Milano Hats
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 2/19/2012
Milano had learned from some of the top hatters of the time and thus insisted on the highest quality for his own hats. Genuine leather has always been used for the sweatbands inside the hats. Even the less expensive hats have buffed leather for added comfort.
One year after opening the Milano Hat Company, Milano signed a licensing agreement with Larry Mahan. This gave Milano the opportunity to sell some of his Western hats under the name of Larry Mahan’s Hat Collection, with his own Milano Hat Company trademark.
It was 1990 when Milano introduced the line he called “Justin Authentic Headwear.” While the fur and felt hats of earlier days had temporarily gone out of fashion, in 1992, they made a return to Milano’s line. They remain popular because of their high quality and comfort.
In 2004, the Dorfman Pacific Company of Stockton, California purchased the Milano Hat Company, making it a subsidiary of Dorfman Pacific. It remains thus today. Because of the merger, the Milano brand has been able to expand. In 2006, they purchased a 63,000 square foot building to become their headquarters in Garland, TX. In spite of the increased size and demand, Milano continues to be a name synonymous with high quality, unique finishes, and special styles in hats.
Serratelli Hats
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 2/13/2012
Raw materials are collected for making the hat, whether it is wool, fur, or both. The materials are organized by color and texture, to ensure continuity. Binders are added to the material. It is then pressed into a flat round brim. Another piece of material is shaped over a mandrel and sewn to the rounded frame.
After being sown together, the hat can be dyed to the requested color. When the material is not as uniform in shade, darker dyes will be used. When the material is more uniform, it is possible to dye the hat a lighter color. Because lighter hats require more work and inspection, they usually cost more.
The dyed and dried hat can then be left 10-gallon style or be creased to add more shape to the top. The hat is then steamed to solidify the shape in both the crown and brim. After it cools, the sweatband, lining, and trim are added as finishing touches.
Serratelli Hats sell their hats with a coded system of X’s. The more X’s there are, the higher the quality of the hat. For example, the 1,000X Entre III is the finest, smoothest, and most durable cowboy hat available. It is made of the best quality fur possible. Serratelli Hats continue to sell well in the United States and seem to have no end in sight for their longstanding history and reputation.
Wrangler Jeans
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 2/6/2012
As the fledgling company grew, the need for a real factory led the owners to build a new one. An old story explains why the company then changed its name. The legend tells that some railroad workers gave Hudson a bell when they bought some overalls at the Hudson store.
The bell, after a while inside the factory, became covered with blue denim dust, thus becoming a “blue bell.” When the Hudson Company moved to the new factory, they changed the name to Blue Bell Overall Company, inspired by the bell.
In 1943, Blue Bell bought out a competitor called Casey Jones. This gave Blue Bell the rights to Casey Jones’ brand name “Wrangler.” The owners of Blue Bell wanted to make some jeans specifically for rodeo use and hired Bernard Lichtenstein, also known as “Rodeo Ben,” to develop these jeans. Bernard was a Polish tailor who took on the task with flair, working with cowboys to find out what they needed and wanted in their jeans.
The Wrangler jeans, known and loved today, were the result of this project. In 1947, the 11MWZ style (shortly thereafter renamed 13MWZ) became available for sale and has not stopped selling since. Wrangler has since developed several other lines for specific demographics. Among these other lines are Riggs, Aura, and 20X. Wrangler is now sold in 22 European countries and continues to be popular in the U.S., as Wrangler keeps up with the latest trends, while still holding true to its heritage.
History of Justin Boots
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 1/26/2012
In 1889, ten years later, a railroad was built through Nocona, Texas. H.J., seeing the business opportunity, took his family and moved out there to take advantage of the railway trade capabilities.
Another nine years later, in 1908, his two sons John and Earl were old enough to join the business, which now sold cowboy boots, rather than just repairing them. H.J. changed the name to H.J. Justin and Sons. By 1910, their boots were being sold in 26 states and in three neighboring countries for $11 a pair.
When H.J. passed away in 1918, the two older boys and their younger brother Avis took over the company. Shortly thereafter, in 1925, they moved out to Fort Worth. They worked the business successfully from there for quite some time.
