Bob Nolan biography

1944–1946

Reunion With His Daughter * The Roy Rogers Show * Rodeo Appearances * Exhibit Cards
Sailing at Big Bear Lake * The End of the War and the Reunion of the Sons of the Pioneers
Complete List of the Movies 1944-1946 that Included the Sons of the Pioneers

Between 1943 and 1945, due to wartime restrictions, the Pioneers made no recordings. On December 28, 1945, they signed with RCA Victor and recorded into early 1946 with Bob, Tim, Ken Carson, the Farr Brothers and Shug Fisher. Except for one year with Decca’s Coral label in 1954 the Pioneers would remain with RCA from 1945 through 1969. Now, though, RCA Victor decided to record the Pioneers differently by backing them with fuller instrumentation and musical arrangements by Vaughn Monroe and his orchestra.

In 1944, Dale Evans was cast with Roy in Republic's "Cowboy and the Senorita". This meant that she would also become part of Roy's road shows with the Sons of the Pioneers and she joined them on NBC Radio.

Roy's shirts were becoming more elaborate. The Roy Rogers Championship Rodeo was being formed for touring and made its debut at the Los Angeles Coliseum. He rode Trigger on the Paul Revere ride from Boston to Concord for a bond drive plus a 3-week appearance at the Madison Square Garden Rodeo in the Fall. He attended the opening game of the World Series at Yankee Stadium, met Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey and former President Herbert Hoover. In November, he went on air with a program sponsored by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.

On March 17, 1944, after Pearl Harbor, Martha Mears and the Pioneers broadcast a show featuring “Half Way 'Round the World”, the song Bob dedicated to his US Marine brother, Cpt. Earl Nolan, who was serving in the Pacific. Lloyd Perryman always had difficulty singing this song because it brought back the homesick memories of when he was serving in Burma, often in hospital with malaria. We do know he sang it once in a 25 December 1952 Lucky U Ranch program, but he didn't record the song himself until 1966 for RCA Victor. He couldn't, he said, because his throat would tighten at the memory of that long, lonely time he spent so far from his little family. Tim Spencer also wrote a song for the absent Lloyd, “The Little Guy Who Looks Like You.”

In later years, Dale Warren related to Hugh McLennan another little story from Ken Carson which had taken place about that time

“Ken Carson came in and took Lloyd's place during the war. They were on location. Ken was sitting down below the road, fooling around with a little prank. Bob was standing up next to the stagecoach and Karl was up on top of the stagecoach. He [Ken] could take a little pebble and put it between his fingers and he'd flip it. He flipped that thing and he hit Bob right on the back of the head with it. Bob had to turn around and when he turned around, he was looking right up at Karl and Karl had this funny grin on his face. Bob says, "I'm gonna come there and get you!" Of course, you know Bob Nolan was a huge fellow and he started climbing up that stagecoach right at Karl. Karl had a prop guitar in his hands - not a real one, you know - a prop guitar. And as Bob was coming up, he took it and busted it over Bob's head. 'Course it was made out of balsa wood and this hurt Bob a little, but Bob got tickled. He'd always get tickled, so he started laughing.”

Ken Carson remembered that he and Tim were roommates whenever they were out of town or on tour.

"I got to know Tim pretty well. He was not a very talkative guy but was a very sincere, very nice man. It was always a good pleasure being with him and I enjoyed his company. I think he was more outgoing than Nolan was. Nolan kind of stayed within himself a lot. Hugh and Karl were constantly at each other's throats all the time. They argued 18 hours a day. Tim was very nice to me - I was kind of the kid of the family. I helped him write a few bars of "Room Full of Roses" - just suggestions, things like that, but nothing I could claim any part of."
(“Song of the West”, Fall 1990, p. 15 “Ken Carson Remembers Tim Spencer” by William Jacobson.)

“The man: Bob Nolan!! To know Bob Nolan was to know a very special piece of history. Those of us who were privileged to know him and be as close as I was to him is a most treasured period I shall long cherish.

