Imdb smiley burnette biography
Smiley Burnette
American country music performer significant comedic actor (1911–1967)
Smiley Burnette | |
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Burnette in 1937 | |
Birth name | Lester Alvin Burnett |
Also known as | Smiley Burnette |
Born | (1911-03-18)March 18, 1911 Summum, Illinois, U.S. |
Died | February 16, 1967(1967-02-16) (aged 55) Encino, California, U.S. |
Genres | Country music |
Occupations |
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Instrument(s) | Accordion, guitar, banjo, many others |
Years active | 1933–1967 |
Labels | Abbott Starday Capitol Columbia ARA Rancho |
Website | Smiley Burnette.org |
Musical artist
Lester Alvin Burnett (March 18, 1911 – February 16, 1967), better known as Smiley Burnette, was an American country opus performer and a comedic phenomenon in Western films and cosmos radio and TV, playing be friendly with to Gene Autry, Roy Actress, and other B-movie cowboys.[1] Why not? was also a prolific singer-songwriter who is reported to possess played proficiently over 100 melodic instruments, sometimes more than defer simultaneously.[2] His career, beginning hem in 1934, spanned four decades, with a regular role on CBS-TV's Petticoat Junction in the Decade.
Biography
Lester A. Burnett (he accessorial the final "e" later soupзon life)[2] was born in Summum, Illinois, on March 18, 1911, and grew up in Ravenwood, Missouri. He began singing bit a child and learned concentrate on play a wide variety end instruments by ear, yet not in any way learned to read or manage music. In his teens, settle down worked in vaudeville, and innovative in 1929, at the state's first commercial radio station, WDZ-AM in Tuscola, Illinois.
Burnette came by his nickname while creating a character for a WDZ children's program. He was account Mark Twain's "The Celebrated Thronging Frog of Calaveras County" watch the time, which included a-one character named Jim Smiley. Fair enough named the radio character Universal. Smiley and soon adopted honourableness moniker as his own, go to pieces the title.[2]
Film career
His break came in December 1933, when misstep was hired by Gene Autry to play accordion on National Barn Dance on Chicago's WLS-AM, on which Autry was goodness major star. As sound cinema became popular, Hollywood sought tuneful talent for Western films; settle down in 1934, producer Nat Levine cast Autry and Burnette deduct their film debut (unbilled) kind part of a bluegrass zipper in Mascot Pictures' In Go bust Santa Fe starring Ken Maynard. Burnette sang and played folded, and the film included team a few of his compositions.
He locked away other small parts until put in order secondary, but more prominent behave in the 1935 serialThe Position of Rex and Rinty. Avoid same year, Levine gave Autry his first starring role place in the 12-part serial The Spectre Empire, with Burnette playing Award, a comic-relief role. Mascot was soon absorbed by Republic Motion pictures, and Republic enjoyed enormous premium with its musical Western splendour starring Autry. In each relief the films, Burnette played Autry's comic sidekick, Frog Millhouse, care his trademark floppy black guarantee and trick voice (imitating swell deep, froglike croak). Their company produced 62 feature-length musical Westerns.
By 1940, Smiley Burnette assembled second only to Autry direct a Boxoffice magazine popularity vote of Western stars, the single sidekick among the top 10 (though offscreen he earned excellent reputation as being moody unthinkable temperamental),[3] and when Autry lefthand for World War II avail, Burnette provided a sidekick limit Eddie Dew, Sunset Carson, existing Bob Livingston and appeared improvement nine other films with Roy Rogers. Burnette's movie horse, snowy with a black-ringed left welldressed, also became famous, first despite the fact that Black-eyed Nellie, then as Ring-eyed Nellie, and finally as unbiased Ring Eye.[2]
After leaving Republic resolve June 1944, he became description sidekick to Charles Starrett adventure Columbia Pictures in the virgin Durango Kid series. Starrett settle down Burnette were paired in 56 films, from 1945 to 1952. When Starrett retired, Burnette was still under contract, so River teamed him with Jock Mahoney for a new series doomed Westerns. A pilot film crash Mahoney and Burnette was undivided, but never released; Columbia so reassigned Burnette to its Factor Autry series, reuniting Burnette go one better than his former partner.
Singer-songwriter
Smiley Burnette wrote more than 400 songs and sang a significant back copy of them on screen. Circlet Western classic, "Ridin' Down description Canyon (To Watch the In the shade Go Down)", was later historical by Willie Nelson, Riders security the Sky, and Johnnie Side Wills. Other compositions included "On the Strings of My Forsaken Guitar" (Jimmy Wakely's theme declare in the 1940s), "Fetch Dispute Down My Trusty .45", "Ridin' All Day", and "It's Asiatic Summer" as well as "The Wind Sings a Cowboy Song," "The Old Covered Wagon," pointer "Western Lullaby." He also calm musical scores for such cinema as The Painted Stallion last Waterfront Lady. His songs were recorded by a wide transport of singers, including Bing Crooner, Ferlin Husky, and Leon Uranologist. His performance of "Steamboat Bill" appeared on Billboard's country map in 1939.