In Fort Worth, there was another company called Acme Brick. The Justin Company struck a deal with this company to form Justin Industries. Passing down the family ownership, in 1981 John Jr. bought the company from his aunt Enid Justin. In 1984, he bought the Chippewa Shoe Company to add to the Justin brand.
Then in 1990, after years of battling in competition, Justin Boots purchased Tony Lama Boots. At last, in the year 2000, Justin Boots passed out of the Justin family hands, when Warren Buffet�s Berkshire Hathaway bought them out. Today, the Justin Boot brand name still holds strong against its competitors.
History of Levi’s
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 1/18/2012
These were riveted work pants for men, made of denim of course. And the look took off. Not only were the denim jeans practical, but they were also comfortable and good looking. Soon, the name of Levi Strauss became well known across the nation. Because of their rugged design, Levis soon became the pants of choice for cowboys, and eventually became a staple of western wear. Regardless of the sales of other apparel, it was their jeans that sky-rocketed the Levi Strauss Company to success.
Ninety years after the invention of Levi’s jeans came the 1960’s, the era of rebellion against the prim and proper, the war and societal expectations. The blue jeans craze hit in this era of hippie freedom. Comfortable, natural, and casual, jeans suddenly became a must have item and sales for Levi Strauss exploded.
In the 1970s, there was no sign of slowing down in the sales and popularity of Levi’s. Throughout the 60s and 70s, bell-bottomed Levi’s were the most popular look. It was during the 70s that Walter Hass Jr. and his team added new fashions and models to Levi Strauss’ stores. The company also acquired the Great Western Garment Co., of Canada, and started selling Permanent Press trousers with the brand name of Sta-prest.
During this period of rapid growth, Levi Strauss went from just 15 plants to 64 in the United States, plus 25 beyond national borders. Interestingly, Levi Strauss employed different labor techniques. They paid their workers based on performance, rather than by the hour. As a result, their workers were highly motivated, top performing, and very tidy.
The company took good care of their employees. The press plants, known for their intense heat, were cooled by the massive air conditioning systems the company installed, to keep their workers comfortable.
The Great Western Garment line failed in 2004. But the Dockers brand, which Levi Strauss had introduced in 1986, helped defer some of the losses that happened as blue jeans popularity began to fall. Today, Levi is looking to new avenues to stay on top, including completely different markets such as phone sales. Still owned by family members and descendants of Levi Strauss, the company continues to hold strong in a struggling U.S. economy.
History of Durango Boots
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 1/10/2012
They managed to procure the use of a factory, without rent, and borrow some equipment. With all their hopes and determination poured into it, the brothers developed the company that would become Rocky Brands.
At first, the company managed with fewer than 100 employees, making 300 pairs of shoes each day. As their shoe sales took off, the Brooks brothers built an addition on the factory and installed more equipment to employ 225 people and make 2,000 pairs of shoes per day. This growth occurred in only the first few years of business.
During the 40s and 50s and World War II, the production of boots and shoes for the military brought the company even greater success. But, with a later decline in sales, in 1958 William Brooks offered the sale of his business to the Irving Drew Shoe Company. His nephew, John Brooks, wanted to take over, but William refused his nephew�s offer. He told his nephew there was no future in the shoe business.
John Brooks stayed on with the company, and when it struggled in 1975, and the owners wanted to shut it down, he took the opportunity to buy back the family business and revitalize it. In 1977, John�s son, Mike, received an award for his �Rocky Boot,� the original design. From there, the Rocky brand moved steadily forward.
In 2004, the now-called Rocky Shoes & Boots Company purchased EJ Footwear acquiring, among other things, the Durango brand. Durango boots have since lead the competition with inventions such as SPR leather and Comfort Core Insoles.
History of Ariat Apparel
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 1/4/2012
Traditional riding boots were uncomfortable, stiff, and heavy. The two
women brought together a group of footwear engineers and designers and
came up with the most innovative and high-performance cowboy boots for riders ever created.
Ariat brand quickly spread throughout both the English and Western
riding worlds. Tested by professional riders across the country, the
boots were proven to be over and above any of the competition.
