James Shorttel Bannon (April 9, 1911 – July 28, 1984) was an American actor and radio announcer known for his work on the '' I Love a Mystery'' and ''

Red Ryder Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a seconda ...

'' series during the 1940s and 1950s.

Early life

Born in 1911 in Kansas City, Missouri, Bannon attended

Rockhurst High School Rockhurst High School is a private, Roman Catholic, Jesuit, all-boys, preparatory school founded in 1910 along with Rockhurst College, in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. It moved away from the College in 1962 to a campus on State Line Road ...

and

Rockhurst University Rockhurst University is a private Jesuit university in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 as Rockhurst College, Rockhurst University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It enrolled 2,980 students in 2019. History In 1909, ...

, where he played football, baseball, and polo. In 1944, he was ineligible (classified 4-F) for

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

service, owing to an ulcer, so served as a civilian flight instructor.

Career

Bannon began his broadcasting career on local radio station

KCKN KCKN (1020 kHz) is an AM radio station broadcasting a Spanish Religious radio format in Roswell, New Mexico. It is owned by Radio Vision Cristiana Subsidiary Corp. Much of the programming is also heard on co-owned WWRV 1330 AM in New Yo ...

, then briefly at

KMOX KMOX (1120 AM) is a commercial radio station in St. Louis, Missouri. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it is a 50,000 watt Class A clear-channel station with a non-directional signal. The KMOX studios and offices are on Olive Street at Tucker Bouleva ...

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

. He moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

in 1937, beginning his show-business career in

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmi ...

as an announcer on ''

The Great Gildersleeve ''The Great Gildersleeve'' is a radio situation comedy broadcast in the United States from August 31, 1941 to 1958. Initially written by Leonard Lewis Levinson, it was one of broadcast history's earliest spin-off programs. The series was built a ...

'', ''

The Chase and Sanborn Hour ''The Chase and Sanborn Hour'' is the umbrella title for a series of American comedy and variety radio shows sponsored by Standard Brands' Chase and Sanborn Coffee, usually airing Sundays on NBC from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. during the years 1929 to ...

'', and '' Stars over Hollywood'', among others, with his most prominent acting role being that of Detective Jack Packard in the serial ''I Love a Mystery''. A motion-picture adaptation of the show, with Bannon reprising his radio character, was released by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

in 1945 in hopes of launching a franchise, but only two additional pictures were produced; he later described the original film as "a weakened product" in his 1975 autobiography. Bannon left radio in 1946 to sign with Columbia as a contract player in his attempt to become a Western movie star, but then left the next year for Republic Pictures. He first served as a stuntman and

double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * ...

before being cast as the lead in his first picture with the company, the 1948 serial '' Dangers of the Canadian Mounted''. While filming ''

The Man from Colorado ''The Man from Colorado'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by Henry Levin, produced by Jules Schermer for Columbia Pictures, and starring Glenn Ford as a Union officer who becomes addicted to killing during the American Civil War, Willia ...

'' (1949), Bannon punched director Charles Vidor during an on-set altercation.Bannon, Jim.
The Son that Rose in the West
'. Devil's Hole Printery (1975). . Vidor was later fired from the production because of conflicts with star

William Holden William Holden (born William Franklin Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor, and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film ''Stalag 17'' (1953) ...

and replaced by Henry Levin, who had directed Bannon in the ''I Love a Mystery'' film adaptation. Bannon teamed with

Whip Wilson Whip Wilson (born Roland Charles Meyers, June 16, 1911 – October 22, 1964) was an American cowboy film star of the late 1940s and into the 1950s, known for his roles in B-westerns. He was one of eight children. Wilson had been a moderately ...

and

Fuzzy Knight John Forrest "Fuzzy" Knight (May 9, 1901 – February 23, 1976) was an American film and television actor. He was also a singer, especially in his early career. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1928 and 1967, usually as a cowboy h ...

in five low-budget Westerns for Monogram Pictures, all released in 1951. Bannon is best known for being the last of four actors to portray the fictional cowboy

in the long-running B-movie series, completing between 1949 and 1950 what would be the final four pictures in the franchise that were distributed by

Eagle-Lion Films Eagle-Lion Films was a British-American film production company owned by J. Arthur Rank intended to distribute British productions in the United States. In 1947, it acquired Robert R. Young's PRC Pictures, a small American production company, ...

