
Monte Hale
Actor · 1919 – 2009 · Ada, Oklahoma, USA
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.
Movies24
Movie7.6DramaWesternWealthy rancher Bick Benedict and dirt-poor cowboy Jett Rink both woo Leslie Lynnton, a beautiful young woman from Maryland who is new to Texas. She marries Benedict, but she is shocked by the racial bigotry of the White Texans against the local people of Mexican descent. Rink discovers oil on a small plot of land, and while he uses his vast, new wealth to buy all the land surrounding the Benedict ranch, the Benedict's disagreement over prejudice fuels conflict that runs across generations.
Giant
1956 · 781 votes
Movie7.1CrimeDramaThe escape of Bubber Reeves from prison affects the inhabitants of a small Southern town.
The Chase
1966 · 336 votes
Movie7.5WesternYoung Buffalo Bill Cody goes after the murderer of his father and uncovers a land-grab conspiracy.
Law of the Golden West
1949 · 2 votes
Movie8.5WesternComedyA Western-genre narrative, loosely woven from old clips from B-Western features.
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
1976 · 2 votes
Movie7.5DocumentaryA collection of film clips profiling animal actors.
It's Showtime
1976 · 2 votes
Movie10.0WesternMonte Hale is cast as Ted Post, a Texas marshal who's on the trail of embezzler Larry Forester (Myron Healey). His search takes him to a remote frontier town that serves as an outlaw hideaway. All previous lawmen have been disposed of by town boss Bruce Burnett (Damian O'Flynn), who demands a hefty price for his services.
Pioneer Marshal
1949 · 1 votes
Movie9.0WesternLegendary lawman Pat Garrett wins the Fourth of July buckboard race in a small Nevada town against the unscrupulous Fred Smith and pretty Lavinia White. Lavinia blames Garrett for sending her father Ivory White to jail for robbing 100,000 dollars. White, who has stashed the loot away someplace, is about to be released and plans to return the money to the express office for the sake of his children, Lavinia and Chad. Nasty Jim Judd forces Lavinia to help him rob the coach carrying Ivory and the money, counting on the fact that White will keep quiet for his daughter's sake.
Outcasts of the Trail
1949 · 1 votes
Movie6.3WesternRetired actor Jack Holt is raising Christmas trees for sale at a cost which permits every family to have one. A commercial tree company tries to drive Holt out of business. Roy saves the day, of course.
Trail of Robin Hood
1950 · 6 votes
Movie4.6ActionScience FictionA Martian invader crashes his spaceship conveniently close to the workshop of a scientist who is developing an interplanetary craft. If the extraterrestrial Purple Monster can complete the rocket ship and return to Mars, he will be able to start a full-scale invasion of Earth. Good thing Craig Foster sets out to thwart the Monster's mission!
The Purple Monster Strikes
1945 · 4 votes
Movie10.0WesternTwo brothers settle a wilderness, one builds the largest cattle ranch in the state while the other creates a game preserve to protect the wild life. Trouble lies ahead.....
Home on the Range
1946 · 1 votes
Movie10.0WesternHaving been framed for murder, the half-breed Joe Bearclaws (Douglas Kennedy) escapes from jail and Ranger Steve Howard (Monte Hale) goes after him. He catches up with him in the Cherokee Strip where he has no authority. Joe is then framed for another murder and this time Steve knows he is innocent and goes after the real killer.
Ranger of Cherokee Strip
1949 · 1 votes
Movie9.0MusicWesternWhen unscrupulous rodeo promoter Colonel Winthrop gets the idea of capturing "Outlaw" and making him a show horse, his niece Kay North tricks Monte into believing she is a writer assigned to do an article on the real horse.
Man from Rainbow Valley
1946 · 1 votes
Movie7.5WesternMusicNewcomer Monte Hale is tying to just get a job in western films when he meet young Danny McCoy and his sister Gloria. Danny is trying to get his horse, "Pardner" into films. Monte sings a song and "Pardner" does some tricks and a casting director notices. Monte gets a singing-cowboy role and the horse gets a bit, but there is an accidental explosion, engineered by western star Rod Mason, who is jealous of Monte, and the horse is badly scared and blows his lines.
Out California Way
1946 · 2 votes
Movie7.0WesternSunset returns to find the Carson-Sterling feud still going. Sterling has been killed and it's not long before Andrew Carson is murdered. To end the feud Sunset challenges Martin Sterling to a shootout. Unknown to Sunset, Martin's sister Melinda has waylaid her brother and now appears for the shootout disguised in her brother's clothes.