The English riding boot brand was called “Performer,” while the Western
riding boot brand was named “Competitor.” In 1995, the company developed
the high-tech Advanced Torque Stability (ATS) technology, making their
boots the industry standard for both comfort and performance.
Eventually, as Ariat became more and more successful, they began sponsoring athletes, putting together the Ariat Pro team. Some of their Olympic athletes won gold and silver medals at the Olympics. They also began sponsoring the National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA).
Today, the Ariat
brand includes premium leather belts, many with Grip Strip Technology,
English performance apparel, Western performance apparel, and Ariat
denim. The Ariat brand continues to grow as the company’s commitment to
quality and aptitude for technological advancements lifts Ariat
continually above the competition.
Tony Lama; A History
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 12/22/2011
In the very beginning of the 1900’s, Lama served the U.S. Cavalry as a cobbler in Fort Bliss, Texas. The service experience taught him the importance of a boot that fits properly, for both functionality and comfort. When he returned from his service, he started working on developing the most comfortable boot to date.
Lama started his own boot-making business, making cowboy boots. In the beginning, customers were coming mainly for boot repairs. But soon the people began to hear about the quality of his boots and came to order custom boots. His first year, he and one helper made 20 pairs of boots.
As Western stores began ordering Lama’s boots to sell on their shelves, he had to get creative to develop a manufacturing process that did not sacrifice the quality handmade craftsmanship that his boots were becoming famous for. In 1961, almost 50 years after Lama started his business, his company started producing 750 pairs of boots per day.
Tony Lama passed away 13 years later, in 1974, leaving the business to his children and grandchildren. They know the Tony Lama name is what it is today because of Lama’s insistence on top quality and they continue to strive to maintain that high-level quality and reputation their grandfather worked so hard to develop.
Stetson; A History
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 12/19/2011
In 1865, John Stetson started his own hat making business, in Philidelphia, with a small rented room and some hand tools. Initially, he had $10 of fur to work with (which, back then, was certainly worth more than it is now, but still not a tremendous amount).
A truly skilled hat maker, Stetson developed the “Boss of the Plains” hat, also known as the “Hat of the West,” a year after opening. These Stetson hats became famous for their quality, craftsmanship, durability, and aesthetic appeal.
Part of Stetson’s marketing strategy, when he first started selling his hats, was to send letters to merchants throughout the Southwest, asking for minimum orders of 12 hats per store. He got so many orders, he soon had to use a factory to produce enough hats to meet demand.
Quality was a primary focus, for Stetson, as he sought to infuse exceptional quality into every hat he made. This brought a tremendous following and a growing popularity that led the Stetson business to become, in 1886, the largest hat company in the world. Today, it remains one of the oldest, most successful and still one of the largest hat companies in the world.
Resistol; A History
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 12/14/2011
Byer took such a liking to both the product and the man at the helm of this little company, that he decided to invest in Rolnick’s future. Byer sold his own business in Michigan and moved to Dallas, Texas to start up the new firm, Byer-Rolnick.
The two men focused on producing both Western hats and hats for dressier occasions. All of their hats were marketed as “Resistol Hats,” because they “resist all” weather conditions. In the beginning, marketing was limited primarily to Texas and Oklahoma.
In the late 1930’s, however, the company had grown beyond the capacity of their facility and had to pick up and move to a larger building in Garland, Texas, the location at which they still remain today. But that move was just the beginning.
The Resistol team was innovative in its manufacturing and distributing advancements. And, in order to maintain the quality standard they’d grown famous for, Byer and Rolnick opened up their own fur cutting plant and rough body plant. This eliminated some of the variables of supplier production as the company became the first manufacturer to create their felt hats from start to finish without any outsourcing.
The innovations and marketing successes of the Resistol team, continued snowballing forward. Today, the Byer-Rolnick company, as a portion of Hatco, Inc., is part of the largest hat manufacturing company in the world.
Lucchese: A History
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 12/6/2011
In San Antonio, Texas, three years after his arrival, Lucchese started up his small business. As the business grew, Sam became successful and was able to pass the business on to his son, Cosimo. Cosimo carried on in his father’s footsteps. But it was Cosimo’s son, Sam Lucchese Jr. who really caused the Lucchese company to take off.
