Customer Reviews
"We Called Him Frog ... Smiley Burnette ... Empire Publishing (2007)" - By: J. Lovins, 16 Dec 2007 
Empire Publishing presents "SMILEY BURNETTE: WE CALLED HIM FROG" (Perfect Paperback) - by Bobby J. Copeland (Author) & Richard B. Smith III (Editor), one of a kind book on this beloved sidekick during the Golden Age of B-Westerns --- Lester Alvin (Smiley) Burnette, an American singer songwriter who could play as many as 100 different musical instruments, was a successful comedy actor in Western films over three decades --- At a time when Hollywood was searching for talent for Western films, Burnette & Autry got their first smalll role in the 1934 Ken Maynard Republic Pictures film, "In Old Santa Fe" --- Burnette appeared in several bit parts until the following year's release of the Rin Tin Tin hit film, "The Adventures of Rex & Rinty" (1935) in which he had a secondary but more prominent role --- By then, Autry was already being cast in a lead role & the rotund Burnette would team up with him as a lovable comedy sidekick named Frog Millhouse (or plain Frog & sometimes as Smiley) --- Their association would produce more than 60 feature length musical Westerns.
Burnette was born in Summum, Illinois. He began singing in childhood & learned to play a variety of instruments while still a boy. In his teens, he worked in vaudeville & at a local radio station. His break came when he was hired to perform on the National Barn Dance on Chicago's WLS radio station where Gene Autry was the show's major star --- The popularity of Burnette's Frog Millhouse character, with his trademark floppy black hat, was such that when Autry left for World War II service he did sidekicks duties with Eddie Dew, Sunset Carson & Bob Livingston, plus nine other films with Roy Rogers --- After leaving Republic Pictures in 1944, Burnette became the sidekick to Charles Starrett at Columbia Pictures in the long Durango Kid series --- Starrett starred in the series from 1944 until 1952, & that pairing resulted in more than 50 films --- After the Starrett series was over, Burnette joined Autry for his final six films, alll released by Columbia Pictures in 1953. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
TABLE OF CONTENTS: (Title & Page Numbers)
Meet Smiley Burnette - 7
Smiley Speaks - 24
Frog's Friends - 28
Frog Friction - 34
Frugal Frog - 38
They're Writing About Smiley - 41
Western Film Fans Speak - 47
Frog's Fan Club - 58
Smiley the Songster
Burnette & John Cason - 71
Smiley Snippets - 72
Pat Buttram & the Cannon - 77
Gene Autry on Strike - 80
Popularity Rankings of Smiley - 89
Burnette at Republic & Columbia Pictures - 90
Smiley's Film Roles - 101
Dual Roles - 165
Obituary - 170
Selected Bibliography - 171
About the Authors - 172
BIOS:
1. Smiley Burnette (aka: Lester Alvin Burnette)
Date of Birth: 18 March 1911 - Summum, Illinois
Date of Death: 16 February 1967 - Encino, California
Smiley Burnette wrote over 400 songs & sang a significant number of them on screen --- His compositions have been recorded by numerous popular singers, including such diverse ones as Bing Crosby & Ferlin Husky.
SPECIAL BONUS MATERIAL:
1. How he got the name Smiley
2. His vast music contribution to his films
3. What Smiley thought of Gene Autry
4. Comments by those who loved him & those who didn't
5. Film Historians' opinions of his place in Western Film History
6. His roles in his many films
7. Many great photos
8. Plus -- A lot about Gene Autry's strikes against Republic
9. Pat Buttram's near death experience - made it possible for Smiley to end his film career the way it started - with Gene Autry
Check out a new book from Empire Publishing - "GENE AUTRY WESTERNS" (Hardcover) - by author Boyd Magers, like no other book on Gene Autry --- alll of Gene's Mascot, Republic & Columbia westerns included, as well as his half-hour TV Episodes --- each segment contains the release date on each film ... major production credits ... complete cast (including character played) ... alll songs included, songwriter & who performed them in the film ... running time of each film ... dates of the filming ... bios on the cast & major players (Smiley, Pat Buttram, Cass County Boys, Herbert J. Yates, directors, leading ladies, songwriters & various heavies, etc.) ... locations that were used ... budgets & negative cost ... stunt people involved ... analysis & synopsis on each film ... notes & comments (including film & cast background info, salaries paid, working titles, etc) ... comments from Gene & many other cast members on each film ... theater exhibitors comments at the time of the films release ...this tribute was written from the heart & it shows.
Hats off to Rhonda Lemons & her staff at Empire Publishing --- authors Bobby J. Copeland & Richard B. Smith III, have given us the Ultimate Smiley Burnette Book --- everything you wanted to know about Smiley's career on the big silver screen & television films --- If you're into the memories of the Smiley's (Frog) B-Westerns, this is the one you've been anxiously waiting for --- Both Copeland, Smith & Empire Publishing have captured the moment, please stand up & take a bow --- alll my heroes have been cowboys!
Total Pages: 176 ~ Empire Publishing ~ (11/30/2007)