, after Republic had let its series rights expire. Bannon openly campaigned for the part by outfitting his car with a

Texas Longhorn The Texas Longhorn is an American breed of beef cattle, characterized by its long horns, which can span more than from tip to tip. It derives from cattle brought from the Iberian Peninsula to the Americas by Spanish conquistadores from the t ...

hood ornament and a Colt 45-style gearshift knob while dressing in Western attire. Upon being cast, he dyed his salt-and-pepper hair red and regularly visited a hairstylist in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

, to keep it maintained. Bannon said in 1965 that it was the "toughest part of" playing Red Ryder, "since the pictures were in color." His offscreen requirements in portraying the character included making personal appearances in costume across the country, in addition to a stint with the Tom Packs Circus in 1950. Following the end of the ''Red Ryder'' series, Bannon appeared in films of varying genres before transitioning to Western roles on television. He had a starring role in Flying A Productions' 1955 series ''

The Adventures of Champion ''The Adventures of Champion'' is an American adventure serial radio drama directed by William Burch about screen cowboy Gene Autry's horse Champion. Each 15-minute episode was broadcast weekday afternoons on the Mutual Broadcasting System in 194 ...

'', which lasted for one 26-episode season. He then filmed two guest appearances on another Flying A show, ''

Annie Oakley Annie Oakley (born Phoebe Ann Mosey; August 13, 1860 – November 3, 1926) was an American sharpshooter who starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. Oakley developed hunting skills as a child to provide for her impoverished family in western ...

'', the next year. Meanwhile, fellow ''Red Ryder'' actor

Allan "Rocky" Lane Allan "Rocky" Lane (born Harry Leonard Albershardt; September 22, 1909 – October 27, 1973) was an American studio leading man and the star of many cowboy B-movies in the 1940s and 1950s. He appeared in more than 125 films and TV shows ...

and he shot separate

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

s for a proposed television series in 1951 and 1955, respectively, but both failed to sell. Bannon relocated to Chicago in 1955 to film one season of soap opera '' Hawkins Falls, Population 6200''. Bannon worked sporadically in the 1960s with bit parts on programs such as ''

Sea Hunt ''Sea Hunt'' is an American action adventure television series that aired in syndication from 1958 to 1961 and was popular for decades afterwards. The series originally aired for four seasons, with 155 episodes produced. It stars Lloyd Bridges a ...

'', ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

'', and '' Lassie''. His final role was a one-time guest spot on ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American old-time radio and television anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program ...

'' in 1965. He then moved to

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1,608,139 residents as of 2020. It is the fifth-most populous city in the United States, and the on ...

, to join radio station

KTAR KTAR may refer to: * KTAR (AM), a radio station (620 AM) licensed to Phoenix, Arizona. * KTAR-FM, a radio station (92.3 FM) licensed to Glendale, Arizona. * KMVP-FM, a radio station (98.7 FM) licensed to Glendale, Arizona, which formerly used the ...

as a morning news broadcaster and the host of his own afternoon show.

Personal life

Bannon was the first husband of American actress and comedian Bea Benaderet. They wed in 1938 and had two children, Jack (19402017) and Maggie (born 1947). However, his ''Red Ryder'' contract obligations took a toll on their marriage, and Benaderet filed for divorce in 1950. Their son,

Jack Bannon John James Bannon (June 14, 1940 – October 25, 2017) was an American actor. He was best known for his role as Art Donovan on ''Lou Grant'', a role he played for the duration of the series, from 1977 to 1982. Early life Bannon was born on June ...

, became an actor like his parents. In 1961, Jim Bannon married Barbara Cork, 23 years his junior; the couple divorced in 1981. Later in his life, Bannon suffered from emphysema. He died in

Ventura, California Ventura, officially named San Buenaventura (Spanish for "Saint Bonaventure"), is a city on the Southern Coast of California and the county seat of Ventura County. The population was 110,763 at the 2020 census. Ventura is a popular tourist des ...

, on July 28, 1984, at age 73.

Selected filmography

*''

Riders of the Deadline ''Riders of the Deadline'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by Lesley Selander and written by Bennett Cohen. The film stars William Boyd, Andy Clyde, Jimmy Rogers, Frances Woodward, Robert Mitchum, Richard Crane, Anthony Warde and ...

'' (1943) *''

The Soul of a Monster ''The Soul of a Monster'' is a 1944 American horror film directed by Will Jason and starring Rose Hobart, George Macready, Jim Bannon, Jeanne Bates and Erik Rolf. The film involves the near-death of George Winson, leading to Anne Winson to call ...

'' (1944) - Dr. Roger Vance *''

Sergeant Mike ''Sergeant Mike'' is a 1944 American drama film directed by Henry Levin, which stars Larry Parks, Jeanne Bates, and Loren Tindall. Cast list * Larry Parks as Pvt. Tom Allen * Jeanne Bates as Terry Arno * Loren Tindall as Simms * Jim Bannon as P ...