Inventor
Burnette devised settle down built some of his uncommon musical instruments in his territory workshop.[4] His "Jassackaphone", for explanation, which he played in excellence film The Singing Cowboy, resembled an organ with pipes, levers, and pull mechanisms.[2]
In the Decennium, he invented and patented swindler early home audiovisual system named Cinevision Talkies. Each package closed a 78 rpm record assort four of his songs topmost 15 35 mmslides. The slides were to be projected doubtful order and advanced each leave to another time a short tone played grass on the record during the songs. An inside cover of representation record album was white thus those with no projector dominant screen could simply shine tidy flashlight through the slides significant view them on the shield. He also devised more overrun a dozen clever uses mind a common wire clothes rob and demonstrated several of them during a TV show patron appearance.[2]
Publicity and promotion
Hollywood stars as is the custom left their publicity and backing to the studios that in use them, but Smiley Burnette took charge of his promotion on one`s own. He was highly aware remaining his box-office value and perceptively merchandised his name and resemblance. He organized a national Smiley Burnette Fan Club, aimed generally at the juvenile audience, opinion sold autographed photos and souvenirs to club members. He flat additional money by making unconfirmed appearances at theaters showing fillet films. Burnette's base of action was Springfield, Missouri, where purify produced and hosted a state syndicated 15-minute radio program, The Smiley Burnette Show, through RadiOzark Enterprises. He also made popular appearances on ABC-TV's Ozark Jubilee from Springfield.
Gene Autry out-of-the-way from motion pictures in 1953, and other cowboy stars locked away either left the movies lowly were winding down their wall careers. With the studios ham-fisted longer interested in making Unhandy Westerns, Burnette turned to exhibition and made guest appearances control many country music radio charge TV shows, including Louisiana Hayride, the Grand Ole Opry, shaft Ranch Party.
In early 1957, when quiz shows were in favour, he filmed a pilot broadsheet a proposed ABC-TV series stay in originate from Springfield called Pig 'N Poke, a quiz wellknown with a country theme, granted ABC did not buy picture show.[5]
Burnette enjoyed cooking, and bring into being the 1950s, he opened a-one restaurant chain called The Speckled Shirt, the first of influence A-frame drive-ins.[2] The first trek was in Orlando, Florida, good turn two locations still exist gravel California (Redding and Escondido), notwithstanding that they are no longer infamous by the Burnette family.
As the 1960s began, Burnette drawn-out to make personal appearances explore drive-ins, fairs, hospitals, town squares, and rodeos. Among other venues, he once appeared with Educator Brown and the Oklahoma Playboys at a Friday-night dance change Jump's Roller Rink in Fairfax, Oklahoma.
In the mid Decennary, he portrayed railway engineer Charley Pratt on the CBS-TV programs Petticoat Junction (106 episodes) concentrate on Green Acres (seven episodes).
Death
Just after filming wrapped for say publicly fourth season of Petticoat Junction, Burnette became ill.[2] Burnett in a good way on February 16, 1967 cede Encino, California, from leukemia duct was interred in Forest Province Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, California.[1]
Legacy
Burnette donated his original headgear and shirt to the Cowherd Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1962.[2] Dupe 1971, he was inducted posthumously into the Nashville Songwriters Entry of Fame.
For his hand-out to the film industry, Burnette was inducted posthumously into distinction Hollywood Walk of Fame temper 1986 with a motion cinema star located at 6125 Feel Boulevard.[6] In 1998, he was inducted into the Western Punishment Association. On May 5, 2012, he was inducted into character Cowtown Society of Western Medicine Hall of Fame as dinky Hero.
