Tom Mix 75 Years -- October 12, 2015

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75 years ago today, Tom Mix, the biggest cowboy star in silent movies, "the idol of every boy in the world," was driving his 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton towards Phoenix.  Somewhat south of Florence, he came upon a bridge that had been washed out and could not stop the powerful car, which left the road and rolled over.  An aluminum suitcase shot forward and crushed his skull and broke his neck.

One time when we visited my aunt and uncle in Florence, my dad took me to see the monument which was installed in 1949.  The plaque says ""In memory of Tom Mix whose spirit left his body on this spot and whose characterization and portrayals in life served to better fix memories of the old West in the minds of living men."  When we went to the Pinal County Museum, I bought a postcard of the monument which was thumbtacked to my bulletin board for many years. 

The radio show The Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters stayed on the air for another ten years.  Tom Mix was always portrayed by other actors.