'' (1944) - Lt. Patrick Henry *''

The Missing Juror ''The Missing Juror'' is a 1944 American film noir mystery film directed by Budd Boetticher (as Oscar Boetticher Jr.) and starring Jim Bannon, Janis Carter, George Macready and Jean Stevens.Missing Juror, The Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 1 ...

'' (1944) - Joe Keats *'' Tonight and Every Night'' (1945) - Life Photographer *'' I Love a Mystery'' (1945) - Jack Packard *''

The Gay Senorita ''The Gay Senorita'' is a 1945 American comedy-drama film directed by Arthur Dreifuss, which stars Jinx Falkenburg, Jim Bannon, and Steve Cochran. Cast list * Jinx Falkenburg as Elena Sandoval * Jim Bannon as Phil Frentiss, also known as Phil Do ...

'' (1945) - Phil Dolan *'' Out of the Depths'' (1945) - Capt. Faversham *''

The Devil's Mask ''The Devil's Mask'' is a 1946 American crime film directed by Henry Levin and starring Anita Louise, Jim Bannon and Michael Duane. The film was the second of three B pictures based on the popular radio series '' I Love a Mystery''. As well a ...

'' (1946) - Jack Packard *'' Renegades'' (1946) - Cash Dembrow *'' The Unknown'' (1946) - Jack Packard *'' Johnny O'Clock'' (1947) - Chuck Blayden *'' The 13th Hour'' (1947) - Jerry Mason *'' Framed'' (1947) - Jack Woodworth *'' The Corpse Came C.O.D.'' (1947) - Det. Lt. Mark Wilson *''

T-Men ''T-Men'' is a 1947 semidocumentary and police procedural style film noir about United States Treasury agents. The film was directed by Anthony Mann and shot by noted noir cameraman John Alton. The production features Dennis O'Keefe, Mary Mea ...

'' (1947) - Agent Lindsay *'' Dangers of the Canadian Mounted'' (1948, Serial) - Sgt. Chris Royal, RCMP *''

Trail to Laredo ''Trail to Laredo'' is a 1948 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Ray Nazarro and written by Barry Shipman. The film stars Charles Starrett, Jim Bannon, Virginia Maxey, Tommy Ivo, Hugh Prosser and Smiley Burnette. The film was re ...

'' (1948) - Dan Parks *'' Miraculous Journey'' (1948) - Nick Travelli *'' Frontier Revenge'' (1948) - Brant - Henchman *''

'' (1948) - Nagel * ''

Ride, Ryder, Ride! ''Ride, Ryder, Ride!'' is a 1949 American Cinecolor Western film directed by Lewis D. Collins and starring Jim Bannon, Don Reynolds and Emmett Lynn. It is based on the ''Red Ryder'' series by Fred Harman, one of four films made by Eagle-Lion ...

'' (1949) - Red Ryder *'' Daughter of the Jungle'' (1949) - Kenneth Richards * ''

Roll, Thunder, Roll! ''Roll, Thunder, Roll!'' is a 1949 American Western film directed by Lewis D. Collins and starring Jim Bannon, Don Reynolds and Emmett Lynn. It was shot in Cinecolor. It is based on the ''Red Ryder'' series by Fred Harman, one of four films m ...

'' (1949) - Red Ryder *''

The Fighting Redhead '' The Fighting Redhead '' is a 1949 American Western film directed by Lewis D. Collins and starring Jim Bannon as Red Ryder in the final film of the series. The film was shot at the Iverson Movie Ranch. Plot Red Ryder, Buckskin, the Duche ...

'' (1949) - Red Ryder *''

Cowboy and the Prizefighter ''Cowboy and the Prizefighter'' is a 1949 American Western Cinecolor film directed by Lewis D. Collins and written by Jerry Thomas. It is based on the comic strip '' Red Ryder'' by Fred Harman and Stephen Slesinger. The film stars Jim Banno ...

'' (1949) - Red Ryder *'' Jiggs and Maggie Out West'' (1950) - 'Snake-Bite' Carter *''

Kill the Umpire ''Kill the Umpire'' is a 1950 baseball comedy film starring William Bendix and Una Merkel, directed by Lloyd Bacon and written by Frank Tashlin. Bendix two years earlier had portrayed baseball player Babe Ruth in the biographical film ''The B ...

'' (1950) - Dusty (uncredited) *'' Sierra Passage'' (1950) - Jud Yorke *''

Ridin' the Outlaw Trail ''Ridin' the Outlaw Trail'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Fred F. Sears and starring Charles Starrett, Sunny Vickers and Edgar Dearing.Martin p.464 The film's sets were designed by the art director Charles Clague. Shot at the I ...