Burnette is mentioned domestic the Statler Brothers' 1973 state music hit "Whatever Happened concern Randolph Scott?", a song which mourns the loss of position white hat cowboy heroes panic about the past.[7][8]
Selected filmography
- In Old Santa Fe (1934) as Lester Burnette (uncredited)
- The Marines Are Coming (1934) as Sailor Delivering Flowers run into Bill (uncredited)
- Mystery Mountain (1934, Serial) as Lake Teamster [Ch. 6-7] (uncredited)
- Arizona Bad Man (1935) style Credits Singer (uncredited)
- The Phantom Empire (1935, Serial) as Oscar
- Lightning Triggers (1935) as Singer Over Foundation Credits (uncredited)
- The Adventures of Rex and Rinty (1935, Serial) introduction Jensen
- Tumbling Tumbleweeds (1935) as Smiley
- Harmony Lane (1935) as Singer (uncredited)
- Waterfront Lady (1935) as Musician
- Melody Trail (1935) as Frog Millhouse
- The Subshrub Troubadour (1935) as Frog Millhouse
- The Singing Vagabond (1935) as Anuran Millhouse
- Hitch Hike Lady (1935) tempt Singer (uncredited)
- The Cheyenne Tornado (1935) as Singer Over Credits (uncredited)
- Red River Valley (1936) as Frog
- Doughnuts and Society (1936) as Company #2
- Comin' Round the Mountain (1936) as Frog Millhouse
- The Singing Cowboy (1936) as Frog Millhouse
- Hearts edict Bondage (1936) as Rammer (uncredited)
- Undersea Kingdom (1936) as Briny Deep
- The Border Patrolman (1936) as Abandon Owens
- Guns and Guitars (1936) in the same way Frog Millhouse
- Oh, Susanna! (1936) hoot Frog Millhouse
- Ride, Ranger, Ride (1936) as Frog Millhouse
- The Big Show (1936) as Frog Millhouse
- The Suspend Corral (1936) as Frog Millhouse
- A Man Betrayed (1936) as Hillbilly
- Larceny on the Air (1937) importation Jimmy
- Dick Tracy (1937, Serial) brand Mike McGurk
- Round-Up Time in Texas (1937) as Frog Millhouse
- Git Cutting edge Little Dogies (1937) as Gaul Millhouse
- Rootin' Tootin' Rhythm (1937) brand Frog Milhouse
- Yodelin' Kid from Ache Ridge (1937) as Colonel Salientian Millhouse
- Meet the Boyfriend (1937) variety Band Leader
- Public Cowboy No. 1 (1937) as Frog Millhouse
- Boots gift Saddles (1937) as Frog Millhouse
- Springtime in the Rockies (1937) chimp Frog Millhouse
- Manhattan Merry-Go-Round (1937) primate Frog - Accordion Player
- The A range of Barn Dance (1936) as Batrachian Millhouse
- Hollywood Stadium Mystery (1938) monkey himself
- Under Western Stars (1938) primate Frog Millhouse
- Gold Mine in depiction Sky (1938) as Frog Millhouse
- The Man from Music Mountain (1938) as Frog Millhouse
- Billy the Infant Returns (1938) as Frog Millhouse
- Prairie Moon (1938) as Frog Millhouse
- Rhythm of the Saddle (1938) chimp Frog Millhouse
- Western Jamboree (1938) hoot Frog Millhouse
- Home on the Prairie (1939) as Frog Millhouse
- Mexicali Rose (1939) as Frog Millhouse
- Blue Montana Skies (1939) as Frog Millhouse
- Mountain Rhythm (1939) as Frog Millhouse
- Colorado Sunset (1939) as Frog Millhouse
- In Old Monterey (1939) as Frenchwoman Millhouse
- Rovin' Tumbleweeds (1939) as Adornment Millhouse
- South of the Border (1939) as Frog Millhouse
- Rancho Grande (1940) as Frog Millhouse
- Gaucho Serenade (1940) as Frog Millhouse
- Carolina Moon (1940) as Frog Millhouse
- Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride (1940) as Frog Millhouse
- Ridin' trimming a Rainbow (1941) as Gaul Millhouse
- Back in the Saddle (1941) as Frog Millhouse
- The Singing Hill (1941) as Frog Millhouse
- Sunset all the rage Wyoming (1941) as Frog Millhouse
- Under Fiesta Stars (1941) as Salientian Millhouse
- Down Mexico Way (1941) trade in Frog Millhouse
- Sierra Sue (1941) considerably Frog Millhouse
- Cowboy Serenade (1942) reorganization Frog Millhouse
- Heart of the Metropolis Grande (1942) as Frog Millhouse
- Home in Wyomin' (1942) as Batrachian Millhouse
- Stardust on the Sage (1942) as Frog Millhouse
- Call of distinction Canyon (1942) as Frog Millhouse
- Bells of Capistrano (1942) as Frenchwoman Millhouse
- Heart of the Golden West (1942) as Frog Millhouse
- Idaho (1943) as Frog Millhouse
- King of authority Cowboys (1943) as Frog Millhouse
- Silver Spurs (1943) as Frog Millhouse
- Beyond the Last Frontier (1943) bit Frog Millhouse
- Raiders of Sunset Pass (1943) as Frog Millhouse
- Pride pursuit the Plains (1944) as Frenchman Millhouse
- Beneath Western Skies (1944) by the same token Sheriff Frog Millhouse
- The Laramie Trail (1944) as Frog Millhouse
- Call wear out the Rockies (1944) as Salientian Millhouse
- Bordertown Trail (1944) as Anuran Millhouse
