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John Bearry


John Bearry, singer and musician and cowboy, lives with his wife Wendy in Glencoe, Oklahoma.

John grew up in a musical family, his father being a fine guitarist. John is the founder and lead singer in a group called The Oklahoma Company Cowboys. He also plays lead guitar.

John Bearry has appeared at numerous gatherings in Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. He has entertained at the Pawnee Bill Wild West show, at the Michael Martin Murphy Wild West Weekend held near Stillwater.Most of John's extra time is raising cattle and training horses, and trying to raise his two boys to do the same.

CLICK HERE to go to the official web page of The Oklahoma Company Cowboys.

Wendy Bearry


Wendy Bearry, singer and musician (bass guitar), lives with her husband, John, in Glencoe, OK. Wendy started playing bass guitar at the age of 9.

Wendy Bearry was raised on a farming and ranching operation in the great sandhills of Nebraska. She started a country and western band with her dad, Lyle Newman, at the age of 11. She is an excellent performer, and sings lead, harmony, and yodels.

Wendy is the mother of two buckaroos, and helps her husband John with the chores on their ranch, where they raise cattle and horses. Wendy has a bright smile and sense of humor that makes folks glad they have been fortunate enough to experience her love of music with her.

She is a member of the singing group, The Oklahoma Company Cowboys. CLICK HERE to go to their web page.

D.D. Beauchamp

(Deceased)
D.D. "Bud" Beauchamp was a native of Montana. He wrote articles and stories for many different magazines. Then, after serving in the Air Corps in World War II, he moved to Hollywood and began a career as a writer of screenplays. He worked for several years on the "Daniel Boone" TV show, doing both writing and editing. He worked on the script of the 1956 movie, "The Rawhide Years," starring Tony Curtis and Arthur Kennedy. Western Writers of America member Norman Fox wrote the novel upon which the movie script was based.

D.D. Beauchamp died on March 20, 1969. William R. Cox paid this tribute to him: "He was a consummate craftsman, one of the most highly regarded screenplay writers of his time. We worked together for years on many various scripts and it was always Bud who did the final draft. He was the most generous of men in sharing credit, he was more than generous with his pocketbook. People liked Bud, many loved him" (The Roundup, May, 1969).

Peggy A. Bechko


Peggy A. Bechko was born in Michigan, raised in Indiana and Florida, and now lives with her husand in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She holds a B.A. with a major in creative writing.

She wrote fiction in one form or another from about the age of fourteen. She says, "My quandary was that I could never write anything short. So, in the course of things, I just skipped over short stories and leapt right to novel length, submitting what I felt was my first marketable works when I was nineteen to a literary agency in New York. They accepted me, addressing me as Mr. Bechko, which at that time I didn’t bother to correct since I was then submitting westerns and kept getting told 'women can't write westerns'."

But, over time, everybody adjusted and her first sale was to Doubleday, the editor with whom she dealt, also being greatly surprised to find himself talking to a young woman. The book, THE NIGHT OF THE FLAMING GUNS, came out when she was twenty-two. She had written it in the first person as a middle-aged man, and Doubleday went on to buy a total of five westerns from her.

Romances were picking up followers then, and she managed to keep her western influence a bit while writing a more modern "romance" set in Mexico, DARK SIDE OF LOVE, and then a 'young adult' western titled, THE GALLAGHERS.

Then came CLOUD DANCER, a full-blown historical romance which she took pains to keep historically correct. Then back to a couple more westerns, screenwriting, and now she is working in the fantasy/science fiction field.

Bechko is also talented with her hands as well as her mind. She has had paper mache' sculptures on sale at Elaine Horwitch Galleries in Santa Fe and hand-made (beaded) jewelry on sale at a gallery in Texas.

Peggy A. Bechko has 14 completed books to her credit, some under the name of P.A. Bechko. She has written six complete spec screenplays. One screenplay, "Replica" (formerly "Spitting Image"), climbed to a high ranking place in two well-known competitions: the quarterfinals of the Nicholl Fellowship in screenwriting, and the semi-finals of the Writers Foundation sponsored America’s Best screenwriting competition. Two of her screenplays have since been optioned and she has written for a half-hour animated series now in production. Now she is getting involved with audiobooks and ebooks, and she is developing a couple of proposals for kids television shows, both animated and live action, and beginning to write novels and short stories for the fantasy field.

She is currently writing for the new Saban Entertainment, animated series Diabolik episode titled "Strange Alliance". And she is involved in the early development stages for a new children’s TV series with Ord Morgan of Quadrangle Entertainment.

Her books with Doubleday include Night of the Hawke's Indians, Flaming Guns, Blown to Hell, Gunman's Justice, and The Winged Warrior (some also reprinted in German, French and British editions, as well as an audio version).

Her Harlequin romance novels include The Bleeding Hills , The Dark Side of Love, and Cloud Dancer. Her books for Pinnace include Sidewinder's Trail (pen name of Bill Haller), and Dead Man's Feud. And her books for Thorndike Press include Eye of the Hawk and The Tin Pan Man.

