Hopalong Cassidy
Hopalong Cassidy is the hero of numerous films and comic books.
Clarence E. Mulford created the character of the initially rough and uncultivated cowboy Hopalong Cassidy in 1904 and wrote a total of 28 short stories in which Hopalong Cassidy was the main character. From 1935 onwards, Hopalong Cassidy, played by William Boyd , and his Schimmel Topper appeared in a total of 66 films, not all of which were based on Mulford's stories. Mulford rewrote his early stories about Hopalong Cassidy under the influence of the films, because Boyd had pushed through certain ideas: He wanted to play a screen hero who neither smoked nor drank, had no affairs and spoke correct English. The converted, more socially acceptable Hopalong Cassidy was also marketed as a comic figure following the films.
Films, Marketing, and Survival
Most of the Hopalong Cassidy films were distributed by Paramount Pictures . When producer Harry Sherman was about to end the series, he encountered resistance from viewers who wanted to see the Cassidy series continue. He switched to United Artists and in 1944 finally broke away from the Hopalong Cassidy series. Thereupon the main actor Boyd tried with Mulford and Sherman for the further rights to the character. He saw the future of movies as a television series and turned to NBC . The first broadcast successes moved NBC not to rely on the production of a specially created television series, but to continue using the old cinema films first. Later, half-hour episodes of a Hopalong Cassidy series specially created for television were also produced. From 1949 Hopalong Cassidy ran as a western series on television.
Boyd played Hopalong Cassidy until he was well over 60 years old. He received around 15,000 fan letters a week, went on several world tours and shot another episode of the TV series at times. When he finally separated from the character of Hopalong Cassidy, he was able to accommodate his film team in the production of the series Smoking Colts .
From 1950 there was also a radio version of Hopalong Cassidy on ABC . The series was later taken over by CBS Radio , where it could be heard until 1952. From 1950 Hopalong Cassidy was also marketed as a promotional motif on items such as breakfast boxes, dishes, pillows, soap, etc. During this time, the character appeared on the covers of popular press products such as Look , Life and Time . Up to 1966, 16mm film versions of the old movies were also sold.
The character Hopalong Cassidy also appears in the works of Louis L'Amour and Susie Coffman . From 1950 onwards, Capitol Records also brought out a series of Hopalong Cassidy "Record Readers".
Hopalong Cassidy in museums
The Autry National Center owns exhibits on Hopalong Cassidy . Until 2007 there was a Hopalong Cassidy Museum near Wichita , Kansas , but it was sold after the bankruptcy of its old operator, Wild West World.
reception
Hopalong Cassidy is in many places of the post-war novel The Unguarded House of Heinrich Boell mentioned. In the song "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas", Hopalong boots are mentioned as a desire to have children.