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Tom Mix (1880–1940) was an American motion picture actor, director, and writer whose career spanned from 1910 to 1935. During this time he appeared in 270 films and established himself as the screen's most popular cowboy star. Mix's flair for showmanship set the standard for later cowboy heroes such as Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. His horse Tony also became a celebrity who received his own fan mail. Born in Pennsylvania, Mix served in the United States Army before moving to the Oklahoma Territory in 1902. Three years later, after working as a physical fitness instructor, bartender, and peace officer, he was hired as a full-time cowboy for the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch. Soon after, Mix established himself as the star attraction of the Millers' Wild West Show. In early 1910 Mix agreed to work as an actor and wrangler for the Selig Polyscope Company. Mix alternated between working in films and in Wild West shows until 1913 when he went into the film business full-time. The following year he established his own production unit and became a director and writer as well as an actor. His films for Selig were usually one and two-reel shorts that initially emphasized humor in the tradition of Will Rogers but eventually moved into action-oriented stories that displayed Mix's riding and stunting prowess. In 1917 Mix left Selig and signed a contract with the Fox Film Corporation. His earliest films for them were two-reel shorts but within a year he switched to features. During his peak period in the 1920s Mix appeared in action-packed westerns filled with fights and chases which often showed him doing his own stunt work. His films were also known for their location work in places such as Arizona's Grand Canyon and Colorado's Royal Gorge.Among the notable directors that he worked with during this time were John Ford, Sidney Franklin, Jack Conway, George Marshall, and Roy William Neill. His leading ladies included Louella Maxam, Colleen Moore, Esther Ralston, Laura La Plante, Billie Dove and Clara Bow. In 1928, after eleven years and 86 films with Fox, Mix moved to FBO Pictures for a series of five films. With the advent of sound, Mix abandoned his film career and returned to working in Wild West shows. He came back to films in 1932 for a series of nine sound features for Universal. In 1935, he appeared in his final film, a 15-chapter serial for Mascot Pictures. Mix died in an automobile accident in Arizona five years later. On February 8, 1960, Mix was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1998, Mix's film Sky High was added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. In 1910, Will A. Dickey, owner of the Circle D Ranch Wild West Show and Indian Congress, signed a deal to provide stock and wranglers for the Selig motion picture company. Dickey had seen Mix perform with the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Wild West Show and asked him if he would be interested in appearing in films. Mix agreed and soon after joined the Selig unit in Flemington, Missouri. Mix's earliest films were made as part of one of Selig's traveling units. Location work for these films was done in Missouri and Oklahoma while at least one film was made in Chicago. Otis Turner, the director of these films, was impressed with Mix's screen image and wanted to keep him working as a film actor. Mix, however, was not interested in remaining in films and signed with Zack Mulhall's Wild West Show to help organize the Appalachian Exposition in Knoxville, Tennessee, which was scheduled to run in October and November. After this Mix rejoined the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Show. In the spring of 1911 Mix left the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Show and resumed his career as an actor with the Selig Polyscope Company.[20] Early in 1912 Mix left the film industry and joined Guy Weadick, one of his former 101 Ranch associates, to stage the first Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada. In January 1913 Mix accepted an offer from Selig to return to acting in films as part of a production unit in Prescott, Arizona, until the supervision of actor-director William Duncan. During his time with this unit Duncan persuaded Mix to write some of the scenarios. All of Mix's 1913 films were directed by Duncan and, except where noted, are one-reel shorts. The majority of these films co-starred Myrtle Stedman and Lester Cuneo. The last films that Mix made with Duncan were released in early 1914. By that time Mix had been reassigned work with Colin Campbell, one of Selig's top directors, to appear in films produced in Truckee, California. These films were largely two or three reels in length and attracting more attention than Selig's average releases. Later in 1914 Selig gave Mix his own unit, which allowed him to write, direct and star in films made in Glendale, California. MUCH MORE, GO TO GOOGLE AND SEARCH FOR WIKIPEDIA.