Introducing a new generation of Tom Tyler fans

There is a young adult book published back in 2016 which mentions our hero Tom Tyler. "The Outlaws of Cascade Falls", written by Gary VanRiper and illustrated by Carol VanRiper, published by Adirondack Kids Press, Ltd, Camden, New York. This 67-page book is one in a series of The Adirondack Kids #16, with the story about a boy named Justin with his friends Nick, Charles and Jackie who pretend to be cowboys. In chapter two of this engaging book, Nick mentions Tom Tyler the movie star as he was from his early silent film years, along with Buddy, who was played by child actor Frankie Darro, and Beans the dog. Nick continues to explain to Justin and friends who Tom was, along with Buddy and Beans, and how Nick's grandfather showed him a silent film of Tom, most likely on DVD. The silent film in question could very well be "The Texas Tornado" from 1928 since that remains the only FBO release on the market, available from Sinister Cinema.

"The Outlaws of Cascade Falls" as a story is modeled after a standard Tom Tyler western plot: a discovered safe hidden in the woods by the Cascade Trail in the Adirondacks, a pet pal named Dax, a cat, and of course horses for the group of friends to ride along the Cascade Trail. They come up against some winged outlaws, along with other exciting mini-adventures along the way. There is even a chapter titled “What Would Tom Tyler Do?” when the group of friends come up against a sticky situation. The book is engaging enough for a young reader or adult who is interested in the story, since there are very few works of fiction which mention Tom Tyler in the story. At the end of the book there is a small section dedicated to exactly what type of birds the winged outlaws were, one of them being a raven, along with a brief description and photo of the Adirondack waterfalls, plus a section devoted to Tom Tyler himself, including photos of him along with one of the cover of “Tom Tyler Tales: The Adirondack Cowboy” from 2003, which commemorated the birth of Tom as Vincent Markowski back in Port Henry, New York in 1903.

Tom Tyler after all is the Adirondack Cowboy, and "The Outlaws of Cascade Falls" can be read for free at Internet Archive if you have an account with the platform

Read "The Outlaws of Cascade Falls" here:

archive.org/details/outlawsofcascade0000vanr

Tom Tyler films available on Blu-ray

Blu-ray releases of Tom Tyler’s starring roles are somewhat limited, although in the last few years more have become available, primarily through The Serial Squadron and Undercrank Productions. Below is a list of what is available for those who believe in purchasing and collecting physical media and just want to add a little something special to their Tom Tyler film viewing:

“The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” – The Man from Nevada, Law of the Plains – Undercrank Productions 

“Phantom of the Air” – VCI Entertainment 

“Fast Bullets” – The Serial Squadron 

“Adventures of Captain Marvel” – Kino Lorber 

Supporting roles Tom has in movies available on Blu-ray:

“Stagecoach” – Criterion Collection 

“Gone with the Wind” – Warner Home Video 

“The Grapes of Wrath” – 20th Century Studios 

“The Mummy’s Hand” (on “The Mummy: Complete Legacy Collection” – Universal Pictures Home Entertainment 

“Buck Privates” – Universal Pictures Home Entertainment 

“The Talk of the Town” – Sony 

“They Were Expendable” – Warner Archive Collection 

“San Antonio” (Available on December 16, 2025) – Warner Archive Collection 

“Red River” – Criterion Collection 

“Blood on the Moon” – Warner Archive Collection 

“She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” – Warner Archive Collection 

“Samson and Delilah” – Paramount 

New book on Tom Tyler now available for purchase

Longtime Tom Tyler fan G. Michael Dobbs has written and published his book on Tom in September of 2025! It is titled “The Films and Life of Tom Tyler: Cowboy, Monster, Hero”. The book is 354 pages long and packed with updated information regarding Tom’s career, including a mention on the two silent films recently restored for the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” available on the Undercrank Productions label, "The Man from Nevada" and "Law of the Plains", both from 1929. Michael has many years of experience as a journalist and editor, which means that this new book on Tom Tyler is sure to be an engaging read.

You can purchase a copy of “The Films and Life of Tom Tyler: Cowboy, Monster, Hero” at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. 

