Red Ryder
Encyclopedia
Red Ryder was a popular long-running Western comic strip
created by Stephen Slesinger
and artist Fred Harman
. Beginning Sunday, November 6, 1938, Red Ryder was syndicated by Newspaper Enterprise Association
, expanding over the following decade to 750 newspapers, translations into ten languages and a readership in the United States of 14 million. The 26-year run of the strip came to an end in 1964.
, which remains the longest continuous license in the history of the global licensing industry. The appeal of the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun to youngsters was depicted in the Christmas classic film A Christmas Story, adapted from the autobiographical fiction of Jean Shepherd
, by permission of Red Ryder Enterprises, Inc., which owns the Red Ryder trademarks and copyrights.
with his aunt, the Duchess, and his juvenile sidekick, Little Beaver, who rode his horse, Papoose, when they took off to deal with the bad guys. Little Beaver spoke in the pidgin English
now considered an offensive caricature. (Example: "Spinach heap good. Me like'm!") Other notable characters were ranchhand Buckskin Blodgett, Red's gal pal Beth and bad guy Ace Hanlon.
Harman was eventually acclaimed as one of the finest Western pen-and-ink artists, known for his dramatic sense of perspective and authentic action. Contributing artists and writers worked on the strip over the years, including Stephen Slesinger who scripted and approved all of the stories until his passing in 1953; Jim Gary, Edmund Good, John Wade ("Johnnie") Hampton, Robert MacLeod and Bill Lignanti (of The Palm Restaurant
fame). Charlie Dye, Johnnie Hampton, Joe Beeler
and George Phippen
were co-founders of the Cowboy Artists of America
of which Harman was also a charter member. Harman left Red Ryder in 1963 to concentrate on his paintings, MacLeod continued writing the story continuity for the strip with staff artists of Red Ryder Entp., Inc.
Gaylord DuBois
, a prolific comic book writer associated with Slesinger, scripted Red Ryder and Little Beaver for a short period in 1938 and again in the early 1940s.
The first Red Ryder comic book was published by Slesinger's Hawley Publications, Inc. in September 1940, followed by Hi-Spot comics for one issue. Dell Comics
launched its Red Ryder in August 1941, changing its title to Red Ryder Ranch Magazine with #145, and then to Red Ryder Ranch Comics with #149. Red Ryder Comics consisted of reprints of the newspaper strip until issue #47 (June 1947), when it began producing original material. Altogether, the title ran for a total of 151 issues, ending in 1957, one of the longest continuous newsstand runs of any Western comic.
, broadcast three times a week at 7:30pm Pacific time. When the Blue also acquired The Lone Ranger
from the Mutual Broadcasting System
, Mutual decided to compete by airing Red Ryder in the same time period. Thus, Red Ryder aired on the East Coast that year from May 20 to September 9 on Mutual. The series beat The Lone Ranger in the Hooper ratings, but the success was short-lived. Red Ryder was sold to a regional sponsor, Langendorf Bread, and after four months was no longer heard in the East.
Mutual and Langendorf continued the series on the West Coast Don Lee Network
through the 1940s at 7:30pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, always with the familiar organ theme, "The Dying Cowboy" ("Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie
"). Announcers on the show included Ben Alexander and Art Gilmore
.
The continuing characters of the comic strip were also found in the radio series, produced by Brad Brown with writer-director Paul Franklin and writer Albert Van Antwerp. Reed Hadley
portrayed Red Ryder on radio from 1942 to 1944, followed by Carlton KaDell (1945) and Brooke Temple (1946-51). Arthur Q. Bryan
had the role of Roland "Rawhie" Rolinson, and Red's sidekick Buckskin was played by Horace Murphy. Jim Mather provided Indian voices.
Numerous actors played Little Beaver: One of the most notable was Robert Blake
(on credits as Bobby Blake), Tommy Cook (1942 on), Frank Bresee
(1942-46, alternating with Cook), Henry Blair (1944-47), Johnny McGovern (1947-50) and Sammy Ogg (1950-51). During the same mid-1940s time frame, Henry Blair also portrayed Ricky Nelson
on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
.
