Saturday, February 18, 2012

Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas -- Dick Foran


Dick Foran (1910-1979) was an American actor, who was best known for his performances in western musicals, but played supporting roles in many dramatic pictures as well (photo above Dick Foran with Smoke).

Warner Brothers hired him as a supporting actor who could croon a tune when needed, but his good looks and winning personality made him a natural choice for the supporting cast.  His first starring role was in the Western Treachery Rides the Range (1936) which was Warner Brothers answer to Gene Autry.  In the westerns that followed, he was always billed as a 'Singing Cowboy'.

Dick was a fine singer, and a splendid horseman; his horse 'Smoke' was a beautiful palomino, which makes me wonder if young Roy Rogers did pattern himself after Foran.

Dick Foran's Santa Susana locations filmography:


Al Jennings of Oklahoma (1951) starring Dan Duryea (Iverson Ranch) (left above) Columbia


California Mail (1936) starring Dick Foran, Linda Perry and Smoke (Iverson Ranch) (above) Warner Bros.
The Cherokee Strip (1937) starring Dick Foran, Jane Bryan and Robert Paige (Iverson Ranch) Warner Bros.
Deputy Marshal (1949) starring Jon Hall, Frances Langford and Dick Foran -(Iverson Ranch) Lippert


El Paso (1949) starring John Payne, Gail Russell and Sterling Hayden (Iverson Ranch)(Corriganville) (center above) Paramount


Empty Holsters (1937) starring Dick Foran, Patricia Walthall and Emmett Vogan (Iverson Ranch) (above) Warner Bros.


Fort Apache (1948) starring John Wayne and Henry Fonda (Corriganville) (3rd from left above) RKO


Guns of the Pecos (1937) starring Dick Foran, Anne Nagel and Gordon Hart (Iverson Ranch) (above) Warner Bros.


Land Beyond the Law (1937) starring Dick Foran, Linda Perry and Wayne Morris (Iverson Ranch) (right above) Warner Bros.  This is my favorite Foran movie, and gives us a really good look at the Iverson Ranch in the late 1930s.


Prairie Thunder (1937) starring Dick Foran, Janet Shaw and Smoke (Iverson Ranch) Warner Bros.
Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942) starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello and Dick Foran -(Iverson Ranch) Universal
Riders of Death Valley (1941) starring Dick Foran, Leo Carrillo and Buck Jones (Iverson Ranch) Universal


Road Agent (1941) starring Dick Foran, Leo Carrillo and Andy Devine (Iverson Ranch) (center above) Universal


Sierra Stranger (1957) starring Howard Duff, Gloria McGehee and Dick Foran (Bell Ranch) (center above) Columbia
Song of the Saddle (1936) starring Dick Foran, Alma Lloyd and Charles Middleton (Iverson Ranch) Warner Bros.
Trailin' West (1936) starring Dick Foran, Paula Stone and Bill Elliott (Iverson Ranch) Warner Bros.
Treachery Rides the Range (1936) starring Dick Foran, Paula Stone and Craig Reynolds (Iverson Ranch) Warner Bros.
Treasure of Ruby Hills (1955) starring Zachary Scott, Carole Mathews and Barton MacLane (Brandeis Ranch) Broidy Pictures

Late in his career he made television appearances in the following shows:

Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (TV series) 
Cheyenne (TV series)
Colt .45 (TV series) 
The Deputy (TV series)
Gunsmoke (TV series)  
Have Gun - Will Travel (TV series) 
Lawman (TV series)  
Maverick (TV series) 
Yancy Derringer (TV series) 

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