Homes of the Western Stars — Bronco Billy Anderson

 HOMES OF THE WESTERN STARS 

BRONCO BILLY ANDERSON

by

special guest blogger

Bob Siler

THE FIRST WESTERN COWBOY STAR

Max Aronson was born in 1880 in Little Rock (Pulaski County). His parents were Henry, a traveling salesman, and Esther Aronson. The Aronsons had seven children. Most of the children were born in Texas, but Max was born in Arkansas.

PINE BLUFF, ARK.

Aronson moved to Pine Bluff (Jefferson County) in the 1890s to work for his brother in law, Louis Roth, who had married Aronson’s sister, Gertrude, and who worked as a cotton broker.

717 WEST SECOND STREET – PINE BLUFF, ARK.

Anderson lived during the last decade of the nineteenth century

 1902 – 1907

NEW YORK CITY

He left Arkansas around the turn of the century for New York, where he became involved with the old Vitagraph Company, a theatrical group.

From 1900 until 1926, Aronson produced, directed, or appeared in more than 600 motion pictures—everything from the one reelers, movies that consisted of approximately 400 feet of film, to full-length motion pictures that consisted of approximately 2,000 feet of film, produced later in his career.

By 1902, Aronson was in New York and, in 1903, was cast in Edwin S. Porter’s film, The Great Train Robbery,a classic silent western. In his early films, he played various roles under the name G. M. Anderson, as in the movie Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman for Vitagraph in 1904, the first film Anderson directed.

1907 – 1909

CHICAGO

NOVEMBER 4

Key developments in the Chicago cinema

Recent developments in the Windy City suggest that Chicago is set to rival New York as the leading film making centre in the U.S. In fact, this city is already ahead of New York in one respect: censorship.

The authorities have have passed the first local censorship ordinance in the country “prohibiting the exhibition of obscene and immoral pictures commonly shown in Mutoscopes, Kinetoscopes , Cinematographs and penny arcades”. Earlier this year projectionist Donald Bell and camera repairman Albert Howell founded the Bell & Howell Camera Co. Which hopes to play an important role if the industry continues to grow at the same rapid pace as during recent years. But most important of all has been the formation of the Essenay Company in February by George K. Spoor and actor-producer G.M. Anderson, who is best known for the Westerns he has made for Selig since 1904. Wasting no time Essenay is already filming in its studio at 501 Wells Street.

ESSANAY

Anderson moved to Chicago to produce films. There, he developed the idea that the public would pay to see good western movies, and the era of “cowboy” films, that is, films based on marketing the name of the cowboy, began.

For a short time, he produced films in Colorado, but William Selig, an early movie producer for whom Anderson was working, could not see the advantage of western scenery in their releases. Anderson’s contribution was to develop the western film and the techniques he devised, including the “long shot,” “medium shot,” “close up,” and “reestablishment scene,” have become standard techniques present even in modern westerns.

Back in Chicago, Anderson partnered with George K. Spoor, a theatrical booking agent. The two of them established Essanay Studios in 1907, the name being derived from a phonetic spelling of their initials, S and A. Anderson married Molly Louise Schabbleman in 1908, and the couple had one child, Maxine.

From 1908 to 1915, Anderson made 375 westerns. The most famous of these was the Broncho Billy series. Anderson read a story in the Saturday Evening Post about a character called Broncho Billy. He liked the idea of a series character and developed Broncho Billy into a franchise of films which were extremely popular with the American public.

ESSANAY STUDIOS

Founded in 1907 as the Peerless Film Manufacturing Company but eventually renamed Essanay after the initials (S and A) of its founders, George K. Spoor and Gilbert M. Anderson—turned out about 2,000 shorts and features between 1907 and 1917.

Anderson had worked as a janitor at the Thomas Edison Studio when he was chosen to play an outlaw in the first western ever made, The Great Train Robbery. The first characters of Spoor’s and Anderson’s surnames translated into “S” and “A.”, hence the name Essanay.

 

 Filming a “Broncho Billy” film in the Chicago Essanay studio

 1909

DECEMBER 30 – NILES, CALIFORNIA

Cinema’s cowboy hero G.M. Anderson is about to assume a new personna in the name of Broncho Billy, based on the character in a Peter B. Kyne story, Broncho Billy and the Baby, the film will be called Broncho Billy’s redemption. The burly Anderson is already one of the cinema’s bright new stars. Born Max Aronson in Little Rock, Arkansas, in March 1882, he was briefly a travelling salesman before trying his luck as an actor in New York using the stage name Gilbert M. Anderson.

