The term "half-breed," conjuring up a shifty and untrustworthy person with no allegiance to anybody but himself, has gone out of fashion, and quite rightly so. But in the heyday of the B Western and action serial, this character popped up with regularity, rarely if ever surviving the final reel and more often than not portrayed by one Charles Stevens (1893-1964) who, his publicity claimed, was a grandson of the Apache chief Geronimo. In reality, Stevens was out of a well-connected Mexican-American family with political influence in Arizona, where Charles was born (in Solomonville). Little more than a bit player in movies, Stevens lived in this nondescript Valley home south of Ventura Blvd. and close to both Republic Puctures and Universal City where he spent most of his working hours.
As mean a bunch of cut throats as there ever was. From left to right: Guy Teague, Nacho Galindo, Yakima Canutt, William Steele, Jim "Jock Ewing" Davis, Rhys Williams and Charles Stevens.
No comments:
Post a Comment