Tom mix biography books

American film actor (1880–1940)

Thomas Edwin Mix (born Thomas Hezikiah Mix;^[1] Jan 6, 1880 – October 12, 1940) was an American ep actor and the star bad buy many early Western films betwixt 1909 and 1935.

He emerged in 291 films, all on the contrary nine of which were tranquil films. He was one liberation Hollywood's first Western stars extremity helped define the genre though it emerged in the prematurely days of the cinema.^[1]

Early years

Thomas Hezikiah Mix was born Jan 6, 1880, in Mix Foothold, Pennsylvania, approximately 62 miles (100 km) north of State College, in a jiffy Edwin Elias Mix and Elizabeth Heistand.

He grew up establish nearby DuBois, where his divine, a stable master for unmixed wealthy lumber merchant, taught him to ride and love horses.^[2] He spent time working enter a local farm owned provoke John DuBois, a lumber industrialist.

In April 1898, during grandeur Spanish–American War, Mix enlisted display the Army under the reputation Thomas E.

(Edwin) Mix. Fillet unit never went overseas, service Mix later failed to go back for duty after an extensive furlough when he married Elegance I. Allin on July 18, 1902. Mix was listed style AWOL on November 4, 1902, but was never court-martialed. Monarch marriage to Allin was sickly after one year. In 1905, Mix married Kitty Jewel Perinne, and this marriage also distressed within a year.

He monitor married Olive Stokes on Jan 10, 1909, in Medora, Northernmost Dakota. On July 13, 1912, Olive gave birth to their daughter Ruth.

In 1905, Stir rode in President Theodore Roosevelt's inaugural parade with a congregation of 50 horsemen led indifference Seth Bullock, which included assorted former Rough Riders. Years next, Hollywood publicists muddled this obstruct to imply that Mix abstruse been a Rough Rider living soul.

Mix went to Oklahoma become peaceful lived in Guthrie, working brand a bartender and other comical jobs. He was briefly shade marshal^[3] of Dewey, in 1911. He worked at the Author Brothers 101 Ranch, one gradient the largest ranching businesses reach the United States, covering 101,000 acres (41,000 ha), hence its fame.

The ranch had its household touring Wild West show walk heavily which Mix appeared. He ugly out as a skilled horse-soldier and expert shot, winning stateowned riding and roping contests struggle Prescott, Arizona, in 1909, good turn Canon City, Colorado, in 1910.^[4]

Mix was a Freemason.^[5][6][7]

Film career

Selig Polyscope

Mix began his film career chimpanzee a supporting cast member refer to the Selig Polyscope Company.

Her majesty first appearance was in wonderful short film, The Cowboy Millionaire, released on October 21, 1909. In 1910, he appeared pass for himself in a short docudrama film, Ranch Life in position Great Southwest, in which significant displayed his skills as a-okay cattle wrangler.

Shot distort Dewey, Oklahoma with Selig atelier cameramen,^[8] the film was swell success, and Mix became solve early motion picture star.

Mix performed in more than Century films for Selig, many very last which were filmed in Las Vegas, New Mexico. While junk Selig he co-starred in a few films with Victoria Forde, most recent they fell in love.

Subside divorced Olive Stokes in 1917. By then, Selig Polyscope esoteric encountered severe financial difficulties, plus Mix and Forde both hence signed with Fox Film Band, which had leased the Edendale studio. They married in 1918 and had a daughter, Thomasina (Tommie) Mix, in February 1922.^[3]

Mixville

Mix made more than 160 inept films throughout the 1920s.

These featured action-oriented scripts contrasted tweak the documentary style of king work with Selig. Heroes champion villains were sharply defined take up a clean-cut cowboy always ransomed the day. Millions of Denizen children grew up watching top films on Saturday afternoons. King horse, "Tony the Wonder Horse", also became a celebrity.

Cast did his own stunts take was frequently injured.

In 1913, Mix moved his family add up to a ranch he purchased interject Prescott named Bar Circle Top-hole Ranch. Some of his motion pictures were filmed in his Town home. During this time, Flutter had success in the resident Prescott Frontier Days rodeo, which claims to be the "world's oldest rodeo".^[9] In 1920, agreed took first prize in expert bull-riding contest.

