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.
Acted in 92
1970s
- 1976
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
(archive footage)
- 1972
The Marshal of Windy Hollow
Texas Ranger
- 1970
Bigfoot
Mr. Bennett
1940s
- 1944
Harmony Trail
Marshal Ken Maynard
Arizona Whirlwind
Ken Maynard
Westward Bound
Ken Maynard
- 1943
Death Valley Rangers
Ken Maynard
The Law Rides Again
U.S. Marshal Ken Maynard
Wild Horse Stampede
Marshal Ken Maynard
- 1940
Lightning Strikes West
Lightning Ken Morgan
1930s
- 1939
Death Rides the Range
Ken Baxter
Flaming Lead
Ken Clark
- 1938
Six Shootin' Sheriff
Jim 'Trigger' Morton
Whirlwind Horseman
Ken Morton
- 1937
Trailing Trouble
John 'Friendly' Fields
Boots of Destiny
Ken Crawford
- 1936
The Fugitive Sheriff
Ken Marshall
The Cattle Thief
Ken
Avenging Waters
Ken Morley
Heroes of the Range
Ken Smith
- 1935
Heir to Trouble
Ken Armstrong
Lawless Riders
Ken Manley
Western Courage
Ken Baxter
Western Frontier
Ken Masters
- 1934
Mystery Mountain
Ken Williams
Smoking Guns
Ken Masters
Honor of the Range
Sheriff Ken / Brother Clem
Wheels of Destiny
Ken Manning
- 1933
Gun Justice
Ken Lance
Fargo Express
Ken Benton
Strawberry Roan
Ken Masters
The Trail Drive
Ken Benton
The Fiddlin' Buckaroo
'Fiddlin'
King of the Arena
Captain Ken Kenton
The Lone Avenger
Cal Weston
Phantom Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt Kid
Drum Taps
Ken Cartwright
- 1932
Tombstone Canyon
Ken
Between Fighting Men
Ken
Come On, Tarzan
Ken Benson
Dynamite Ranch
Blaze Howell
Whistlin' Dan
'Whistlin' Dan Savage Posing as Ed Black
Hell-Fire Austin
Ken 'Hell-Fire' Austin
Texas Gun Fighter
Bill Dane
The Sunset Trail
Jim Brandon
- 1931
The Pocatello Kid
The Pocatello Kid / Sheriff Jim Bledsoe
Branded Men
Rod Whitaker
Range Law
Hap Conners
The Arizona Terror
The Arizonian
Alias: The Bad Man
Ranger Ken Neville
The Two Gun Man
'Blackie' Weed
- 1930
Fighting Thru
Dan Barton
Sons of the Saddle
Jim Brandon
Song of the Caballero
Juan Posing as El Lobo
Mountain Justice
Ken McTavish
The Fighting Legion
Dave Hayes
Lucky Larkin
'Lucky' Larkin
Parade of the West
Bud Rand
1920s
- 1929
The Wagon Master
The Rambler
The California Mail
Bob Scott
The Royal Rider
Dick Scott
The Lawless Legion
Cal Stanley
Cheyenne
Cal Roberts
- 1928
The Phantom City
Tim Kelly
The Glorious Trail
Pat O'Leary
The Code of the Scarlet
Bruce Kenton
The Upland Rider
Dan Dailey
The Canyon of Adventure
Steven Bancroft
The Wagon Show
Bob Mason
- 1927
The Devil's Saddle
Harry Morrel
The Land Beyond the Law
Jerry Steele
Somewhere in Sonora
Bob Bishop
The Overland Stage
Jack Jessup
- 1926
The Unknown Cavalier
Tom Drury
Senor Daredevil
Don Luis O'Flaherty
Haunted Range
Terry Bladwin
The Grey Vulture
Bart Miller
- 1925
North Star
Noel Blake
The Demon Rider
Billy Dennis
- 1924
Janice Meredith
Paul Revere
$50,000 Reward
Tex Sherwood
- 1923
Cameo Kirby
(uncredited)
The Gunfighter
(uncredited)
The Man Who Won
Conroy
Brass Commandments
(uncredited)
Produced 15
1930s
- 1934
Honor of the Range
Producer
Wheels of Destiny
Producer
- 1933
Gun Justice
Producer
Strawberry Roan
Producer
The Trail Drive
Producer
The Fiddlin' Buckaroo
Producer
King of the Arena
Producer
- 1930
Sons of the Saddle
Producer
Song of the Caballero
Producer
Mountain Justice
Producer
The Fighting Legion
Producer
Lucky Larkin
Producer
Parade of the West
Producer
1920s
- 1929
The Wagon Master
Producer
Wrote 3
1930s
- 1935
Heir to Trouble
Story
Western Frontier
Story
- 1934
Smoking Guns
Story
Directed 1
1930s
- 1933
The Fiddlin' Buckaroo
Director
Appearances1
1930s
- 1932
Hollywood on Parade No. A-5
Self