JOHN AGAR - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH CO-SIGNED BY: EDDIE DEAN - HFSID 298177

JOHN AGAR and EDDIE DEAN
7x5 image, shown as senior citizens at a Western-themed event
Photograph signed: "Best Wishes/John Agar", "Eddie Dean". Color, 7x5. An apparently rising star in such war and Western films as She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), handsome actor JOHN AGAR (1921-2002) was largely consigned to low budget science fiction movies after his divorce from Shirley Temple in 1949 (the 27-year-old actor had married 17-year-old Temple in 1945 after a whirlwind courtship). He later appeared in three Westerns with friend John Wayne (1969-1971) and was often sought for film and TV character roles. Initially a popular singer on National Barn Dance, EDDIE DEAN (1907-1999) was offered a film role in Western Jamboree (1938), beginning an eight-year stint in low budget Westerns, including five Hopalong Cassidy films and the serial, The Lone Ranger Rides Again. Ironically, Dean was not asked to sing until 1944's Harmony Trail, which brought him to the attention of PRC, a low-budget studio. The studio, which hoped to compete with Republic's Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, released the first Eddie Dean musical westerns in color, making their singing cowboy the first star of color "B" Westerns. Dean was first teamed with Emmett Lynn, who was later replaced by Roscoe Ates, his best-remembered sidekick. In addition to his film work, Dean appeared on the TV series, The Beverly Hillbillies (1963), and wrote songs for other country artists, including "I Dreamed of a Hillbilly Heaven", one of Tex Ritter's biggest hits. Dean, who received a "Pioneer Award" from the Academy of Country Music, was inducted into the Western Music Association's Hall of Fame in 1990. Agar and Dean appeared at Western fan events, including the annual Golden Boots awards. Dean received his Golden Boot for contribution to Western films in 1983; Agar notched his Boot in 1991. Fine condition.