Although billed as "America's famous fighting cowboy," Red Ryder was notable because he usually did not kill his enemies but instead aimed for the hand to disarm them. Such sound effects were handled by James Dick, Monty Fraser and Bob Turnbull.
and Allan "Rocky" Lane portrayed Red Ryder in a number of films, both working with Robert Blake as Little Beaver. The last four Red Ryder movies starred Jim Bannon
as Red Ryder and Don Kay ("Little Brown Jug") Reynolds as Little Beaver and all four of these movies were done in color. Red Ryder was also a 1956-57 Western television series starring Jim Bannon.
At JC Penney stores across the country, Slesinger created Red Ryder "outposts for dependable American quality and value." These stores within the store were called "Red Ryder Corrals." In addition to educational and sportsmanship contests, special events and personal appearances, they supplied Red Ryder Brand rugged clothing for men and boys. In addition to Red Ryder and Little Beaver outdoor products, licensing included school supplies, lunch kits and other Red Ryder character hardware and sporting goods.
The outposts also included the legendary Daisy Red Ryder Carbine, which became a father-to-son Christmas
gift tradition as memorialized in the 1983 Jean Shepherd
film A Christmas Story. The story revolves around the author's childhood memories and a boy trying to get a "Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle BB gun
with a compass in the stock and a thing which tells time" for Christmas.
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
created by Stephen Slesinger
Stephen Slesinger
Stephen Slesinger , was an American radio/television/film producer, creator of comic strip characters and the father of the licensing industry...
and artist Fred Harman
Fred Harman
Fred Harman was an American artist, best known for his popular Red Ryder comic strip, which he drew for 25 years, reaching 40 million readers through 750 newspapers. Harman sometimes used the pseudonym Ted Horn....
. Beginning Sunday, November 6, 1938, Red Ryder was syndicated by Newspaper Enterprise Association
United Media
United Media is a large editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States, owned by The E.W. Scripps Company. It syndicates 150 comics and editorial columns worldwide. Its core business is the United Feature Syndicate and the Newspaper Enterprise Association...
, expanding over the following decade to 750 newspapers, translations into ten languages and a readership in the United States of 14 million. The 26-year run of the strip came to an end in 1964.
Bronc Peeler
Harman was on a Colorado ranch when he decided to draw a comic strip. He headed for Hollywood in the early 1930s, borrowed some money and began Bronc Peeler, which he syndicated himself. Bronc Peeler was a rough cowboy who fought bandits and rustlers with the help of his pal, Coyote Pete. Harman's rough-hewn art style had a dramatic appeal, but his characters, who killed animals and people, coupled with the affected use of slang and thin storylines, were not in keeping with the content standards needed for wide syndication.Red Ryder
In 1938, when Harman met publisher/comic syndicator Slesinger, he headed toward happier trails. Slesinger brought Harman to New York and worked with him for a year before Red Ryder was ready to be syndicated. Slesinger then embarked on a successful campaign of merchandising and licensing with a seemingly endless parade of comic books, Big Little Books, novels, serial chapters, radio programs, events, rodeos, powwows, commercial tie-ins and licensed products such as the Daisy Red Ryder BB GunRed Ryder BB Gun
The Red Ryder BB Gun is a BB gun made by Daisy Outdoor Products and introduced in 1938 that resembles the Winchester rifle of Western movies...
, which remains the longest continuous license in the history of the global licensing industry. The appeal of the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun to youngsters was depicted in the Christmas classic film A Christmas Story, adapted from the autobiographical fiction of Jean Shepherd
Jean Shepherd
Jean Parker Shepherd was an American raconteur, radio and TV personality, writer and actor who was often referred to by the nickname Shep....
, by permission of Red Ryder Enterprises, Inc., which owns the Red Ryder trademarks and copyrights.