Bob was a special 'one of a kind' man, a loner to some who really never knew him. A silent man, thoughtful in every respect toward his fellow man. Never once did I ever hear an unkind, malicious word from the man who composed two of the greatest all-time western songs, "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" and "Cool Water".

One thing I discovered about Nolan; he had no aspirations toward becoming a great Star though I know he had at one time been considered ... as a potential candidate for a series of his own."Bob and I got along extremely well. He could not write the music to the songs he composed and that's where I was able to help him, having studied harmony & composition before I joined the group. When he got an idea for a song he had dreamed up, he'd get on the phone & say, "Hey, Carson, bring your guitar & some paper and come on over" even if it was 1:00 a. m. and I had been in bed three hours. "Oh, this won't take long," he'd say. Well, three hours later, we had it down on paper.

One song I especially remember I wrote down for him was "From Half Way Round the World" [sic] which Lloyd later recorded ... and what a beautiful rendition he did of the song. Bob was a master of utilizing words that made the perfect marriage of music and lyrics come together.

There won't be another Bob Nolan around in this or any future lifetime. He truly was one of a kind. I still treasure a picture taken in Madison Square Garden on one of our trips to the rodeo there, of Bob and myself. Ah, memories."
(Ken Carson to Michelle Sundin)

 REUNION WITH HIS DAUGHTER

1944 saw Roberta (Bobbie) reunited with her father at last.

“My mother relented when I was 15 years old and took me to meet him when he and the Pioneers were performing at the Oakland Auditorium in Oakland, California. After that meeting, I spent a few weeks at a time a couple times a year with him and P-Nuts.”
(Roberta Nolan Mileusnich)

“He was not difficult to live with unless someone tried to make unnecessary conversation. He would not discuss events or personalities, only ideas. We had many wonderful philosophical conversations. He was always searching, thought there had to be something out there he hadn’t yet discovered; that there was something more to life if he could only find it.”
(Roberta Nolan Mileusnich)

As the war continued, life also continued for the Sons of the Pioneers. Bob was still writing for the Republic Roy Rogers movies, though less frequently. Fred Goodwin is in possession of a music non-exclusive license for motion pictures for a song called “Trigger Hasn't Got a Purty Figger“ that Tim Spencer wrote for Lights of Old Santa Fe. Tim was paid $200.00 for the song so we must assume that is what Bob Nolan now received for his own compositions.

Excerpt from the Prairie Prattler Vol 2 No 3:

“October 18, 1944 was a very happy day for S/Sgt. and Mrs. Lloyd Perryman. Why? On this eventful date, the stork dropped a little stranger down in Hollywood. The Lloyd Perrymans are the proud parents of a son - Wayne Lloyd Perryman. From all reports, little Wayne looks like his famous daddy.

has had his address changed again:
S/Sgt. Lloyd W. Perryman, 39570629
36 Spt. Soc. Co. H2-MCAC-FWB
Echron, APO 689 c/o Postmaster
New York, New York”

The attractive and personable wives of the Sons of the Pioneers often got together and they became close over the years. These photos are from a Baby shower for Lloyd’s wife Buddie. A stork graces the table and Buddie is the guest of honor.

Baby shower for Buddie Perryman. Right to left: Buddie (Mrs Lloyd) Perryman, seated, Velma (Mrs. Tim) Spencer, Mae (Mrs. Karl) Farr, P-Nuts (Mrs. Bob) Nolan, Rosita (Mrs. Hugh) Farr, Fayetta (Mrs. Pat) Brady, Claudina (Fayetta's twin sister), Fern (Mrs. Sam) Allen, Peggy (Mrs. Shug) Fisher, Margo (friend of Fern's).
(Courtesy of the Calin Coburn Collections ©2004)

THE ROY ROGERS SHOW

The Roy Rogers Show went on the Mutual Network Tuesday evenings at 8:30 p.m. beginning November 21, 1944. Sponsored by Goodyear Tires, the show featured Roy and The Sons of the Pioneers in Western favorites like Tumbling Tumbleweeds, Cool Water and Don’t Fence Me In. Much of the show was banter and song, with Roy and songstress Pat Friday doing vocal solos, Perry Botkin leading the Goodyear orchestra and Verne Smith announcing. Over the years, the lighter material gradually became a western thriller.

