Charles Starrett from a 1940 Bullets for Rustlers still.

Back: Karl and Hugh Farr, Bob Nolan.

Front: Tim Spencer, Charles Starrett and Leonard Slye (not yet Roy Rogers).

(Jan Scott Collection)

Hugh Farr, Bob Nolan, Tim Spencer, Leonard Slye, Karl Farr, Joan Perry and Charles Starrett.

(photo courtesy of Les Adams)

Leonard Slye, Hugh Farr, Joan Perry, Tim Spencer, Bob Nolan and Karl Farr.

1. Ridin' Home (Bob Nolan)

2. Old Paint (Ray Whitley)

3. Swing Ding (Hugh & Karl Farr)

4. Love Song of the Waterfall (Bob Nolan)

5. Chicken Reel (Traditional)

6. Ridin' Home (Bob Nolan)

Back: Lloyd Perryman, Karl and Hugh Farr, Bob Nolan and Leonard Slye.

Front: Ray Whitley, Donald Grayson and Charles Starrett.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

(Calin Coburn Collections)

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Calin Coburn Collections)

(Calin Coburn Collections)

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Barbara Weeks and Charles Starrett

Donald Grayson and Charles Starrett

1. Open Range Ahead (Bob Nolan)

2. My Saddle Pals and I (Len Slye)

3. Blue Prairie (Tim Spencer / Bob Nolan)

4. Song of the Bandit (Bob Nolan)

5. Open Range Ahead (Bob Nolan)

Lloyd Perryman, Donald Grayson, Pat Brady, Bob Nolan and Hugh Farr.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Calin Coburn Collections)

1. Happy Cowboy (Bob Nolan)

2. Welcome to the Spring (Bob Nolan)

3. This Ain't the Same Old Range (Bob Nolan)

4. The Devil's Great Grandson (Bob Nolan)

5. Happy Cowboy (Bob Nolan)

Hugh Farr, Pat Brady, Bob Nolan and Lloyd Perryman

Bob Nolan, two villains, Hugh Farr, Charles Starrett and Donald Grayson

(Song list from Columbia cue sheets, courtesy of Laurence Zwisohn.)

1. A Cowboy has to Sing (Bob Nolan)

2. Following the Sun All Day (Bob Nolan)

3. The Hangin' Blues (Bob Nolan)

4. A Cowboy has to Sing (Bob Nolan)

(courtesy of Les Adams)

LAW OF THE PLAINS (Columbia / Starrett - 1938 05 12)

(Song list from Columbia cue sheets, courtesy of Laurence Zwisohn.)

1. Sunset on the Range (Bob Nolan)

2. Wind (Bob Nolan)

3. Tommy Don't Go (Hugh Farr)

4. A No-Good Son-of-a-Gun (Bob Nolan)

5. Swing Dink (Hugh & Karl Farr)

6. Sunset on the Range (Bob Nolan)

Charles Starrett and Bob Nolan

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Karl Farr, Pat Brady, Bob Nolan, Charles Starrett and ?

(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

1. Over the Santa Fe Trail (Tim Spencer)

2. Biscuit Blues (Bob Nolan)

3. Happy Birthday

4. Night Falls on the Prairie (Bob Nolan)

5. Over the Santa Fe Trail (Tim Spencer)

(Jan Scott Collection)

Back: Hugh Farr, Pat Brady, Karl Farr and Lloyd Perryman

Front: Charles Starrett, Iris Meredith and Bob Nolan

1. When Payday Rolls Around (Bob Nolan)

2. There's a Round-Up in the Sky (Bob Nolan)

3. One More Hand on the Range (Milton Drake)

4. Saddle Your Worries to the Wind (Bob Nolan)

5. When Payday Rolls Around (Bob Nolan)

Bob Nolan, Karl Farr, Charles Starrett, Hugh Farr and Lloyd Perryman.

(Karl E. Farr Collection)

Charles Starrett and Iris Meredith

(Song list from Columbia cue sheets, courtesy of Laurence Zwisohn.)
 

