Spade Cooley

Biography

Spade Cooley was an American fiddler and bandleader who performed Western swing music, and he also worked as an actor and television host. Born in Grand, Oklahoma, he played fiddle in Jimmy Wakely's big band at the Venice Pier Ballroom, then took over as bandleader when Wakely left for a movie contract. He hired vocalist Tex Williams and held a record-breaking 18-month engagement at that ballroom in the early 1940s. After a 1942 battle of the bands with Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, he billed himself as the King of Western Swing. He wrote and recorded Shame on You, which spent two months at number one on the country charts and began a run of six top-10 singles. He appeared in 38 Western films, sometimes as a stand-in or stuntman for Roy Rogers, and from 1948 hosted The Spade Cooley Show on KTLA-TV, which won local Emmys in 1952 and 1953. He died in 1969.

58years old at death

Born December 17, 1910Oklahoma
Died November 23, 1969Vacaville
Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21
Also credited as Donnell Clyde Cooley

Movie Career

Films: 4
Career span: 2 years1939 to 1941

Every film, newest first

1941Bad Man of DeadwoodIMDb rating 5.8
1940The Ranger and the LadyIMDb rating 6.0
1940Young Bill HickokIMDb rating 5.8
1939The Arizona KidIMDb rating 5.9

Genres

Spade Cooley movies on Netflix

Bad Man of Deadwood1941IMDb rating 5.8as Musician
The Ranger and the Lady1940IMDb rating 6.0as Bent's Banjoist
Young Bill Hickok1940IMDb rating 5.8as Musician
The Arizona Kid1939IMDb rating 5.9as Union Soldier

Most often with

Joseph Kane directed four of these films. Four actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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George 'Gabby' Hayes

Roy Rogers

Fred BurnsArt Dillard

Monte Blue

Henry BrandonJoseph KaneDirector, 4 films

Films together

George 'Gabby' Hayes4 films together, 1939 to 1941
George 'Gabby' Hayes's page
- Bad Man of Deadwood1941IMDb rating 5.8Cooley as MusicianHayes as Professor Gabby Blackstone
- The Ranger and the Lady1940IMDb rating 6.0Cooley as Bent's BanjoistHayes as TexRanger Sergeant Gabby
- Young Bill Hickok1940IMDb rating 5.8Cooley as MusicianHayes as Gabby Whitaker
- The Arizona Kid1939IMDb rating 5.9Cooley as Union SoldierHayes as Gabby Whittaker
Roy Rogers4 films together, 1939 to 1941
Roy Rogers's page
- Bad Man of Deadwood1941IMDb rating 5.8Cooley as MusicianRogers as Brett Starr aka Bill Brady
- The Ranger and the Lady1940IMDb rating 6.0Cooley as Bent's BanjoistRogers as TexRanger Captain Roy Colt
- Young Bill Hickok1940IMDb rating 5.8Cooley as MusicianRogers as Wild Bill Hickok
- The Arizona Kid1939IMDb rating 5.9Cooley as Union SoldierRogers as Roy Rogers
Fred Burns4 films together, 1939 to 1941
Fred Burns's page
- Bad Man of Deadwood1941IMDb rating 5.8Cooley as MusicianBurns as Colorado Jack Breen
- The Ranger and the Lady1940IMDb rating 6.0Cooley as Bent's BanjoistBurns as Winslow - Freighter
- Young Bill Hickok1940IMDb rating 5.8Cooley as MusicianBurns as Mr. Waddell
- The Arizona Kid1939IMDb rating 5.9Cooley as Union SoldierBurns as Melton
Art Dillard4 films together, 1939 to 1941
Art Dillard's page
- Bad Man of Deadwood1941IMDb rating 5.8Cooley as MusicianDillard as Stage Guard
- The Ranger and the Lady1940IMDb rating 6.0Cooley as Bent's BanjoistDillard as Freight Wagon Driver
- Young Bill Hickok1940IMDb rating 5.8Cooley as MusicianDillard as Posse Rider
- The Arizona Kid1939IMDb rating 5.9Cooley as Union SoldierDillard as Union Soldier
Monte Blue2 films together, 1940 to 1941
Monte Blue's page
- Bad Man of Deadwood1941IMDb rating 5.8Cooley as MusicianBlue as Sheriff Jordan
- Young Bill Hickok1940IMDb rating 5.8Cooley as MusicianBlue as Marshal Evans
Henry Brandon2 films together, 1940 to 1941
Henry Brandon's page
- Bad Man of Deadwood1941IMDb rating 5.8Cooley as MusicianBrandon as Ted Carver
- The Ranger and the Lady1940IMDb rating 6.0Cooley as Bent's BanjoistBrandon as General Augustus Larue
Joseph KaneDirector, 4 films, 1939 to 1941
All films by Joseph Kane
- Bad Man of Deadwood1941IMDb rating 5.8Cooley as Musician
- The Ranger and the Lady1940IMDb rating 6.0Cooley as Bent's Banjoist
- Young Bill Hickok1940IMDb rating 5.8Cooley as Musician
- The Arizona Kid1939IMDb rating 5.9Cooley as Union Soldier
Also two films together7 more actors
- Herman HackThe Ranger and the Lady (1940) and The Arizona Kid (1939)
- Yakima CanuttBad Man of Deadwood (1941) and The Ranger and the Lady (1940)
- Jack IngramYoung Bill Hickok (1940) and The Arizona Kid (1939)
- Hal TaliaferroBad Man of Deadwood (1941) and Young Bill Hickok (1940)
- Julie BishopThe Ranger and the Lady (1940) and Young Bill Hickok (1940)
- Ted MapesThe Ranger and the Lady (1940) and The Arizona Kid (1939)
- Sally PayneBad Man of Deadwood (1941) and Young Bill Hickok (1940)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Awards

One award and honor.

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Spade Cooley's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Other honors
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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