Filmed on location at Warner Springs: “The Texas Tornado”

A scene from "The Texas Tornado"

As the only Tom Tyler FBO silent film available on DVD, “The Texas Tornado” may surprise viewers in that it was filmed on location in Warner Springs, California. Located in San Diego County, Warner Springs is an unincorporated community that was home to the Luiseño and Cupeño tribes in southern California. Related to the Cahuilla tribe, a now-abandoned Cupeño village sits on 200 acres east of Lake Henshaw on California State Highway 79. The Cupeño lived in the San Jose Valley Mountains by the San Luis Rey River, and had two villages, one at present-day Warner Springs, the second, at Wilakal, at San Ysidro. Founded in 1844 by Juan Jose Warner, this piece of land is situated at an elevation of 3130 feet, with a smattering of mountains referred to as Lost Valley, part of the Peninsular Ranges in the state. Of these mountains, Hot Springs Mountain, famous for its scenic and beautiful hiking trails, has an elevation of 6535 feet high and is the highest peak in San Diego County. Since 1912, Hot Springs Mountain has had a fire lookout tower which has been modified over the decades, a popular destination of hikers in Warner Springs.

Lost Valley is prominent in “The Texas Tornado” in a number of scenes: where a simulated cliff dwelling (not native, as the Cupeño built and lived in adobe homes on the land) is shown as the hideout for Latimer’s henchmen and their holding of Frankie Darro captive, and the climactic rescue of Frankie by Tom when the gondola breaks, dangling from the cable between the mountains. When “The Texas Tornado” was filmed, the crew and cast were enthusiastic about making the movie in such a beautiful setting, with the non-stop action, fights, and suspense that took place. The fights were so rough and injurious to Tom Tyler’s legs due to Latimer and his henchmen wearing roweled spurs on their boots, that the spurs had to be banned from further film productions. The good news is, Tom was in tip-top shape in 1928 when this silent film was made, for he had won the Los Angeles Athletic Union weightlifting championship, which allowed him to climb over that cable with Frankie clinging on to him for dear life. The one spectacular stunt missing from the existing DVD of “The Texas Tornado” is a fight between Tom and Jack Anthony at the top of a burning oil derrick, resulting in Tom’s escaping by use of a guy wire, again with Frankie hanging on for safety.

For those who exhibit interest in visiting film location sets, Warner Springs is a destination for Tom Tyler fans, as Lone Pine Studios is, to experience walking upon the land where Tom made one of his surviving silent films.

Storing paper-based film collectibles

Note: This article has been modified from my original article written for Hubpages on October 10, 2017.

ESCO Arcade card from "The Arizona Streak", 1926

For those of you who collect paper-based film memorabilia on Tom Tyler, perhaps some of the most important questions are, “What is the best way to store these? Can I display this item in a frame?” The answer to the first question takes preservation into consideration, and contrary to popular belief, storage materials for film collectibles from the mid-1920’s to the 1940’s are not expensive at all. In fact, acid-free paper envelopes and polyethylene bags are affordable, found in office supply stores, and websites like Amazon. Similar items should always be stored together, such as arcade/exhibit/postcards, lobby cards, film booklets, and film stills. For the ambitious collector, a cataloguing system might also be used to keep track of what is being collected. Regardless if you have only a handful of colorful arcade cards of Tom Tyler, or an extensive film still collection, following is a list of different paper-based film collectibles and the ideal way to store them.

ESCO postcard, "When the Law Rides" 1928

Arcade/Exhibit cards and postcards

These movie collector cards, manufactured by the Chicago Exhibit Supply Company (ESCO), were dispensed through vending machines for a penny each back in the 1920's and 1930's. Western stars were very popular subjects on these cards. Many times film scenes were reproduced on these cards too, especially silent films. Each arcade/exhibit card measured 5.2” x 3.2” in size, about the same size as a postcard produced during the same time period. What makes arcade/exhibit cards stand out is the number of colors a single image would be available in. These cards usually came in duotone; for example, an arcade card of Tom Tyler and Frankie Darro in a scene from “Cyclone of the Range” comes in yellow/orange as well as gray/purple. A very wide range of colors were used to manufacture these cards, which range from red, blue, green, yellow, magenta, lime green, navy, even aqua. A small photo album with acid-free poly sleeves is an ideal way to store these intriguing film collectibles.