1. Bound for the Rio Grande (Bob Nolan)

2. Firebugs (Hugh & Karl Farr)

3. Cottage in the Clouds (Bob Nolan / Lloyd Perryman)

4. Pioneer Waltz (Hugh & Karl Farr)

5. Texas Crapshooter (Hugh & Karl Farr)

6. Lone Buckaroo (Bob Nolan)

Back: Charles Starrett, Hugh and Karl Farr, Bob Nolan.

Front: Pat Brady and Lloyd Perryman.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Grouped around the diminutive lady are Hank Bell, Pat Brady, Hugh Farr, Lloyd Perryman and Charles Starrett.

(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Song list from Columbia cue sheets, courtesy of Laurence Zwisohn.)

1. When the Prairie Sun Says Good Mornin' (Bob Nolan)

2. Hello Way Up There (Bob Nolan)

3. Song of the Prairie (Bob Nolan)

4. When the Prairie Sun Says Good Mornin' (Bob Nolan)

Karl Farr, Pat Brady, Hugh Farr, Lloyd Perryman and Bob Nolan.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Jan Scott Collection)

Hugh Farr, Bob Nolan, Charles Starrett, Iris Meredith and Pat Brady

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Iris Meredith, Charles Starrett and Bob Nolan, courtesy of Les Adams.

1. The West is in My Soul (Bob Nolan)

2. Bronco Pals [sic] (Bob Nolan)

3. Slumbertime Across the Prairie [sic] (Bob Nolan)

4. The West is in My Soul (Bob Nolan)

Clockwise from the top: Pat Brady, Bob Nolan, Hugh and Karl Farr.

(Karl E. Farr Collection)

Charles Starrett, Pat Brady, Hugh Farr, Bob Nolan, Karl Farr and Lloyd Perryman.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

(Jan Scott Collection)

"Community Sing" was the series title for Columbia's version of the old "follow-the-bouncing-ball" short subjects. The only one I know for certain that the Sons of the Pioneers appeared in was the one released on 5/25/38. They released one each month. Their appearance was brief as most of the footage would have been film frames with the lyrics to a song superimposed on them, while a bouncing ball would help the audience to sing-along. The songs in this one below were Oh, Susanna, Just an Echo in the Valley and The Last Roundup. Columbia preferred public domain music. Donald Grayson appeared in many of the 1937-38 Community Sings as the off-screen singer. This one also included Gene Morgan and his Orchestra. (Courtesy of Les Adams)

        Clipping from one of the trade papers (probably Film Daily, undated) about the Sons of the Pioneers doing one of the Sam Nelson-directed "Community Sings" shorts. (Courtesy of Chuck Anderson)

        Another "Community Sing: Songs of the West" 9-minute short featuring the Sons of the Pioneers (Director: Sam Nelson and Producer: Ben K. Blake) was released by Columbia on February 8, 1939, containing the following songs:

Songs:
1. Red River Valley
2. The Old Oaken Bucket
3. Old MacDonald Had A Farm
4. When You And I Were Young Maggie
5. The Girl I Left Behind

(Thanks to Laurence Zwisohn.)

The Sons of the Pioneers catch Pat as he collapses after a vigorous dance to Hugh Farr's Rosita's Papa.

Karl Farr, Bob Nolan, Pat Brady, Hugh Farr and Lloyd Perryman

(Calin Coburn Collections)

The Sons of the Pioneers try to rouse Pat Brady by singing Bob Nolan's Rise and Shine!

Bob Nolan, Lloyd Perryman, Hugh and Karl Farr. Pat in the soogans.

(Karl E. Farr Collection)

(Karl E. Farr Collection)

Courtesy of Ed Phillips

The Sons of the Pioneers salute Charles Starrett and Iris Meredith.

Karl Farr, Lloyd Perryman, Bob Nolan, Hugh Farr and, on the right, Pat Brady.

(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

Clockwise from the left: Karl Farr, Hugh Farr, Bob Nolan, Lloyd Perryman and Pat Brady.

(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

Charles Starrett, Iris Meredith and Bob Nolan.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Charles Starrett, Iris Meredith and Bob Nolan.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Bob Nolan is on the right.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

(Jan Scott Collection)

Clockwise from Tim Spencer (in black): Hugh and Karl Farr, Bob Nolan, Lloyd Perryman and Pat Brady.