Sam Jr. was obsessed with the human foot. He studied it, and was fascinated with its form and function. As a result, he designed a boot that was able to provide the best fit of any boot in the market. Each one-of-a-kind boot took time and effort, but the results were incredible comfort and functionality for the user.
Sam Sr.’s grandson was very concerned with delivering quality to their customers. Sam Jr. stated, "The final truth is that throughout the whole boot factory, the quality chain is no stronger than its weakest link." He developed a process that is still in use by the company today- the double inspection. Each boot is individually inspected twice, before it is allowed to leave the factory.
Now located in El Paso, Texas, the Lucchese Company still owes a nod to the innovations and hard work of Sam Lucchese Jr. The company maintains his high standards of near-perfect leather and top quality workmanship. Lucchese boots are thus considered to be some of the best, if not the best, cowboy boots in the nation.
Carrie Underwood
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 11/27/2011
Singing in small local engagements, she had a powerful clear voice that
won over her neighbors, but hadn’t, as of yet, taken her very far. When
she graduated from high school, the practicalities of life led her to
trade in her dreams of being a country music star for a college degree
in broadcast journalism.
She was in her senior year of college, at Northeastern State University of Oklahoma when she tried out for American Idol.
Carrie easily earned the adoration of America and won the fourth season
of American Idol. Thus she suddenly became one of the best known
country singers today.
“Some Hearts” was her debut album and hit triple platinum, the hottest
female country album yet. She topped the Billboard charts with a single,
“Inside your Heaven” and did the same with “Jesus Take the Wheel.”
Contradicting her sweet songs before, she sang “Before He Cheats” which
is still enormously popular. Her album “Carnival Ride” followed shortly
thereafter and topped the album charts, with several of the songs
topping the country song charts as well.
Today, Carrie Underwood is the youngest member of the Grand Ole Opry and
has already won several awards, including Grammys and Country Music
Awards. Co-hosting the CMA Awards in 2009, Carrie has fulfilled and
surpassed many of the childhood hopes she dared to dream from a little
farm in Oklahoma all those years ago.
Chet Atkins
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 11/19/2011
Chet was a good networker and managed to get himself a spot on the Bill
Carlisle Show, exposing himself to the radio public for the first time.
He joined the Dixie Swingers who performed on the same radio station,
WNOX of Knoxville, where he was working with Homer and Jethro.
1946 was a big year for Chet, as he performed at the Grand Ole Opry for
the first time and made his first record for Bullet Records. He moved
from Knoxville radio to Cincinnati radio and then to Richmond Virginia’s
WRVA. However, he was repeatedly let go from engagements because his
music wasn’t quite what the executives wanted.
RCA disagreed with those radio executives. Steve Sholes, the Nashville
Division manager for RCA, heard a recording of Chet’s music and began
trying to find the nomadic performer. He discovered him in Denver,
playing with Shorty Thompson & His Rangers. Chet responded quickly
to the call and moved to Nashville to record for RCA.
Once in Nashville, Chet quickly became a country music standard, signing
on as a regular at the Grand Ole Opry, acting as a consultant to RCA’s
Nashville division, and even developing guitar designs which are still
popular today. Soon Chet took Sholes’ job as manager with RCA. All the
while, his music was holding a top spot in listener popularity.
In the 1980’s, after Chet’s popularity in the country music arena had finally declined, he took off his cowboy hat
and experimented with jazz, leaving RCA to record with Columbia
Records. His bold jazz guitar playing was enjoyed by many, but he came
back to his roots in country before the end.
In 2001, Chet passed away from brain cancer. Before he died, Chet had
earned 9 CMA Instrumentalist of the Year Honors, a Lifetime Achievement
Award from NARAS, and 11 Grammy Awards. He was a musician who left an enduring legend behind.
Clint Black
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 11/9/2011
In 1987, when Black was 25, he met Z.Z. Top’s manager, Bill Ham. Ham was
very impressed and began working to sell RCA on the young singer. 6
months later, Black contracted with the company and released his first
album in 1989 to huge success.
“Killin’ Time” held its spot as #1 on the country album charts for 28
weeks straight. It reached triple platinum. Seeking similar success,
Black produced “Put Yourself in My Shoes” in 1990. Following the
popularity of that album, the Grand Ole Opry inducted him into their group the next year.