“One other day that we got on the set, we were greeted by six solemn Indians. After taking a second look, we discovered it was the Pioneers made up in Indian outfits for their song "Cherokee." Wait until you see them - they look swell. Bob had a chief's headdress on and I was informed he was "Heap Big Chief Standing Room Only" while Ken informed me that he was "Little Chief Pushum Up Daisies." They worked on the set until pretty late and had to rush for their broadcast - in Indian outfits. Those of you who heard the program on March 27th, may remember all the laughing that was going on. Everyone was completely surprised, including Roy as he had been on location that day and came straight to the broadcast, too.”
(Martha Retsch, p. 4, Prairie Prattler Vol. 3 No. 1, 1945)

The mike on the right [in the photo above] says Mutual so this would be from the Roy Rogers Show which was on Mutual from November 21, 1944 thru May 15, 1945. The female vocalist on the series was Pat Friday who also did a lot of dubbing in film musicals. Also notice that Deuce Spriggens is in the group instead of Shug Fisher. For reasons I've never understood Deuce played on the radio show while Shug played every other appearance the Pioneers made during those years. According to my info that was the last day of shooting on the film and the day of Roy's radio broadcast. Roy sang "Roll Along Prairie Moon", Roy & Pioneers sang "My Saddle Pals and I" and the Pioneers sang "Welcome to the Spring" and "Yodel Your Troubles Away". Pat Friday sang "More and More" written by Jerome Kern and E. Y. Harburg (he wrote the songs for the Wizard of Oz.
(Laurence Zwisohn)

RODEO APPEARANCES

"Seems that quite a few of the California members had a fine time at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Sunday, July 9th. A super-colossal rodeo was staged which was headed by quite a few of the film celebrities. The stars of the show are Roy Rogers and The Sons of the Pioneers. Also, along with them were the following: Betty Hutton, Queen of the Rodeo; Wild Bill Elliott, Grand Marshall; Hoot Gibson as Arena Manager; Gabby Hayes, Dale Evans, Sunset Carson, Michael O'Shea and in the grandstand were Andy Devine, Joe E. Brown and Sgt. Gene Autry.

"Seems like there were about 700 horses in the big parade. Right after it, there was a memorial for three of the greatest cowboys that have passed to the 'Great Divide.' There were three large pictures of Tom Mix, Will Rogers and Buck Jones raised and a cowboy led a horse - fully saddled - around the arena, while the Pioneers sang Empty Saddles

"Roy and Trigger performed next and then the Pioneers started their portion of the entertainment. They did Tumbling Tumbleweeds, Roy called a square dance - featuring the Farr brothers and their unsurpassed fiddle and guitar playing. Then Roy did When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again, and they finished with Home on the Range, asking the audience to sing along with them. A few more events were then featured and the rodeo was over. Heard there were approximately 70,000 people in the audience."
Prairie Prattler p 3, Vol 2 Number 2.

Sons of the Pioneers with Roy at the Los Angeles Coliseum where 70,000 Rodeo fans turned out for the first Roy Rogers Rodeo in that city.
Proceeds went to the Joe E. Brown memorial fund for Pacific fighting men.
(Roy Rogers Family Trust photo, courtesy of John Fullerton and Dusty Rogers)

In 1945, Roy appeared in Col. Jim Eskew's Texas Rodeo in Philadelphia from September 23-30. The Roy Rogers Rodeo made its second appearance in Los Angeles and the crowd was estimated at 80,000. The Rodeo then toured Los Angeles, Houston, St. Louis, Chicago, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston and New York plus the smaller cities between, finishing at Madison Square Garden in October.