Photo of Tom Tyler, 1927

Cigarette, chocolate and biscuit cards

Also referred to as tobacco cards, a number of companies used to produce film star photos on these small cards, using bright colors, although very early cards were produced in black and white. The original purpose of cigarette cards was to provide a stiff package so the product would not get crushed. Cigarette companies like Rothmans (England), Player (England), and Ogden's (England) are just a few names popular among cigarette card collectors. The average size of these cards was usually 2” x 3” in size, sometimes even smaller. Some companies like A & M Wix issued several different sized cards with film stars on them. In addition to cigarette cards, film star cards like those produced by Cloetta, a Swedish candy company, were included in their chocolate products, and similar cards produced by De Beukelaer found in their biscuit (cookie) packages, were very close in card size. Most cigarette cards are stored in baseball card plastic pages, especially those seen at ephemera shows.

Biblioteca Films, "The Man from Death Valley"

Film stills and film star photos

Most film stills and film star publicity photos measure 8” x 10” in size, on glossy photo paper. Those which contain autographs of a star are usually worth a few bucks. Film stills have long been used as marketing tools for recently released films and are sought after by favorite film collectors. Depending upon the age of the film still or publicity photo, there may be a little surface wear, as well as wear along the edges of the photo. There might also be writing along the edge either in pen or pre-printed on the film still to identify which movie it is from. Acid-free plastic sleeves that measure 8 1/2” x 11” in size are an ideal way to store a large collection of film stills. One particular favorite still, or publicity photo, might also be framed and hung on the wall.

Film booklets

Often seen at ephemera shows and in antique shops, film booklets come in a variety of sizes depending upon the publisher, and nation of origin. Basically, a film booklet is a thin publication with a stapled binding, containing a film story. Usually, several film shots are also included in the publication. One of the most popular film booklets in English is Boy's Cinema, published in the UK from 1919 to 1940 and contained several film stories, often profiling one film on the front cover. Spy films, war dramas, and westerns were favorite genres for this publication. An issue of Boy's Cinema measures 7 1/2” x 10 7/8” in size. Another popular film booklet was Biblioteca Films, published in Barcelona, Spain. In this case, each issue was devoted to an entire movie, with the film title in Spanish. For example, the film booklet for “Galloping Thru”, a 1931 Tom Tyler talkie, translates as “Deuda de Sangre”. These film booklets measure 4 3/4” x 6 7/8” in size, smaller than Boy's Cinema.

Lobby card for "Honor of the Mounted" 1932

Spain also came out with a series of western film booklets, Los Films del Far-West, numbered in a series. Other examples of film booklets also include Photo Aventures, in French, similar to the Biblioteca Films, and Film-Kurier, in German. Like film stills, 8 1/2” x 11” acid free clear plastic binder sleeves are the ideal way to store film booklets. If a film booklet is starting to separate from its binding, or the paper is frail and crumbles when touched, it can also be stored in an acid-free envelope that is 5” x 7” in size.

Lobby cards

Lobby cards produced in the United States measure a standard 11” x 14” in size, although cards produced before 1930 also measured 8” x 10”. Usually produced in a series of eight, these lobby cards were displayed in the lobby of movie theatres across the country.

One sheet, "Tracy Rides" 1935

Nowadays, Tom Tyler silent film lobby cards can have a market value of $300.00 to $500.00, depending upon the movie. Older lobby cards may have thin paper base, which is prone to tearing due to its age. Lobby cards that are in excellent shape without any tears along the edge can be displayed in a frame; more fragile ones not in use can be stored in an 11” x 14” Itoya portfolio book.

One sheets, half sheets, and larger posters

Probably the most popular popular sized movie poster being produced today is the one sheet. Measuring 27” x 40” in size, these are easily displayable in a frame; when they are not is use they can be rolled up and stored inside a polyethylene bag that covers the entire poster. Other movie poster sizes include the following: insert (14” x 36”), window card (14” x 22”), half sheet (22” x 28”), two sheet (41” x 54”), three sheet (41” x 81”), six sheet (81” x 81”), and twenty-four sheet (246” x 108”). If you have the wall space for one of these larger posters, then display in a frame is the perfect choice; if not, they should be stored rolled inside a polyethylene bag the width of the poster.

www.archivalmethods.com

Collectibles: Tom Tyler on the Picturegoer series postcards

Among the movie cards manufactured in Europe, Picturegoer series postcards was one of the most popular sets to come out of England, next to the Boys Cinema cards. Printed in London, England, these postcards used a real photograph of an actor on the front, with the writing space and address on the reverse. The Picturegoer company began manufacturing movie memorabilia in 1921 to 1960. Not only did they produce more than 6500 postcards bearing real photos of actors and actresses, the company also published a number of consumer film magazines: Picturegoer Magazine, Film Weekly, Picture Show, and Film Pictorial.

