Spark Of A Champion

Albert Champion (1878-1927), was a French-born bicycle racing champion with major wins in Paris in 1889 and 1904. After retiring from competitive cycling in 1905, he incorporated the Albert Champion Company in Boston, Massachusetts to make porcelain spark plugs and import French electrical parts and components made by the Nieuport aircraft company. Two years later the Champion name was stamped on the side. He incorporated the Champion Ignition Company, in Lansing, Michigan in October 1908. General Motors founder, William Durant, was impressed with the spark plugs and persuaded him to move to Flint and supply his spark plugs for Buick automobiles.

In 1922 he changed the name to AC Spark Plug Company, utilizing his initials, to settle out of court with his original partners in the Albert Champion Company. In May of 1927, Charles Lindbergh flew his Spirit of St. Louis non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean to Paris, France powered by AC Spark Plugs. Champion died in October of that same year while vacationing in Paris. Today his initials survive as ACDelco (owned by General Motors) and Champion spark plugs sold by the Federal-Mogul Corporation.

Note: In the 1961 advertisement above, a family has just gotten gas for their 1959 Chevrolet when the service station attendant brings out a spark plug. It sounds to him like they need a new one. He will know better once he gets under the hood, but it is best to replace all of them simultaneously. Not happy about the sales pitch, the son throws a 1961 Oldsmobile promotional model at the attendant's head.

The Roy Huggins Affair

Screenwriter, novelist, and producer, Roy Huggins, had a significant influence in Hollywood, most notably in television. Below are three who were indirectly and directly impacted by Huggins.

IRVING BACON (1893-1965) was an American character actor who always had a role to play, no matter how small, in nearly five hundred films. He often played comical everyday men and was singled out by his trademarked surprised expression. He is perhaps best remembered as the soda jerk in the comedy, Never Give a Sucker An Even Break (1941), or the musical, Holiday Inn (1942) as the cagey wagon driver. In later years Bacon would also be cast in serious roles whether in Westerns or modern-day dramas. Bacon had roles on television's Maverick and 77 Sunset Strip. Both lead characters from those shows, Bret Maverick and Stu Bailey, were created by Roy Huggins.

VICTOR JORY (1902-1982) was a Canadian-American actor of stage, film, and television. He was initially cast in romantic leads. In Shakespeare's fantasy play, A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), he portrayed Oberon and eighteenth-century costume dramas. His career would turn one-hundred-eighty degrees, becoming most identified as a sinister villain in Westerns. A case in point is Dodge City (1939) a ruthless outlaw gang member. His mid-career creased face brought him a wide variety of roles as a Native American Indian or a detective in modern crime dramas in film and television. Nearing the end of his career, Jory had a definitive role to use his trademarked tight-lipped delivery as an old-school FBI agent from the 1930s in "The Attractive Nuisance" (1977), an episode of Huggins's, The Rockford Files.

ADELE MARA (1923-2010) was an American actress, singer, and dancer, who appeared in mostly forgettable films. She was most prolific in the 1940s with such average films as The Tiger Woman (1945) and Exposed (1947) before turning to the new medium of television in the 1950s through the 1960s. The beauty was married to Roy Huggins from 1952 until his death in 2002. Born Adelaide Delgado, her brother, Luis Delgado, was frequently cast in The Rockford Files series. He was James Garner's long-time personal assistant, as well.

On This Date

Ride On The Peace Ship

In 1915, Henry Ford's peace ship, Oscar II, (commonly the Peace Ship) sailed for Europe 'to get the boys out of the trenches by Christmas.' The peace mission was deemed unsuccessful, producing only inconsequential meetings with less-than-official representatives from several European governments. Nevertheless, Ford asserted that the Peace Ship's expedition was successful because it stimulated discussions about peace. And Oscar II.

I Like It Like That 

In 1961, the New York Museum of Modern Art finally hung Henri Matisse's picture, a paper cut from 1953, "Le Bateau" (The Boat), the right side up. Only one person, stockbroker Genevieve Habert, among the 116,000 visitors to the exhibition, "The Last Works of Henri Matisse,"  noticed that one of Matisse's elegant late career cutouts (his Rorschach test?) was hanging upside down for the last forty-seven days.  