Hugh Loudon’s “My Hollywood” and Tom Tyler

Tom Tyler’s silent films made for FBO certainly made an impression upon fans around the world early on. Spain dedicated many forms of kiosk literature in the form of pulp fiction and film booklets on these silent films. Tom, along with Frankie Darro, their horses, and dog named Napoleon, were heavily marketed around the world along with many other silent films produced by FBO. In the United Kingdom, Tom Tyler had plenty of fans of that side of the Atlantic, enough to inspire at least one of them by the name of Hugh Loudon to include his silent films in the book “My Hollywood”. Written and published in 1991 by The Self Publishing Association Ltd. in Upton-upon-Servern in Worcestershire, Hugh cites Tom Tyler’s silent films as being an early influence upon his interest in American films.

One of Hugh's favorite cinemas where he attended the matinee was the Cecil located in Treforest, a village in Pontypridd, southern Wales. According to his memoir, one thing that genuinely fascinated him about Tom Tyler was the way the star mounted his horse, often while the horse started galloping. This is commonly known as the “flying mount”, which requires the rider to have a firm grasp on the horn of the saddle while aiming to land in the saddle without falling off onto the other side. Hugh continues to describe watching Tom’s silent films in the first chapter of his memoir, which took place between 1929 and 1931, a year or two after the film’s initial release in the United States, which was not unusual in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the world at the time. The fact that Hugh was able to fondly remember Tom Tyler’s silent films in 1991 is impressive, a precious memory now faded with a generation no longer with us on earth.

Finally, Hugh devotes chapter eight of his memoir to westerns, where he mentions Tom again in the critically acclaimed “Stagecoach” from 1939. The words which describe Tom as one of the Plummer Boys aching to take on the Ringo Kid, played by John Wayne, are written with relish. Hugh even concludes the scene with how Tom walks into the saloon, his long, drawn-out walk, before collapsing dead beside the bar.

Engagingly written, it is easy to see how "My Hollywood" was written by a teacher who eventually went on to become the Director of Education in the historically rich county of Gwent in southeast Wales. Now out of print, the book can be read through Internet Archive.

Upcoming special project for “Trail of the Horse Thieves” (1929)

Coming up in 2026, our fifth installment of the lost Tom Tyler silent film reconstruction series, "Trail of the Horse Thieves" from 1929 with Bee Amann has been selected. As usual, the basis for this reconstruction will be the film's derivative published by Biblioteca Films. Existing copies of stills, promotional materials, and movie cards will be included in this project.

Once "Trail of the Horse Thieves" is translated, it will be posted here on the Aventuras de Tom Tyler Blog plus social media pages.

Fan reviews of The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection

Tom Tyler fan and owner of the western blog Rough Edges James Reasoner has written two glowing reviews on the newly released silent films “Law of the Plains” and “The Man from Nevada” which are on the Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection, released on the Undercrank Productions label in 2025.

You can read the reviews here:

Rough Edges – Law of the Plains

Rough Edges – The Man from Nevada

Finally, if you own a blog or silent film or western themed site and are interested in reviewing the Blu-ray/DVD release of the Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection, please let us know, we are happy to send you a copy of the Blu-ray or DVD as desired. If you do not own a site and still want to write a review, the Amazon product page is always a great place to publish your review.

Enjoy reading these reviews!

Carol Shandrew: Supporting actress, scriptwriter, and…professor?

From The Sacramento Bee,
Aug. 6, 1935

Carol Shandrew is one of the few actresses who had the briefest of acting careers in Hollywood, but what is really notable is the fact that her two known acting credits are confined to Tom Tyler westerns: “Ridin’ Thru” (1934), and “Tracy Rides” (1935). Carol was mentioned briefly in the June 28, 2018 article “Ridin' Thru classic Tom Tyler B-western” for her somewhat distinct and unusual credit as one of the three writers for this story, the other two being Rose Gordon and Carl Krusada. There has been some debate as to whether she actually contributed to the story, or if her name only appeared as a credit due to some other reason, such as a production studio quota.

