Pioneer Cowboy Gabby Hayes made a visit to Johnson City, Kingsport and Bluefield in October 1948, including members of his Western review

Mike Stovall sent me an e-mail that read, "Dear Bob: I recently came upon a movie flyer at an estate sale from reading some of your articles. I thought you may be interested in it."Best I can tell, it occurred in Johnson City on Thursday, May 20th, 1948. The night before, he was at the State Theatre in Kingsport. He went on to Bluefield the following week."An ad in the newspaper set the cost at 60 cents for adults and 25 cents for children. The Western Review featured the Golden West Cowgirls."I appreciate Mike's sending me the attached flyer. I possess a fairly large collection of western movies on DVD and VHS formats that I have accumulated over the years. It allows me to keep in remembrance the years I spent attending the downtown Liberty, Tennessee, Majestic and Sevier theatres.While I love to watch a variety of movies, my favorite cowboy is Jimmy Wakely, a crooning, singing cowboy. I acquired every movie and song I could find of him. One collection came on what we called "reel-to-reels." Since it is now on my computer, I try to listen to it once a week, usually on Saturday mornings.Today's subject was perhaps the epitome of B-Western sidekicks. His image was so lasting that Mel Brooks chose to parody it in his hilarious western spoof, "Blazing Saddles."The producer even named his character "Gabby Johnson," one of many Johnsons in Rock Ridge, in honor of George "Gabby" Hayes.The cowboy was born in 1885 in the Hayes Hotel that was owned by his father. As the third of seven children, his early days were rocky as he worked in a circus and played semi-pro baseball while he was still in his teens.The leading actor ran away from home at age 17 and joined a touring stock company. He married Olive Ireland in 1914 and the couple became highly successful on the vaudeville circuit.George retired in his 40s and did well until the stock market crash of 1929, which forced him to return to work. Gabby played many roles in westerns and other films until the mid-1930s, when his focus turned almost exclusively to westerns.The performer played Hopalong Cassidy's sidekick, Windy Halliday, in a number of films from 1936 to 1939. He left Cassidy films because of a salary dispute and, as a result, was legally precluded for using the "Windy" nickname.In 1939, George adopted the nickname, "Gabby," and starred with Roy Rogers in the first of their 41 films together, "Southward Ho." Republic Studios produced the first and last of the partnership's movies with the last being 1946's "Heldodroado."His movies with Roy were divided into two segments; he played sidekick to Wild Bill Elliott in 10 westerns from 1943 to 1944. Gabby also did duty as sidekick to other western stars such as John Wayne and Randolph Scott.His dialogue in pictures was sprinkled with catchphrases such as "yer durn tootin'," "young whipper snapper," and "yessiree bob."Despite his appearing in many westerns, Gabby Hayes didn't learn to ride a horse until he was nearly 50 years old.In addition to his movie work, the actor performed on radio, appearing on "The Roy Rogers Show" along with the Andrew Sisters on their popular "Eight-To-The-Bar Ranch."As B-westerns faded with time, Gabby hosted a television show for children featuring old western movies divided into five parts, Monday-Friday. In addition, Gabby had his own comic book, "Gabby Hayes Western," published by Fawcett Comics from November 1948 until January 1957.My late uncle, Stanley Carroll, worked for Fawcett in the 1950s and abundantly supplied me with comic books. Like so many collectables from that era, they vanished while I was away at college, joining the ranks of my baseball cards, and Little Golden Books collections. Those were the days.Reach Bob Cox at boblcox@yahoo.com or go to www.bcyesteryear.com