Reading silent films: “Trail of the Horse Thieves” 1929 starring Tom Tyler

“Trail of the Horse Thieves” is the fifth installment of the Tom Tyler lost silent film reconstruction series and now available for reading. This exciting story involves a remote valley of ranchers out west, a loan shark, and quicksand.

Please read the Terms of Use before reading the actual story.

Most importantly, enjoy my translation, and hopefully this will be an incentive to rediscover “Trail of the Horse Thieves”.

Click here to read my translation!

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

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.

Filmed on location at Buttercup Dunes: “Let’s Go Gallagher” (1925)

2025 marks the 100th anniversary of Tom Tyler’s debut starring role in “Let’s Go Gallagher” for FBO. Filmed at Buttercup Dunes in Imperial County, California, it must have been very exciting for Tom to learn he was going to be filming on location for his first major role in silent film. It’s just one of the perks in having an acting career, to be able to travel and film on location, even in a big state like California. No doubt Tom Tyler found the California desert to be exotic and enchanting at the same time, having been brought up in the Adirondacks of upstate New York and then Hamtramck, Michigan. As with any crew and cast which films on location for the first time, they plan well in advance, taking into consideration the climate and land prior to filming. What is even more exciting is that “Let’s Go Gallagher” was the first of many silent westerns pairing Tom Tyler with famed child actor Frankie Darro. For his leading lady, Tom had Barbara Starr, with Alfred Hewston, Olin Francis, and Sam Peterson in the cast. It is worth noting that Barbara Starr was married to Gaylord Lloyd, brother of famous silent film comedian Harold Lloyd, at the time she filmed “Let’s Go Gallagher” with Tom Tyler.

Located in the southeast part of California right on the Mexican border, Imperial County has a strong agriculture, Mexican cultural influence, and desert which makes the region perfect for films which require western or exotic locations. Imperial County is also home to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Imperial National Wildlife Refuge. “The Big Trail” (1930) directed by Raoul Walsh, “Beau Geste” (1939) directed by William A. Wellman, and “The Son of the Sheik” (1926) directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring Rudolph Valentino, are just a few movies filmed at Buttercup Dunes. 

Situated on the southern edge of the Imperial Dunes also known as the Algodones Dunes, Buttercup Dunes is home to a number of fascinating historical locations, such as the Obregon Historical Market in the ghost town of Ogilby, Valley of the Names in Winterhaven, Glamis Dunes, and Sunset Hill. The dunes at Buttercup Dunes stretch for five miles in length and rise at a height of 300 feet. Of course, the winds are always shifting these sands which can cause varying heights among the dunes, which is normal across any sand dunes in California.

Since the 1960’s, dune buggies have become a popular pastime at the Imperial Dunes. Today, the Buttercup Sand Dunes is home to a ranger station and campground, located right off Route 8 in southernmost California.

Reading silent films: “The Cherokee Kid” 1927 starring Tom Tyler

The fourth installment of the Tom Tyler Lost Silent Film Reconstruction series is “The Cherokee Kid” from 1927, which is now available for reading.

I encourage everyone to read the Introduction to my translation and Terms of Use before reading the actual story.

Most importantly, enjoy my translation, and hopefully this will be an incentive to rediscover “The Cherokee Kid”. 

Click here to read my translation!

Upcoming special project for “The Cherokee Kid”

Coming up in 2024, our fourth installment of the lost Tom Tyler silent film reconstruction series, "The Cherokee Kid" (1927) with Sharon Lynn 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 "The Cherokee Kid" is translated, it will be posted here on the Aventuras de Tom Tyler Blog plus social media pages.

Filmed on location! The Desert Pirate 1927

One of Tom Tyler’s silent films, “The Desert Pirate” (1927), was filmed on location at Keen Camp in the San Jacinto Mountains. Located east of Los Angeles in Riverside County, the San Jacinto mountain range was named after Saint Hyacinth, a 13^th century Polish Dominican priest. This mountain range extends thirty miles in length, southeast of the San Bernardino Mountain range. The rugged beauty of the San Jacinto mountain range culminate in several noteworthy peaks: San Jacinto Peak, at 10,834 feet high; Jean Peak, at 10,656 feet high, and Miller Peak, at 10,417 feet high. Geologically, the entire mountain range is a fault block of granite compressed between the San Jacinto fault which lies to the west, and the San Andreas fault, which lies to the east.

When the camp was built in 1892 at 5,000 feet in the San Jacinto mountains, John and Mary Keen already had experience in the hospitality business, owning a hotel in Valle Vista, located in San Jacinto Valley of Riverside County, California. Convenient to many South Californians seeking relief from the hot summers, Keen Camp soon became an ideal spot for filmmakers in the 1920’s. The layout of the camp was appropriate enough for filmmaking, cast and crew members: small cabins were often rented, and primitive camping was also accessible. Mary Keen had one building reserved for the kitchen and dining room for campground guests.

By 1911, Keen Camp was sold to Percy and Anita Walker, and by the 1920’s, was run by Anita, and her second husband Robert Elliott, after Percy died in 1912 from a drowning accident. Anita renamed the main building Tahquitz Lodge. The name Tahquitz comes from the deity of the same name in Soboba Indian tribe mythology. By 1922, Tahquitz Lodge included the following amenities: dancing, bowling, billiards, tennis court, horseback riding, hiking, lawn croquet, and musical entertainment at night, all in the style of a western town. Keen Camp even had its own post office. In September 1926, Keen Camp was saved from a major brush fire which originated on a stretch of land between Keen Camp and Idyllwild Camp, which lies directly north of Keen Camp. In 1932, six years after the filming of "The Desert Pirate", a new highway opened with grandeur: Pines-to-Palms Highway, which forms part of California state route 74. This 67-mile long road was designed to work with the layout of the San Jacinto mountains and at the same time provide an easy-to-navigate for cars with its grades and curves.

