Biography

May 28, 1917 · Englewood, Colorado, USA

April 15, 1980 · Los Angeles, California, USA (massive hemorrhage)

Marshall Jewel Reed

1.80 m

Served in the Navy during WWII.

Following high school graduation, he toiled in a number of jobs before he hooked up with the movie business: mail clerk, addressograph operator, meter reader, bookkeeper, and department store clerk.

American secondary 'bad guy' in hundreds of oaters from the mid-40s to the mid-50s.

One-time horse trainer.

Bill Elliott and I became very good friends. Did you know Bill was best man at my wedding? He had talked to Herb Yates [Republic Pictures chief Herbert J. Yates], and I was supposed to do the Red Ryder series. It was all cut and dried. At the time this was happening, Allan Lane was working on the lot in a hockey picture [Gay Blades (1946)], and Herb Yates was looking at the dailies one day and, just like that, he decided Lane was going to be the new Red Ryder. I had talked to Yates, and everything was beautiful. But Yates was the kind of guy who would change his mind at the drop of a hat. So that was the end of my deal, and Allan Lane was the new Red Ryder. I had some tough breaks in the business. Then I tried out for The Lone Ranger (1949) role, and Clayton Moore got it. When Clayton went on strike, I tried out again, but this time it went to John Hart.