On a trip to California in 1945, Martha Retsch (President of the Sons of the Pioneers fan club), was treated to several visits to Republic Studios where Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers were making the film Man from Oklahoma. Here, in her words:

On March 5th, we really had a treat. Tim arranged for the four of us to visit Republic Studios. That was something we had all wanted to do and we were really thrilled at the idea. A new movie was in the making and the boys were recording the songs for it. While on the set, we had the opportunity of meeting Roy Rogers again and also Dale Evans and Gabby Hayes. Oh, yes, also met Roy's little daughter, Cheryl, and she's a little doll.

To get back to the songs now. The new movie - Roy's last by the way - is titled "Man from Oklahoma". Roy and the Pioneers did "Prairie Mary", and "Draggin' the Wagon." The Pioneers did "Cherokee" and the whole cast did "Skies are Bluer" or "Oklahoma USA". Oh, yes, Roy and Dale did "The Martins and the Coys." It was really very interesting and a little strange. The songs would be recorded then they'd troupe out of the recording studio and listen to themselves on the screen then back in to do it a little better. It took them from about 10:00 am until about 10:30 pm to get the songs recorded just right. So you can see that things are done right and to a perfection.

Another day when we were lucky enough to get on the set, a few of the scenes were being filmed. The setting was the interior of a City Hall and the discussion was the wagon race which was to be held. This scene had Dale Evans, Gabby Hayes and Roger Pryor, along with the Sons and Roy. Quite a lot of rehearsing was done before the scenes were shot, too. One incident that was really odd - and comic - featured Roy and Dale. Their families are feudin' throughout the picture and when Dale starts singing, Roy is motioned to sing with her. They're singing "The Martins and the Coys" and keep grabbing the mike from each other. Roy got so enthusiastic he pulled the mike apart. The song was being played back and Roy and Dale were singing a duet with themselves.
(Martha Retsch, p. 4, Prairie Prattler Vol. 3 No. 1, 1945)

(Courtesy of the Calin Coburn Collections ©2004

EXHIBIT CARDS

Exhibit cards were predominantly found in vending machines in arcades, boardwalks, etc. Featuring primarily athletes, cowboys, movie and TV stars, they were manufactured from the 40s to late 60s. A copy of the performer's signature and "Printed in the U.S.A." are the only words on the card. While most cards are black & white, some are tinted in brown or pink. They measure approximately 3 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches.

Exhibit cards from the Calin Coburn Collection.

SAILING AT BIG BEAR LAKE

Bob Nolan loved to sail and kept his own sailboat, named in Spanish for his wife P-Nuts – Maní. The next group of photos were taken the same day at Big Bear Lake, California. There is some disagreement as to the year but Bob is wearing his 1945 shirt. These photos were taken by Republic Pictures and numbered. Some of them made their way to magazines and books, some were in Bob Nolan's personal collection, and others were rescued by Terry Sevigny Scott.

THE END OF THE WAR AND THE REUNION OF THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS

The Draft Board reclassified Roy as 1-A which meant he was close to being drafted but before Roy and the older Sons of the Pioneers could be called-up for service, V-E Day [May 8, 1945] arrived and the service stopped inducting anyone over thirty. Neither Roy nor Bob was drafted. Roy was 34 years old and Bob was 37.

Lloyd returned in early January of 1946 and Pat returned shortly afterward. Now the Classic Sons of the Pioneers were together once more.

In March they recorded several songs for RCA including the most famous rendition of Tumbling Tumbleweeds and The Everlasting Hills of Oklahoma with Country Washburne directing. The men quickly donned their western costumes and began work with Roy Rogers in Republic again. Their first film together was Under Nevada Skies, released on August 26, 1946. Pat was part of the Roy Rogers entourage that toured and re-toured America and Canada for appearances at rodeos, etc. Roy's son, Dusty, in his book "Growing Up with Roy and Dale", recalled,

“A couple of times Cheryl and I even played parts in the television series. I played the town brat, and I was always picking on Pat Brady. In one scene, I shot his hat off with a bow and arrow, and in another, I got him in the rear end with a sling shot.

