Cowboys and Their Horses Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tony

Tom Mix made his first movie in 1909 and made his last appearance in a short in 1940. He died in a traffic collision later that year. According to IMDB, he starred in 280 movies. He also had credits as a director and writer.

At one time he was the highest paid actor in Hollywood. However, like a lot of silent era stars, Mix found the transition to the 'talkies' difficult.

He starred with "Tony The Wonder Horse" in abut 180 movies. Tony was so popular he was taken on extensive US and European tours.

Tony retired from the movies through injury at the age of 22 and died in 1942.

Answer: Champion

"Champion" was the horse that cowboy hero Gene Autry rode in numerous movies and TV shows. (In fact, three horses appeared as Champion during that long career.)

In the 1950s, "Champion The Wonder Horse" had his own TV series. Frankie Laine was among those to sing the theme song. Altogether now:

"Champion the wonder horse
Champion the wonder horse
Like a streak of lightning flashing cross the sky
Like the swiftest arrow
Whizzin' from a bow..."

Oft-times known as "the singing cowboy" and "America's Favourite Cowboy", Gene Autry had a varied career. He worked as labourer and telegrapher before making the breakthrough onto radio.

He also worked in rodeos and made dozens of movies and TV shows. He made more than 100 movies and released some 600 records.

Answer: White Flash

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Tex Ritter rode a white horse in a number of movies.

At least two horses played the part. One was rented by the film company, then in 1941 Ritter bought another white horse who was trained to do tricks. This "White Flash" outlived Tex Ritter's movie career and died in 1966 at the age of 27.

Answer: Silver

There are several accounts of how The Lone Ranger teamed up with "Silver".

He had originally had a horse called "Dusty", who was shot and killed in one movie storyline. Shortly before, TLR had spotted a wild white horse in a canyon. On returning he encountered it locked in a battle with a buffalo. The buffalo was shot and TLR nursed the horse back to health.

The name was provided by Tonto. .

Radio, television and movie back stories about "Silver" differ. [Source here is 'The Lone Ranger Wiki']

Tonto, the native American companion of The Lone Ranger, rode a horse called "Scout" in many adventures. Originally he had a horse called "White Feller", but the horse was renamed after TLR acquired "Silver", so that there would not be two white horses in the story.

Actor Buck Jones had several horses called Silver over a number of years and movies, as did Sunset Carson, who later changed it to "Cactus".

Answer: Topper

The character Hopalong Cassidy first appeared in books in the early 1900s.

William Boyd played Hopalong (the character had a wooden leg) in more than 140 movies and TV shows between 1935 and 1954. They retired in 1954 and Topper died in 1961.

Topper was also used to play the Lone Ranger's horse Silver.

Answer: Trigger

Sometimes dubbed "the king of the cowboys, Roy Rogers had more than 100 acting credits during his career, according to "TV Guide". His career in entertainment began as a singer in a number of groups and was twice elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame

Trigger, meanwhile, was "the smartest horse in the movies". First paired in 1938, they rode together through a series of films and when Trigger died in 1965 aged 33, he was stuffed and put on display at the Roy Roger's Museum in Apple Valley, California

Rogers also had "Trigger Junior" for a least one movie in 1950.

Answer: Buttermilk

Dale Evans rode "Buttermilk" and her husband Roy Rogers rode "Trigger" in a television series of the 1950s.

Buttermilk had been saved from the knacker's yard at a young age and was sold to Dale Evans. She rode Buttermilk in the TV series from 1951 to 1957. When he died at the age of 31 Dale Evans had Buttermilk stuffed and put on display.

Dale Evans and Roy Rogers were inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1976.

Answer: Target

The television series based on the real-life character of the west first appeared in 1959 and 1960 and again in 1964 and 1965. In all, 81 episodes were made.

Gail Davis played Annie Oakley.

Answer: Stardust

The real-life western hero/villain Bat Masterson was played by Gene Barry in a television series between 1958 and 1961. Barry was a well respected movie actor when he got the part as Masterson.

The real Masterson had been a deputy of Wild Bill Hickok, and had a wild life of his own. He had been a gunfighter, Indian scout, lawman and journalist.

Randolph Scott also rode a horse called "Stardust".

Answer: Banner

John Wayne rode numerous horses during a long career. "Banner" was reportedly his favourite. Banner was a bay and Wayne said of him: "He was intelligent and had an instinct for this business."

Some sources credit Wayne with having starred in 70 western movies during his career. He also rode horses called "Old Dollar", "Duke", "Steel", and "Henry".

Many people were surprised that, for a big man, Wayne proved to be such an able rider. He did, though, get plenty of advice from experienced stunt rider Yakima Canutt. For all that, Wayne confessed in one interview: "I've never really liked horses."