The Picturegoer postcard which have photos of Tom Tyler on the front date from the 1930’s to 1940’s. These postcards have a glossy surface, and measure 3 1/2” by 5 1/2” in size. The photographs are in black and white, with the star’s name at the bottom of each postcard, and the name of the film production or distribution company in the lower right corner in the white border framing each photo.
There are four known cards on which Tom Tyler appeared: cards numbered 381, 381a, 381b, and 828.

Card number 381 depicts a very young Tom Tyler with his hair slicked down, the image itself dating to around 1925. There is no film production name on this card.

Picturegoer postcard #381

Card 381a has a photo of Tom, probably from “Phantom of the Air”, dressed in his aviator’s uniform and scarf. This postcard has the film company Universal in the lower right hand corner.

Picturegoer postcard #381a

Card 381b has a photo of Tom with his horse, probably from “Partners of the Trail” (1931), with the British release company listed as Wardour, in the lower right hand corner of the card. The horse is light colored, and the harness, plus Tom’s outfit, match the description in this lost film.

Picturegoer postcard #381b

Card 828 has a photo of Tom dressed in his frequent early 1940’s western clothes, facing right, with the name Republic at the lower right corner of the card, from one of the Three Mesquiteers movies.

Picturegoer postcard #828

Happy 100th Anniversary of your acting lessons, Tom!

Tom Tyler, circa 1925

As the year 2020 approaches, the year marks a special milestone in the life of Tom Tyler. Believe it or not, 2020 marks the 100th anniversary that Vincent (Wincenty) Markowski began a correspondence course in acting through Johnson Screen Training School at the age of 17 in 1920, according to the article "The Sucker Who Succeeded", Motion Picture Classic, July 1928. Taking his career seriously, Vincent worked hard, driving a truck and transporting cans of film to local cinemas where he lived in Hamtramck, Michigan. Young Vincent was an enthusiastic worker, clearly loved being able to get his foot in the door of the movie business. Upon the completion of the acting course, Johnson Screen Training School sent Vincent a letter, which also served as a certificate to verify that Vincent did indeed complete the course, with all assignments completed, including the correct application of actor’s makeup. It is unknown exactly how many lessons total that Vincent was required to take, an estimated guess would be between ten to twelve lessons, meaning that the course could easily be completed within a couple of months.

It would not be until 1923 when Vincent, then aged 20 years old, would leave his home town with his close friend Emil Karkoski, and the fifty dollars that Vincent’s sister loaned him for the trip. According to “The Tom Tyler Story” by Mike Chapman, when the two young men arrived in Denver, Colorado, Emil decided to return home to his family, while Vincent trudged on, with his continuing enthusiasm and courage, never failing to believe in himself. There is the possibility that Vincent was also aware he did not have much time to achieve his specific goal, having died during his fiftieth year due to complications from scleroderma. With time moving as quickly as it does for some of us, it will not be long before the 100th anniversary of Tom Tyler’s debut as a leading man for FBO in 1925 will be celebrated.

Say it isn’t so: Censorship in “The Law of the Plains”

It would be difficult for the modern Tom Tyler fan to consider the case of censorship, or even the need for it, in one of his starring roles movies. What might be an even bigger challenge is to think it could happen in one of Tom’s later silent films made for Syndicate Pictures – yet it did, and Bell Pictures Inc., the distributor (New York City), was forced to remove a few frames from the final print of “The Law of the Plains”, released in 1929.

“The Law of the Plains” is the only Syndicate Pictures silent film on which there is scant information; next to nothing at Lantern Media History, and a bare mention in major newspapers outside of cast members and very brief plot description. In fact, Natalie Joyce, Tom’s leading lady in the movie, is not given a character name, not even at IMDB. Consequently, composing the story line for “The Law of the Plains” page of Aventuras de Tom Tyler proved to be the most challenging of all Tom Tyler silent films, most of which have a wealth of information on them, including the many lost silent films he starred in. A routine inquiry was sent to the Library of Congress about plot information, and they were extremely accommodating and helpful, even leading me to put an inquiry at the New York State Archives, which holds many records on silent films – and “The Law of the Plains” happened to be one of them. Upon the recent receipt of a photocopy of the record for this silent film, some rather interesting information was included, a tidbit that would make a fantastic piece of trivia among Tom Tyler fans and later 1920’s silent film western fans.