She is married to Steven Chappell, author of Dragons & Demons, Angels & Eagles and The Voyage of the Peregrin and the forthcoming Ebook, The Tales of Caer Alban.

CLICK HERE to go to her own web site by clicking

Molly Bee

Molly Bee, country Western singer, was born Molly Beachwood on Aug. 18, 1939 in Oklahoma City, OK. Her early years were spent in Beltbuckle, Tennessee. Then her family moved to Tucson, Arizona.

Molly Bee's lucky break came when, at the age of ten, her mother took her to see Rex Allen, the Arizona singing cowboy. But her mother also arranged for Molly to sing a song for the star. And Rex Allen was so impressed that he invited her to sing a song on his own radio program.

Encouraged by Rex Allen and others, the family moved to Hollywood to further her career. Within two years of her radio debut on Rex Allen's show, she became a regular performer on the Hometown Jamboree (Cliffie Stone's TV show in Los Angles). Molly Bee sang with the Jamoboree throughout her teens, gaining a large following of fans. During this time, she was also a regular on The Pinky Lee Show, appearing on the television program for three years.

When she was 13, Molly Bee signed with Capitol Records, releasing her first single, "Tennessee Tango". However, it was "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," released late in 1952, that was her first major success. In 1953, she recorded "Don't Start Courtin' In A Hot Rod Ford," a duet with Tennessee Ernie Ford. The following year, she left Pinky Lee's show for Ford's daytime television show.

Molly Bee's career continued to grow. She she had more hits such as "Young Romance," "Don't Look Back," and "Five Points of A Star". By the late 1950s, her live shows were drawing large, record-breaking crowds.

In the early '60s, Molly Bee began to move her talents to other areas. She began acting in several musical plays (The Boy Friend, Finian's Rainbow, Paint Your Wagon) and movies (Chartreuse Caboose, The Young Swingers). And she also became a fixture in Las Vegas.

However, her recording career began to decline after she signed with Liberty Records in 1962. After two unsuccessful years there, she moved to MGM in 1965, releasing the "It's Great...It's Molly Bee" album. Bee found her greatest success at MGM the following year with "Losing You/Miserable Me."

By the late 1960s, Molly Bee had become addicted to drugs. Her career and her personal life were in ruins. She slowly rebuilt her life and her career. She re-emerged in 1975 with the album, "Good Golly Ms. Molly"(on Cliffie Stone's Granite record label). Her comeback was successful, producing two charting singles: "She Kept On Talking'" and "Right Or Left At Oak Street." In 1982, she released her final album, "Sounds Fine to Me".

Molly Bee appeared in six movies: Corral Cuties (1954), Going Steady (1958), Summer Love (1958), Chartroose Caboose (1960), The Young Swingers (1963) and Hillbillys in a Haunted House (1967). She appeared in one episode of "The Range Rider" TV show in 1951.


Molly Bee with Cliffie Stone (the producer of Town Hall Party) and singer Tommy Sands.

My thanks to my sister, Roberta Fournier, for furnishing the photo of Molly Bee.

Can anyone out there provide me with current information about Molly Bee?

Robert Beene


Robert Beene, cowboy poet and event promoter, was born and raised in Oklahoma. His father earned his living as a horse-trader. So young Robert grew up around and on horses.

He worked on several ranches in both Nebraska and Oklahoma, and loved bullriding and did that from the time he was sixteen until he was thirty-three. He spent six years as a farrier, caring for other folks' horses. But in 2001 he injured his back so seriously he had to give that up.

Robert Beene now performs his rhyme and lyrics wherever he can find an audience. And that means at everything from cowboy poetry gatherings to rodeos, weddings, private parties, and similar events. His poetry has been published in The Big Roundup, The Christian Ranchman, and American Western Magazine.


Robert & Angela Beene

Photo by Stan Paregien (Nov.,2002)

Robert Beene is the founder and host of the annual Western Oklahoma Cowboy Poetry Gathering. The gathering is held the first Saturday in November at Red Rock Canyon State Park in Hinton, Oklahoma.

Beene is a proud member of Cowboys for Christ and the Academy of Western Artists. He has been nominated for the AWA’s Rising Star and Male Cowboy Poet awards. His recent release, “Cowboyology,” made the AWA’s Top 10 for Cowboy Poetry Tape/CD for the year 2003. Robert also works with local schools to help teach children the Western heritage and to promote cowboy poetry in today’s youth. Robert Beene has performed hispoetry at these and other events: Autumn in the Park (Duncan, OK), Rafter S Roping Event (Cyril, OK), Binger Rodeo (Binger, OK), Ghost Town Cowboy Gathering (Rosston, OK) Spirit of the West Festival (Baldhill, OK), Floyd King Day (Eakly, OK), Festival of the West (Apache, OK), and the Bill Tilghman Festival (Cromwell, OK).

Gladys B. Beery


Gladys B. Beery was a school teacher for one year, then gave private piano lessons in her home and worked as a secretary in the local high school for eight years. Then she did office work for the County Engineer for two years, and followed that up with ten years of service as the County Clerk. She has been writing off and on for many years, but in 1978 she got serious about her writing.