Characters and story
Astride his mighty steed Thunder, Red was a tough cowpoke who lived on Painted Valley Ranch in the Blanco Basin of the San Juan Mountain RangeSan Juan Mountains
The San Juan Mountains are a high and rugged mountain range in the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Colorado. The area is highly mineralized and figured in the gold and silver mining industry of early Colorado. Major towns, all old mining camps, include Creede, Lake City, Silverton, Ouray, and...
with his aunt, the Duchess, and his juvenile sidekick, Little Beaver, who rode his horse, Papoose, when they took off to deal with the bad guys. Little Beaver spoke in the pidgin English
American Indian Pidgin English
American Indian Pidgin English - is an English-based pidgin spoken by Native Americans. It is mentioned in World Englishes, by Andy Kirkpatrick as one of many factors influencing American English....
now considered an offensive caricature. (Example: "Spinach heap good. Me like'm!") Other notable characters were ranchhand Buckskin Blodgett, Red's gal pal Beth and bad guy Ace Hanlon.
Harman was eventually acclaimed as one of the finest Western pen-and-ink artists, known for his dramatic sense of perspective and authentic action. Contributing artists and writers worked on the strip over the years, including Stephen Slesinger who scripted and approved all of the stories until his passing in 1953; Jim Gary, Edmund Good, John Wade ("Johnnie") Hampton, Robert MacLeod and Bill Lignanti (of The Palm Restaurant
The Palm (restaurant)
The Palm is an American fine-dining steakhouse that opened in 1926. It is located in New York City at 837 Second Avenue.Since its beginnings, management has opened additional restaurants throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Mexico...
fame). Charlie Dye, Johnnie Hampton, Joe Beeler
Joe Beeler
Joe Beeler was an American illustrator, artist and sculptor specializing in the field of Western art. In 1965, he cofounded the Cowboy Artists of America with Charlie Dye, John Hampton and George Phippen....
and George Phippen
George Phippen
George Phippen, a western artist from Skull Valley, Arizona, is the co-founder and first president of the Cowboy Artists of America.Phippen did approximately 3,000 works in his brief career. Succumbing to cancer in 1966 , he made art for only 20 years. He was a sculptor and painter in...
were co-founders of the Cowboy Artists of America
Cowboy Artists of America
The Cowboy Artists of America was founded in 1965 by four prominent western artists, Joe Beeler, Charlie Dye, John Hampton and George Phippen, who have all since died...
of which Harman was also a charter member. Harman left Red Ryder in 1963 to concentrate on his paintings, MacLeod continued writing the story continuity for the strip with staff artists of Red Ryder Entp., Inc.
Gaylord DuBois
Gaylord DuBois
Gaylord McIlvaine Du Bois , or DuBois In his lifetime he wrote well over 3000 comic book stories and comic strips as well as Big Little Books and juvenile adventure...
, a prolific comic book writer associated with Slesinger, scripted Red Ryder and Little Beaver for a short period in 1938 and again in the early 1940s.
Comic books
Dell Comics
Dell Comics was the comic book publishing arm of Dell Publishing, which got its start in pulp magazines. It published comics from 1929 to 1973. At its peak, it was the most prominent and successful American company in the medium...
launched its Red Ryder in August 1941, changing its title to Red Ryder Ranch Magazine with #145, and then to Red Ryder Ranch Comics with #149. Red Ryder Comics consisted of reprints of the newspaper strip until issue #47 (June 1947), when it began producing original material. Altogether, the title ran for a total of 151 issues, ending in 1957, one of the longest continuous newsstand runs of any Western comic.
Radio
The Red Ryder radio series began February 3, 1942, on the Blue NetworkBlue Network
The Blue Network, and its immediate predecessor, the NBC Blue Network, were the on-air names of an American radio production and distribution service from 1927 to 1945...