Information about her is scant, but what is known about her is that Carol Bell Shandrew was born in Arbon, Idaho on October 11, 1912 to Henry E. and May L. Shandrew, one of twelve children in a Latter-Day Saint family. At some point, her family moved from Idaho to Logan, Utah. Carol married at the age of seventeen to Alfred E. Harrison in 1929, which was not an uncommon age to get married back then. She attended college, the University of Utah and initially entertained the idea of becoming a scriptwriter in Hollywood. Making that dream happen, however, would not take place, if at all, until the mid-1930’s when she managed to snag her first uncredited role as a ranch guest in “Ridin’ Thru”, a Reliable Pictures B-western directed by Harry S. Webb, which starred Tom Tyler. It remains unknown as to how she managed to get this role, although her pretty blonde looks and tall height certainly may have helped. Being new to Hollywood, “Ridin’ Thru”  is also where viewers of the film will see her name credited under Story, followed by Rose Gordon credited for Continuity, and Cark Krusada credited for Dialogue. Carol gets some more screen time in “Tracy Rides” (1935), another Reliable Pictures B-western starring Tom, where she plays Judy Green, daughter of a sheepherder. Curiously enough, this is where Carol Shandrew’s film career seems to end…or does it?

By 1934 her marriage to Alfred ended in divorce. A wedding notice to Cyrus C. Pinneo in The Sacramento Union dated August 22, 1935 states that Carol was previously employed at RKO although it does not state what her role was. RKO was formed from the Keith-Albee-Orpheum theater chain and Film Booking Offices of America, the studio to which Tom Tyler was under contract with from 1925 to 1929. Making a second attempt for a successful marriage, however, only ended up in a second divorce. Still wanting to make a marriage work, Carol wedded Sidney John Parr in June 1938.

"Ridin' Thru" 1934

According to a news blurb in The Sacramento Union dated May 1, 1941, Carol is mentioned as being a budding scriptwriter and radio star, although information on the latter has been difficult to trace. By 1945, Carol divorced Sidney, then married one last time to Ira Schoolman. Soon after they married, Ira joined the Army. Returning home from military service, Carol and Ira ran a jewelry sales and repair business starting in Los Angeles, S & W Repair Services. Carol only had one daughter by Ira named Kathryn, with no other children from her previous marriages. For some reason, Carol divorced Ira in 1953. Finally figuring out what she wanted to do with her life – and having a natural talent for academics, especially science, she enrolled at University of Redlands in Redlands, California in the early 1950’s, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Science. The study of Physical Science includes: Astronomy, Inorganic Chemistry, Physics, and Earth Sciences. Yet at the same time, Carol still had some remaining interest in the world of acting, for she took part in the play "Two Blind Mice", written by Samuel Spewack, while she was at Redlands working on her degree. Deciding to further her education in graduate school, she continued studying in the same field for her Master’s degree at Sacramento State College, or the modern-day California State University, Sacramento. During the last few years of her life, Carol was an assistant instructor in Physical Science at this university, possibly making plans to continue obtaining a PhD in the subject.

Carol Schoolman suddenly fell ill on July 17, 1957 when she died at the age of 44 died in Sacramento, California, the day before she was getting ready to officially graduate and accept her Master’s degree on the stage, according to her obituary in The Sacramento Bee dated July 19, 1957. It is worth keeping in mind that back in the 1950’s, it was a rarity for a woman to attend graduate school and earn a degree in the field of science.

Had Carol remained healthy, there is the strong possibility she would have gone on to get her PhD in Physical Science and be a full-time Professor. Nowadays when we hear the word actress and a PhD in science, we often think of Mayim Bialik, who earned her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles. In a world of educated Hollywood actors and actresses who usually major in Communications or Theatre, Carol Shandrew was a woman well ahead of her time, with her ambitions and achievements, even though she had one of the briefest careers in Hollywood as an actress.

“The Mummy’s Hand” (1940): An Internationally Born Cast

While “The Mummy’s Hand” is a reboot of the original Universal Pictures monster movie “The Mummy” from 1932 starring Boris Karloff as the monster, it is also considered by many to be the best of the mummy franchise made from 1940 to 1944, minus the 1955 mummy comedy “Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy”. Tom Tyler certainly makes a formidable movie monster, what with his build and facial features, if not the most terrifying one in film history with his blacked-out eyes, the effect being created by direct application of a special ink on each frame of the completed film. No doubt a painstaking process for the special effects department, the final result was indeed quite scary whenever camera shots were taken of Tom Tyler wearing the heavy makeup, his eyes being an empty void.