In addition to “The Desert Pirate”, the following silent films were also filmed in part at Keen Camp: "The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come" (1920) with Jack Pickford, and "The Ghost City" (1923), a Universal serial starring Margaret Morris and Pete Morrison.

Keen Camp no longer exists, its original buildings are long gone, although there is a Keen Camp Summit located to the southeast of the original camp, on the Pines-to-Palms Highway above Garner Valley. Today, Mount San Jacinto is a state park, and the San Jacinto Wilderness is also protected park land for the native flora and fauna.

Sadly, “The Desert Pirate” remains a lost silent film, but should it be rediscovered, viewers would get the privilege of seeing Keen Camp in all its glory nestled in the San Jacinto mountains.

Reading silent films: “The Tyrant of Red Gulch” 1928 starring Tom Tyler

“Tyrant of Red Gulch” is the third installment of the Tom Tyler lost silent film reconstruction series. Unlike the previous two projects, “When the Law Rides” (1928) and “Red Hot Hoofs” (1926), this silent film is a benchmark in the history of the Aventuras de Tom Tyler website. Details are included in the Introduction to the translation. Please read the Terms of Use before reading the actual story.

Most importantly, enjoy my translation, and hopefully this will be an incentive to rediscover “Tyrant of Red Gulch”.

Click here to read my translation!

Upcoming special project for “Tyrant of Red Gulch”

In our third installment of the lost Tom Tyler silent film reconstruction series, "Tyrant of Red Gulch" (1928) with Frankie Darro, Serge Temoff and Josephine Borio has been selected. As with the previous two silent film reconstructions, “When the Law Rides” (1928) and “Red Hot Hoofs” (1926), 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 "Tyrant of Red Gulch" is translated, it will be posted here on the Aventuras de Tom Tyler Blog plus social media pages.

Celebrating another year of Aventuras de Tom Tyler: Milestones

 How time flies when life happens but Tom Tyler is part of that life! Another year has passed with the success of my Aventuras de Tom Tyler website and blog, not to mention an ever-increasing interest in Tom himself. As the saying goes, “If you build a website, they will come.” This article however is not about the many hours of research and work but rather a celebration of Tom Tyler – just like the site Aventuras de Tom Tyler is. Having said all this, here are the milestones which took place between 2015 and December 2021:

August 2015. The previously thought lost Monogram Pictures western “The Man from New Mexico” (1932) surfaced at the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York.

September 2015. This milestone is the icing on the cake to date: Tom Tyler’s long thought lost serial made for Universal, “Jungle Mystery” (1932) surfaced, was restored, and exhibited at Cinecon the following year in September 2016. While this has not yet been released on DVD, the potential exists, which is important.

May 2016. The previously thought lost Syndicate Pictures silent film “The Man from Nevada” (1929) surfaced at the USC Hugh M. Hefner Moving Image Archive.

December 2016. The Aventuras de Tom Tyler blog started. To date, it has 190 blog posts and over 30,000 post views total.

January 2017. A monthly newsletter was sent to those who signed up to receive it. The newsletter lasted for two years before going on hiatus due to time constraints.

June 2017. A second print of “The Man from Nevada” (1929) surfaced at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

August 2017. One of Tom Tyler’s silent films from 1928, “The Phantom of the Range”, made it to Youtube. The quality is not the best, the intertitles are in Castilian, and there is no music to accompany it. Correspondence with the poster of the video revealed it was from a 16mm rental film print in Madrid.

August 2017. “The Adventures of Captain Marvel” was released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber to coincide with the upcoming “Shazam!” 2018 action film starring Zachary Levi.

October 2017. The renowned Mixed Martial Arts reporter, Mike Radich interviews Tom Tyler’s biographer Mike Chapman and posted it on Youtube. 

May 2018. Two of Tom’s silent films made for FBO were removed from “7,200 Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films (1912-29)” published by the Library of Congress: “Lightning Lariats” (1927), plus a segment of "The Avenging Rider" (1928) have surfaced at Gosfilmofond in Moscow, Russia; “Cyclone of the Range” (1927) surfaced at Filmoteca Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain.

May 2019. Dario Lavia of Cineficción Radio and the Cinefania website mentions the Aventuras de Tom Tyler blog in his book, “Weird Western” Third Edition. The blog article “Lost in translation: How ‘Tyrant of Red Gulch’ became ‘The Sorcerer’ across the pond”  is listed under the entry for “Tyrant of Red Gulch”  (1928).

March 2021. Tom’s Universal serial “Phantom of the Air” (1933) was released on Blu-ray by VCI Entertainment.

I will also add the following: in 2022, more exciting milestones are to come. As usual, all and any new news on Tom Tyler and the rediscovering of his lost silent films will appear on this blog.

An enormous thank you to everyone who has visited Aventuras de Tom Tyler since its inception in 2015, this blog, and social media pages. Because Tom Tyler is worth it. 

Upcoming special project for “When the Law Rides”

In our next installment of the lost Tom Tyler silent film reconstruction series, "When the Law Rides" (1928) with Frankie Darro and Jane Reid has been selected. As with "Red Hot Hoofs", 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 "When the Law Rides" is translated, it will be posted here on the Aventuras de Tom Tyler Blog plus social media pages.