 
Note: Some may have said they preferred it upside down. Maybe sideways.

1887 Was A Good Year

Raymond Walburn (1887-1969)

Walburn was an American character actor on stage and screen, appearing in dozens of Hollywood movie comedies and the occasional dramatic role. He made his splash in both "A" and "B" movies in the 1930s with continued success with his more famous rotund physique in the 1940s. Noted for his trademark bulging eyes, arched brows and pompous attitude, few could compete with his windbag characters, demonstrated so perfectly in Preston Sturges's Christmas in July (1940), or Hail the Conquering Hero (1944). Walburn was the perfect choice for any bombastic bumbler of words or haughty stuffed shirts, often as a mayor, judge, or business owner. On the other hand, a few of his butler portrayals could be quite reserved and properly knowing his place.

Eric Blore (1887-1959)

Blore was an English actor and writer. After numerous stage plays during the 1920s in London, he made a career move to New York City in Broadway revues and musical comedy productions. He made over sixty Hollywood films, becoming best known for playing butlers or superior domestic servants. His over-the-top British accent was always impeccably precise with lines delivered with barbed irony. In addition to his sometimes condescending attitude were his facial expressions, most notably with one incredulously raised eyebrow. Blore gained notice in the Fed Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical comedies, The Gay Divorcee (1934) as a waiter with an astounding knowledge of obscure subjects, and in RKO's most profitable film of the 1930s, Top Hat (1935), in which Blore plays a sarcastic personal assistant named Bates. However, he introduces himself as if he is a corporate entity, graciously stating, "We are Bates." He provided levity as the not-quite-reformed jewel thief and sidekick to Warren William in three Lone Wolf film series in the late Thirties.

Note: Both actors were born the same year and died one decade apart.

Synopsis: Thrust Into Television

Many movie character actors found steady work and arguably more exposure with the advent of television. 

FRANK FERGUSON (1899-1978)

Frank Ferguson was a character actor who made his film debut in 1940. In that decade he appeared in modern-day dramas as a detective, a father, and a reporter, as well as being cast in the occasional comedy. Based on his distinct barrel voice, his ever-present mustache, and an everyman's face, Ferguson was a natural in Western films—nearly two hundred. A few of those are quite notable, but Ferguson was often uncredited. He could play anything from an outlaw, a sheriff, a disgruntled farmer, or a friendly, though maybe dishonest, store clerk. He was a very valuable and natural performer in which many directors found a character worthy of his talents. 

However, the bespectacled actor was most seen from his frequent television appearances over twenty-plus years. In a wide variety of roles, Ferguson was often a public servant. He might be a doctor, a military officer, a bank teller, a police officer, or a businessman. With little surprise, he even played a hobo on the Leave It To Beaver comedy. He was the familiar face of many popular dramas, and of course, nearly every television Western. His final appearance was on the pioneer era series, Little House on the Prairie, in 1976.

East Coast Jitters

On this date in 1938, the infamous radio drama of H. G. Wells' "The War of the Worlds" (1898) was broadcast. The program allegedly caused a nationwide mass panic. Not quite. Though millions of Americans huddled around their radios nightly, relatively few were listening to CBS when the broadcast began. Most of the country was tuned to NBC’s popular, Chase and Sanborn Hour, featuring Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. Perhaps during a commercial break, some switched to CBS. At any rate, on the heels of The Great Depression, it would not take much for some to panic. Immediately following 9/11 brought a similar sense to NYC residents every time an airliner flew overhead.

The brilliant, all-too-realistic radio broadcast, was a Halloween episode of the CBS Radio series, The Mercury Theatre on the Air, directed and narrated by Orson Welles. He converted the story into a "breaking news" style of storytelling that described a Martian invasion of—perfect location—New Jersey. Some gullible listeners may have mistook those fake bulletins for the real thing. The New York Times, not waiting for the rest of the nation to report, plastered headlines indicating the broadcast had caused a nationwide hysteria. Few in Iowa were that concerned. 

