Fred Scott

by Frank M. Roberts

February 2016

Cowboy fans - here is another bio for you. Now, if I say 'Fred Scott' you are likely to ask 'who?' Read on and, if you are old enough, this might pinch your memory button.

First of all, gotta mention that he was a pioneer of the 'singing cowboy' offerings. Look at two of his movies: "Melody Of the Plains," and "The Singing Buckaroo." He came around about a year after Autry began chirping.

This 'buckaroo' was singing waaay back in the mid-1930s when this particular type of movie offering eventually became all the rage. He wasn't born on the range (or microwave, even) but, in sunny Fresno CA.

And, who was his first producer? It wasn't Oliver Hardy but - it was his partner, Stan Laurel. He became interested in Scott when he first heard his beautiful baritone voice. That did it - he became the hero of a long forgotten studio - Spectrum. His family had moved to L. A. when he was comparatively young - they moved there so that 'junior' could take voice lessons. So - he was the only singing cowboy to be trained as an opera singer. (Imagine "La Traviata" with guitar breaks).

He played Broadway, performed in light opera, appeared in silents and, in his talkin', singin' westerns he was advertised as The Silvery Voiced Baritone and, or The Silvery Voiced Buckaroo. Were Autry or Rogers 'silver-tongued?'

Of course, he had to have a bright, beautiful horse. He galloped along on a flaming stallion named, White King. (I will refrain from a stupid, snide comment). His "Melody Of the Plains" co-stars were a mix of familiar and unfamiliar names - Louise Small, Al St. John, David Sharpe, Lafe McKee, and Bud Jamison.

His main co-star was a name every western movie fan knows - Al 'Fuzzy' St. John. It was in the Scott movies that Mr. St. John acquired the nickname - Fuzzy.

Scott was born Feb. 14, 1902, and died Dec. 16, 1991, using most of his name in his flicks. He left out the middle name - Leedon. Westerns, of course, didn't need 'trained' actors but Scott was a major exception. He took acting lessons in the same class as Joan Crawford. So, his ability as an actor was far above most on Poverty Row.

Being a star of 'B' westerns he had to get into a good fight or two in pictures. He wasn't a fisticuff expert, but his athletic build and agility was impressive in his 'sock-'em' scenes. The focus though, in his films, was the music.

The best of Scott films were "Moonlight On the Range," and the aforementioned, "Melody Of the Plains." And, you might try to catch up with him in the story of "The Roaming Cowboy." Between popcorn gulping, Jimbo found a copy of "Romance Rides the Range."

His career in westerns was, unfortunately, short - but his work is still popular. One critic wrote, "his films have a quality unusual in the 'B' movies of the '30s and is definitely worth watching."

After retirement, he became a very successful realtor. Scott had this to say about that: "I don't ride anymore." He explained about the deal he made with horses: "I don't sell them - they don't sell real estate."

Great Scott - Fred Scott.

* * * *

In this series, I've been including 'stuff' about the western second bananas. The best known? Probably the man mentioned in the main body of this story: Fuzzy Knight, probably 'king of the cowboy comedians.' A West Virginian, he began working with a minstrel troupe. Later, he played in a dance band. There was vaudeville, night club work, and some musical comedies.

His westerns were many, and they included "The Trail Of the Lonesome Pine," "The Plainsman," "Apache Trail," "Deep In the Heart Of Texas" - to mention just a handful. He was a 'good Knight'.