Ben Haas
(Deceased)
A native of North Carolina, Ben Haas wrote numerous novels, including some westerns. He used such pseudonyms as John Benteen, Thorne Douglas and Richard Meade. He often collaborated with his son, Joel Haas , especially on the "Fargo" and "Sundance" series of Western novels, using the pen name of "John Benteen." Their collaborative efforts included The Border Jumpers and Death Valley Gold. Ben's books included The House of Christina.
Ben Haas died in 1977.
Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman, actor, was born Eugene Alden Hackman on Jan. 30, 1930 in San Bernadino, CA. He joined the Marines when he was just 16 years old and served for three years.
At the ripe old age of 19, Hackman moved to New York City. Then he studied TV production and journalism at the University of Illinois. And many years later, at more than 30 years of age, he studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse in California.
Then it was back to NYC for summer stock and community theatre productions. He made it to Broadway in 1964 and, later that year, was in his first movie. His big break came in 1967 when he played Buck Barrow in the film, "Bonnie and Clyde." He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for that role.
He was nominated in the same category in 1970 for his work in "I Never Sang for My Father". Two years later, at age 40, he won an Oscar for his role in "The French Connection".
He received another Oscar for his work with Clint Eastwood in the Western, "Unforgiven" (1992). His other Western credits include "Bite the Bullet," "Geronimo: An American Legend" (1993), "Wyatt Earp" (1994), and "The Quick and the Dead" (1995).
CLICK HERE to see Gene Hackman's complete filmography.
Ann Hackney
Ann Hackney attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in England and has worked in professional theatre productions from New York to Los Angeles. She is the author of three full-length films. And she is the author of The Epic Adventure, Texas!, 2nd ed.(Historic Jefferson Foundation, 1985),a history book for juveniles. It has an introduction by Mrs. Lyndon Johnson. And a cassette tape of the book is narrated by Texan Bill Moyers, with songs sung by Francis Edward Abernethy and Willie Nelson.
Alan Hale, Sr.
(Deceased)
Alan Hale, Sr., was born on February 10, 1892. He often played a sidekick to Errol Flynn. He was the father of Alan Hale, Jr.(also deceased), who played 'the Skipper' on "Gilligan's Island".Alan Hale, Sr., directed eight movies. And he appeared in 183 films. His Western credits include The Cowboy and the Lady (1911), The Covered Wagon (1923), Code of the Wilderness (1924), Ranger of the Big Pines (1925), High, Wide and Handsome (1937), Dodge City (1939), Virginia City (1940), Santa Fe Trail (1940), Cheyenne (1947), The Younger Brothers (1949) and Colt .45 (1950).
CLICK HERE to see the complete filmography of Alan Hale.
Hale experienced liver failure because of a viral infection and died on January 22, 1950. His remains are buried in the Forest Lawn Cemetery (Whispering Pines Section, Space 6, lot 724) in Glendale, CA.
Bill Hale
Brother to Monte Hale. He was the first outlaw to be killed by Marshal Dillon on the Gunsmoke TV show.
Monte Hale
Monte Hale, cowboy actor and singer, was born in 1919 in Ada, Oklahoma. When he was a young man, during World War II, a group of movie stars made a tour to sell war bonds. And young Monte went to the show and got autographs from the likes of Chill Wills and other actors. He made an impression on the group and they hired him to play guitar on trip to back up Lee 'Lasses' White.
That two-week stint resulted in one of them writing a letter to the president of Republic Pictures recommended that they screen test the young Oklahoman. A friend in Texas loaned Monte $500 to make the trip to Hollywood, where he won a seven-year contract.
A Monte Hale comic from July, 1949
His first movie role was in "The Big Bonanza" in 1944, with Richard Arlen. Then he had bit-parts in films starring such cowboys as Sunset Carson, Will Bill Elliott and Allan Lane. Then he starred in 19 Western movies of his own.
Along the way he appeared in films with such major stars as Marlon Brando, Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson and James Dean. He was the one who taught James Dean the little rope trick with which Dean played around in a key scene in the film, "Giant."
His wife, Joanne Hale, is the director of the Autry Museum in Los Angeles, CA.
CLICK HERE to see the complete filmography of cowboy movie star Monte Hale.
Kjell Hallbing
Kjell Hallbing worked for several years as a bank clerk in Oslo, Norway. He abandoned that profession for writing. He wrote more than 125 books, and approximately 75 of them were about the fictional western character "Morgan Kane".
Kjell Hallbing sometimes used the pseudonym Louis Masterson. His books included Where the Eagles Die, Alaska Marshal, Comanche and the Last Cheyenne, Without Mercy, The Claw of the Dragon, and The Star and the Gun.
See his photo and an article about him in the Nov., 1974 issue of The Roundup, and an article by him in the March, 1972 issue.)
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.
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
--- Jesus the Christ (Bible: Gospel of John 8:12
© 2003 by Stan Paregien, Sr.
