Ken Maynard
Birthday: 1895-07-21
Place of Birth: Vevay - Indiana - USA
Synopsis
From Wikipedia
Kenneth Olin "Ken" Maynard (July 21, 1895 – March 23, 1973) was an American motion picture stuntman and actor.
Maynard served in the United States Army during World War I. After the war, Maynard returned to show business as a circus rider with Ringling Brothers. When the circus was playing in Los Angeles, California, actor Buck Jones encouraged Maynard to try working in the movies. Maynard soon had a contract with Fox Studios.
He first appeared in silent motion pictures in 1923. Maynard's work included stunt performance. His horsemanship and rugged good looks made Maynard a cowboy star. He and his white stallion, "Tarzan," became famous. His two recorded songs with Columbia Records, "The Lone Star Trail" and "The Cowboy's Lament," made him one of the first of the singing cowboys. Maynard moved to Universal Studios, where he made his first films with a musical soundtrack. He sang two songs in Sons of the Saddle in 1930.
In 1931 and 1932, Maynard worked for Tiffany Productions and Sono Art-World Wide Pictures before moving back to Universal in 1933. Maynard played several musical instruments, and was featured that year on the violin in The Fiddlin' Buckaroo, and on the banjo in The Trail Drive. Maynard moved to Mascot Pictures in 1934.
Maynard appeared in more than ninety films in twenty years with his white cowboy hat, fancy shirt, and a pair of six-shooters, but alcoholism so severely affected his life that his acting career ended in 1944. He made appearances at state fairs and rodeos. He owned a small circus operation featuring rodeo riders but eventually lost it to creditors. His substantial wealth had vanished, and he lived a desolate life in a rundown trailer. During these years, Maynard was supported by an unknown benefactor, long thought to be Gene Autry. More than twenty five years after his last starring role, Maynard returned to the screen two small roles, in 1970 and 1972, the more notably in The Marshal of Windy Hollow.
Maynard died of stomach cancer in 1973 at the Motion Picture Home in Woodland Hills, California. He was interred at Forest Lawn Cypress Cemetery in Cypress, California.
For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Ken Maynard has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6751 Hollywood Blvd.
Acting
Bigfoot
as Mr. Bennett
Bigfoot kidnaps some women and some bikers decide to go on a rescue mission to save them.
Westward Bound
as Ken Maynard
Learning that Montana is about to become a state and that property values will rise rapidly, Caldwell is using his outlaw gang to force the ranchers off their land.
Arizona Whirlwind
as Ken Maynard
US marshals Ken, Hoot and Bob stop a gang dressed as Indians from robbing the stage. After getting repairs at the relay station, but before they get to town, another trap is set, but they get away. In town, they search the stage and find nothing. But hidden in the axle grease can are diamonds. Polini wants them cut into smaller diamonds so that he can easily dispose of them. Throughout this Western, the courageous trio faces off against cunning opponents, including the gang's merciless leader (Ian Keith) and an unsuspecting banker (Karl Hackett).
Death Valley Rangers
as Ken Maynard
When a fed-up businessman tires of watching gold shipments disappear without a trace, he calls in the Trail Blazers (Ken Maynard, Hoot Gibson and Bob Steele) -- a legendary trio of law enforcers -- to find the gold and figure out who's behind the thefts.
Wild Horse Stampede
as Marshal Ken Maynard
Two cowboys try to protect railroad workers from rampaging Indians.
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Blazing Guns
as Marshal Ken Maynard
The Governor sends Ken and Hoot to clean up the town of Willow Springs.
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The Law Rides Again
as U.S. Marshal Ken Maynard
When a band of American Indians breaks a treaty with the federal government, U.S. Marshals Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson hit the trail with captured outlaw Duke Dillon (Jack La Rue) to find out what sparked the uprising. They discover clues that point to corrupt Indian agent John Hampton (Kenneth Harlan), but meanwhile, the bandit Dillon pulls a fast one on the marshals, and soon everybody's getting ready for a showdown.
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Phantom Rancher
as Ken Mitchell
Cowboy puts on a black mask and a black outfit to fight a gang of land-grabbing crooks.
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Lightning Strikes West
as Lightning Ken Morgan
When Butch Taggart escapes prison, the Marshal sends Lightning Morgan to find him and his hidden gold. He finds the map to the gold on Taggart's boot. Joe Laikon and his men are also after the gold and they overpower Morgan, get the map, and head for the treasure. But Morgan and Tod Grant are soon on their trail
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Flaming Lead
as Ken Clark
Cowhand Ken Clark is stranded in Chicago, and temporarily takes a job as a sharp-shooter entertainer in a night club, with the intention of getting enough money together to get back to his beloved Arizona. Frank Gordon, while drunk, is about to be rolled by the club bouncer, but Ken interferes and earns Clark's gratitude. Gordon gets a telegram from Kay Burke, the daughter of his partner in Arizona, notifying him that her father, Jim Burke, has been killed by rustlers.The ranch has a U.S. Army contract to furnish horses, but she sees little hope of being able to make good because the stock is being rustled, and she asks Gordon for his help.
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Six Shootin' Sheriff
as Jim 'Trigger' Morton
Cowboy star Ken Maynard is Jim "Trigger" Morton, in town undercover while pursuing the man who framed him for robbery. But a well-placed shot tames a band of scofflaws and gains Morton the sheriff's badge. Now, he's riding on both sides of the law. The line is further blurred when old buddy Chuck offers evidence of Morton's innocence in exchange for a blind eye to Chuck's impending postal heist in this classic Western.
