Buzz Barton (1913–1980) was an American

film actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...

.Munden p.37 He is predominantly known for his roles as a

child actor The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting on stage or in movies or television. An adult who began their acting career as a child may also be called a child actor, or a "former child actor". Closely associated t ...

in a number of silent

westerns The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred ...

made by the FBO studios during the 1920s. Following the introduction of

sound In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by ...

, he mainly played

supporting role A supporting character is a character in a narrative that is not the focus of the primary storyline, but is important to the plot/protagonist, and appears or is mentioned in the story enough to be more than just a minor character or a cameo ap ...

s. Working for M. G. M. and Universal, Barton made more than 50 feature films. He also made a serial, ''Wild Horse Barton''. In 1933, Barton headed the Buzz Barton Wild West traveling show.

Selected filmography

* ''

The Knockout Kid ''The Knockout Kid'' is a 1925 American silent Western comedy film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Jack Perrin, Molly Malone, and Eva Thatcher. Plot As described in a film magazine review, Jack is the son of a millionaire, and keen ...

'' (1925) * ''

Splitting the Breeze ''Splitting the Breeze'' is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by Robert De Lacey and starring Tom Tyler, Harry Woods and Peggy Montgomery.Munden, p. 757 Cast * Tom Tyler as Death Valley Drake * Harry Woods as Dave Matlock * ...

'' (1927) * '' The Boy Rider'' (1927) * ''

The Slingshot Kid ''The Slingshot Kid'' is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by Louis King and written by Oliver Drake. The film stars Buzz Barton, Frank Rice, Jean Fenwick, Buck Connors, Jay Morley, and Arnold Gray. The film was released on Dece ...

'' (1927) * '' Thunderbolt's Tracks'' (1927) * '' The Fightin' Redhead'' (1928) * '' The Pinto Kid'' (1928) * '' The Bantam Cowboy'' (1928) * '' Rough Ridin' Red'' (1928) * ''

Wizard of the Saddle ''Wizard of the Saddle'' is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by Frank Howard Clark and starring Buzz Barton, Milburn Morante and James Ford. Cast * Buzz Barton as Red Hepner * Milburn Morante Milburn Morante (April 6, 1887 � ...

'' (1928) * '' The Little Buckaroo'' (1928) *'' Young Whirlwind'' (1928) *''

Orphan of the Sage ''Orphan of the Sage'' is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by Louis King Louis King (June 28, 1898 – September 7, 1962) was an American actor and film director of westerns and adventure movies in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s.< ...

'' (1928) * ''

The Vagabond Cub ''The Vagabond Cub'' is a 1929 American silent Western film directed by Louis King and starring Buzz Barton, Frank Rice and Sam Nelson.Munden, p. 852 Cast * Buzz Barton as David 'Red' Hepner * Frank Rice as Hank Robbins * Sam Nelson as B ...

'' (1929) * '' The Freckled Rascal'' (1929) * '' Pals of the Prairie'' (1929) * ''

The Lone Defender ''The Lone Defender'' is a 1930 American Pre-Code Mascot serial film starring Rin Tin Tin. It was Mascot's first all-sound serial (the second to have any sound at all, after the partial sound in '' The King of the Kongo''). It was Rin Tin ...

'' (1930) * ''

Breed of the West ''Breed of the West'' is a 1930 American Western film directed by Alan James, starring Hal Taliaferro, Virginia Brown Faire, and Buzz Barton. Plot Wally Weldon works as a ranch hand on Colonel Jim Sterner's ranch, reporting in to Longrope Whe ...

'' (1930) * '' The Cyclone Kid'' (1931) * '' So This Is Arizona'' (1931) * '' Wild West Whoopee'' (1931) * ''

Riders of the Cactus ''Riders of the Cactus'' is a 1931 American Western film directed by David Kirkland and starring Hal Taliaferro, Buzz Barton and Fred Church. Location shooting took place in Sonora, California, and near Tucson, Arizona at the Tanque Verde ...

'' (1931) * ''

Flying Lariats ''Flying Lariats'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Western film directed by Alan James and David Kirkland and starring Hal Taliaferro, Buzz Barton and Fred Church.Pitts, p. 69. Summary Wally Dunbar is trying to get his brother, Sam Dunbar ...

'' (1931) * ''

Human Targets ''Human Targets'' is a 1932 American pre-Code Western film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Buzz Barton and Francis X. Bushman Jr. Cast * Buzz Barton as Buzz Dale * Pauline Parker as Nellie Dale * Francis X. Bushman Jr. as Bart Travis ...

'' (1932) * ''

Tangled Fortunes ''Tangled Fortunes'' is a 1932 American Western film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Buzz Barton, Francis X. Bushman Jr. and Caryl Lincoln.Pitt p.63 Cast * Buzz Barton as Buzz Davis * Francis X. Bushman Jr. as Jim Collins * Caryl Li ...

'' (1932) * ''

The Tonto Kid ''The Tonto Kid'' is a 1935 American Western film directed by Harry L. Fraser. Cast *Rex Bell as "Skeets" Slawson aka The Tonto Kid * Ruth Mix as Nancy Cahill * Buzz Barton as Wesley Fritch *Theodore Lorch as Lawyer Sam Creech * Joseph W. Gi ...

'' (1935) * '' Powdersmoke Range'' (1935) * '' The Reckless Buckaroo'' (1935) * '' Saddle Aces'' (1935) * '' Fighting Pioneers'' (1935) * '' Feud of the West'' (1936) * ''

The Riding Avenger ''The Riding Avenger'' is a 1936 American Western film directed by Harry L. Fraser and starring Hoot Gibson, Ruth Mix and June Gale.Parish & Pitts p.144 Originally made by Diversion Pictures, it was picked up for distribution by Grand Nationa ...

'' (1936) * '' Romance Rides the Range'' (1936) * '' Rolling Caravans'' (1938) * '' Phantom Gold'' (1938) * '' The Painted Trail'' (1938) * '' Frontiers of '49'' (1939) * '' Wild Horse Valley'' (1940)

References

Bibliography

* Munden, Kenneth White. ''The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States, Part 1''. University of California Press, 1997.

External links

* 1913 births 1980 deaths American male film actors People from Missouri 20th-century American male actors Male Western (genre) film actors {{US-film-actor-1910s-stub