September 26 Birthday Wishes

Antonio Moreno [1887 - 1967]
Shug Fisher [1907 - 1984]
Marty Robbins [1925 - 1982]
Julie London [1926 - 2000]
Melissa Sue Anderson [1962 - ]

Howdy Manco!!

Antonio Moreno got his start in silent films, back in 1912. He appeared in over 150 films like, The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine, Captain From Castille, and opposite actresses like Greta Garbo, Clara Bow and Gloria Swanson. He was in a couple of big films, like The Creature From The Black Lagoon and in The Searchers with John Wayne.

I always enjoyed watching Shug Fisher during his career. He got hs start as a country music player and singer and became a member of the Sons Of The Pioneers. It was while with this group that he began showing up in Roy Rogers films, like Bells Of San Rosarita, The Yellow Rose Of Texas, My Pal Trigger and even showed up in a Gene Autry film, The Last Roundup. Because of his comical stutter he was chosen to play in several big westerns, like Sergeant Rutledge, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence, Cheyenne Autumn and The Sacketts. He also appeared on the t.v. series Gunsmoke in 27 episodes as Opie, the bartender or a muleskinner and as a regular on the Beverly Hillbilies as Shorty Kellems, in a career that lasted over 40 years.

Marty Robbins did appear in a few films like, The Badge Of Marshal Brennan, Badge Of A Gunfighter, 30 Minutes At Gunsight Ridge and of course as the singer who took over for Clint Eastwood in Honky Tonk Man, but it is not his acting that he will aways be remembered for. It is for his singing and sing like a bird he did. Hits like A White Sports Coat, Don't Worry and You Gave Me A Mountain. These hits aside, it is for his westerns songs like Big Iron, The Hanging Tree, Running Gun and the hit that won him a Grammy Award and was No. 1 on the country music chart for 7 weeks in 1959, El Paso that folks will remember him best for. I've listened to a lot of music in my time and I've not seen or heard another singer come down the pike, who could do westerns like Marty.

Julie London began her film career in 1944 and appeared in several films like, Return Of The Frontiersman, but it was in 1958, that she appeared with Gary Cooper in Man Of The West, that drew her national attention. She was married to actor Jack Webb, who created the t.v. series, Dragnet. Julie had been performing as a singer, since she was 16 years old. She had a smokey voice, which made her recordings seem very intimate. She recorded over 32 albums during her career and her biggest hit was, Cry Me A River. She took on the role of Nurse Dixie McCall on the 1972 -1978 t.v. series, Emergency, with Robert Fuller of Laramie fame and her 2nd husband Bobby Troupe. In her 40's, she was still one of the most beautiful women in film. This series and her songs are probably what she will be best remembered for.

Meissa Sue Anderson began her acting career in 1972, on the t.v. series, Bewitched. She then appeared on the series, The Brady Bunch and was then cast in the role of Mary Ingalls in the 1974-1981 hit t.v. series, Little House On The Prairie. After the series cancelled, she has appeared on The Equalizer, Burke's Law, Murder, She Wrote and several other t.v. series until 2000. She retired for about 5 years, wrote a book "The Way I See It" and became a naturalized Canadian citizen. Recently, she has appeared in the t.v. movie, Marco Polo and Marker 187.

Ed

Also today:

Barbara Britton (1919-1980) was a beautiful actress, cast many times as a "bad" girl, and she played in a lot of Westerns opposite Gene Autry, Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott. She went into television in the '50s and starred as Pamela North on Mr. & Mrs. North. Her last role was on the soap opera One Life to Live in 1979 until her death from pancreatic cancer in 1980. One interesting note of trivia: before Mary Tyler Moore, Barbara Britton played Laure Petrie opposite Carl Reiner's Rob in a sketch called "Head of the Family" on a show called The Comedy Spot in 1960. This sketch was the precursor to The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Ty Miller (1964-) is best known for his role as The Kid on TV Western TheYoung Riders from 1989-1992.