, broadcast three times a week at 7:30pm Pacific time. When the Blue also acquired The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked Texas Ranger who, with his Native American companion Tonto, fights injustice in the American Old West. The character has become an enduring icon of American culture....
from the Mutual Broadcasting System
Mutual Broadcasting System
The Mutual Broadcasting System was an American radio network, in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the golden age of U.S. radio drama, MBS was best known as the original network home of The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Superman and as the long-time radio residence of The Shadow...
, Mutual decided to compete by airing Red Ryder in the same time period. Thus, Red Ryder aired on the East Coast that year from May 20 to September 9 on Mutual. The series beat The Lone Ranger in the Hooper ratings, but the success was short-lived. Red Ryder was sold to a regional sponsor, Langendorf Bread, and after four months was no longer heard in the East.
Mutual and Langendorf continued the series on the West Coast Don Lee Network
Don Lee (broadcaster)
Donald Musgrave Lee was the exclusive west coast distributor of Cadillac automobiles in the early 20th century. In 1919 Lee purchased the Earl Automobile Works of Hollywood, California. Harley Earl, the son of the company's owner, was kept on as manager...
through the 1940s at 7:30pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, always with the familiar organ theme, "The Dying Cowboy" ("Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie
Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie
"Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" is a cowboy folk song. Also known as "The Cowboy's Lament", "The Dying Cowboy" and "Bury Me Out on the Lone Prairie", the song is described as the most famous cowboy ballad...
"). Announcers on the show included Ben Alexander and Art Gilmore
Art Gilmore
Arthur Wells "Art" Gilmore was an American voice actor and announcer whose voice has been heard in radio and television programs, movies, trailers, advertising promotions and documentary films.-Biography:...
.
The continuing characters of the comic strip were also found in the radio series, produced by Brad Brown with writer-director Paul Franklin and writer Albert Van Antwerp. Reed Hadley
Reed Hadley
Reed Hadley was an American movie, television and radio actor.Reed Hadley was born Reed Herring in Petrolia in Clay County near Wichita Falls, Texas, to Bert Herring, an oil well driller, and his wife Minnie. Hadley had one sister, Bess Brenner. He was reared in Buffalo, New York...
portrayed Red Ryder on radio from 1942 to 1944, followed by Carlton KaDell (1945) and Brooke Temple (1946-51). Arthur Q. Bryan
Arthur Q. Bryan
Arthur Quirk Bryan was a United States comedian and voice actor, remembered best for his longtime recurring role as well-spoken, wisecracking Dr...
had the role of Roland "Rawhie" Rolinson, and Red's sidekick Buckskin was played by Horace Murphy. Jim Mather provided Indian voices.
Numerous actors played Little Beaver: One of the most notable was Robert Blake
Robert Blake
Robert Blake may refer to:*Bob Blake , American professional ice hockey player*Robert Blake , English naval commander*Robert Blake , pioneering Irish dentist...
(on credits as Bobby Blake), Tommy Cook (1942 on), Frank Bresee
Frank Bresee
Frank Bresee is an American radio actor and radio historian.Bresee hosted the radio program Golden Days of Radio on the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service from 1967 to 1995: the program looked at radio programs and personalities from the early days of radio to the 1950s. His tape collection...
(1942-46, alternating with Cook), Henry Blair (1944-47), Johnny McGovern (1947-50) and Sammy Ogg (1950-51). During the same mid-1940s time frame, Henry Blair also portrayed Ricky Nelson
Ricky Nelson
Eric Hilliard Nelson , better known as Ricky Nelson or Rick Nelson, was an American singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and actor...
on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet is an American sitcom, airing on ABC from October 3, 1952 to September 3, 1966, starring the real life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was brought to television where it continued its success, running on both radio and TV for a couple of years...
.
Although billed as "America's famous fighting cowboy," Red Ryder was notable because he usually did not kill his enemies but instead aimed for the hand to disarm them. Such sound effects were handled by James Dick, Monty Fraser and Bob Turnbull.