Note: Working with Welles's concept, composer Bernard Herrman conducted the live orchestra as if they were a dance band, but interrupted by news bulletins. Welles credited Herrman's work as a major component of the production's suspense. The Mercury’s attempt to make the show believable succeeded far beyond their expectations. Above, Welles conducts the broadcast as Herrman handles the orchestra.

A more in-depth history can be found HERE

Synopsis: Thrust Into Television

Many movie character actresses found steady work and arguably more exposure with the advent of television. 

JULIE ADAMS (1926-2019)

Julie Adams, born Betty Adams, moved to Hollywood to start an acting career at the age of twenty, using her given name until 1949. She was very busy on the big screen for a little more than a decade with numerous Westerns to her credit throughout the 1950s. Pale in comparison to her four decades in television, however.

She co-starred in films opposite some of Hollywood's top leading men, including James Stewart, Rock Hudson, Tyrone Power, Glenn Ford, Charlton Heston, and Joel McCrea. In the middle of all these famous actors was Ricou Browning and Ben Chapman, both playing the Creature from the Black Lagoon whether underwater or on terra ferma, respectively. The 1954 science fiction film was a popular offering for mid-century audiences and brought notority to Adams.

Her television roles are too numerous to mention, here. A few notable guest-starring roles were for The Andy Griffith Show, in another attempt to find a love interest for the sheriff of Mayberry, five episodes of 77 Sunset Strip, three roles for Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and four episodes of Perry Mason as she sailed into the 1960s. Adams starred opposite Hollywood royalty for twenty-four episodes of The Jimmy Stewart Show, and two episodes of The Doris Day Show. She guest-starred on many popular shows of the 1970s and 1980s including, Code Red, with nineteen episodes and ten episodes of Murder, She Wrote, before winding down here career in the early 2000s.

The Go In Esso

The Esso name was primarily used by its predecessor Standard Oil of New Jersey after the breakup of the original Standard Oil company in 1911. The name Esso is the phonetic pronunciation of the initials 'S' and 'O' in the name Standard Oil. Standard Oil of New Jersey started marketing its products under the Esso brand in 1926. In most states the company used the Enco (Energy Company) brand name, and in a few, the Humble Oil brand name. Esso Gas Stations were primarily found in the eastern United States and some states in the midwest. By 1972, the name Esso was largely replaced in the U.S. by the Exxon brand after the Standard Oil of New Jersey bought Humble. The Esso name remained widely used elsewhere. In most of the world, the Esso brand and the Mobil brand are the primary brand names of ExxonMobil, while the Exxon brand is used only in the United States alongside Mobil. The Esso brand name was discontinued in the U.S. by 1977, yet Europe continues the brand name. Today it is a trading name for ExxonMobil.

Note: Above, an Esso gasoline tanker, pulled by the bulldog of trucks, Mack, filling the tank at its namesake station in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1943. 

Photo by John Vachon via shorpy dot com

When It Positively Has to Be There

A dramatic staged photo illustration of a 1940s Mack semi pulling a Fruehauf Corporation (1918-1996) trailer near Greenville, Alabama. Mack Trucks gained a reputation for dependable service. In the early Thirties, their famous icon and logo, a tenacious Bulldog, began appearing on the hood of the trucks. "Built Like a Mack Truck" became common slang for anything indestructible. 

In 1900, the three Mack brothers opened their first bus manufacturing plant to complete an order from a sightseeing company. The first "Mack bus" was delivered. Two years later The Mack Brothers Company moved to Brooklyn and in 1905 moved their headquarters to Allentown, Pennsylvania, remaining there for over a century until their relocation in 2009 to Greensboro, North Carolina, home of its parent company, Volvo. 
 
Photo by John Vachon via shorpy dot com

Synopsis: Thrust Into Television

Many movie character actors found steady work and arguably more exposure with the advent of television. 

PETER BROCCO (1903-1992) was an American film, television, and stage actor. He has over 300 credits during his sixty-year career. Typically uncredited in his pre-television roles, it was in this medium that he became a frequent actor in Westerns, dramas and comedies. 

