Montie Montana Collection, 1950s
11 folders
Location: 0143; 0622
Accession #: 1989.050; 2002.219, & 2004.010
Introduction
This collection features several 1950s photographs of Montie Montana trick roping. He was inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1989.
Biography
Montie Montana was born Owen Harlan Mickel on June 21, 1910 in Wolf Point, Montana.
Riding on his horse Rex, Montie came into a Miles City, Montana, arena on July 4, 1925, for his first professional paid performance. He appeared in a number of John Wayne movies, including the 1962 classic “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence.” He also appeared in the Shirley Temple star film Stand Up and Cheer and served as the technical director on The Story of Will Rogers.
He made headlines in 1953 when he roped President Eisenhower as a gag during his inaugural parade. He asked the President’s permission first, but Secret Service agents were not amused by the incident. Montana was a fixture on the rodeo circuit in the USA and Canada and also appeared in more than 60 annual Tournament of Roses parades in Pasadena, California, waving to the crowd from a silver saddle.
Montana started training pinto horse in his early days of show business, and trains his own show horses. He named all his special horses after his first and favorite horse, Rex. Montana also entertained California schoolchildren each year during the winter months and when he wasn’t on tour. He visited their schools with Rex and his 125 year old stagecoach educating and entertaining the youngsters in the ways of the early west. Montana was a fixture on the rodeo circuit in the United States and Canada as a well-known rodeo entertainer and rodeo trick roper. For this, he was inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame of the Rodeo Historical Society, a support group of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, in 1989.
His son, Montie Montana Jr. (born 1935), continues a dynasty started by his father – actor, stuntman, trick rider and roper and rodeo performer. The younger Montana is one of the people responsible for preserving and promoting western arena arts.
Montana died on May 20, 1998 in Los Angeles, California, from complications following a series of strokes. He was 87.
Sources:
“Montie Montana, dead at 87: Once Lassoed President Eisenhower.” Variety, May 26, 1998.
Scope & Content Note
This collection is divided into three series because of the three different accessions.
Series 1 (Accession 1989.050) contains six photographs, one of which has two prints and a copy negative. All of the photographs are of Montie Montana and his horse Rex.
Series 2 (Accession 2002.219) consists of miscellanea of receipts, product flyers, advertising sheets, envelopes, samples, order forms, and a letter.
Series 3 (Accession 2004.010) includes a folder of memorabilia related to Montie Montana, specifically a flyer, certificates from Montana’s time on the Sherrif’s Auxiliary Posse, and souvenir and rodeo programs. Also included are 30 black-and-white photographs of the Sheriff’s Posse Ride.
Subject Terms
Personal Names:
Montana, Montie
Rex (Horse)
Subject Headings:
Horses
Photographs
Rodeo
Trick roping
Processing Information
This collection’s first series was accessioned on December 8, 1989. The scope and content note was written by librarian Karen Spilman in March 2003. The second series was accessioned in 2002, and the third series was accessioned in 2004. The current finding aid was written and updated online by archivist/librarian Laura Anne Heller in February 2010.
Copyright
The Montie Montana Collection is the property of the Donald C. & Elizabeth M. Dickinson Research Center, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Literary right, including copyright, belongs to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, with the exception of copyrighted artwork images and published literary works, which are the property of the respective copyright holders. It is the responsibility of the researcher, and his/her publisher, to obtain publishing permission from individuals pictured, relevant copyright holders, and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
Copyright
The collection is open for research. It is advisable for researchers to discuss their proposed research with staff prior to visiting the Center.
Preferred Citation
Montie Montana Collection, Box ##, Folder ##, Dickinson Research Center, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Container List
Series 1: Montie Montana Collection: Accession # 1989.050 (location 0143)
Photographs have been cataloged in the Image Archive Database, but none have been scanned yet.
