Heroes of that day were typically clad in white, especially the hat. In contrast, Hopalong Cassidy usually wore black, including his hat. Reserved, well spoken, and with a sense of fair-play, “Hoppy” was often called on to intercede when someone was taking advantage of honest citizens.
Hopalong, then spelled Hop-along, got his name in the first film after being shot in the leg. He and his horse, Topper, usually traveled the West with two companions. The younger companion was trouble prone and had a weakness for damsels in distress. The older companion was outspoken and comically awkward.
After succeeding in the movies, Hopalong Cassidy became the first Western television series on June 24, 1949. At first the old movies were edited down to television length broadcasts. The enormous success of the series made actor William Boyd a star, and he earned millions as Hopalong Cassidy. An amusement park, Hoppyland, was opened in 1951.
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