Brocco kept busy from the late 1930s through the 1980s with various ethnic and supporting roles as a clerk, a shop owner, a bartender, a doctor, or a villain. There was always a spot in films where he could fill a scripted character. His supporting role in Spartacus (1960) is of note as is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) as the wheelchair-bound patient.

But Brocco was most visible on the more intimate small screen, like displaying a comedic talent portraying Peter The Waiter for eight episodes of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1955–1956). He was cast in criminal roles for The Adventures of Superman, as an Organian council member in a Star Trek episode. He appeared three times in the police drama, Adam-12, and three times in The Rockford Files. For the television miniseries, The Winds of War (1983) he played the father of Ali MacGraw's character. He kept working until 1991, a little over a year before his death.

Synopsis: Thrust Into Television

Many movie character actors found steady work and arguably more exposure with the advent of television. 

BARTLETT ROBINSON (1912-1986) 

Robinson was an American actor who performed on radio, stage, film, and television for five decades. The mustachioed Robinson and his recognizable voice were often cast in mostly serious roles of authority such as military officers, wealthy ranchers, sheriffs, corporate executives, doctors, and judges whether in Westerns, dramas, or playing the straight man in comedies.

Despicable Them

There is a long list of villains in Western films. They represented the timeless battle between evil and good. The mainstream popularity of television beginning in the mid-fifties offered a daily or weekly dose of characters deserving of a house slipper thrown in their direction. Several women were cast as rotten individuals, of course, but my focus centers on bull-headed male characters and the actors who portrayed them.

These villains "owned" the townsfolk by intimidation. They were self-centered, devious, narrow-minded, and filled with hate. They ignored truth and refused to acknowledge facts: selective deafness. They could rouse a bunch of spineless citizens---likely after an extended saloon visit----into hanging an innocent man.

I have chosen six of the most widely recognized television Western "bad guys" who worked the small screen about the same era. Their careers are indelibly etched as villains though each had their turn in modern dramas and as decent men. 

Beginning clockwise from the upper left:

Robert J. Wilke  (1914-1989) was considered the best golfer in Hollywood during the 1950s. His demeanor on the links changed completely, however, when given a script, and was likely television's most hated Western villain. His grizzled voice, rustic dental grille, and curling lip made him the villain's poster child. Wilke could be a disgruntled rancher, a leader of outlaws, or just looking to start trouble.

John Anderson (1922-1992) portrayed President Abraham Lincoln three times due to his overall facial resemblance. The versatile actor was more repetitive when it came to the Western, however. Anderson might play a widowed patriarch who takes Bible passages out of context to justify his actions. One of his errant sons may be accidentally killed in a shoot-out and he is dead-set on getting his own justice, refusing to listen to reason.

Harry Lauter (1914-1990) devoted much of his later life to his own painting and the operation of an art gallery. He knew how to perform routine stunt work, learning from a master, stuntman/actor, Jock Mahoney. Lauter sort of set the groundwork for Myron Healey who advanced the belligerent, smirking trouble-maker for the Western genre. He might come off initially as a sweetheart but his ulterior motive soon reveals his true persona.

R. G. Armstrong  (1917-2012) was a frustrated writer and playwright but found the better-paying job of acting much easier. Armstrong might portray a land owner, often with limited education, with a singular purpose: keep strangers off his land. Whether a crooked sheriff or a Bible-toting townsman, he refuses to hear another point of view. His mind is made up. 

Leo Gordon (1922-2000) was a screenwriter when he was not acting. He was typically a hired gun or essentially the same as a ranch foreman. The towering Gordon, with his furrowed brow, slit eyes, no lips, and an angry baritone delivery, was a force to be reckoned with. Especially in black.

Myron Healey (1923-2005) continued his WW2 airman duties to retire as a captain in the United States Air Force Reserve in the early 1960s. But that discipline of cooperating with his fellow airmen disappeared when playing rotten characters behind studio cameras. Healey could be despicable as the town bully, double-crosser, or stirring up trouble with an easily swayed crowd. His condescending attitude was his trademark.