Gladys B. Beery's articles have appeared in True West, Old West, Owen Wister Review, Capper's Weekly, Salvation Army War Cry, Assemblies of God-"Junior Trails", and the Laramie Daily Boomerang. She contributed an article to the 1977 Wyoming Writers' anthology, This Is Wyoming--Listen. She has also written the meditations for her church's monthly bulletin for over eight years.

She also contributed some poetry to the Wyoming Writers' collection, Wordweavers: Wyoming Writers Poetry (1986). And she is the author of two books of poetry--Poems: Wyoming Promises (1984) and Moments, Moods & Memories (1984).

Gladys B. Beery has been a member of the Western Writers of America, Wyoming Writers, Wyoming Poets, Albany County Historical Society, Wyoming State Historical Society, and the Nebraska State Historical Society.

Noah Beery


(Deceased)
Noah Beery, movie actor, was born in 1882. His father was a policeman, but his own interest was in entertaining. And his younger brother, Wallace Beery, was also enthralled with the stage. At the age of sixteen, Noah Beery began working in vaudeville and the theatre. It was not until his brother Wallace broke into the movies that he, in his thirties, turned his attention toward Hollywood.

Noah Beery appeared in nearly 200 films. His first was "The Human Orchid" in 1916 and his last film 41 years later was, "Zorro Rides Again" in 1957. He had roles in some 40 Western movies.

Noah Beery died of a heart attack on April 1, 1946 in Los Angeles, CA. He was buried at Forest Lawn (Hollywood Hills) Cemetery in Los Angeles, CA. He was the father of actor Noah Beery, Jr.

CLICK HERE to see the complete filmography of Noah Beery.

Noah Beery, Jr.


(Deceased)
Noah Beery, Jr., actor, was experienced success in both the movies and on TV. He was the son of silent movie and talkie star Noah Beery, and was a nephew of Wallace Beery, another major movie star of the 1930's and 1940's.

Noah Beery's Western credits include "Red River" (1948), "Hondo and the Apaches" (1967), "Jubal" (1956), "The Fastest Gun Alive" (1956), "War Arrow" (1953), "Wings of the Hawk"(1953), "The Last Outpost"(1951), "Frontier Badmen" (1943), "Overland Mail" (1942), "Riders of Death Valley" (1941), "The Light of Western Stars" (1940), "The Carson City Kid" (1940), "Bad Lands"(1939), "Savage Fury" (1935), "The Trail Beyond" (1934), "Fighting With Kit Carson" (1933), and "Rustler's Roundup" (1933).

Beery also played in such films as "Sergeant York," "Inherit the Wind," "The Best Little Whore House in Texas," He may be best remember, however, for his role late in life as "Rocky", the father of Jim Rockford (James Garner), in the "Rockford Files" TV detective show.

Noah Beery, Jr., died in Tehachapi, CA., at the age of 81, following brain surgery. His is buried at Forest Lawn (Hollywood Hills; Sheltering Hills, lot 930) Cemetery in Los Angeles, CA. He survived by his wife, the former Maxine Jones, daughter of legendary early screen star Buck Jones.

Beery, Wallace


(Deceased)
Wallace Berry, actor, was on born April 1, 1885, in Kansas City, MO. He graduated from high school in Kansas City, MO., then traveled the USA with Ringling Brothers Circus as an elephant trainer. Then he transitioned to vaudeville, where he acted and sang and was a female impersonator--a very big, ugly female one would think, given his bear-sized physique and rough exterior.

By 1914 Wallace Beery had transferred his female character, "Sweedie," to the silent screen. He made 30 such films from 1914 to 1916. And it was during the filming of "Sweedie Goes to College" in 1916 that he fell in love with his co-star and married the lovely Miss. Gloria Swanson.

By the 1920's Beery was becoming more type cast as he played rough and tumble male leads. His Western films included "The Last of the Mohicans"(1920), "Pony Express "(1925), and "Wyoming". Wallace Beery received an Oscar for his role in "The Champ" (M.G.M., 1931).

Wallace Beery died of a heart attack on April 15, 1949, in Beverly Hills, CA. His remains are at Forest Lawn Cemetery (Vale of Memory, 2086) in Glendale, CA.

J.W. Beeson

J.W. Beeson, a working cowboy and popular poet, was born in Pampa, Texas. He has spent most of his time working on ranches in the Oklahoma and Texas area. He is also a saddle maker. In 1995 he was hired by the Great American Cattle Drive to help move a herd of Texas Longhorns from Ft. Worth, Texas, to Miles City, Montana.


Kent Rollins (Hollis, OK), J.W. Beeson (Lipscomb, TX) and
Stan Paregien on March 17, 2001 at the annual Oklahoma
Cowboy Poetry Gathering at the National Cowboy & Western
Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

J.W. Beeson's poetry has been featured in Western Horseman Magazine. And he has performed at the Elko Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada, the granddaddy of 'em all.

This listing is far from complete and may
contain errors. Therefore, all Western entertainers and/or
their agents are requested to submit recommended changes
by contacting Stan Paregien

Teach me your way, O Lord,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
--- Bible: Psalm 86:11

© 2003 by Stan Paregien, Sr.