Black’s next albums were “The Hard Way” in 1992 and “No Time to Kill” in
1993. Black, ever the adventurer, decided to try acting and performed
in “Wings” on TV and the 1994 movie, “Maverick.” Black released four
more albums over the next 6 years.
In 1991, Black had married another singer, who was also an actress on
Knots Landing, Lisa Hartman. Together, the couple released a duet in
2000 called, “When I Said I Do,” a #1 country music hit that earned them
a Grammy Award. Today, no one would suspect that Clint Black, stylish,
wealthy, and wildly successful, started out as a high school dropout
performing in local bars.
Taylor Swift
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 11/2/2011
As
stunning as her melodic voice is, what is even more surprising is the
fact that she wrote, or co-wrote, all of the songs in her debut album.
The platinum album sold more than 3 million copies and made Taylor the
first solo female country singer to have had a hand in writing every
song in her first CD.
Part of her fame was molded by her MySpace
page from before she had her big break. Her following grew by leaps and
bounds, as she connected with fans on a personal level, every day. She
thanked her MySpace fans for helping her reach the top when she achieved
stardom.
Fans showed their love for Taylor again when, in 2008,
she released her own fashion doll. The dolls were snatched off the
shelves wearing designs Taylor had herself worn, and sporting a
“crystal” guitar made to look like Taylor’s. But it wasn’t Taylor’s
fashion sense that made her famous. It was her singing.
One of
Taylor’s most popular hits is “Love Story,” made famous by the movie,
“Letters to Juliet.” Perhaps second only to that song is the hit title,
“Teardrops on my Guitar.” And the song she sang at the ACM Awards,
“Tim Mcgraw,” brought her closer to her fans’ hearts. After she
finished singing the song to Tim McGraw and his wife, Faith Hill, she
reached her hand out to her idol and told him, “Hi, I’m Taylor.” With
that, she launched herself into greater popularity than before and has
not looked back since.
Clint Black
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 9/29/2011
Clint dropped out of high school to work two day jobs and sing in local bars in the evenings. ZZ Top’s manager, Bill Ham, came into Clint’s life in 1987, when Clint was 25. Ham quickly signed Clint up with RCA, for which Clint recorded the number one selling album, “Killing Time.”
That album remained on the top of the charts for 28 weeks. The album went triple platinum. In 1990, Clint produced another successful album, “Put Yourself in My Shoes.” A year after that, Clint was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.
Two more albums soon followed, “The Hard Way,” in 1992 and “No Time to Kill” in 1993. Clint decided, at this point, that he would enjoy acting as well. He acted in “Wings,” a television show, and a movie called “Maverick,” in 1994.
His acting stints did not slow down his singing, however, and he released albums in 1994, 1996, 1997, and 1999. He eventually married Lisa Hartman, a singer as well as an actress on “Knots Landing.” Together, they received a Grammy nomination for their duet, “When I Said I Do,” another number one hit. Today, Clint continues his successful singing career, producing popular hits with each album.
Garth Brooks
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 9/20/2011
Garths mother, a cheerful, spunky woman, taught Garth about the ups and downs of the music industry, having been through some challenges within it herself. She taught him to enjoy life and take risks. His father taught him the practical side of life, including the importance of being meticulous in business affairs.
After graduating from Oklahoma State University in 1984, Garth took a leap of faith into the music industry. He struggled, at first, and married his college sweetheart, Sandy Mahl, before he ever succeeded in joining the ranks of recording artists.
Eventually Garth made his presence known. In Spring of 1989 he released his first album. That album was the bestselling album of the 1980s. From there, Garths career took off, leaving every recording artist ever known in the dust.
In fact, in all of United States music history, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has certified Garth Brooks as the top selling solo artist of all time. With sales of over 128 million albums, he holds the record of six albums hitting 10 million sales each. With his versatility and mass-appeal, he has crossed the boundaries of country, reaching listeners who generally favor other genres.