'' (1951) - Ace Donley *''Wanted: Dead or Alive'' (1951) - U. S. Marshal Jim Bannon *''

Canyon Raiders ''Canyon Raiders'' is a 1951 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Lewis D. Collins and starring Whip Wilson, Fuzzy Knight and Phyllis Coates. Cast *Whip Wilson as Whip Wilson *Fuzzy Knight as Texas Milburn *Jim Bannon as Jim Banno ...

'' (1951) - Himself *''

Nevada Badmen ''Nevada Badmen'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Lewis D. Collins and written by Joseph O'Donnell. The film stars Whip Wilson, Fuzzy Knight, Jim Bannon, I. Stanford Jolley, Phyllis Coates and Marshall Reed. The film was released ...

'' (1951) - Himself *'' The Texas Rangers'' (1951) - Jeff Barton - Outlaw (uncredited) *'' Stagecoach Driver'' (1951) - Himself *'' Unknown World'' (1951) - Andy Ostergaard *''

Lawless Cowboys ''Lawless Cowboys'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Lewis D. Collins and written by Maurice Tombragel. The film stars Whip Wilson, Fuzzy Knight, Jim Bannon, Lee Roberts, Pamela Duncan and I. Stanford Jolley. The film was release ...

'' (1951) - Himself *''

The Great Missouri Raid ''The Great Missouri Raid'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Gordon Douglas and written by Frank Gruber. The film stars Wendell Corey, Macdonald Carey, Ellen Drew, Ward Bond, Bruce Bennett, Bill Williams and Anne Revere. The film w ...

'' (1951) *'' Rodeo'' (1952) - Bat Gorman *''

Phantom from Space ''Phantom from Space'' is a 1953 independently made American black-and-white science fiction film produced and directed by W. Lee Wilder that stars Ted Cooper, Noreen Nash, Dick Sands, and Burt Wenland. The original screenplay was written by W ...

'' (1953) - Police Sergeant *''

The Great Jesse James Raid ''The Great Jesse James Raid'' is a 1953 American Ansco Color Western film directed by Reginald LeBorg and starring Willard Parker, Barbara Payton, and Tom Neal. This was the only film for Tom Neal and Barbara Payton to co-star together, as t ...

'' (1953) - Bob Ford *''

Jack Slade Joseph Alfred "Jack" Slade, (January 22, 1831 – March 10, 1864), was a stagecoach and Pony Express superintendent, instrumental in the opening of the American West and the archetype of the Western gunslinger. Born in Carlyle, Illinois, he w ...

'' (1953) - Farnsworth *'' War Arrow'' (1953) - Capt. Roger Corwin *'' The Command'' (1954) - Infantryman (uncredited) *''

Chicago Confidential ''Chicago Confidential'' is a 1957 American crime film noir directed by Sidney Salkow, starring Brian Keith, Beverly Garland and Dick Foran. It is based on the 1950 book ''Chicago: Confidential!'' by Jack Lait and Lee Mortimer. ''Chicago Confid ...

'' (1957) - Pilot (uncredited) *''

Too Much, Too Soon ''Too Much, Too Soon'' is a 1958 biographical film about Diana Barrymore produced by Warner Bros. It was directed by Art Napoleon and produced by Henry Blanke from a screenplay by Art Napoleon and Jo Napoleon, based on the autobiography by Dian ...

'' (1958) - Actor as Thomas Jefferson in Play (uncredited) *''

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was born to ...

'' (1958) - Town Sheriff *''

Girls on the Loose ''Girls on the Loose'' is a 1958 American crime film noir directed by Paul Henreid and starring Mara Corday, Lita Milan and Barbara Bostock. Plot Vera (Mara Corday) runs a nightclub that's really a front for her secret operation: an all-female ...

'' (1958) - Vault Guard (uncredited) *'' The Shaggy Dog'' (1959) - Betz, FBI Stenographer (uncredited) *'' They Came to Cordura'' (1959) - Capt. Paltz *''

Inside the Mafia ''Inside the Mafia'' is a 1959 film noir crime film based on a true incident. It was based on the Albert Anastasia murder and subsequent Apalachin Meeting. Plot The gangster Augie Martello is riddled with bullets in an assassination attempt orga ...

'' (1959) - Louie - Regent Associate (uncredited) *'' 40 Pounds of Trouble'' (1962) - Western Gambler (uncredited) *'' A Gathering of Eagles'' (1963) - Col. Morse *''

Man's Favorite Sport? ''Man's Favorite Sport?'' is a 1964 American comedy film starring Rock Hudson and Paula Prentiss and directed and produced by Howard Hawks. Hawks intended the film to be an homage to his own 1938 screwball classic ''Bringing Up Baby'' with Kat ...

'' (1964) - Forest Ranger (uncredited) *'' Good Neighbor Sam'' (1964) - Policeman (uncredited)

References

External links