While the story is engaging enough, it is really the cast and performances which pull the entire movie together. Dick Foran, Peggy Moran, and Wallace Ford are stellar in their roles, but what is really intriguing is the fact that many supporting cast members were born internationally:

George Zucco was long known for his portrayals of mad scientists in movies like “The Mad Monster” (1942) and “House of Frankenstein” (1944). His career began on the Canadian stage back in 1908 before he made the final move to the United States in 1935. George was born on January 11, 1886 in Manchester, England.

Wallace Ford got his start in vaudeville in Canada at the young age of 11, after running away from an orphanage. He made his way to the United States with a friend and when his friend died due to an unfortunate accident, decided to take on his friend’s name to honor him: Wallace Ford. Wallace made his way into theatre, working as an actor, and made his first film appearance “Married in Hollywood” (1929). Soon he appeared in more films such as “Night of Terror” (1933) and “The Mysterious Mr. Wong” (1934). Wallace was born on February 12, 1989 in Bolton, England.

Cecil Kellaway got his start in theatre in Australia, appearing on stage in “Potash and Perlmutter” in 1931. His first movie role was in “The Hayseeds” (1933) but he moved to the United States for more film roles. Under contract with RKO, his first roles were very minor, appearing in “This Marriage Business” (1938), then in a more substantial role in “Blond Cheat” (1938). Cecil was born on August 22, 1890 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Eduardo Ciannelli’s background in opera eventually led him to the musical stage, his first appearance being in the musical “Always You” (1920) on Broadway when he came to the United States from Italy in 1914. Along with many years of stage experience, he soon began a career in film, often playing a variety of roles. His appearances include “The Creeper” (1948) and “Fugitive Lady” (1950). Eduardo was born in the town of Lacco Ameno on the Italian island of Ischia on August 30, 1888.

Charles Trowbridge got his start in acting in San Francisco, training at a local theatre. He began appearing on Broadway in the 1910’s, in dramas like “Daddy Long Legs” (1914) and “Dinner at Eight” (1932). At the same time, he started appearing in films during the silent film era: “Sunday” (1915), “The Fortune Hunter” (1920), and “Island Wives” (1922). Charles was born on January 10, 1882 in Veracruz, Mexico.

Sigfried Arno started out as a stage comedian before he appeared in silent films, usually in comic roles, during the 1920’s in Germany. Migrating to the United States in 1939, he continued with his film career, appearing in “Pardon My Sarong” (1942) with Abbott and Costello, and “The Palm Beach Story” (1942). Sig was born on December 27, 1895 in Hamburg, Germany.

Harry Stubbs had a sporadic career in dramatic theatre before making the move into film. He came to the United States in 1890, appearing in “The Invisible Man” (1933), “In Old Chicago” (1938) and “Zanzibar” (1940). Harry was born on December 7, 1874 in Southampton, England.

Michael Mark immigrated to the United States in 1910 from Russia and made his first film appearance in the John Ford war drama “Four Sons” (1928). Over the years he made his mark in horror films such as “Frankenstein” (1931), “The Black Cat” (1934), and “Son of Frankenstein” (1939) while appearing in a variety of other roles. Michael was born on March 15, 1886 in Mogilev, Belarus, what was then still Russia. 

Leon Belasco’s main talent was in music, being a violinist and songwriter. At one point he was a violinist with the Tokyo Symphony. He co-wrote the song "Rhythm of the Islands", which was sung by Deanna Durbin in the Universal movie "It's a Date" (1940). He also performed "Gypsy Love Song" in "Love Happy" (1949). He appeared in “Broadway Serenade” (1939) and “Philo Vance Returns” (1947). Leon was born on October 11, 1902 in Odessa, Ukraine.