Rough Riders of Cheyenne
1945 · 1 votes
Movie10.0WesternMonte Hale is a stagecoach driver for Jed Baker's stage-line. Jed believes his brother, Ralph, is behind the many hold-ups of his stagecoaches but has no proof. Ralph, in turn, blames Jed for the attacks on the linemen of his pioneer telegraph company. Big Bart, a ruthless gunman and outlaw-gang leader working for crooked banker Jordan Weatherbee, is actually behind the troubles of both companies. Bart plans to frame Jed for a double-murder and then kill him. Monte saves his life and, together, they devise a plan of their own to bring an end to the reign of lawlessness along the timber trail.
The Timber Trail
1948 · 1 votes
Movie8.0ActionWesternBanker Ned Owens refuses to call in the many unpaid loans made to the local ranchers as he knows they are being terrorized by a gang of crooks and unable to pay. But the secret leader of the gang is James Taylor large stockholder of the bank.....
Prince of the Plains
1949 · 1 votes
Movie4.6WesternSunset Carson is a wandering cavalier who rides into the Badlands. Hallie Wayne is bedeviled by bandits who've been raiding the livestock of her ranch.
Bandits of the Badlands
1945 · 4 votes
Movie7.0WesternAn interesting entry in Republic Pictures' long-running "Red Ryder" B-Western series, this film is not about hardy settlers braving the Colorado winters, as the title would suggest. Instead it's a sort of Reform School Western about a couple of wayward Chicago boys (Billy Cummings and Freddie Chapman) taken in by Ryder's indomitable aunt, "The Duchess" (Alice Fleming.) The boys escaped their very own "Fagin," Bull Reagan (Roy Barcroft), and were given a second chance on the lady's Western ranch. Unfortunately, Reagan returns to do a bit of cattle rustling, once again luring the boys into becoming his accomplices.
Colorado Pioneers
1945 · 1 votes
Movie5.5WesternPosing as wanted men, Chris and Waldorf get hired by Sanderson. He sends them to kill the Sheriff but puts blanks in their guns. When they arrive someone else shoots the Sheriff and Chris is blamed and jailed. The Sheriff's brother then incites the mob to hang Chris.
The Vanishing Westerner
1950 · 2 votes
Movie9.0WesternBill Sanger has his men out raiding and killing to obtain the ranches along the route that he knows the new railroad will use. He then kills the editor that received a letter that would expose him. But the editor earlier hid the letter in a chamber of his gun. Marshal Monte Hale arrives and eventually suspects Sanger and breaks into his house. After a gungight Sanger catches him and with one shot left shoots Monte. But he is using the editor's gun.
Son of God’s Country
1948 · 1 votes
Movie10.0WesternSinging cowboy Monte Hale plays "himself" in the Republic western Last Frontier Uprising. Actually, he's not really himself, but a federal agent, dispatched to Texas to buy horses on behalf of the government. Hale runs up against a vicious gang of horse thieves, including such veteran western hard cases as Roy Barcroft and Philip van Zandt. The romantic interest is in the dainty hands of Adrian Booth, who used to go by the name of Lorna Gray. Put together with the standard Republic efficiency, The Last Frontier Uprising benefits from the breathless direction of Lesley Selander.
Last Frontier Uprising
1947 · 1 votes
Movie6.3DramaWesternHaving been falsely court marshaled for cowardice and sentenced to prison by the Army, Jed Kilton escapes and heads to Nevada Springs to see his kid brother. There he meets his old school friend Sam Ballou. But the two old friends soon find themselves on opposite sides and Sam has Jed arrested. Then when Jed's young brother sees one of Sam's men kill another man, the boy becomes Sam's intended victim.
The Big Bonanza
1944 · 3 votes
Movie6.7DocumentaryIn the summer of 1955, an army of cameramen, lighting techs and movie stars descended on the small, west Texas town of Marfa to film what has become, "the national movie of Texas."
Return to 'Giant'
1996 · 5 votes
Movie5.5WesternAdventureIn this north-western set in the Yukon, a Mountie must investigate the violent deaths of three mail carriers.
Yukon Vengeance
1954 · 4 votes
Series4
TV6.7WesternAction & AdventureGunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by William Conrad on radio and James Arness on television.
Gunsmoke
1955 · 119 votes
TV6.0WesternThe Texan was a Western television series starring popular B movie actor Rory Calhoun, which aired on the CBS television network from 1958 to 1960.
The Texan
1958 · 6 votes
TV5.3WesternThe Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok is an American Western television series which ran for eight seasons from 1951 through 1958. The Screen Gems series began in syndication, but ran on CBS from 1955 through 1958, and, at the same time, on ABC from 1957 through 1958.
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
1951 · 6 votes
TV7.2Action & AdventureDramaAfter her father's death, Honey West takes over his high-tech private-detective firm, assisted by rugged Sam Bolt--and her pet ocelot Bruce.
Honey West
1965 · 17 votes