Ken Maynard

Ken Maynard

Biography: 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.

Place of Birth: Not available

Birthday: July 21, 1895

Deathday: March 23, 1973

Popularity:

4.333

Known For

Somebody Lied
Somebody Lied

1923-11-04

Phantom Rancher
Phantom Rancher

1940-03-31

Heroes of the Range
Heroes of the Range

1936-03-28

Death Rides the Range
Death Rides the Range

1939-12-14

Lightning Strikes West
Lightning Strikes West

1940-06-01

Whirlwind Horseman
Whirlwind Horseman

1938-04-29

Strawberry Roan
Strawberry Roan

1933-10-26

Harmony Trail
Harmony Trail

1944-12-01

The Lone Avenger
The Lone Avenger

1933-05-14

Honor of the Range
Honor of the Range

1934-04-15

Drum Taps
Drum Taps

1933-01-23

Phantom Thunderbolt
Phantom Thunderbolt

1933-03-04

Tombstone Canyon
Tombstone Canyon

1932-12-25

Mystery Mountain
Mystery Mountain

1934-12-02

In Old Santa Fe
In Old Santa Fe

1934-11-15

The Pocatello Kid
The Pocatello Kid

1931-12-05

Branded Men
Branded Men

1931-11-07

The Phantom City
The Phantom City

1928-12-27

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

1976-05-01

Fighting Thru
Fighting Thru

1930-12-25

Smoking Guns
Smoking Guns

1934-06-11

Wild Horse Stampede
Wild Horse Stampede

1943-04-16

Dynamite Ranch
Dynamite Ranch

1932-07-07

Come On, Tarzan
Come On, Tarzan

1932-09-10

Hollywood on Parade No. A-5
Hollywood on Parade No. A-5

1932-12-16

Haunted Gold
Haunted Gold

1932-12-17

King of the Arena
King of the Arena

1933-06-01

The Fiddlin' Buckaroo
The Fiddlin' Buckaroo

1933-07-20

Fargo Express
Fargo Express

1933-11-20

The Trail Drive
The Trail Drive

1933-09-04

Gun Justice
Gun Justice

1933-12-11

Wheels of Destiny
Wheels of Destiny

1934-03-01

Western Frontier
Western Frontier

1935-08-07

Heir to Trouble
Heir to Trouble

1935-12-17

Avenging Waters
Avenging Waters

1936-05-08

The Fugitive Sheriff
The Fugitive Sheriff

1936-10-19

Trailing Trouble
Trailing Trouble

1937-08-27

Boots of Destiny
Boots of Destiny

1937-07-16

Six Shootin' Sheriff
Six Shootin' Sheriff

1938-05-20

Flaming Lead
Flaming Lead

1939-11-01

Blazing Guns
Blazing Guns

1943-10-08

The Law Rides Again
The Law Rides Again

1943-08-06

Death Valley Rangers
Death Valley Rangers

1943-12-03

Westward Bound
Westward Bound

1944-01-17

The Marshal of Windy Hollow
The Marshal of Windy Hollow

1972-08-09

Bigfoot
Bigfoot

1970-10-21

Arizona Whirlwind
Arizona Whirlwind

1944-02-21

Brass Commandments
Brass Commandments

1923-01-28

The Gunfighter
The Gunfighter

1923-09-02

The Man Who Won
The Man Who Won

1923-08-26

The Devil's Saddle
The Devil's Saddle

1927-07-10

Cameo Kirby
Cameo Kirby

1923-10-20

Alias: The Bad Man
Alias: The Bad Man

1931-07-15

The California Mail
The California Mail

1929-04-07

Haunted Range
Haunted Range

1926-01-11

Western Courage
Western Courage

1935-10-29

The Cattle Thief
The Cattle Thief

1936-05-26

Lawless Riders
Lawless Riders

1935-12-06

Janice Meredith
Janice Meredith

1924-12-08

$50,000 Reward
$50,000 Reward

1924-12-02

The Grey Vulture
The Grey Vulture

1926-01-02

Fighting Courage
Fighting Courage

1925-12-12

The Demon Rider
The Demon Rider

1925-11-02

North Star
North Star

1925-12-27

Senor Daredevil
Senor Daredevil

1926-08-01

The Unknown Cavalier
The Unknown Cavalier

1926-11-14

The Overland Stage
The Overland Stage

1927-01-31

The Land Beyond the Law
The Land Beyond the Law

1927-06-05

The Red Raiders
The Red Raiders

1927-09-27

Gun Gospel
Gun Gospel

1927-11-06

The Wagon Show
The Wagon Show

1928-02-19

The Canyon of Adventure
The Canyon of Adventure

1928-04-21

The Upland Rider
The Upland Rider

1928-06-03

The Code of the Scarlet
The Code of the Scarlet

1928-07-01

The Glorious Trail
The Glorious Trail

1928-10-28

Cheyenne
Cheyenne

1929-02-03

The Royal Rider
The Royal Rider

1929-02-17

The Wagon Master
The Wagon Master

1929-09-08

The Lawless Legion
The Lawless Legion

1929-02-17

Señor Americano
Señor Americano

1929-11-10

Lucky Larkin
Lucky Larkin

1930-02-01

Parade of the West
Parade of the West

1930-01-19

The Fighting Legion
The Fighting Legion

1930-04-05

Mountain Justice
Mountain Justice

1930-05-04

Sons of the Saddle
Sons of the Saddle

1930-08-03

Song of the Caballero
Song of the Caballero

1930-06-29

The Two Gun Man
The Two Gun Man

1931-05-15

Range Law
Range Law

1931-10-10

The Sunset Trail
The Sunset Trail

1932-02-07

The Arizona Terror
The Arizona Terror

1931-09-13

Hell-Fire Austin
Hell-Fire Austin

1932-03-02

Whistlin' Dan
Whistlin' Dan

1932-03-19

Texas Gun Fighter
Texas Gun Fighter

1932-02-14

Between Fighting Men
Between Fighting Men

1932-10-15

The Voice of Hollywood No. 9
The Voice of Hollywood No. 9