While working as a male model in 1902, he was hired by the Edison studio to play the lead in a one-reeler directed by Edwin S. Porter, The Messenger Boy’s Mistake. A year later Anderson played several parts in Porter’s trail blazing Western, The Great Train Robbery. He was originally cast as the outlaw leader but was disqualified by the fact that he could not ride. On the first day of filming he parted company with his horse – and the role of the outlaw leader.

1913 – 1916 / 1917

ESSANAY STUDIOS

NILES, CALIFORNIA

In 1913, the Essanay Studios, a state-of-the-art studio was built in Niles at a cost of $50,000. A complete row of bungalows were constructed for the actors and the crew to live in. Two of the cottages still exist today.

Niles was selected by G.M. Anderson because of its mild climate, almost perpetual sunshine, and the unspoiled scenery of Niles Canyon (currently route 84 between Fremont and Interstate 680). Essanay made some 300 westerns in and around Niles. Charlie Chaplin made at least five silent movies in Niles, including The Tramp.

Charlie Chaplin lived in Niles for three months but accepted a more lucrative pay from Mutual in 1916. With the departure of a big star like Chaplin, Spoors bought G.M.”Broncho Billy” Anderson out, Essanay’s fortunes declined sharply and the studio eventually closed its doors in 1917.

G.M. Anderson fell in love with the perpetual sunshine and rolling hills of Niles and moved his crew here to make his silent westerns in the scenic canyon.

For about four years, Anderson produced, directed and starred as his “Broncho Billy” character which was the mould for all future western characters to come. He was the western trendsetter for the cowboy studded chaps, terrorizing a town with his swaggering gait, an outlaw with a sympathetic heart who always managed to take the bad guys out.
Anderson became a very rich movie star, bought a legitimate theater, began promoting boxers, and was running the Niles baseball team. By 1915 he had hired the biggest movie star of them all — Charlie Chaplin.

Niles Canyon Road.

This is the picturesque Niles Canyon Road today. It was here that more than 300 Broncho Billy westerns were filmed, replete with train robberies and chase scenes along the oak-studded hills of Niles Canyon.

This is a scene of one of the silent westerns shot in 1915 with Broncho Billy leading the posse, kicking up dust along Niles Canyon Road.
350 westerns were shot in Niles. Out of which approximately 140 Broncho Billy films were made in addition to 109 Snakeville comedies, starting in 1913 when the Niles Essanay studio opened.

1921

He formed the Amalgamated Producing Company and made movies starring Laurel and Hardy.

Anderson was a very private person and didn’t talk much about his personal affairs, but being a recognizable figure there is some information about the “lost” years. In his retirement he had money, at least for awhile, to live the way he wanted, and whatever he did in the later twenties was probably not very newsworthy, I suspect, just enjoying life. He did sue his old partner George Spoor to collect on the proceeds of Chaplin’s films, but only collected $4000 in 1925. Anderson was also sued several times by various people and in one case, also in 1925, Anderson claimed he was broke and couldn’t pay after he lost in court, another reasonto keep a low profile.

1927

1206 NORTH KINGSLEY DRIVE – LOS ANGELES

Was living here

1930s

Anderson was living in San Francisco and managing an apartment hotel on O’Farrell Street. In 1941 he moved to Los Angeles. In 1950 he and his daughter Maxine tries to get a Broncho Billy series together for television, but nothing came of it. In his later years he was living on Social Security and some money from Maxine, who ran her own successful casting agency.

1957

Broncho Billy was recognized with an honorary Academy Award for his accomplishments.

 RECEIVES HONORARY OSCAR

 He returned to the screen briefly in 1967, 47 years after he made his last silent film, to make his first talking picture—”The Bounty Killer”—with Buster Crabbe, Richard Arlen and Dan Duryea.