We never thought of Pat as a ‘star.’ He was simply one of Dad’s best friends, and he and his wife Fayetta were Dodie’s godparents. Pat had bright red hair and a face like rubber. He could make the most wonderful faces. Although he was almost as shy as my dad, he was the biggest practical joker, always trying to sneak in funny things to get Dad’s goat. He put smoke bombs under the hoods of the police escorts at the fair and rodeos, or cherry bombs under their tires.

During the road shows Pat always tried to throw Dad’s concentration off. Part of their act was target shooting. Pat tossed up a series of clay pigeons, and Dad shot them. A terrific marksman, Dad never missed.

One day Pat stuffed one of the pigeons with a pair of lady’s nylons. Dad was blazing away when all of a sudden, BOOM! The nylons came floating down. It flustered Dad but he didn’t miss the next target. Another time Pat put a little parachute inside, and the kids in the audience went wild as it floated down.

Once Pat really succeeded at bewildering my dad. He had one of the pigeons made out of aluminum instead of clay, so when the bullet hit it, the pigeon would simply fall to the ground instead of shattering. Before that segment of the act, Pat announced to the audience, ‘This is Roy’s 156th show, and not once has he missed!’ The crowd hushed, Pat let the pigeon fly, Dad blasted away, and the target came down and hit the dirt.

The whole audience gasped and went, ‘Ahhhhh!’ Dad couldn’t believe it! ‘But I never miss,’ he muttered, walking over to the pigeon. As soon as he picked it up he knew what had happened, so he dropped it. It clattered down the stage, and the kids realized it was a big put-on. Dad started chasing Pat around, and the kids really ate it up.”

Ken Carson remained in the group for a while longer but it was necessary for Shug to leave once Pat was back. They didn't need two bass players. With the return of Lloyd and Pat, the group became the Classic Sons of the Pioneers again - The Aristocrats of the Range.

COMPLETE LIST OF THE MOVIES 1944–1946 THAT INCLUDED THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS

HANDS ACROSS THE BORDER (Republic / Rogers - 1944 01 05)
COWBOY AND THE SENORITA (Republic / Rogers - 1944 05 12)
YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS (Republic / Rogers - 1944 06 24)
SONG OF NEVADA (Republic / Rogers - 1944 08 05)
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY (Republic / Rogers - 1944 09 15)
LIGHTS OF OLD SANTA FE (Republic / Rogers - 1944 11 06)
HOLLYWOOD CANTEEN (Republic / Rogers - 1944 12 30)
UTAH (Republic / Rogers - 1945 03 21)
BELLS OF ROSARITA (Republic / Rogers - 1945 06 19)
MAN FROM OKLAHOMA (Republic / Rogers - 1945 08 01)
SUNSET IN EL DORADO (Republic / Rogers - 1945 09 24)
DON’T FENCE ME IN (Republic / Rogers - 1945 10 20)
ALONG THE NAVAJO TRAIL (Republic / Rogers - 1945 12 15)
SONG OF ARIZONA (Republic / Rogers - 1946 03 09)
HOME ON THE RANGE (Republic / Rogers - 1946 04 18)
DING DONG WILLIAMS (RKO - 1946 04 15)
RAINBOW OVER TEXAS (Republic / Rogers - 1946 05 09)
MY PAL TRIGGER (Republic / Rogers - 1946 07 10)
UNDER NEVADA SKIES (Republic / Rogers - 1946 08 26)
ROLL ON TEXAS MOON (Republic / Rogers - 1946 09 12)
HOME IN OKLAHOMA (Republic / Rogers - 1946 11 0

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