(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

Back: Hugh Farr, Lloyd Perryman, Tim Spencer, Bob Nolan and Karl Farr.

Pat Brady, kneeling in front.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Back: Bob Nolan, Lloyd Perryman and Pat Brady.

Centre: Hugh Farr, Tim Spencer and Karl Farr.

Front: Charles Starrett and Iris Meredith.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Lloyd Perryman, courtesy of his son, Wayne.

Pat Brady, Iris Meredith, Karl Farr, Charles Starrett, Lloyd Perryman, Hugh Farr, Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer.

 (Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

Karl Farr, Tim Spencer, Pat Brady, Lloyd Perryman, Hugh Farr and Bob Nolan.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Bob Nolan between scenes.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

The Sons of the Pioneers in the front row with Iris Meredith: Pat, Tim, Karl, Hugh, Lloyd and Bob Nolan.

(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

(Jan Scott Collection)

Iris Meredith, Lloyd Perryman and Bob Nolan

(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

Lloyd Perryman, Hugh Farr, Pat Brady, Sam Nelson (director), Bob Nolan, Tim Spencer and Karl Farr.

 (Calin Coburn Collections)

Pat Brady, Hugh Farr behind Karl, Charles Starrett, Iris Meredith, Bob Nolan, Lloyd Perryman and Tim Spencer.

(The Jan Scott Collection)

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Jan Scott Collection)

Front: Unidentified actor, Dick Curtis, Charles Starrett, Iris Meredith, Hugh Farr, Bob Nolan, Karl Farr, Lloyd Perryman and

Pat Brady.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Bob Nolan, Iris Meredith and Charles Starrett.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Bob in RCMP uniform  at far right.

Hugh, Karl, Tim, Bob, Lloyd and Pat

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Bob Nolan and Charles Starrett

(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

Karl Farr, Tim Spencer, Lloyd Perryman, Charles Starrett, Bob Nolan, Pat Brady and Hugh Farr.

(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

Karl Farr, Bob Nolan, Tim Spencer, Lloyd Perryman, Hugh Farr and Pat Brady.

(Courtesy of Kathy Kirchner)

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Hugh Farr, Tim Spencer, Pat Brady, Bob Nolan, Karl Farr and Charles Starrett.

(Karl E. Farr Collection)

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Calin Coburn Collections)

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Tim Spencer, Charles Starrett, Iris Meredith, Bob Nolan, Pat Brady, boy and Karl Farr.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Background: The Sons of the Pioneers

Foreground: Charles Starrett, Kenneth MacDonald and Dick Curtis

(Calin Coburn Collections)

(Calin Coburn Collections)

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Jan Scott Collection)

Re-issue one sheet from the 1950s.

Back: Hugh Farr, Pat Brady and Tim Spencer.

Front: Bob Nolan and Charles Starrett.

(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

(Courtesy of Len Adams)

Tim Spencer, Lloyd Perryman, Charles Starrett, Hugh Farr, Pat Brady, Karl Farr and Bob Nolan

Bob Nolan and Pat Brady singing Glenn and Tim Spencer's Roll On with the Texas Express.

Bob in a coach race with Charles Starrett.

Iris Meredith, Charles Starrett and the Sons of the Pioneers.

(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

Bob Nolan masquerading as The Durango Kid.

Kenneth MacDonald, Charles Starrett and Bob Nolan

(The Calin Coburn Collections)

Bob Nolan masquerading as The Durango Kid, Tim Spencer, Charles Starrett (the real Durango Kid) and Hugh Farr.

Back: Hugh Farr and Pat Brady

Front: Lloyd Perryman, Tim Spencer, Karl Farr and Bob Nolan.

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Tim Spencer, Bob Nolan, Hugh Farr, Pat Brady, Lloyd Perryman and Karl Farr.

(Calin Coburn Collection)

Charles Starrett, Bob Nolan and Pat Brady

(Calin Coburn Collections)

(Calin Coburn Collections)

Charles Starrett and Bob Nolan

(Jan Scott Collection)

(Calin Coburn Collections)

(Calin Coburn Collections)