Jennifer Holt
by Frank M. Roberts
November 2015
Once again, a look at the cowboy stars - heroes and bad guys - that made our weekends great. Saturday afternoon at the movies was also a break for mom and dad. At the theater, of course, you just had to have some eats and drinks. Together, they probably cost about a quarter. Today? A fat box of popcorn for a fat price of about $2.
This go-'round, a look at the fairer - er - sex. Yep, several women kept busy but love scenes? As they said to their horses - whoa!
This pretty brunette/blonde had a head start. Jennifer Holt's dad was screen star, Jack Holt, and her brother, another well-known western guy, was Tim Holt. The three worked together for CBS' "All Star Theater" playing - what else? - father, son and daughter.
Quite a dynasty and, eventually, we will look at the brothers, Holt, before we halt. I will note that one of her grandfathers was an industrialist whose company made steam shovels.
Other grandparents included a chief justice of the Supreme Court, and a minister. The Holt family was very well off. They lived in Beverly Hills and had a ranch in Fresno, CA.
Jennifer's real name was Elizabeth Marshall Holt and moviegoers quite agree that she was one of the most beautiful ladies to appear in the 'B' westerns. On the opposite end of the screen career, she took acting lessons from Maria Ouspenskaya, who you saw in many movies - regal and with a thick European accent.
In Jennifer's first movie, in 1941, she co-starred with Hopalong Cassidy. It was an oater called, "Stick To Your Guns." (A NRA favorite?). Other stars with whom she worked included Eddie Dean, Lash LaRue, Rod Cameron, Tex Ritter.
She was one busy gal, and if you were addicted to westerns in the '40s and '50 it's safe to say you saw her many, many times.
Jennifer, who was born 'right there' - in Hollywood, worked in 38 westerns and two serials. She worked in studios big and small - Universal, Republic, Monogram and a real 'smallie' - PRC, for whom my poppa worked, printing publicity releases for the New York City area. (His one man printing press company was called Active Press - first in the phone book in that category).
Yep - she was busy and hit her stride in the mid-40s. One prestigious job was her appearance in the first cinecolor film with Eddie Dean.
From 1946 to 1948 Jennifer made four films with Lash LaRue, five with Eddie Dean, and two with Jimmy Wakely. During that period she made a couple of other westerns, and starred in a serial.
After completing the Wakely movie, "Range Renegades," she left the western genre and found a lucrative career in television. After retiring from showbusiness, she made her home south of the border. Yep, Mexico, later moving to England where she died.
One of the most fascinating things about this fair damsel? She had seven - count 'em - seven husbands and, seemingly, no kiddies.
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The second part of our western 'look back' concerns the character actors you have seen in so many cowboy movies. Today, a look at Roscoe Ates and, it is safe to say, you have seen him countless times. He was a rubber-faced, pop-eyed comedian who often looked as if somebody was insulting him. He had a great, craggy face and, he was no youngster.
In most of his films, he stuttered. He did that as a kid and, actually, he was cured, using his stutter only on the screen. He was justly described as, "a comically appealing figure." Put it all together, and you get a 'scene stealer'.
Ates' best known roles was that of a ranch roundabout, sort of a western 'hanger'on.'
His cowboy movies included "Cimarron," and "Merry Wives Of Reno." He appeared in many other movies including - are you ready for this? - "Gone With the Wind." (No, he did not portray Gable's twin brother).