Films and television
Red Ryder appeared in more than 35 movies and serials. The series began in 1940 with The Adventures of Red Ryder, played by Don "Red" Barry, who got his nickname "Red" from the role and Tommy Cook as Red Ryder's young Indian sidekick Little Beaver. Subsequently Wild Bill ElliottWild Bill Elliott
Wild Bill Elliott was an American film actor. He specialized in playing the rugged heroes of B-Westerns, particularly in the Red Ryder series of films.-Early life:...
and Allan "Rocky" Lane portrayed Red Ryder in a number of films, both working with Robert Blake as Little Beaver. The last four Red Ryder movies starred Jim Bannon
Jim Bannon
Jim Bannon was an actor in radio and Hollywood western films during the 1940s and 1950s. He is best remembered as the fourth cinema Red Ryder from 1949 - 1950...
as Red Ryder and Don Kay ("Little Brown Jug") Reynolds as Little Beaver and all four of these movies were done in color. Red Ryder was also a 1956-57 Western television series starring Jim Bannon.
Republic Pictures
- The Adventures of Red RyderAdventures of Red RyderThe Adventures of Red Ryder is a 12-chapter Republic movie serial starring Don "Red" Barry and Noah Beery, Sr. based on the Western comic strip Red Ryder. It was directed by William Witney and John English. This serial was the 18th of the 66 serials produced by Republic...
(1940). - Tucson Raiders (1944)
- Marshal of Reno (1944)
- The San Antonio Kid (1944)
- Cheyenne Wildcat (1944)
- Vigilantes of Dodge City (1944)
- Sheriff of Las Vegas (1944)
- Great Stagecoach Robbery (1945)
- Lone Texas Ranger (1945)
- Phantom of The Plains (1945)
- Marshal of Laredo (1945)
- Colorado Pioneers (1945)
- Wagon Wheels Westward (1945)
- California Gold Rush (1946)
- Sheriff of Redwood Valley (1946)
- Sun Valley Cyclone (1946)
- Conquest of Cheyenne (1946)
- Santa Fe Uprising (1946)
- Stagecoach to Denver (1946)
- Vigilantes of Boomtown (1947)
- Homesteaders of Paradise Valley (1947)
- Oregon Trail Scouts (1947)
- Rustlers of Devil's Canyon (1947)
- Marshal of Cripple Creek (1947)
Eagle-Lion Films
- Ride, Ryder, Ride (1949)
- Roll, Thunder, Roll (1949)
- The Fighting Redhead (1950)
- The Cowboy and the Prizefighter (1950)
Products
Slesinger's marketing synergy for Red Ryder and Little Beaver products was equally trail-blazing. Red Ryder toys, novelties, gifts, accessories, sporting goods and rugged outdoor, work and play clothing were sold nationwide and were exported by leading North American manufacturers to Europe, Latin America and as far as Egypt, India and Japan.At JC Penney stores across the country, Slesinger created Red Ryder "outposts for dependable American quality and value." These stores within the store were called "Red Ryder Corrals." In addition to educational and sportsmanship contests, special events and personal appearances, they supplied Red Ryder Brand rugged clothing for men and boys. In addition to Red Ryder and Little Beaver outdoor products, licensing included school supplies, lunch kits and other Red Ryder character hardware and sporting goods.
The outposts also included the legendary Daisy Red Ryder Carbine, which became a father-to-son Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
gift tradition as memorialized in the 1983 Jean Shepherd
Jean Shepherd
Jean Parker Shepherd was an American raconteur, radio and TV personality, writer and actor who was often referred to by the nickname Shep....
film A Christmas Story. The story revolves around the author's childhood memories and a boy trying to get a "Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle BB gun
Red Ryder BB Gun
The Red Ryder BB Gun is a BB gun made by Daisy Outdoor Products and introduced in 1938 that resembles the Winchester rifle of Western movies...
with a compass in the stock and a thing which tells time" for Christmas.