It seems that upon the final screening of “The Law of the Plains” by the State of New York Education Department, Motion Picture Division, which granted exhibition licenses (a license to show the movie at cinemas) a request was made to Bell Pictures Inc. to remove the frame from the first reel of the film where Limpy (possibly, Al Ferguson, who is referred to a “Gang Leader” at IMDB) swats at a fly which landed on his face – and utters a curse word. There is no reference to the actual curse word in the photocopy record, aptly labeled as “Indecent”; unfortunately, neither is there a mention of all cast members and their characters, outside of Tom Tyler being mentioned. Since Tom’s silent film westerns have always been considered family- and children-friendly, any lip movements that mimic a curse word had to be removed. Once this change was made, the film reel was sent back for review by the examiners at the Motion Picture Division and declared appropriate for exhibition.

While on the subject of archival records on silent films, one other interesting piece of information stood out: in 1929, it cost $3.00 per 1000 lineal feet of film to acquire a license to exhibit the silent film. So with the five reels of 35mm, the total cost for the exhibition license in 1929 was $15.00 – or $225.00 in the year 2019.

Obviously no one would be able to see the Limpy character make the curse word in “The Law of the Plains” but not because the film does not exist; four of the five reels are at the Library of Congress, and one of those happens to be the first reel – the reel designated as needing a modification before the film could be granted a license for exhibition at cinemas across the United States. Hopefully, “The Law of the Plains” will seek restoration within the next few years.

A huge thank you to the New York State Archives in Albany for their help in providing the above information FOC (free of charge), and of course the Library of Congress, who has always been a pleasure to deal with when it comes to my research of Tom Tyler and his work.

On raising boys: Words of wisdom from Tom Tyler

Tom Tyler with Frankie Darro in the great outdoors
in "Terror Mountain", 1928

Rare are the few interviews of Tom Tyler than do exist, and when they fall into the hands of fans and individuals interested in learning about his philosophy and views about life, prove to be real treasures. More often than not, these tidbits of wisdom are timeless and still hold true today.

In an article in The Republic, Columbus, Indiana, dated October 7, 1937 Tom explains why time spent in the great outdoors is so important for boys, and how it can help them with their studies in school and encourage them to read. Tom Tyler would certainly know about the great outdoors, not just in the movies he makes, but because he was born and raised in the Adirondacks in upstate New York: that magnificent region of land which serves as both a state park and residential space. Continuing, Tom states that if a boy has issues with a particular subject in school, such a geography or history, that the parents allow the child to integrate his personal interests in what he is learning. Such interests might be exploration by land or water to then-exotic places few in America have heard of in the 1930’s, like Burma, Indonesia, or Tibet.

Whiteface Mountain and Esther Mountain in the Adirondacks
- from Wikimedia Commons

While Tom Tyler does not mention the following, there is a second factor involved, and that is physical activity and its important connection to the human memory. Children spending time outside playing and getting lots of exercise are more likely to perform better at their studies in school. It was not long ago when scientific studies were conducted on this subject. While we do not know what Tom’s grades were like in school when he was a boy, it can be surmised that he was a good student, someone who never got into trouble, and who had the self-discipline to apply himself in class – just as he did with his acting lessons which he learned through a correspondence course. Coming full circle, this can certainly help many a young boy – or girl – who struggles in school to spend some time outside, exploring, getting the workout that only nature can provide and revel in before preparing to hit the books once he or she is back inside their homes.