The confusion about his death location is because of where he’d been staying, the Motion Picture Country Home in Woodland Hills. In 1970 he was moved to their convelescent home in South Pasadena because of his worsening condition, an invalid near death, and that’s where he died. It’s listed on his death certificate, which I’ve seen. That document didn’t provide his correct birth year, though, it was listed as 1884, thereby further confusing the issue. Nor was his parents listed; those spaces where marked “unknown.” The information was provided by his daughter Maxine. Obviously she didn’t know him that well.

THE BRIERWORN CONVILESCENT HOSPITAL

1625 MERIDIAN AVENUE – SOUTH PASADENA

He’d been living here, where he died in 1971.

CHAPEL OF THE PINES CREMATORIUM – LOS ANGELES

 HIS ASHES ARE HERE IN STORAGE.

Bob Siler grew up in Burbank, not far from Universal Studios and Warner Brothers where they made his favorite monster movies.  A long-time fan of Westerns, he still has a hard time believing that the great John Wayne could die.  Bob has created many lists detailing where the famous and infamous lived, are buried, and the cars they drove.  He has recently completed this list of Western Stars homes after many years.  Burbank Bob now resides in Portland, Oregon.

HOMES OF THE WESTERN STARS A-B

HOMES OF WESTERN MOVIE FILM MAKERS

IN FRONT AND BEHIND THE CAMERAS

BY BOB SILER

INTRODUCTION TO THE TOUR

Summer is just around the corner and families across the country are going to pack up their brood and hit the road for a few weeks of rest and relaxation. The only problem is, by the time you get back home you’ll be busted flatter than boxer’s nose. Tourest traps such as Disneyland are so expensive that the average family will have to save all year to pay just to get in the gate. Then there’s the high priced food, gifts, hotels, etc. and at the end of the day all your hard earned cash is gone. So, you pack the brood back up and crawl back home, where you’ll be working long past retirement just to pay off this vacation.

All that money you saved up is what keeps that damned mouse rich and sassy. While your dining on a cheap TV dinner, the mouse is dining on the finest cheeses from around the world. So, to hell with him, keep your cash, stick in the gas tank, drive to Hollywood, and visit some of the places where your favorite western heroes once called home.

Bob

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ART ACORD

6808 WHITLEY TERRACE 1920 – LOS ANGELES

5236 ENCINO AVENUE – ENCINO 1927

652 NORTH VERMONT AVENUE – LOS ANGELES – 1930

FOREST LAWN, GLENDALE

REX ALLEN SR.

400 NORTH CAMDEN DRIVE – BEVERLY HILLS

THE DIAMOND X RANCH – CALABASAS

BRONCO BILLY ANDERSON (MAX H. ARONSON)

1206 NORTH KINGSLEY DRIVE – LOS ANGELES 1927

1625 MERIDIAN AVENUE – SOUTH PASADENA

THE BRIERWORN CONVILESCENT HOSPITAL

WAS LIVING HERE WHERE HE DIED.

CHAPEL OF THE PINES CREMATORIUM – LOS ANGELES

HIS ASHES ARE HERE IN STORAGE

RICHARD ARLEN

10025 TOLUCA LAKE AVENUE – TOLUCA LAKE 1940s

With Jobyna Ralston

DEVONSHIRE BLVD – NORTHRIDGE – 1950s

THE HOWDEN RANCH

HOLY CROSS CEMETERY – CULVER CITY

PEDRO ARMENDARIZ

PANTEON JARDIN (CEMETERY) – MEXICO

HOOPER ATCHLEY

602 NORTH KILKEA DRIVE – 1942

PHILLIPS CEMETERY – NEWPORT, TN

GENE AUTRY

OLD CREEK CANYON ROAD – NORTHRIDGE

MELODY RANCH – 1950s

10985 BLUFFSIDE DRIVE – NORTH HOLLYWOOD

3171 BROOKDALE ROAD – STUDIO CITY (Last home)

FOREST LAWN – HOLLYWOOD HILLS

-B-

GEORGE BANCROFT

978 OCEAN FRONT DRIVE

WOODLAWN CEMETERY – SANTA MONICA

ROY BARCROFT

5401 ENCINO AVENUE – ENCINO – HIS LAST HOME

DONALD ‘RED’ BARRY

7251 HOLLYWOOD BLVD – HOLLYWOOD

THE PEYTON HALL APARTMENTS

the day WWII ended, Red Barry ran outside his apartment firing his six-shooters into the air; each apt. had a separate address from 7221-7271; complex demolished in 1980