Getting Your Bearings

The above 1940s Timken promotional advertisement showcases a futuristic design for the truck of the future, a concept created by NYC industrial designer Lurelle Guild (1898-1985). He was quite optimistic about manufacturers bringing his truck concept to reality. Only with Timken axles, of course. Among his designs displayed in art museums was his iconic cylindrical design of the 1937 Electrolux vacuum cleaner. A modified model even became a laser weapon prop in the movie, Superman and The Mole Men (1951).

 
The German-born Henry Timken (1831-1909), could not possibly have imagined such fantastic transportation in 1888. But one cannot move a wheel without bearings. He obtained a patent for an improved tapered roller bearing, and in 1899 incorporated The Timken Roller Bearing Axle Company in St. Louis. The company moved to Canton, Ohio in 1901 as the automobile industry began to overtake the carriage industry. 

Timken entered international markets in the early 1900s initially in Great Britain, France and Germany. The performance of Timken bearings in the First World War made an impression on the European bearing market. Timken production increased dramatically during the Second World War to keep up with wartime demand. Every U.S. jeep was built using 24 Timken bearings. It resulted in delivering more than 15.8 million bearings for those vehicles over the course of the war.

Starting in the 1960s, Timken saw greater worldwide expansion. With the purchase of a major competitor, the company doubled in size in the early twenty-first century. Today, the Timken Company is a global manufacturer of bearings and power transmission products operating in forty-two countries. Apparently Guild's "future truck" is yet to come.

Synopsis: Thrust Into Television

Many movie character actors found steady work and arguably more exposure with the advent of television.

MORRIS ANKRUM (1897-1964) was an American radio, television, and film character actor appearing in countless films from the 1930s to the mid-1950s. His credits were largely concentrated in the Western and Science-Fiction genres, often as authority figures, scientists, numerous military figures, judges, bankers, and even psychiatrists in more than 270 films and television episodes. His portrayal of Native Americans was less believable, however. Because of his commanding facial countenance, Ankrum could also play believable villains. Between numerous and varied television appearances, he could be seen as a judge on twenty-two episodes of Perry Mason. Somewhat ironic since Ankrum had a law degree from The University of Southern California. A career he pursued before getting the acting bug.

Discover more about Ankrum's career at IMDB.

Imitation Is The Best Compliment

Al Parker (1906-1985) defined the progressive look and feel of published imagery at a time of sweeping change, when Americans, emerging from the great depression and War, sought symbols of hope and redemption on the pages of our nation’s periodicals. His innovative modernist artworks created for mass-appeal women’s magazines and their advertisers captivated upwardly mobile mid-twentieth century readers, reflecting and profoundly influencing the values and aspirations of American women and their families during the post-war era. 

Parker is credited with creating a new school of illustration and was much imitated. To distinguish himself from his imitators, he worked in a variety of styles, themes and media. Examples range from children's crayons to acrylics. He sold illustrations to Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, McCall's, The Saturday Evening Post, Sports Illustrated, Town and Country and Vogue. A stamp commemorating his art was issued by the United States Postal Service in 2001 as part of the American Illustrators Issue series. 

Synopsis: Thrust Into Television

Many movie character actors found steady work and arguably more exposure with the advent of television. 

BEN COOPER (1933-2020) 

Though not a household name, Ben Cooper always provided a convincing performance with intensity and pathos. The American actor can be found in numerous supporting roles in films, and the occasional lead in lower budget projects. His modern-day dramas are probably lesser known. Cooper was most associated with the Western film yet never strayed far from the television path, however. Her was a natural in Westerns, partly due to his horseman skills that began during his childhood. 

Discover more about Cooper's career at IMDB.

Master of the Hat

Slayton Underhill (1913-2002) was an "under the radar" commercial illustrator perhaps best known for his portraits and his Stetson contract featuring Hollywood celebrities. It earned him the moniker, "Master of the Hat," something the more famous Norman Rockwell would never achieve.