Equal opportunity heroes: Minorities in Tom Tyler silent films and early talkies

An exhibit card, "The Arizona Streak", 1926

For the individual interested in Tom Tyler’s silent film and early talkie career, that person might be surprised to discover that racial minorities had minor but very significant roles in the plot. It is not until the early to mid-1930’s that minorities – African-Americans, Asian-Americans, and Jews become more prominent in their roles, despite overcoming periodic stereotypes on film. Information about the presence of racial minorities, specifically, African-Americans, in Tom Tyler’s silent films is a bit scant with the exception of two movies not available on DVD, “The Arizona Streak” (1926), and “Lightning Lariats” (1927), for which physical evidence is available in the form of lobby cards, a Spanish film booklet, and Hollywood trade publications. Additionally, these early African-American actors were not credited by name in the cast, to make their identification even more difficult. It may sound curious to the average reader that African-Americans appeared in casts of otherwise Caucasian-majority silent films, particularly in B-westerns. Discounting movies like “Birth of a Nation” (1915) which portrayed African-Americans in a negative light, there is a probable answer for this: Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr., owner of FBO, the studio which signed on Tom Tyler back in 1925, was a strong believer in social justice, a family trait which remained through future generations of Kennedys up to the present.

"Lightning Lariats", Biblioteca Films

It remains unknown how many FBO silent films included African-Americans in the casts, for the majority of these films are lost, and Hollywood trade publications frequently did not mention minorities who did appear in these silent films. The good news is this: even though these uncredited black actors were cast in stereotyped roles (cooks, hired help) of the 1920’s and 1930’s on film, they were also portrayed as having hero potential, often having a positive role model in Tom Tyler’s silent films and talkies. In addition to the three known silent films where African-Americans appear alongside Tom Tyler, there are two talkies which include a well-known actor and comedian by the name Fred Toones, plus another movie which combines the forces of a Jewish merchant and Chinese gentlemen to combat a vicious crime lord in a small western town.

The Arizona Streak (1926)

An ESCO (Exhibit Supply Company, Chicago, IL) exhibit card depicting a scene from “The Arizona Streak” has Tom Tyler seated on a stool at the right, while a man at the left is play punching an African-American man. Behind these two men is a stone mantle with a row of bottles. Along with Tom, who is grinning broadly, the three men appear to be having fun. It is uncertain the role the man in the middle plays in this silent film – the African-American –  although that can be ascertained should the print of this silent film at the Cinematek in Brussels ever get restored.


Lightning Lariats (1927)

In “Lightning Lariats” (1927), young Alexis (Frankie Darro) becomes friends with another small black boy named John (erroneously credited as played by Leroy Scott, who was born in 1875, and was 52 years old at the time he made “Lightning Lariats”), the son of Mariana, Tom's hired help. John wishes the very best of luck for Alexis, as the two boys played at dice at Tom Potter’s (Tom Tyler) ranch house, somewhat oblivious to the plot being contrived against them, by Luboff and Polsky, the two officers of Roxenburg, who followed Alexis to America. John explains to Alexis the game of dice and how to throw them, in order to come up with the winning numbers of seven or eleven. (El Valiente de la Pradera, Biblioteca Films) A complete print of “Lightning Lariats” is at Gosfilmofond in Moscow, Russia.


The Texas Tornado (1928)

"The Texas Tornado" 1928

The one advantage of “The Texas Tornado” over the above named silent films is its availability on DVD. In this silent film from FBO, the singular African-American actor in the cast is a cook for the Briscoe family named Rufus. Rufus attempts to physically discourage Latimer (Jack Anthony) from getting hold of the lease which needs to be renewed, but ends up taking a hit, temporarily defeated until Tom King (Tom Tyler) arrives in the nick of time, galloping up to the ranch house. Leaping off his horse, Tom stops to listen to Rufus before entering the Briscoe homestead. After Tom reassures the cook, he breaks open the front door and beats up Latimer, absconding with the ranch lease before leaping onto his horse and race to the bank to renew it. Not appearing during the majority of the film except the start and end, Rufus makes his way on horseback to the spot where Tom just rescued Buddy (Frankie Darro) from a broken gondolier, and along with Ellen Briscoe (Nora Lane), catch Latimer  in the act, who then confesses to the sheriff he was behind framing Tom for the shooting of Jim Briscoe (Frank Whitson). Rufus remained ready to play a role in freeing Tom from his arrest status, if only for his being the first person on the Briscoe ranch to communicate with Tom about what was taking place at the time Latimer was inside the house, giving Jim trouble about the lease. But once the sheriff slaps the handcuffs on Latimer and hauls him away, Buddy manages to give Latimer a swift kick in his rear, upon which Buddy and Rufus shake hands and laugh.

