13 ROOTIN’ TOOTIN’ ILLUSTRATIONS: A birthday salute to the late artist, who was born 102 years ago, on May 2, 1922…
By PETER BOSCH
Gad, do I love Doug Wildey’s Western artwork. I can’t recall if I was a fan or even knew who he was before I got the large-size edition of The Movie Cowboy by Doug Wildey from Jim Vadeboncoeur Jr. in 1971… but I do remember it knocking my socks off! If I didn’t know who he was before it, I sure as shootin’ was a fan of Wildey afterwards. (Why am I talkin’ like some $3-a-day film extra sittin’ on a corral fence watchin’ the hero ride the terrifyin’ Tornado for the first time?)
Anyway, back to Doug Wildey (yeehaw!)…
He was born May 2, 1922 in Yonkers, New York, as far from the rodeo circuit as one could get. He’s known far and wide for creating and designing Hanna-Barbera’s Jonny Quest. His best remembered comic book tales, however, were those set in the Old West, from his time drawing for Atlas in the 1950s through the Rio stories of the 1980s and 1990s.
Enjoy this rare look at some of his best art from The Movie Cowboy publication in which he drew several stars into his work. The book doesn’t identify who’s who — there are pastiches — so if you have an idea on an ID, note it in the comments!
Saddle up, pardner!
Appears to be based on Marlon Brando in Desiree. (Not the face.)
Dan: I say this is Richard Boone as Paladin, from the TV show Have Gun — Will Travel. Peter vehemently disagrees.
Appears to be Martin Landau, sez Peter. Could be a scruffy Doug McClure, sez Dan.
L-R: Jan-Michael Vincent, Roy Jenson (probably), Robert Conrad in the 1967 oater The Bandits.
Dan: Gabby Hayes on the right?
It certainly looks like the inspiration here is actor John Ireland, sez Peter.
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MORE
— 13 GREAT ILLUSTRATIONS: A DOUG WILDEY Birthday Celebration. Click here.
— 13 Groovy SATURDAY MORNING TV COMIC-BOOK ADS — From the ’60s to the ’80s. Click here.
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13th Dimension contributor-at-large PETER BOSCH’s first book, American TV Comic Books: 1940s-1980s – From the Small Screen to the Printed Page, was published by TwoMorrows. He is currently at work on a sequel, about movie comics. Peter has written articles and conducted celebrity interviews for various magazines and newspapers. He lives in Hollywood.
May 2, 2024
I might as well be the first to guess on the unknown.
First, looking again at the one you guess as Gabby Hayes, Dan, that whole glare from the character is screaming to me now as Arthur Hunnicutt.
In the next one, the guy with the binoculars is likely John Wayne.
May 2, 2024
I think the one above Landau is Gary Cooper from High Noon. Take away the mustache and give him a slightly different nose and it’s Coop.
May 2, 2024
Doug Wildey is my favorite comics artist! The second image, while I’m not positive who Wildey is basing the face on (possibly identified as Richard Boone), the image is based on a ‘Johnny Concho’ movie poster/publicity still of Frank Sinatra. In the 8th image, I can undeniably confirm the figure on the right is based on western character actor Emmett Lynn (I remember him fondly from his guest appearance on The Lone Ranger in “The Legion of Old Timers.” Thank you for posting this piece!
May 2, 2024
I guess the last picture is Gil Favor. The one that was identified as John Ireland, looks more like Lee Marvin to me. Above that is Amanda Blake or Jane Russell. Above her is Clark Gable with heavy mustache. Above that is Yakima Canutt and Walter Huston. Above the Gabby Hayes picture is Henry Fonda. One identified as Martin Landau. I agree. rest is unknown.
May 2, 2024
Great illustrations. Love his RIO graphic novel from the 80’s.
May 3, 2024
Below The Bandits, it”s a composite of Chuck Conners and John Russell.