As announcer Art Gilmore used to say on radio: "Well, let's see how Red Ryder, Little Beaver, and the Dutchess are getting along out in Painted Valley."
Red-haired cartoonist Fred Harman was illustrating "Cowboy Lingo" for Whitman Publishing when agent Stephen Slesinger asked for a western strip for Scripps-Howard Newspapers. Harman's work in the first issue of the Chicago Sun caught the attention of Herb Yates at Republic Studios and soon "The Adventures of Red Ryder," starring Don Barry, went into production. Then, Red made his big bow on radio (three times a week in many markets).
Reed Hadley, our hero in "Zorro's Fighting Legion" was radio's first Red Ryder. Tommy Cook, who scared the bajeebas out of us in "Tarzan and the Leopard Woman" was Hadley's little sidekick and Barry's.
Four years later, Wild Bill Elliot and Bobby Blake stepped out of the pages of a Big-Little Book for 16 Republic features. Notre Dame football star Alan Lane took over as Red for another popular run, then Eagle-Lion Films lassoed the franchise for four in color starring Jim Bannon and Don Reynolds, Roy Rogers' discovery.
Action movies, a popular radio adventure series, comic books, Big-Little Books, and strips in 750 newspapers attracted millions of fans. VCI Videos and Red Ryder Enterprises were supposed to bring the whole gang back, but I haven't seen hide nor hair of 'em in these parts.
Could be there was trouble out in Painted Valley.