The Bar Prepare A Ranch has been educated into a planned community commanded Yavapai Hills, where there shambles a street named Bar Prepare A Road.

Mix's salary undergo Fox reached $7,500 a workweek. Gossip columnist Louella Parsons wrote that he had his brand in electric lights on position top of his house.^[10] Reward performances were realistic with display stunts, horseback riding, attention-grabbing cowpoke costumes, and showmanship.

At significance Edendale lot, Mix built great 12-acre (4.9 ha) shooting set christened Mixville. Loaded with western props and furnishings, it has anachronistic described as a "complete limits town, with a dusty roadway, hitching rails, a saloon, feel one`s collar, bank, doctor's office, surveyor's bring into being, and the simple frame shield typical of the early Story era".^[11] Near the back short vacation the lot an Indian resident of lodges was ringed make wet miniature plaster mountains.

The submerged also included a simulated estimation, a large corral, and (to facilitate interior shots) a spreading house with no roof.

Mix threatened to move to Argentina to make films or seal join the circus, but finally he signed with FBO, which he then left for Public after salary disputes with FBO studio head Joseph P.

Aerodrome. He called Kennedy a "tight-assed, money-crazy son of a bitch".^[12]

Mix became friends with Wyatt Earp, who lived in Los Angeles and occasionally visited Hollywood midwestern movie sets.^[13] He was neat pallbearer at Earp's funeral escort January 1929.^[14] The newspapers accepted that Mix cried during sovereign friend's service.^[15]

1930s

Mix appeared with honourableness Sells-Floto Circus in 1929,^[16] 1930, and 1931 at a fashionable weekly salary of $20,000 (equivalent to $355,000 in 2023).

Meanwhile, glory Great Depression (along with rendering actor's free-spending ways and hang around wives) reportedly wiped out maximum of his savings.

Mix arena Forde divorced in 1931, prep added to in 1932, he married sovereignty fifth wife, Mabel Hubbell Wrench.

Universal Pictures approached him monitor 1932 with an offer reveal perform in "talkies," which fixed script and cast approval.

Fair enough acted in nine films fancy Universal, but because of injuries he received while filming, unwind was reluctant to do commoner more.

Around 1933, Mix comed with the Sam B. Herb circus, which he reportedly two years later (in 1935).

Mix's last screen appearance was a 15-episode sound Mascot Films serial, The Miracle Rider (1935), for which he received $40,000 for the four weeks endlessly filming.

Outdoor action sequences yen for the production were filmed fundamentally on the Iverson Movie Televise in Chatsworth, California, on character outskirts of Los Angeles. Dignity site was known for tight huge sandstone boulders, and defer of them later became famous as "Tom Mix Rock" in the way that it was discovered it difficult been used in The Phenomenon Rider.

In one episode, Agitate was filmed descending from justness top of the rock, concluded boot holes carved into concentrate to assist him in establishment the descent. The rock pole the boot holes, although mysterious, is in the Garden after everything else the Gods park in Chatsworth.^{[citation needed]}

Also in 1935, Texas tutor James V.

Allred named Shake an honorary Texas Ranger.

Mix returned to circus performing, fundamental with his eldest daughter Unhappiness Jane Mix, who had as well appeared in some of tiara films. In 1938, he went to Europe on a promotional trip, leaving Ruth behind persevere with manage the circus. Without him, however, the circus soon fruitless, and he later excluded smear from his will.

Mix esoteric reportedly made over $6 billion (equivalent to $133 million execute 2023) during his 26-year ep career.^[17]

Radio

In 1933, Ralston Purina plagiaristic his permission to produce description radio series Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters, which, but solution one year during World Bloodshed II, was popular throughout near of the 1930s through distinction early 1950s, well after Mix's death.^[18] Mix never appeared provide backing these broadcasts (his voice, bedraggled by a bullet to interpretation throat and repeated broken noses, was not fit for radio) and was instead played vulgar radio actors: Artells Dickson (early 1930s), Jack Holden (from 1937), Russell Thorsen (early 1940s) be proof against Joe "Curley" Bradley (from 1944).

Others in the supporting troupe included George Gobel, Harold Adventurer and Willard Waterman.

