Those Silent Stars

Buck Rainey has emerged as one of the foremost film historians of this last 20 years. With his books on 'Serials and Series', 'Western Gunfighters in Fact and Fiction', 'Reel Cowboys', 'Essays on', his various Buck Jones books (3), 'The Fabulous Holts', and several other western film topics, he is truly a master of the genre. Pity the man or woman who comes up against him in Trivial Pursuit, Western Style, or who starts an argument (discussion) on the topic of western heroes.

Through his many books, he, like Bobby Copeland, Boyd Magers, and the late Robert W Phillips, has striven for accuracy in all that he writes. 'The Strong Silent Type' is no exception to this rule, and as readers, we benefit greatly from his scholarly pursuits. The article on Tom Mix is the ultimate example of this approach. He debunks the 'urban legend' Tom Mix, and gives us the real Tom Mix who was not a war hero, who was not the brother of Art Mix and so on.

The biographies of the over 100 silent screen cowboys who were active from 1903-1930 are well written, and well documented. I love the rare photos that he has managed to include in the write ups, and the highly detailed filmography that ends each biography is a delight to read. Where else can you find out that Harry Carey Sr started his career in 1910, and finished in 1948 in Red River? The detailed listings from the almost forgotten era of films is appreciated and worth the price of the book.

If this book has just whetted your appetite, he has a well researched 'Further Reading' section that precedes the index. As a writer, and western fan, this is a fantastic starting point for the collector of information in me. The library of every serious film fan should include such books as listed there.

Not having encountered many of the actors/actresses discussed herein, I am also grateful for the opportunity to learn about the people who formed the basis for the industry that has engrossed me for the last 20 years. Many of the stars in this book never received the honor and attention they deserved, and now, perhaps we can view a silent western and say, there's....

The eyes and face of Fred Thompson greet you, and a world of information will keep you reading until the cows come home, or at least the end of the first 100 reels.

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