Monte Hale, Acting - KorPlix:Korean Person Archives

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Monte Hale
Acting

Monte Hale
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1919-06-08,Ada, Oklahoma, USA
Gender
Male
Biography
Monte Hale (born Samuel Buren Ely) was an American B-Western film star and country musician. Sometimes reported to have been born in San Angelo, Texas, he was actually born in Ada, Oklahoma but grew up in Shawnee, Oklahoma, attending Washington Grade School and Shawnee High School. (Texas birthplace reportedly sounded better for the movies). After working as a laborer at various jobs in Ada and Enid OK Herod Ely settled in Shawnee and became an evangelist with the Church of God. His oldest son, Buren, was known to use his musical talent during his father's services. The boy had gathered pecans and picked cotton to earn money to buy his first guitar. Soon he was singing and playing the guitar wherever he could find an audience. His parents had divorced and both had remarried with youngest brother Bobby going with his mother. In 1934, 16-year-old Buren left home as many boys did during the Depressions. He headed for Houston and found work playing his music. From there he went to Albuquerque working on a radio station. A man there convinced him to head to California but all he was able to do there was scratch together a small band and play at a winter resort dude ranch. After four years he returned to with the Texas Vaudeville and local rodeo shows. During World War II he got a job as a replacement guitarist with the Stars Over Texas Bond Drive joining several Republic Pictures celebrities and staff. This introduced him to western stars like Chill Wills and convinced Phil Isley to recommended him to Herbert Yates, head of Republic Pictures. Yates agreed to "test" him but he must fund his own trip. Some friends gave him $200 and he flew to Los Angeles. It was 1944 and he signed with the company for seven years and changed his name from Buren Ely to "Monte Hale". He soon starred in his first major role in Home on the Range. He appeared in some of the first westerns filmed in color and was given use of Roy Rogers' musical sidekicks, the "Sons of the Pioneers" for one of his movies. He was often cast as a young cowboy with cameos by Don Barry, Allen Lane and Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Hale then played more traditional Western heroes in films set in the late 19th century. By 1947 the formula was set with Paul Hurst joining the series as Hale's sidekick and Riders of the Purple Sage providing the music. At this point he ceased playing the character named for himself. Hale was also a recording star and appeared in a series of Western comics published by Fawcett Comics. Beginning in 1948 Hale had his own title with more than 50 issues. In fact, his comic book stardom lasted longer than his film stardom. Republic began cutting back on the Western genre moving to television. He finished his Republic contract with an appearance in the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans movies Trail of Robin Hood with fellow Republic stars Rex Allen and Rocky Lane. Hale made many public appearances at rodeos and other Western shows. He played a villain role in the 1954's Yukon Vengeance. His last movie appearance was in Giant in 1956, where part of his job was to teach James Dean to use a lariat. He appeared in a few television roles and movies up until 1966. On November 12, 2004, for his work in movies, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was also instrumental in the foundation of what is now the Autry National Center of the American West.

Filmography

7.606

Giant
1956-11-08

Bandits of the Badlands

3.5

Bandits of the Badlands
1945-09-14

Ranger of Cherokee Strip

0

Ranger of Cherokee Strip
1949-11-04

Out California Way

6

Out California Way
1946-12-15

The Purple Monster Strikes

3.8

The Purple Monster Strikes
1945-10-06

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

9

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
1976-05-01

Trail of Robin Hood

5.2

Trail of Robin Hood
1950-12-15

The Phantom Rider

6

The Phantom Rider
1946-01-26

Prince of the Plains

0

Prince of the Plains
1949-04-08

Pioneer Marshal

0

Pioneer Marshal
1949-11-24

The Big Bonanza

5.5

The Big Bonanza
1944-12-30

Home on the Range

0

Home on the Range
1946-04-18

Man from Rainbow Valley

0

Man from Rainbow Valley
1946-06-15

7.1

The Chase
1966-02-18

San Antone Ambush

4

San Antone Ambush
1949-10-06

The Timber Trail

0

The Timber Trail
1948-06-14

0

South of Rio
1949-07-29

Son of God’s Country

0

Son of God’s Country
1948-09-15

California Firebrand

3

California Firebrand
1948-04-01

The Missourians

6

The Missourians
1950-11-25

The Old Frontier

0

The Old Frontier
1950-07-20

Colorado Pioneers

0

Colorado Pioneers
1945-11-14

California Gold Rush

6

California Gold Rush
1946-02-04

Sun Valley Cyclone

5

Sun Valley Cyclone
1946-05-10

Rough Riders of Cheyenne

0

Rough Riders of Cheyenne
1945-10-31

Along the Oregon Trail

0

Along the Oregon Trail
1947-08-30

Last Frontier Uprising

0

Last Frontier Uprising
1947-02-01

Under Colorado Skies

0

Under Colorado Skies
1947-12-15

The Vanishing Westerner

2

The Vanishing Westerner
1950-03-31

Law of the Golden West

6

Law of the Golden West
1949-05-23

Outcasts of the Trail

0

Outcasts of the Trail
1949-06-08

Yukon Vengeance

1

Yukon Vengeance
1954-01-17

Return to 'Giant'

6.1

Return to 'Giant'
1996-09-21

7

It's Showtime
1976-03-31

6.6

Gunsmoke
1955-09-10

The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

4.5

The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
1951-04-15

5

The Texan
1958-09-29

7

Honey West
1965-09-17

6.6

Gunsmoke
1955-09-10