Underhill's early works appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, Redbook, Collier's and Life. Two of his portraits were chosen for the covers of Time magazine. The artist was also behind advertising campaigns for Viceroy cigarettes and Lincoln and Mercury automobiles. The clever 1948 ad above suggests there are (at least) two Bing Crosbys depending on his choice of hat, like the brown "Flagship" echoing the American Airlines Flagship airliners in the background. Across the bottom (L-R) are Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Bob Hope, David Niven, and Dana Andrews.

Synopsis: Thrust Into Television

Many movie character actors found steady work and arguably more exposure with the advent of television. 

MICHAEL PATE (1920-2008) 

Michael Pate was an Australian actor, writer, director, and producer, better known for his prolific work as a supporting actor in Hollywood films and American Television during the 1950s and 1960s. His range of characters spanned the globe. Though with only a slight variation of an accent, he may be most familiar as an American Indian, a Turkish ruler or guide, or an Eastern European spy or assassin. As a guest star, he played villains in American television comedies including Batman (1966).

After serving during World War II, Pate had a brief acting career in his native country before heading to Hollywood in the 1950s. He appeared in over 300 television shows and films, including his most distinct introduction in 1954 for a

Climax! live production of Ian Fleming's Casino Royale. Pate played the role of "Clarence Leiter," opposite Barry Nelson's "Jimmy Bond." Two years later he was cast in a supporting role in Danny Kaye's masterpiece comedy, The Court Jester. Numerous sources list all his films, some of which are notably famous.

During his time in the United States, Pate became an acting instructor and lecturer, and wrote many screenplays and plays for American films and television series. In appeared in nearly all the popular television Westerns during the decade as well as many adventure shows before returning to Australia to become a television producer, winning two Logie Awards for his efforts. Pate retired in 2001 but kept busing doing voice-over work and writing screenplays.

The Man From Hanna-Barbera

Ed Benedict (1912-2006) started with Walt Disney in 1930 but left three years later to work at Universal Studios as an animator with Walter Lantz Productions. His ultimate fame arose after joining Hanna-Barbera in 1957 to help create their first television series, The Ruff and Reddy Show. Benedict was responsible for designing the characters on many of Hanna-Barbera’s earliest and most popular series, including Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, The Flintstones, Quick Draw McGraw, and numerous others of the 1950s and 1960s, including the character design for the television show, Bewitched. His simple contour drawing approach captured each character's movements and expressions precisely. He left Hanna-Barbera at the end of the 1960s, but continued to do occasional projects for the studio, including background and layout advisor on one of Hanna-Barbera’s final cartoons, Johnny Bravo.

Synopsis: Thrust Into Television

Many movie character actresses found steady work and arguably more exposure with the advent of television. 

ROSEMARY DECAMP (1910-2001) 

DeCamp was an American radio, film, and television actress. Her film career got traction by the 1940s but it was probably television where she was most visible though many could not place her name. Wholesomely attractive, the actress often blended into a film's cast in an uncredited or supporting role. In later years she could play a much older character than her costar though perhaps only a few years separated them. She became associated as the ubiquitous small-town mother with a calm and steady presence. She finished out her career on numerous popular comedy and drama series during the 1970s and 1980s. Seen above in her promo for Borax. Still known as "what's her name."

Discover more about DeCamp's career at IMDB.

An Influential Illustrator

Bob Peak (1927-1992) was an award-winning American illustrator whose mixed media, sketchy style contributed thirty years to the film industry. He was famous for his many cover illustrations for TV Guide, other magazine advertisements, USPS stamps, and portraits.

What about Bob.

Synopsis: Thrust Into Television

Many movie character actors found steady work and arguably more exposure with the advent of television. 

MYRON HEALEY (1923-2005) 

Healey's characters may be despised more than others in film or television during the 1950s thanks to his condescending delivery as a villain. When Healey was "bad" he could be despicable. He somewhat carried the torch from actor, Harry Lauter, nine years his elder. He appeared in some 140 films, including more than 80 westerns, frequently for Monogram Pictures. But it was television that brought him intimate exposure. Healey served in World War II as an Air Corps navigator and bombardier, flying in B-26 Martin Marauders in the European Theatre. After the war he continued military duties, retiring in the early 1960s as a captain in the United States Air Force Reserve.

Discover more about Healey's career at IMDB.