Hoot Gibson
Hoot Gibson lived a star-crossed life. He grew up around horses. While who knows how many of us threatened to, Hoot ran off and joined the circus at 13. Shortly thereafter he took work as a cowboy and horse wrangler in Wyoming, Colorado and Oklahoma. During those years he developed a passion for rodeo. At twenty he won All-Around Champion Cowboy at the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up. His record also included a World Championship in roping at the Calgary Stampede.
Hoot parlayed his horsemanship and rodeo prowess into work as a Hollywood stuntman and wrangler. Following service in WWI the popularity for western films exploded. Hoot started in bit parts that introduced him to legendary director John Ford. Ford and Gibson forged a friendship that would springboard Hoot’s screen career into feature films. Gibson’s ‘Aw shucks’, laid-back antihero persona had a unique appeal. His box office popularity equaled that of Tom Mix. In 1919 Hoot began turning out B Western oaters mounted on his palomino Goldie.
Superstardom opened the way to life in the fast lane. Hoot earned top dollar, fourteen thousand a week. He spent it as fast as he earned it, developing expensive passions for fast cars and airplane racing. Four marriages followed, three ending in divorce. In 1930 he lost his contract with Universal. A series of low budget, small studio films followed. His career took a down turn right about the time singing cowboys Gene Autry and Roy Rogers became the rage.
In 1943 Monogram signed Hoot to do a series of B Westerns eventually teamed with Bob Steele. Hoot’s career rebounded, but disastrous financial effects of his lifestyle left their strain. An expensive battle with cancer proved too much to overcome in the later years of his life. He passed away soon after turning seventy. He received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Induction into the Western Performers Hall of Fame following his death.
Next Week: Kirby Grant
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Ride easy,
Paul
Hoot parlayed his horsemanship and rodeo prowess into work as a Hollywood stuntman and wrangler. Following service in WWI the popularity for western films exploded. Hoot started in bit parts that introduced him to legendary director John Ford. Ford and Gibson forged a friendship that would springboard Hoot’s screen career into feature films. Gibson’s ‘Aw shucks’, laid-back antihero persona had a unique appeal. His box office popularity equaled that of Tom Mix. In 1919 Hoot began turning out B Western oaters mounted on his palomino Goldie.
Superstardom opened the way to life in the fast lane. Hoot earned top dollar, fourteen thousand a week. He spent it as fast as he earned it, developing expensive passions for fast cars and airplane racing. Four marriages followed, three ending in divorce. In 1930 he lost his contract with Universal. A series of low budget, small studio films followed. His career took a down turn right about the time singing cowboys Gene Autry and Roy Rogers became the rage.
In 1943 Monogram signed Hoot to do a series of B Westerns eventually teamed with Bob Steele. Hoot’s career rebounded, but disastrous financial effects of his lifestyle left their strain. An expensive battle with cancer proved too much to overcome in the later years of his life. He passed away soon after turning seventy. He received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Induction into the Western Performers Hall of Fame following his death.
Next Week: Kirby Grant
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
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