Frank Lackteen appeared in “Jungle Mystery” (1932) and “Clancy of the Mounted” (1933), two Universal Pictures serials starring Tom Tyler, but his film career dates back to the silent film era, as did Tom’s. However, this was not the first time Frank appeared in a film with Tom; their first appearance together was in the lost Pathe serial “Leatherstocking” (1924) when Tom was still using his birth name of Vincent Markowski. Frank appeared in many westerns such as “Idaho” (1925) and “The Last Frontier” (1932). Frank was born on August 29, 1895 (or 1897, according to some sources) in Kab Elias, Lebanon.

Supporting actors with very minor roles born internationally are: Nick Borgani, who was born in Italy; Zita Johann, who was born in Romania; and Anne G. Sterling, who was born in Poland.

The international factor does not stop with the cast. Esteemed Universal Pictures monster makeup man Jack Pierce was born Janus Piccoula in Valdetsyou, Greece, on May 5, 1889. The film score was co-written by Hans J. Salter, who was born on January 14, 1896 in Vienna, Austria, and the movie’s producer, Ben Pivar, was born on March 2, 1901 in Manchester, England, the same city George Zucco was born.

The reviews for “The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” keep coming in

I am happy to report that enthusiastic reviews for “The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” DVD/Blu-Ray from Undercrank Productions keep coming, in many cases combined with reviews of Ben Model’s latest book “The Silent Film Universe” which has just hit the streets. This book is a must read for anyone interested in silent film, and since it coincides with the release of the Tom Tyler DVD/Blu-Ray, is sure to help the viewer of the newly restored “The Man from Nevada” and “Law of the Plains”, both originally released in 1929, to understand and appreciate these silent films even more. “The Silent Film Universe” can be purchased here from Amazon.

And now, for the reviews! Our most recent ones are as follows:

“Ben Model, Keeping Silent Movies Alive and Well”, by Jeremy Carr at Film International.

“A ‘Missionary’ for Movie History Explores ‘The Silent Film Universe’ in an Essential New Book” by Jim Hemphill at IndieWire.

“Physical Media Rules: The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection (2025)” by Scott Marks at San Diego Reader.

Please remember to leave a review of “The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” at Amazon here to encourage more people interested in Tom Tyler, his westerns, westerns in general, or just to help support spread the news of the newly restored “The Man from Nevada” and “Law of the Plains”, both from 1929.

More reviews of “The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection”

Screenshot from "Law of the Plains"

The reviews for “The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” from Undercrank Productions keep coming in! Lea Stans of the website Silent-ology sings the praises of Tom Tyler as being “Hero of the Bs” – that is, hero of the B-westerns, which he was during the first two decades of his acting career, with a dose of supporting roles in other films and of course the two superheros, Captain Marvel AKA Shazam and The Phantom. Her review can be read here.

A more recent review by Phil Hall at the website Cinema Crazed provides the following: “Considering that neither “The Law of the Plains” nor “The Man from Nevada” have been seen in over 90 years, their return is one of the most welcome happenings in this year’s home entertainment releases.” Phil’s review can be read here.

Finally, if you are a Kickstarter backer of the Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection, or purchased a DVD or Blu-ray copy online recently, please leave a review at Amazon here to encourage more people interested in Tom Tyler, his westerns, westerns in general, or just to help support spread the news of the newly restored “The Man from Nevada” and “Law of the Plains”, both from 1929.

After all, it was not that long ago when “The Man from Nevada” was considered to be a lost silent film.

Review of the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” at PopMatters

Probably one of the best reviews of the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” released by Undercrank Productions appears on the website PopMatters. Written by Michael Barrett, this is the type of review that briefly explores Tom’s ethnic background which I previously wrote about here back in 2017, in addition to information about Tom’s later career spanning from the late 1930’s until his death in 1953. Michael Barrett certainly did his homework while commenting on the plots of “Law of the Plains” and “The Man from Nevada”, citing historical context within recent memory of revolutions taking place in the former silent film, and Tom’s basic cowboy character in what otherwise seems to be routine westerns in the latter silent film.

Enjoy reading this silent film review of the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” at PopMatters.

