JIMMY WAKELY - AUTOGRAPHED INSCRIBED PHOTOGRAPH 09/17/1980 - HFSID 21978

JIMMY WAKELY
Photograph of Wakely with guitar in hand, signed "Best Wishes Always" and dated 1980
Photograph inscribed and signed: "To Pat Searle/With Best/Wishes/Always/Jimmy Wakely/9-17-80". B/w, 10x8¼ overall, image 9x7¼ (one surface). Publicity photograph for the 1949 Monogram Western, Across The Rio Grande, in which Wakely starred as Jimmy. The film also featured "Cannonball" Taylor and Reno Browne. Captioned at lower margin. In 1949, the last year he worked for Monogram, Wakely also starred in Gun Runner, Gun Law Justice, Brand of Fear, Roaring Westward and Lawless Code. This photograph was signed two years before his death on September 23, 1982. Singer, songwriter and actor Jimmy Wakely (1914-1982), Monogram's low-budget answer to Gene Autry, made a number of Westerns for the studio, but he is best remembered for his collaborations with singer Margaret Whiting and the Christmas song, "Silver Bells". Wakely, who was second only to Autry in pop hits, made his debut with his Jimmy Wakely Trio in the 1939 Roy Rogers' vehicle, Saga of Death Valley. He made his last films for Monogram in 1949, but was later seen on the big screen in The Marshal's Daughter (1953), Arrow in the Dust (1954) and Money, Women and Guns (1959). Wakely, whose songs include "Moon Over Montana", "The Weary Stranger", "My Heart Has Room for You", "I Don't Care", "It's a Beautiful Day", "Bouquet of Roses", "Cowtown, U.S.A." and "Rose of the Prairie", had his compositions featured in a number of feature films from 1942-1998. Lightly creased and slightly yellowed at blank margins and corners, minor stain at lower blank edge. Minor surface creases and striations (most not evident head on), minor diagonal creases at one word of writing and one number of date. Pencil notes (unknown hand) and tape remnant on verso (no show through). Otherwise, fine condition.