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Trailing Trouble
as John 'Friendly' Fields
When mild mannered Friendly Fields is sent to the Blair ranch to work, he is mistaken for the notorious outlaw Blackie Burke. When a drought develops and the ranchers look for new grazing land, he plays the part and forces them to give he best plot to his boss Miss Blair. But no sooner than his mother arrives to expose the hoax, the real Blackie also arrives.
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Boots of Destiny
as Ken Crawford
Both Harmon and his men and a Mexican gang are after a treasure hidden on the Wilson ranch. Acey learns of their raid and goes to get Ken only to find him in jail for a murder he did not commit.
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The Cattle Thief
as Ken
Ken, sent to investigate cattle rustlers, poses as a peddler during the day but the Masked Rider at night.
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The Fugitive Sheriff
as Ken Marshall
Hoping to rid a small western community of its corrupt political machine, Ken Marshall (Ken Maynard) runs for sheriff against the bad guys' candidate and wins the election. Dissatisfied with this, the villains contrive to frame Ken on a murder charge. He breaks out of jail and tracks down the genuine culprit,
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Avenging Waters
as Ken Morley
Mortimer builds a fence for the cattle brought by Ken Morley. To retaliate, Slater who wants access to the land, builds a dam cutting off Mortimer's water supply. When Ken confronts Slater, he is captured. Then lightning destroys the dam and Ken, imprisoned in a shack, is in the path of the oncoming water.
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Heir to Trouble
as Ken Armstrong
Ken Armstrong (Ken Maynard) finds himself a mine owner and a daddy simultaneously when a friend dies and wills him his mine and his baby. The outlaws eying the mine try to frame the hero for the death.
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Lawless Riders
as Ken Manley
Edith overhears Bart's plan to rob the bank so she informs Ken. But she is also overheard and when Ken goes to investigate, Bart's Henchman Prod frames him for the robbery. Thrown in jail, Ken's pal Pedro arrives with a plan to get him out.
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Western Frontier
as Ken Masters
Ken and his sister are separated while young when the Indians attack their wagon train. Ken, now grown, is sent after the outlaw known as the Golden hair Girl only to find that she's his long lost sister.
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Wheels of Destiny
as Ken Manning
Bill, who is about to lead a wagon train to California, has a map to a valuable gold field and Rocky is after the map. When Rocky and his men attack, Ken Manning breaks it up and later identifies Rocky and his men as the attackers. Expelled from the wagon train, they stampede a buffalo herd puting the Indians on the warpath. After the Indians attack the wagon train, Rocky thinks he can get the map.
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Smoking Guns
as Ken Masters
Accused of a murder he did not commit, Ken leaves the country. Three years later Evans finds him in the jungle. When Evans dies, Ken seeing the resemblance, assumes his identity and returns to clear his name.
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In Old Santa Fe
as Ken aka 'Kentucky'
Gangster Chandler and his accomplice Tracy arrive at a dude ranch. Cowboy Kentucky arrives at the same time. When Tracy double-crosses his boss and has the stage robbed, Kentucky finds the outlaws and brings them in. Tracy frames him for the murder of the driver but his pal Cactus gets him out of jail. He returns just as Chandler shoots Tracy and Kentucky finds himself arrested for another murder.
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Honor of the Range
as Sheriff Ken / Brother Clem
After Sheriff Ken puts money in the safe, his brother Clem gives Rawhide the combination. With the money gone the disgruntled townsmen make Boots Sheriff and lock up Ken. Clem, now a prisoner of Rawhide, has a change of heart and sends Ken a message with the outlaw's location. Ken escapes by impersonating the saloon entertainer and rides for the hangout.
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The Fiddlin' Buckaroo
as 'Fiddlin'
Government man Fiddlin' has joined Wolf's gang and Banty has become his friend. When Fiddlin' objects to Wolf's kidnapping of Ann, he is left in a burning building. Rescued by his horse Tarzan, he convinces Banty to help bring in the gang.
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The Lone Avenger
as Cal Weston
A prominent banker commits suicide. His son thinks otherwise and sets out to prove it.
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King of the Arena
as Captain Ken Kenton
Mysterious deaths have been occurring in the same towns as Miller's Circus and the Governor has sent Ken Kenton to investigate. Ken joins the show but when he realizes that Bargoff is involved, Bargoff has fled and taken Mary Hiller as a hostage. The trail leads to Baron Petroff who concocted the deadly chemical and Ken quickly finds himself the Baron's prisoner.
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The Trail Drive
as Ken Benton
Honest John is pulling off a swindle by buying cattle in Texas with worthless scrip and selling them in New Mexico for cash. Ken is leading the cattle drive not knowing that when they cross the state line Honest John's plan will have succeeded.
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Drum Taps
as Ken Cartwright
Skinner and his gang are grabbing land from the ranchers. When they go after Kerry's ranch Ken stops them. Skinner frames Ken for rustling but the Sheriff is on Ken's side, and with the help of his brother Earl's Boy Scout troup they go after the gang.
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Strawberry Roan
as Ken Masters
Ken Maynard stars as a roving cowboy who tells the tale of taming the stallion that inspired the titular poem.
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Phantom Thunderbolt
as Thunderbolt Kid
A cowboy called The Thunderbolt Kid comes to the aid of a town that is being threatened by outlaws who don't want a railroad to go through the town.