The Ralston company offered ads during rectitude radio program for listeners appoint send in for a progression of 12 special Ralston–Tom Beat comic books available only by means of writing the Ralston Company fail to notice mail.

Most of Mix's cable work has been lost make dirty the years; recordings of sui generis incomparabl approximately 30 scattered episodes, view no complete story arcs, survive.^{[citation needed]}

Death

On October 12, 1940, astern visiting Pima County Sheriff Think Echols in Tucson, Arizona,^[4] Puzzle was killed when his motorcar overturned while he was charming a detour 18 miles (29 km) south of Florence, Arizona.^[4] Proceed was 60 years old.

His funeral took place at distinction Little Church of the Bud in Glendale, California, on Oct 16, 1940, and was sharp by thousands of people. Bankruptcy is buried in the Grove Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery.^[4]

A tiny stone memorial marks the area of his death on Assert Route 79, and the away gully is known as "Tom Mix Wash".^[19] The marker bears the inscription: "In memory indicate Tom Mix, whose spirit lefthand his body on this patch and whose characterization and portrayals in life served to safer fix memories of the notice West in the minds notice living men."

Legacy

Tom Mix was the acknowledged "King of Cowboys" when Ronald Reagan and Crapper Wayne were young, and righteousness influence of his screen fa can be seen in their approach to portraying cowboys.

What because an injury caused football entertainer Marion Morrison (later known on account of John Wayne) to drop side of the University of Meridional California, Mix helped him bonanza work moving props in prestige back lot of Fox Studios. That was the beginning attain Wayne's Hollywood career.^{[citation needed]}

Mix appreciative 291 movies throughout his activity.

As of 2007, only development 10% of these were broadcast to be available for examination, though it is unclear accomplish something many are now considered left behind films.^{[citation needed]} The 1937 Deuce vault fire lost most prime the archive of his flicks made with Fox.

For king contribution to the motion be grateful for industry, Mix has a knowledge on the Hollywood Walk be worthwhile for Fame at 1708 Vine Avenue.

His cowboy boot prints, area prints and the hoof catch of his horse, Tony, dangle at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, scornfulness 6925 Hollywood Boulevard. In 1958 Mix was inducted posthumously assay the Western Performers Hall acquire Fame at the National Incompetent & Western Heritage Museum find guilty Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

In 1959, a "Monument to the Stars" was erected on Beverly Impel (where it intersects Olympic Lane and becomes Beverwil) in Beverly Hills. The memorial consists bargain a bronze-green spiral of sprocketed "camera film" above a multi-sided tower, embossed with full-length likenesses of early stars who comed in famous silent movies.

Those memorialized include Douglas Fairbanks, Form Pickford, Will Rogers, Conrad Nagel, Rudolph Valentino, Fred Niblo, Harold Lloyd, and Mix. There denunciation also a Tom Mix museum in Dewey, Oklahoma.^[20][21] Additionally, stick up 1986 to 2002 there existed another museum in his fount of Mix Run, Pennsylvania.^[22] Mid 1980 and 2004, 21 Break Mix festivals were held about the month of September, uttermost of them in DuBois, University.

Comic book appearances

Tom Mix was often portrayed in comic books, primarily during the heyday aristocratic Western-themed comics, the 1940s skull 1950s.

He was first featured in 11 issues of Strath Comics' The Comics from 1937 to 1938.

The Ralston Purina Company, a sponsor of influence radio series, produced nine issues of Tom Mix Comics esteem 1940–1941, and three issues on the way out Tom Mix Commandos Comics brush 1942.

The 36-page comics were available by mail order, represent two boxtops of any Ralston cereal.^[23]

Fawcett Comics published 61 issues of Tom Mix Western dismiss 1948 to 1953.

Comics featuring Tom Mix were also publicized in Sweden, Germany, Canada, Continent, and Great Britain, including Plaudits.

Miller & Son's Tom Put together Western Comics, which ran 85 issues from 1948 to 1951.

Cultural references

• Bruce Cockburn in surmount song Nicaragua refers to Augusto César Sandino wearing a Tomcat Mix hat.
• "Lynching in Mixville" progression a short story by L.J. Washburn where Mix is apparently arrested for the murder be beneficial to a cowboy extra.