Garth Brooks may never meet his match, and continues today to record and perform, sharing his wealth with charities. He was the first artist to release a simultaneous charitable edition of his most recent collection, in 2007, raising money for breast cancer research. Today, Garth Brooks continues to maintain his place in public popularity, with no end in sight.
Willie Nelson
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 9/8/2011
Born to Myrle and Ira Nelson in 1933, Willie lived his early life during the Great Depression. He and his sister Bobbie learned their love of music from their small-town Methodist church growing up. He received his first guitar when he was just six years old. Willie did not just want to learn to play the guitar, as most people do. He started writing songs on his guitar very early on. He also began performing with local bands while he was still a child.
Willie joined the Air Force after high school, but soon had to leave due to back problems. He decided to try selling encyclopedias door to door so he could attend college. But college just wasn’t working out for him either, so he left to work as a disc jockey on the radio for several years.
While he worked as a DJ, Willie continued writing songs and performing on the side. Once he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, he began getting into the big leagues of country music, as a songwriter for other artists like Patsy Cline and Ray Price.
After his home in Tennessee burned down, Willie returned to his roots in Texas, but did not give up writing and singing. He sang, “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” by Fred Rose which hit the number one spot on the country charts and earned him his first Grammy. Since then, Willie has been unstoppable, winning numerous awards and selling millions of albums throughout his full and lengthy career.
Most recently Willie contributed a cover of the Coldplay song "The Scientist" to the Chipotle Food with Integrity campaign in support of local and sustainable farming. The song is the soundtrack to a video created to raise awareness. Willie has long been a supporter of local and family farming.
The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 8/29/2011
While set as a western, it also includes elements of science fiction and steampunk. One of the characters, Professor Wickwire, is an inventor who provides Brisco with diving suits, motorcycles, rockets and airships. These items were obviously not invented in 1893.
While well received by critics, the show received low ratings and was cancelled at the end of the first season. Writers for Brisco tried combining western and science fiction. Each act break began with a title, usually a pun, and ended with a cliffhanger.
“The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.” was intended to be an action-packed adventure with a modern twist. As a family friendly show, violence was minimized. Brisco was depicted as having to think his way out of a dangerous situation instead of resorting to violence.
The “Brisco” series was created by Jeffrey Boam and Carlton Cuse. They had worked together writing the story and script for “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” The main actors in “Brisco” were Bruce Campbell (Brisco), Julius Carry as Lord Bowler, Christian Clemenson as Socrates Poole and John Astin as Professor Wickwire.
The Cisco Kid
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 8/24/2011
The central character in “The Cisco Kid” was created by American short story author O. Henry in “The Caballero’s Way”, published in 1907. Although radio, TV and films have depicted the Cisco Kid as a Mexican caballero, in the original story he is non-Hispanic and a vicious outlaw. The Cisco Kid radio drama aired from 1942-1955, while the television series began in 1949.
Duncan Reynaldo starred as the Cisco Kid, with Leo Carrillo as his jovial sidekick, Pancho. Reynaldo and Carrillo were the first regular Hispanic television stars. (Desi Arnaz, Sr. starred with his wife Lucille Ball in “I Love Lucy” the following year.)
Cisco and Pancho were desperadoes, wanted for unspecified crimes, but were viewed by the poor as Robin Hood figures. They assisted the oppressed when law enforcement officials wouldn’t. Viewers became acquainted with their horses, Cisco’s Diablo and Pancho’s Loco.
In 1953 The Cisco Kid was nominated for an Emmy Award for children’s programming. It was the most popular filmed television series for American children in 1955. It was filmed at the Ray Corrigan Ranch in Simi Valley in Ventura County, California.
Rawhide
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 8/19/2011
“Rawhide” was set in the 1860’s and portrayed the challenges of men on a cattle drive. There were 20-25 riders looking after about 3,000 head of cattle. The cattle drive begins in San Antonio, Texas and follows the Sedalia Trail to a place about 50 miles east of Kansas City, Missouri. Besides the cattle representing a substantial amount of money, the trail boss also carried a substantial amount of money, so they were often in danger from thieves.
As the men traveled, they would often come upon people on the trail needing help, so they would get drawn into the other people’s troubles. Other times, cowhands would venture into nearby towns and get themselves into trouble, requiring rescue from the rest. Other situations involved parched plains, wolves, bandits, cattle raiding, murderers and so forth. The search for water was a constant problem as they traveled.