Single Handed Saunders (1932)

"Single Handed Saunders"

“Single Handed Saunders” marks the first Tom Tyler movie where an African-American actor is credited. Fred 'Snowflake' Toones is simply referred to as Snowflake by Matt Saunders (Tom Tyler) in this Trem Carr movie. Matt is a blacksmith by trade, with Snowflake as his helper, close friends and confidantes in a small western town where the homesteaders are given preference by Judge Parker (Gordon de Main) over the cattle owners. Because of this, there is an obvious rift between the cattle owners and homesteaders, which is only exacerbated when Matt’s brother Philip (Robert Seiter) returns home from college and now a practicing attorney. Philip eventually goes into cahoots with the judge to make sure the homesteaders continue to receive credit, at the cost of the cattle owners.

The first casualty is Parker himself when he attempts to remove burrs from Snowflake’s dog, Sparerib. When the cattlemen invade the center of town, not only does Parker get shot, but so does the poor dog. Called several times by Snowflake, Sparerib is gently lifted in his arms and covered with a piece of fabric at the blacksmith’s. Upon seeing Snowflake, Matt is puzzled, not used to seeing his helper cry. Snowflake tells Matt he wants justice for this crime, but Matt reassures him that it will come, but it must arrive through honest means. As the two men continue to work together, keeping their eyes and ears open about the murder of Judge Parker, Snowflake finds himself at the right place and time when he hears Philip, who has now taken his father’s place as judge, making a deal with Senator Graham (John Elliott) in extending further credit to the homesteaders. This deal happens to be in the form of signed legal documents, and the main key to seeking justice for Judge Parker’s death. Clever enough to catch on, Snowflake later confides this information to Matt as they are busy at their job, prompting Matt to enter the office at the rear of the general store and look for this document. Once Matt finds the piece of paper, Philip enters the office, the two men engage in a massive brawl where Philip is thrown across the room at a group of men, and justice begins, delivered by Matt himself. As minor a role Snowflake’s is, it is the most important part of the story, for had he not eyewitnessed Philip signing that document, Matt would have no knowledge of it – and not be able to talk Philip in escaping the deal he made with Graham.

Roamin’ Wild (1936)

"Roamin Wild"

Probably the most unique feature of “Roamin’ Wild” is that it has two minority groups teaming with the main hero, Tom Barton (Tom Tyler), in order to fight a much larger threat in Placerville. Tom is sent on assignment as an inspector to find out what happened to his brother Jim (Wally West) who was last seen near the area but mysteriously disappeared. Ambling along on his horse while playing the harmonica, Tom sees the road sign for Placerville and heads onward, when he suddenly observes a group of bandits who raid a traveling merchant. Abe Wineman (Max Davidson). With his goods strewn all over the trail, Tom approaches and demands to know what happened. Once Abe explains who he is, Tom demands payback from the bandits, ordering them to hand their guns over to Abe, who keeps them in exchange for the damage done to his business. Since Tom and Abe are headed in the same direction, they travel together to Placerville. Once they arrive, Tom offers Abe a job as a deputy to help find his lost brother, and close in on the operations of Ned Clark (Al Ferguson), the local crime lord. The biggest series of crimes has been against the Madison Stagecoach Company, robbing the goods carried on them. At one point the owner of the company, Jim Madison (Earl Dwire), is shot while defending one of his stagecoaches. When his daughter Mary (Carol Wyndham) inherits the company, she teams up with Tom to put an end to these robberies. Happy to gain even more local support, Tom deters the same group of bandits he ran into before at Wineman’s merchant wagon one more time: from robbing a group of Chinese men from the nearby Chinese Diggins settlement.

"Roamin Wild"

Acting out of gratitude towards Tom for preventing them from being robbed, these men invite Tom to their home for a meal. Once they discover they were followed back by Clark’s gang, they pull out their guns, effectively scaring them away with their sharp aim. At that moment Tom plans on escaping in order to return to Placerville, but his new Chinese friends show him a secret tunnel accessible through a trapdoor in the middle of the floor. Tom takes advantage of the tunnel, and goes back to Abe and Mary, devising a plan to trap Clark and his men – which he does successfully. With Clark and his gang out of commission and headed to jail, Tom thanks Abe, his Chinese friends, and Mary, who of course wants him to stay in Placerville with her. On a side note, actor Max Davidson was born in Berlin, Germany, on May 23, 1875 and got his start in American silent film comedy since 1915. Unfortunately, none of the Chinese actors are credited in “Roamin’ Wild”.