  The version appears in American Pulp, impervious to Edward Gorman (Editor), Bill Pronzini (Editor), Martin Harry Greenberg (Editor) (1997) ISBN 1568655088.

• Bruce Willis played Black Mix in the 1988 Painter Edwards film Sunset, with Saint Garner as Wyatt Earp. Primacy film was very loosely home-produced on the fact that Earp and Mix knew each in relation to when Earp was serving translation a consultant during the still film era.^[24]
• Daryl Ponicsan's novel Tom Mix Died for Your Sins (1975) evokes Mix's life very last personality.
• Clifford Irving offered a pseudo-autobiographical version of Mix's early experience, drawing him as a shameless young gringo who befriends gleam then joins up with prestige Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa mosquito the novel Tom Mix plus Pancho Villa (1982).
• The protagonist interrupt Philip K.

  Dick's science narration novel The Penultimate Truth (1964) lives in a subterranean accommodation named after Tom Mix.

• In rendering 1998 film Smoke Signals, greatness Native protagonists Victor and Socialist have their seats taken shy two white men. They run away with discuss how the cowboys without exception win.

  They discuss Tom Puzzle and John Wayne, and breeze up singing a song pant John Wayne's teeth, and in spite of that they are never visible smother his movies.

• A resurrected Mix developed in two of Philip José Farmer's Riverworld novels, The Black Design (1977) and The Witchcraft Labyrinth (1980), as a travel companion of Jack London, stay on with a short story featured in the anthology Riverworld at an earlier time Other Stories (1979).
• The ghost gradient Tom Mix haunted a Screenland couple in the supernatural imagination The Ghosts of Edendale (2004).
• The United States Postal Service has commemorated Mix on a standard mail postage stamp.
• There is shipshape and bristol fashion street named Tom Mix Footpath in Prescott, Arizona and various streets in the Yavapai Hills neighborhood are named after Break Mix's movies.
• There is a road in Westfield, North Carolina given name Tom Mix Rd Westfield, NC 27053 https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=575100546&sxsrf=AM9HkKl_528JRfImXt0MwGKNgk_QUpy35A:1697783116737&q=Tom+Mix+Rd&ludocid=8125066696975223743&lsig=AB86z5WBs2z7s1J-MBWC_EI3MkNA&kgs=4efcb684f733aca4&shndl=-1&shem=lbsc,lsp&source=sh/x/kp/local/m1/2
• In the 2008 Clint Eastwood film Changeling, the "imposter" son of Angelina Jolie's class cites meeting Tom Mix survive riding his horse as emperor motive for concocting his erroneous story.
• In the 2010 Boardwalk Empire episode "The Emerald City", Nucky Thompson's servant Eddie Kessler offers to frisk someone who's regularly to see him.

  Nucky chides him: "You're Tom Mix complete of a sudden?"^[25]

• In the gear episode of the second stretch of the 2014 Netflix suggest Peaky Blinders, Tommy Shelby interviews a prospective fall guy look after his gang who is unjust to homemade western garb mount asks "Spend a lotta previous at the pictures eh?

  Cowherd pictures, Tom Mix, Yeah?"

• The Earth artist Robert Ecker has guess Mix's trademark ten-gallon hat endure his image in several totality, including End of an Era (mezzotint, 1982) and Persistence reproduce Imagery #25 (painting, 2013).
• In greatness season five episode entitled "Mulcahy's War" of the television stack M*A*S*H, Father Mulcahy performs demolish emergency tracheotomy on an pained soldier with his Tom Heave pocketknife.
• An image of Mix appears prominently on the cover take up the Beatles' 1967 album Sgt.

  Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

• In the film Tombstone, starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer, significant the closing credits reference abridge made to the fact dump "Tom Mix wept" at Architect Earp's funeral.
• A passing reference appreciation made about Mix in Course 3, Episode 2 of Downton Abbey.
• In the first episode tension The Beverly Hillbillies, Jed Clampett mentions that he likes Have a break Mix.
• Tom Mix is rhyming cant - especially in British lotto - for the number 6.^[26]
• A passing reference is made prep between the Doctor about his entourage dressing as Tom Mix notch the 1966 serial 'The Gunfighters', Season 3 of Doctor Who.

Filmography

Main article: Tom Mix filmography

References

Further reading

External links