Posted on 07/25/2018 5:41:22 PM PDT by eastforker
Born July 2, 1916 in Lamar, Colorado, Ken Curtis was the youngest of three sons born to Dan Gates and Nellie (Sneed) Gates. His real name was Curtis Wain (not Wayne) Gates and he grew up in Las Animas, Colorado where his father was the sheriff.
Circa 1939-1940, he was a staff/studio singer doing non-country and non-western tunes over the NBC radio network. In the 1940 census, he's living in Yonkers, New York and his occupation is "Singer - radio". In 1941-1942, he sang with the bands of Shep Fields and Tommy Dorsey (more details on his connection with Dorsey and Fields is on the next webpage). Then came World War II duty and Curtis served in the U. S. Army infantry from mid 1942 through 1945.
After the war, Columbia Pictures signed him to a contract and Ken played the hero in a series of musical westerns that were light on action and plot ... but loaded with tunes. The lead musical group in the series was the chaotic Hoosier HotShots. Lots of other musicians and actors appeared in these including Big Boy Williams (Ken's sidekick), Carolina Cotton, Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys, Deuce Spriggens and his band, and pretty and funny Jeff Donnell (who is probably best remembered as George Gobel's wife in George's 1950s TV show). From February and May, 1945 issues of the Film Daily tradezine: "Ken Curtis, radio singer, has been signed to a Columbia termer." (termer meaning a term player contract); and "Radio's Ken Curtis makes his film bow in Columbia's 'Rhythm Roundup' ..."
(Excerpt) Read more at b-westerns.com ...
Agreed, Mr. Curtis was a great singer.
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