ALLEN, BOB “TEX”

(1906–1998)

Born Irvine E. Theodore Baehr, Tex Allen—as he was known in his Westerns—had a long career in a wide variety of Hollywood films and Broadway plays. In 1936, Columbia, having just lost its top cowboy star, Ken Maynard, cast the journeyman actor in the Bob Allen, Ranger series, six films made between 1936 and 1937. The best is probably The Reckless Ranger (1937), unique in its sympathy for sheep men in their conflict with cattlemen. Allen’s sidekick was Wally Wales and his horse was Pal. After singing cowboysbegan dominating B Westerns, Allen’s Western career ended. He went on to a long career in theater and in the 1950s was known more for his Broadway roles than his old Westerns.