4729 FARMDALE AVENUE, NORTH HOLLYWOOD

Shot himself on the front lawn in front of police

FOREST LAWN, HOLLYWOOD HILLS

BUZZ BARTON

14470 HERRON STREET – SYLMAR

LAST HOME

WARNER BAXTER

(AS THE CISCO KID)

138 SOUTH BEACHWOOD DRIVE – LOS ANGELES – 1927

911 NORTH ROXBURY DRIVE – BEVERLY HILLS

688 NIMES ROAD, BEL AIR

FOREST LAWN, GLENDALE

NOAH BEERY JR.

12401 MOORPARK STREET – STUDIO CITY 1950s

14305 ROBLAR PLACE – SHERMAN OAKS – 1955

FOREST LAWN – HOLLYWOOD HILLS

NOAH BEERY SR.

1556 NORTH LABAIG AVENUE – LOS ANGELES 1917

6421 IVARENE AVENUE – LOS ANGELES 1920

11912 MOORPARK STREET – STUDIO CITY 1930

FOREST LAWN – HOLLYWOOD HILLS

WALLACE BEERY

921 NORTH ROXBURY DRIVE, BEVERLY HILLS

816 NORTH ALPINE DRIVE – BEVERLY HILLS

LAST HOME. BROTHER NOAH DIED HERE AS DID WALLY.

FOREST LAWN, GLENDALE

CHARLES BICKFORD

254 REDLANDS STREET – PLAYA DEL REY, CA. – LAST HOME

MONTE BLUE

716 CAMDEN DRIVE – BEVERLY HILLS

1019 NORTH ROXBURY DRIVE – BEVERLY HILLS

(THE GEORGE GERSHWIN HOUSE)

LIVED HERE BEFORE GERSHWIN.

612 SIERRA DRIVE – BEVERLY HILLS

FOREST LAWN, GLENDALE

With his mother – in – law, actress Bodil Rosing

WARD BOND

1944 / 45 – 1960

9510 CHEROKEE LANE – BEVERLY HILLS

When the former resident, actor Laird Cregar, died in 1944, Bond bought his house.

It was the only home he ever owned, and it was his last.

WILLIAM ‘HOPALONG CASSIDY’ BOYD

1917

CORONADO, SAN DIEGO

1923

5417 SIERRA VISTA AVENUE – LOS ANGELES

1926

6129 SALEM PLACE – LOS ANGELES

1930 – 1933

294 SOUTH CARMELINA DRIVE – LOS ANGELES

With actress Dorothy Sebastion

525 NORTH ARDEN DRIVE – BEVERLY HILLS

With Dorothy

MALIBU HILLS RANCH

With Dorothy Sebastian

1939

1355 NORTH GARDNER AVENUE

Moved here with his last wife.

1950s

1707 CRISLER WAY – LOS ANGELES

1950s – 1972

73 – 498 JOSHUA TREE – PALM DESERT

This was his winter home

1960s – 1972

34001 DANA STRAND ROAD – DANA POINT, ORANGE, CA.

THE DANA STRAND CLUB # 17

Last home, was living here when he died.

FOREST LAWN, GLENDALE

 WALTER BRENNAN(as Old Man Clanton)

5134 BLUEBELL AVENUE – STUDIO CITY

13240 MOORPARK STREET – SHERMAN OAKS

17417 PARTHENIA DRIVE – NORTHRIDGE

JOHNNY MACK BROWN

631 SIERRA DRIVE – BEVERLY HILLS

101 EDINBURGH AVENUE – LOS ANGELES

1119 CALLE VISTA DRIVE – BEVERLY HILLS

FOREST LAWN, GLENDALE

EDGAR BUCHANAN

5270 ROUND MEADOW ROAD – HIDDEN HILLS

FOREST LAWN, HOLLYWOOD HILLS

— Bob Siler grew up in Burbank, not far from Universal Studios and Warner Brothers where they made his favorite monster movies.  A long-time fan of Westerns, he still has a hard time believing that the great John Wayne could die.  Bob has created many lists detailing where the famous and infamous lived, are buried, and the cars they drove.  He has recently completed this list of Western Stars homes after many years.  Burbank Bob now resides in Portland, Oregon.