Some topics addressed in the series included an ex-soldier who had become addicted to morphine; the Mexican drover faced racism from those outside the crew; and Civil War anger was still fresh, as it had only ended four years previously. These topics got the audience’s attention. It was unusual in the 50’s for such topics to be addressed on television.
Stars of the show included Gil Favor, played by Eric Fleming, and Rowdy Yates, played by Clint Eastwood. Trail boss Gil Favor often had to keep a tight rein on the young Rowdy Yates, who was often impetuous. Favor was a strong, tough, savvy leader who was always “square” with his fellowmen and could get the job done.
Johnny Cash
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 8/15/2011
After graduating high school in 1950, he left to find work in Michigan, ending up at an automotive plant. But it wasn’t really for him, so he soon found himself joining the Air Force and being sent off to Landsberg, Germany.
It was during his service that Johnny started his first band, the Landsberg Barbarians. After four years of service, he returned to marry his sweetheart, whom he had met in basic training, Vivian Liberto. He then spent some time working odd jobs while he tried to get in with Sam Phillips’ Sun Records.
Although the record company rejected him as a solo artist initially, Johnny managed to convince them of the value of his band, The Tennessee Three. He made some successful songs with his band, but it wasn’t until he sang “I Walk the Line” that he really achieved great success.
The song started out in the number one position and remained on the country music charts for 43 weeks. The song sold over 2 million copies. In spite of this incredible success, however, there was a dream Johnny longed to fulfill. In 1956, he achieved that dream when he sang in the Grand Ole Opry, a great honor in country music.
Through the next nearly half a century, Johnny Cash shared his voice with countless millions, earning Grammys and other awards. Two years after his death in 2003, a movie honoring his life was Oscar-nominated for best picture, entitled “Walk the Line.”
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.
Have Gun, Will Travel
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 8/10/2011
The first episodes all began with this visual, while a different spoken line was delivered, except for the Christmas episode, where he is seen hanging up the gun and holster. Later versions of the opening sequence give a longer range view, showing a full body silhouette dropping into a crouch as he draws the gun.
“Have Gun, Will Travel” is an American western TV series of the 1950’s, set in the time following the Civil War. Some later episodes allude to the setting being in the late 1800’s. Episodes were filmed outdoors in various locations, mostly in California and Oregon.
Paladin, the star of the show, is a gentleman gunfighter who preferred settling things without a fight, but wasn’t afraid of one either. He lived in a posh San Francisco hotel, dressed in formal attire, ate gourmet food, attended the opera, and was very well educated. He looked like a Dandy from the East until he changed into his all black work clothes.
When working, Paladin dressed all in black, carried a derringer under his belt, used calling cards with a chess knight symbol, and wore a western-style gun belt with the same chess knight symbol. The knight symbol refers to his name, and the theme song calls him “a knight without armor.” He uses his extensive education to help him get out of difficult situations, and often quotes poetry – unusual things for a western hero portrayed during the 1950’s.
Maverick
Posted by Kevin Neilson on 8/3/2011
James Garner was the only Maverick in the first seven episodes of the series. This was at the beginning of his acting career and helped launch him to success. His subtle facial expressions helped add humor to just the right places.
Never more than two Mavericks appeared in any one episode, and often there was only one. Regardless of which Maverick was featured, he was always portrayed as a savvy, high-stakes gambler. Contrary to customs of the time, these heroes were dressed in black or grey, including the hat; a color traditionally reserved for the villain.
In a typical show, the Mavericks would fall prey to some precarious scenario and have to weigh a financial gain against a moral dilemma. Their consciences usually got the best of them, regardless of the amount of money involved. Although reluctant to risk his life, Bret Maverick typically ended up having to force himself to be courageous. Although not particularly fast at drawing a gun, no one could best him in a fist fight.
The reason there were so many Mavericks is that it took over a week to shoot an episode. Jack Kelly was hired as the second Maverick to spell off James Garner. When Garner left in 1960, other actors were hired to replace him, and given different Maverick identities, though they portrayed basically the same type of persona.
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