| Box/Folder # | Accession # | Folder Title/Description |
| 1/17 | 1989.050.1 | Montie Montana on Rex. 1950 ca. Photographer unknown. Photograph, b&w, 10×8 in. [1] |
| 1989.050.2 | Montie Montana on Rex. 1950 ca. Photographer unknown. Photograph, b&w, 10×8 in. [1] | |
| 1989.050.3 | Montie Montana on Rex. 1950 ca. Photographer unknown. Photograph, b&w, 10×8 in. [1] | |
| 1989.050.4 | Best wishes Montie Montana & Rex. 1950 ca. Photographer unknown. Photograph, b&w, 10×8 in. [1] | |
| 1989.050.5 A,B | Montie Montana. 1950 ca. Photograph, b&w, 10×8 in. (A) [1] | |
| 1989.050.5 A,B | Montie Montana. 1950 ca. Photograph, b&w, 10×8 in. (B) [1] | |
| 1989.050.5N | Montie Montana. 1950 ca. Copy negative. [1] |
Series 2: Montie Montana Collection: Accession # 2002.219 (location 0622)
| Box/Folder # | Accession # | Folder Title/Description |
| 1/9 | 2002.219 | Product flyers, 1976: Darby Day Products, Horse & Carriage Related Items, Santa Rosa, California. [4] |
| 1/10 | 2002.219 | Samples of Samson Spot Lariat Cords, Boston, Massachusetts. Samples are No. 10 and No. 12. Includes envelope used to mail cords to Montie Montana. [2] |
| 1/11 | 2002.219 | Horse Gear Catalogs: Bianchi Gunleather Retail Price List, Temecula, California (1950); B bar K Silversmiths Catalog, Phoenix, Arizona (n.d.); The Boyt Company Catalog No.192, Des Moines, Iowa (October 10, 1950). [3] |
| 1/12 | 2002.219 | Advertising Sheet: The Standard Vehicle Company, Lawrenceburg, Indiana. [1] |
| 1/13 | 2002.219 | Montie Montana letter-sized envelopes with logo and return address. [5] |
| 1/14 | 2002.219 | Hamley & Co., Pendleton, Oregon, invoice and order form, 1966; Tangle Cord, Grand Rapids, Michigan, order form, 1960s. [2] |
| 1/15 | 2002.219 | Receipts, 1950 & 1957. The Western Saddle Manufacturing Co, Denver, Colorado, Receipt, April 17, 1950. Edward H. Bohlin, Hollywood, California, Receipt, October 30, 1957. [2] |
| 1/16 | 2002.219 | Letter from Montie Montana to Wilfred Hall of Auburn, Washington, August 14, 1947. [2] |
Series 3: Montie Montana Collection: Accession # 2004.010 (location 0622)
| Box/Folder # | Accession # | Folder Title/Description |
| 1/17 | Memorabilia items (listed below) | |
| 2004.010 | Montie Montana flyer. “The world’s foremost trick-roper!” [1] | |
| 2004.010 | Printed page of photographs of Montie Montana, Jr. with address, Northridge, California. [1] | |
| 2004.010 | Funeral program. May 26, 1998, Pioneer Church, Oakwood Cemetery, Chatsworth, California. Includes the 23rd Psalm and some photographs on the program. [1] | |
| 2004.010 | Certificate. “This is the certify that Montie Montana is an active member of the Sheriff’s Auxiliary Posse, County of Los Angeles, State of California, Troop No. 3, Malibu, This 22nd day of August 1942.” [1] | |
| 2004.010 | Certificate. “This is to certify that Montie Montana has been appointed an Honorary Deputy Sheriff this 1st day of february, 1962, and is entitled to receive all the privileges and benefits of this honorary office.” [1] | |
| 2004.010 | Certificate. “This Certificate of Appreciation is awarded to Montie Montana for voluntary, faithful, and loyal service to the County of Los Angeles while a member of the Sheriff’s Posse from 6-10-42 to 8-1-69. Dates this 1st day of August 1969.” [1] | |
| 2004.010 | Souvenir Program. Yankton to Lennox Wagon Train and Montie Montana Western Show at the Lennox Centennial Celebration, Lennox, South Dakota. 1979. [1] | |
| 2004.010 | All-Star Rodeo, Mobile, Alabama, 1942. [Rodeo program was relocated to Collection of Rodeo Programs & Ephemera, location 0351, Box 1, Folder 1] [1] | |
| 2004.010 | Dixie Round-Up, St. George, Utah, 1951. [Rodeo program was relocated to Collection of Rodeo Programs & Ephemera, location 0363, Box 38, Folder 18] [1] | |
| 2004.010 | Championship PRCA Rodeo, Temecula, California, 1984. [Rodeo program was relocated to Collection of Rodeo Programs & Ephemera, location 0353, Box 9, Folder 7] [1] | |
| 1/18 | 2004.010.01 | “Montie Montana, Sheriff Pitchers, actor Peter Brown.” Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] |
| 2004.010.02 | Men horseback-riding. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 2, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.03 | Line of men on horseback. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 2, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.04 | Image of display of Montie Montana’s Sheriff’s Silver Mounted Posse Uniform. The 6 Watson Bros. Photography, Inc., Los Angeles, California. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.05 | “Art Miller.” Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.06 | “Sheriff Peter Pitchers.” Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.07 | Men on horseback. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 2, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.08 | Parking lot of cars, horses, and trucks. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 2, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.09 | Men on horseback. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 2, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.10 | Mountains. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 2, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.11 | Men on horseback. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 2, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.12 | Men on horseback. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 2, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.13 | Men on horseback. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 2, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.14 | Men sitting around a table outside. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 2, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.15 | Parking lot of cars, horses, and trucks. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 2, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.16 | Men on horseback. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 2, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.17 | Men on horseback, man in foreground waving. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 3, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.18 | Ariel view. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 3, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.19 | Men on horseback. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 3, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.20 | Men on horseback, roping a steer. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 3, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.21 | Men on horseback. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 2, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.22 | Men on horseback riding downhill. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 3, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.23 | Sheriff’s Posse Ride. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.24 | Sheriff’s Posse Ride. Sheriff’s Information Bureau, Department of Sheriff, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, California. June 1967. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.25 | Sheriff Posse Ride. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.26 | Sheriff’s Posse Ride. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.27 | 65, Lancaster, AU Show. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.28 | Horse trailers, Oct. 3, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.29 | Men on horseback. L.A. County Sheriff, Oct. 2, 1967. Photo Section. Photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] | |
| 2004.010.30 | Identified as Monty Montana & family. Printed photograph, b&w, 8 x 10 in. [1] |
