The official beginning of "B" westerns began at the turn of 20th century in Paterson, New Jersey, gradually moving to the west coast over the next 10 years to avoid Thomas Edison's stronghold on the east coast film industry. Over the next 40 years, "B" westerns, "shoot 'em ups," or "oaters," prospered more than any other programmer causing the large, small and transient studios to hire anyone they thought might become popular with theater goers; as a result literally dozens of "B" cowboy heroes quickly appeared on the Hollywood Trail and just as quickly disappeared. For every Tom Mix, Ken Maynard, Gene Autry, William Boyd, Roy Rogers or Allan 'Rocky' Lane there was a Monte Rawlins, Ted Wells, John Preston, or Eddy Dew. Some like Wally Wales, Lane Chandler, or Kermit Maynard went on to become character actors prolonging their careers for decades to come. Even the sidekicks had their share of political maneuvering for the top spot position, in some cases more so than the heroes they were in support of. Riding the Hollywood Trail: Tales of the Silver Screen Cowboys tells the real stories of the cowboys without whitewashing the facts. From their studio battles to their personal demons it's all here. Charlie LeSueur strips away the myths and legends to reveal what it was really like to be one of the silver screen cowboys from Columbia, Universal, RKO, Monogram, PRC and of course the daddy of them all, Republic Pictures. If you want to learn the truth while treating the Silver Screen Cowboys with the respect they deserve its all right here.
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