Wild Bill Elliott rides through Little Hollywood

Following Republic Pictures’ success with their Lone Ranger movie serial, Colum­bia Pictures rolled into Kanab with cast and crew to begin filming The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok, their first Western serial. Much like the serialized stories in pulp magazines, movie serials were very popu­lar. With their cliff­hanger endings to each weekly episode, they drew large numbers of viewers back to the­aters week after week. This particular series featured 15 chapters averaging just over 17 minutes long.

Heading up the cast was Bill Elliott starring as Wild Bill Hickok (protagonist), Monte Blue as Mr. Cameron (wagon train leader) and Carole Wayne as Ruth Cam­eron (damsel in dis­tress). After playing Tonto in the Lone Ranger, Chief Thun­dercloud returned im­mediately to Little Hollywood cast as Chief Gray Eagle here.

“Wild Bill” Elliott with a young Robert “Bobby” Blake ca. 1945. Courtesy of Parry Lodge.

The vast majority of the series was filmed in Little Hollywood, more specifically; Johnson Canyon, Three Lakes and Parry Lodge. The version I watched on YouTube was color­ized. Though land­marks were easily recognizable, the cine­matography was prob­ably more dramatic in the original black and white version. The film had multiple subplots and lots of action, typical of the genre in that era and more than entertaining enough to keep the viewer from dozing if watched over two or three sessions.

Born in Missouri, at 16 Gordon Nance won a rodeo event in Kan­sas City leading him to California in pursuit of a silent-screen cowboy career. By 1927, he ac­quired the stage name of Gordon Elliott and his first credited role behind Tom Mix in The Arizona Wildcat. He effectively made the transition to talkies and after the success of his starring role in this serial, he changed his name to Bill Elliott and thereafter was known as “Wild Bill” Elliott. He returned to Little Hollywood the following year to star in another Columbia series, Overland with Kit Carson. Sources vary, but he played in well over 100 movies, as well as several tele­vision roles. A spokes­person for Viceroy cigarettes for many years, he died of lung cancer in 1965 at the age of 61.

Monte Blue was cast in at least 293 films and television series from 1915-1960. Born in 1887, his father died when he was young. He grew up with a brother in an orphan­age in Indiana. From there he excelled in football and attended Purdue University. He eventually made his way to California and entered into the movie industry. At 6’3” he made a commanding presence in the silent film era and survived the sound revolution. Building his career as a character actor, he continued working in films until 1954, then played in vari­ous television series until 1960. He died of a heart attack while suffering a bout of influenza in 1963.

Carole Wayne, born in 1916, had a short movie career, 1938- 1940. This serial was her most acclaimed role.