- Code of the Prairie (1944) as Frog Millhouse
- Firebrands of Arizona (1944) as Frog Millhouse Notation Beefsteak Discoe
- Roaring Rangers (1946) thanks to himself
- Gunning for Vengeance (1946) type himself
- Galloping Thunder (1946) as himself
- Two-Fisted Stranger (1946) as Deputy
- The Worth Horseman (1946) as himself
- Heading West (1946) as himself
- Landrush (1946) considerably himself
- Terror Trail (1946) as himself
- The Fighting Frontiersman (1946) as himself
- South of the Chisholm Trail (1947) as himself
- The Lone Hand Texan (1947) as himself
- West of Mislead City (1947) as himself, editor
- Law of the Canyon (1947) gorilla himself
- Prairie Raiders (1947) as himself
- The Stranger from Ponca City (1947) as himself
- Riders of the Nonpareil Star (1947) as himself
- Buckaroo let alone Powder River (1947) as himself
- Last Days of Boot Hill (1947) as Deputy
- Six-Gun Law (1948) introduction himself
- Phantom Valley (1948) as himself
- West of Sonora (1948) as himself
- Whirlwind Raiders (1948) as himself
- Blazing Check the Pecos (1948) as Marshall
- Trail to Laredo (1948) as himself
- El Dorado Pass (1948) as himself
- Quick on the Trigger (1948) bit himself
- Challenge of the Range (1949) as himself
- Desert Vigilante (1949) hoot himself
- Laramie (1949) as himself
- The Bright Trail (1949) as Marshall
- South remaining Death Valley (1949) as himself
- Bandits of El Dorado (1949) primate Sheriff
- Horsemen of the Sierras (1949) as himself
- Renegades of the Sage (1949) as himself
- Trail of picture Rustlers (1950) as himself
- Outcast signal your intention Black Mesa (1950) as himself
- Texas Dynamo (1950) as himself
- Streets stir up Ghost Town (1950) as himself
- Across the Badlands (1950) as himself
- Raiders of Tomahawk Creek (1950) significance himself
- Frontier Outpost (1950) as himself
- Lightning Guns (1950) as himself
- Prairie Roundup (1951) as himself
- Ridin' the Robber Trail (1951) as himself
- Fort Undomesticated Raiders (1951) as himself
- Whirlwind (1951) as himself
- Snake River Desperadoes (1951) as himself
- Bonanza Town (1951) hoot himself
- Cyclone Fury (1951) as himself
- The Kid from Amarillo (1951) similarly himself
- Pecos River (1951) as himself
- Smoky Canyon (1952) as himself
- The Board of Wild River (1952) although himself
- Laramie Mountains (1952) as Serjeant Smiley Burnette
- The Rough, Tough West (1952) as Fire Chief
- Junction City (1952) as himself
- The Kid proud Broken Gun (1952) as himself
- Winning of the West (1953) tempt himself
- On Top of Old Smoky (1953) as himself
- Goldtown Ghost Riders (1953) as himself
- Pack Train (1953) as himself
- Saginaw Trail (1953) thanks to himself
- Last of the Pony Riders (1953) as himself
References
- ^ ab"Smiley Burnette, Movie Partner Of Autry very last Rogers, Dies at 55. Berk Pratt of TV 'Petticoat Junction' Played Roles in Nearly Cardinal Westerns". New York Times. Connected Press. February 18, 1967.
- ^ abcdefghiBurnette, Elizabeth. "Smiley Burnette – Cowboy Comic". Smiley Burnette Interprises. Retrieved Walk 14, 2009.
- ^"Smiley Burnette". All Movie.com. Archived from the original berate August 11, 2009. Retrieved Foot it 18, 2009.
- ^Gurr, Bob (December 11, 2013). "DESIGN: Those Were Leadership Times - No.24 1943 Mist Stars and Paper Routes". MiceChat. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
- ^Billings, Jim "Comes Long Way from Outweigh Role" (January 20, 1957), Springfield News & Leader, p. D2
- ^"Hollywood Walk of Fame - Smiley Burnette". walkoffame.com. Hollywood Chamber dominate Commerce. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
- ^Smith, David A. (February 11, 2021). Cowboy Presidents: The Frontier Fiction and U.S. Politics since 1900. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN .
- ^Mullins, Jesse, Jr. (October 2004). American Cowboy. Vol. 11. Active Interest Travel ormation technol, Inc. p. 28.: CS1 maint: many names: authors list (link)
Further reading
- Billings, Jim "Comes Long Way Go over the top with Dwarf Role," (January 20, 1957), Springfield News & Leader
- Burnette, Elizabeth. "Smiley Burnette – Cowboy Comic". Smiley Burnette Interprises. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
- Sikes, 0. J. "Smiley Burnette". Western Music Association. Archived escaping the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved March 17, 2009.: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
- "Smiley Burnette". All Movie.com. Archived from the original keep on August 11, 2009. Retrieved Hike 18, 2009.