More reviews on The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection

Scene from "Law of the Plains" 1929

The reviews for the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” released by Undercrank Productions and now available on DVD and Blu-ray keep coming in! Comments overall are encouraging so far, especially with the silent film restoration quality of the picture, in addition to silent films made during the end of their era when synchronized sound films were being made, and the larger movie houses were being outfitted to play these new sound films. Small town neighborhood cinemas, however, were still many when it came to playing silent films, and Tom Tyler was a favorite when his silent westerns “The Man from Nevada” and “Law of the Plains”, both from 1929, disappeared from the silver screen.

Jeffrey Kauffman wrote a review at Blu-ray.com with a number of screencaps from “The Man from Nevada” and “Law of the Plains”. Nicholas Sheffo at Fulvue Drive-In website also wrote a review, minus screenshots but worth reading.

Finally, there is a five-star rating and review by M. J. Jensen on the Amazon product page for the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” that is worth reading and sharing.

If you decide to purchase a copy of the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection”, please leave a rating and review for it at Amazon. Tom and I are looking forward to hearing what you have to say about this top-notch silent film restoration.

Silent Film Review: The Man from Nevada 1929

The reviews keep coming in for the Tom Tyler Silent Film Collections from Undercrank Productions which has an official release date of May 6, 2025! This glowing review is for the Tom Tyler silent film “The Man from Nevada” (1929) which is in this collection, written by film historian and author J. B. Kaufman, an authority on Disney animated films and American silent films. This entry is on Kaufman’s website as “Movie of the Month” which is in many ways an ideal selection for Tom, considering it was published on the 71st anniversary of his passing, May 1, 1954. You can read the silent film review here:

Movie of the Month: The Man from Nevada

Finally, if you would like to review the Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection and be published on the Aventuras de Tom Tyler blog, please drop me a line at aventurasdetomtyler at triggertom.com – we would love to hear your thoughts on this brand-new restoration of two long-forgotten Tom Tyler silent westerns!

Film review on The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection at Silent Era

I am happy to report that the first silent film reviews of Tom Tyler’s newly restored “Law of the Plains” and “The Man from Nevada”, both from 1929 in The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection  (Undercrank Productions 2025), have been written by Carl Bennett and posted on his comprehensive Silent Era website! The reviews are located here:

"Law of the Plains" (1929) film review 

"The Man from Nevada" (1929) film review 

Please share these reviews across your social media pages and film forums across the Internet as this will help Tom Tyler get the exposure he deserves!

The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection ready for pre-ordering

The day has finally come! The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection containing two newly 2K restorations of “The Man from Nevada” and “Law of the Plains”, both released in 1929, are finally available for pre-ordering! The Kickstarter for this Tom Tyler project was hugely successful for Tom Tyler fans across the genres of silent film, western, and serial fans, with a good dose of the Universal horror fans who recognize Tom as the frightening, glowing-eyed mummy from “The Mummy’s Hand” (1940). Silent film restoration to the final product of DVD and Blu-ray are a lot of work, but as with everything else that comes with Tom Tyler, he is definitely worth it.

You can pre-order your DVD or Blu-ray copy from any of the links below:

Undercrank Productions

Deep Discount

Amazon

Movies Unlimited

Critic's Choice Video

Wow HD

A huge, huge thank you to everyone who supported this silent film project, to all Tom Tyler fans everywhere, to Ben Model, Crystal Kui, and the rest of the players who made this DVD/Blu-ray possible. And many thanks to future generations of Tom Tyler fans who will appreciate his contributions to the film industry.

Tom Tyler in “Screen Oddities” by Captain Roscoe Fawcett

Can you imagine being alive back in 1933, reading the local newspaper and catching a glimpse of an illustrated version of Tom Tyler in a comics panel? Aptly named “Screen Oddities” and created by Roscoe Kent Fawcett, this particular comic panel brought unusual tidbits of information about popular Hollywood stars of the era to many readers. Even though “Screen Oddities” was drawn and circulated for eight years, many digital copies of the comics panel have survived in online newspaper archives. “Screen Oddities” was written and illustrated in the style of Robert Ripley’s decades-popular “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” comics panel which began in 1918 and continues until this day by various comics artists, long after the originator’s death in 1949.

