The Search for Charles Herbert

Autographed Photo of Susan Gordon 

and Charles Herbert, from The Boy and the Pirates.

One of the wonderful things you come upon in Autograph collecting is the chance to get in contact with some of your favorite stars and personalities. In my case, collecting stars, mostly from the past, many, if not most of my autographs come from dealers or the internet. In the case of some of the child stars, I sometimes get lucky. My search for Charles Herbert was just such a case.

If you don't remember Charles Herbert by name, I couldn't blame you. He was one of my favorite child actors of the 1950's and 60's, but I did not remember his name, if indeed, I ever knew it!

I have contacted, and received autographs from Jon Provost, who played "Timmy" on television's "Lassie", and noticed on Jon's website a picture from his 13th birthday party.

It shows, from left to right, Flip Mark, Anglia Cartwright, Susan Gordon, Jon, Charles Herbert, and Jay North. I recognized Charles right away, and was thrilled to learn his name. I attempted to find him on the internet to no avail.

Charles can now be found regularly at Si-Fi Conventions and Autograph Conventions, but back then, he was hard to find. I wrote to Jon Provost, telling him how I had seen Charles in his 13th birthday picture, and wondered where he was now, and if he knew how to contact him. Jon, very helpfully, wrote back that he had lost contact with Charles, but said that he was in contact with Susan Gordon, and that he believed she was in touch with Charles.

Again, I have to admit, I was at a loss as to who Susan Gordan was, apart from the familiar girl in Jon's birthday picture. When I wrote her, I immediately recognized her from Twilight Zones, Gunsmoke, and I couldn't tell you how many other things I had seen her in. And she was so nice.

Susan Gordon and James Arness

in the 1961 Gunsmoke episode

"Little Girl"

Susan told me that Charles was sometimes hard to reach, but would relay a message. I told her I would like an autograph from them both, and chose the picture from the Boy and the Pirates. Susan and Charles were old friends. They had appeared together on the Twilight Zone, and in 1960, in the "Pirates", which was directed by Susan's Father, Burt I. Gordon, the well known adventure and fantasy director.

Susan eventually sent me the autographed picture, and conveyed my best wishes to Charles. Charles had been one of the "lost" child stars, his years after his career being anything but pleasant. But finding that he is remembered fondly has brought him out of obscurity, and as I said, he can now be found at Movie conventions, and Si-Fi conventions all across the country. Apart from his work in television, he is remembered for films like 13 Ghosts,

and perhaps, his most popular film, 1958's The Fly, with Vincent Price and Patricia Owens.

Patricia Owens and Charles Herbert in The Fly.

Autographed by Charles Herbert.

Thanks for all the entertainment Charles! And, oh yeah, thanks to Susan and Jon. Without all your contributions, our childhoods would have lost a lot.

Tommy Nolan

Autographed Photo of Tommy Nolan, Star of "Buckskin" *

Since this is a blog about the Autographs of both Child Stars and Western Stars, I thought I would start off with a Star who was both!

Tommy Nolan, who was a real favorite of mine when I was a young boy, was born on January 15, 1948 in Montreal, Canada. His given name was Bernard Girouard, and he was born to French and Irish Parents.

Title For the TV Series; Buckskin

At the age of ten, Tommy was cast as Jody O'Connell in the NBC Western series, Buckskin, which ran for thirty-nine episodes from July 3, 1958 to September 14, 1959. It started as a summer replacement for The Ford Show, starring Tennessee Ernie Ford, and was held over after a months hiatus in October 1958. It was repeated in the Summers of 1959, and 1965.

Sally Brophy played Jody's widowed mother, Annie O'Connell, who ran the boarding house in the fictitious town of Buckskin, Montana. Mike Reed played the marshal, Tom Sellers. The program was unique in that it was a nonviolent Western seen from a Child's perspective, with Tommy narrating each episode while sitting on his corral fence and playing his harmonica. 

Tommy Nolan and Sally Brophy in Buckskin

After Buckskin, (which continued in repeats on an irregular basis until 1965) Tommy also appeared in other Western series, such as CBS's Rawhide and Gunsmoke, ABC's The Rifleman and Wagon Train (NBC, and ABC)

Tommy Nolan 

* I acquired the Autographed Photo, which is a 5x7,  in 2009, from a dealer. It is a photo from the Show Buckskin, and was signed at the time of the series.