Roscoe Fawcett was the co-owner and publisher of Fawcett Comics from the years 1940 to 1954. This division fell under the parent company of Fawcett Publications. Tom Tyler is no stranger to Fawcett Publications, having appeared in the very first superhero movie ever made, “Adventures of Captain Marvel” (1941) – a superhero originally published by Fawcett. Born in 1913 in Ramsey, Minnesota, Roscoe’s comics panel covered unusual facts about stars such as Joan Crawford, Gene Lockhart, Harold Lloyd, William Powell, Kay Francis – and Tom Tyler.

The depiction of Tom dressed as the Mountie Clancy from the Universal serial "Clancy of the Mounted" (1933) which was exhibited at theatres during that year is somewhat humorous at first sight. Tom Tyler is indeed dressed up as a Mountie, with his hat on, and a peek at sideview of his horse, with most of the animal's body obscured by the panel's border. What is the "oddity" on Tom Tyler? Why, the fact he was a champion weightlifter. Roscoe Fawcett drew the largest pair of Milo weights possible that would fit into the space at the bottom of the panel, with the accompanying text: "Tom Tyler: Appearing in 'Clancy of the Mounted' is an Olympic weightlifting champion." This no doubt is a reference to Tom's being selected for the 1928 Summer Olympics weightlifting team that was held in Amsterdam that year, even though the United States weightlifting team was never sent. Tom is lifting up two gigantic weights, one in each hand, as if they were books instead of 100-plus pound weights. Two other Hollywood stars which share that same panel space is Will Rogers, and the beautiful Olga Baclanova.

From The Saginaw News, June 23, 1933

Sometimes signing “Screen Oddities” as Captain Rosco[e] Fawcett, the panel was distributed by Bell Syndicate during the eight years it was drawn. Fawcett died on December 23 in 1999 in Minnesota.

Hitching a ride on horseback with Tom Tyler at the circus

When he performed with the Wallace Brothers Circus back in 1937, Tom Tyler enjoyed many special moments when it came to meeting fans. One particular performance made a lasting impression upon Tyler fan Doran Peck, who was lucky enough to see his hero in person at the circus.

Born in 1927, Doran was 10 years old when he had that exciting encounter with Tom Tyler under the Big Top. The son of Lucille Peck, Doran lived in La Harpe, Illinois with his parents but was visiting relatives in Keokuk, Iowa when he had the opportunity to attend the Wallace Brothers Circus. Doran was lucky to have the privilege of sitting in the front row which must have made him feel even more close to the western film star. Perhaps it was the sheer amount of cheering on from the boys and girls that day which made Tom Tyler survey his fans as he rode on horseback around the ring and decide to give Doran the ultimate thrill of his life: a ride on the back of Tom’s circus horse!

The event was reported in The Hancock County Quill, the newspaper for La Harpe dated August 4, 1937, Doran climbed onto the horse and sat behind Tom as the two trotted along the ring, no doubt being the envy of the other young men who watched them in action. As all truly exciting events in life worth talking about for days after and even passing down to the younger generations, Doran shared the news with friends and family.

One may ask, why did Tom Tyler specifically select young Doran Peck for a ride upon his horse? One possible theory is that Doran reminded Tom of his silent film co-star, the child actor Frankie Darro. Were one to view a photo of Doran at the age of 10, he might pass for a young Frankie. By the time Doran reached his 20’s, however, the evidence is even more clear: he really did resemble Frankie Darro!

Like Frankie, and Tom Tyler, young Doran had that ambitious drive so prevalent among young American boys of the late 1930’s through early 1940’s. He settled on becoming an accountant, and as soon as he graduated from high school, entered college. When Doran graduated from the University of Denver in 1949 with a degree in accounting, his first job was with a steel firm in Provo, Utah. He studied hard to become a certified public accountant (CPA), passing a rigorous exam at the age of 22, according to The Hancock County Quill, dated August 17, 1949. Eventually, he opened his own office with a partner in Denver. The office was located in Majestic Building, located at the corner of 16th Street and Broadway in Denver.

Now that he was cemented in a successful career, Doran married in 1952, meeting his wife while residing in Denver. Eventually the couple had two sons together, which gave Doran Peck the opportunity to share that historical moment of his life, when he rode on the back of Tom Tyler’s circus horse with his hero.