Bob Nolan

Bob Nolan (born Clarence Robert Nobles; April 13, 1908 – June 16, 1980, name changed to Robert Clarence Nobles in 1929) was a Canadian-born American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was a founding member of the Sons of the Pioneers, and composer of numerous Country music and Western music songs, including the standards "Cool Water" and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds." He is generally regarded as one of the finest Western songwriters of all time. As an actor and singer, he appeared in scores of Western films.

Early years Nolan was born April 13, 1908, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to Harry Nobles and Flora Elizabeth Hussey Nobles. The couple separated in 1915, and Flora raised her two little boys in Winnipeg.

In the summer of 1916, Flora temporarily moved her children to her husband's parents' home in Hatfield Point, New Brunswick, but due to the machinations of his father, Nolan never saw his mother again. There he attended The Belmont School until 1921, when, at the age of thirteen, he moved to Tucson, Arizona, to live with his father Harry, a United States Army officer.

Film career

In 1934, Nolan began his career in film as the singing voice for Ken Maynard in the 1934 film In Old Santa Fe. In 1935, the Sons of the Pioneers appeared in their first full-length Western movie The Old Homestead. That same year they signed with Columbia Pictures to provide the music for the western films of Charles Starrett.

Nolan had strong featured roles in the Charles Starrett westerns, often playing the second lead. Columbia's president Harry Cohn took an interest in Nolan, and issued three edicts: he ordered Nolan to have his nose fixed; he decided that Nolan's singing voice in the early Starrett pictures was not a polished baritone and should be dubbed by other singers; and he wanted to groom Nolan to star in his own movies. Nolan grudgingly went along with Cohn's first two directives but turned down the chance to be a movie star. Movie fans (who knew Nolan's singing voice from records and radio) urged Columbia to use Nolan's own voice, which was finally heard on screen in 1940.

In 1941, Columbia disbanded the close-knit Starrett unit temporarily, freeing the Sons of the Pioneers to join Roy Rogers at Republic Pictures. Nolan and the group appeared as his musical sidekicks in numerous films through 1948. Their last film together was Night Time in Nevada. In many of these films, Nolan was featured in prominent supporting roles with significant dialogue.

Later years

In 1949, Nolan retired from show business and began a semi-secluded life as a songwriter. He returned to record with the Sons of the Pioneers in 1956, at the insistence of RCA Victor executives who wanted to capitalize on Nolan's TV exposure in the old Rogers westerns.

In 1971, Nolan was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 1980, at the age of 72, Nolan recorded his last LP album Bob Nolan: The Sound of a Pioneer.

Nolan died on June 16, 1980, in Newport Beach, California, of a heart attack. At his request, his ashes were scattered in Red Rock Canyon in the Nevada desert.

Filmography

Slightly Static (1935, Short) as Member of Sons of the Pioneers (uncredited) The Old Homestead (1935) as Member of Sons of the Pioneers Way Up Thar (1935, Short) as Band Member Gallant Defender (1935) as Singing Nester (uncredited) The Mysterious Avenger (1936) as Musician Bob Song of the Saddle (1936) as Singer – Sons of the Pioneers (uncredited) Rhythm on the Range (1936) as Bob – Sons of the Pioneers (uncredited) California Mail (1936) as Bass Player (uncredited) The Big Show (1936) as Sons of the Pioneers Bassist (uncredited) The Old Corral (1936) as O'Keefe Brother (uncredited) The Old Wyoming Trail (1937) as Singing Cowhand (uncredited) Outlaws of the Prairie (1937) as Ranger (uncredited) The Old Barn Dance (1938) as Singer (uncredited) Cattle Raiders (1938) as Member Sons of the Pioneers (uncredited) Call of the Rockies (1938) as Band Member Law of the Plains (1938) as Band Member West of Cheyenne (1938) as Foreman South of Arizona (1938) as Bob – Travers Cowhand The Colorado Trail (1938) as Himself A Feud There Was (1938, Short) (singing voice, uncredited) West of the Santa Fe (1938) as Bob Rio Grande (1938) as Bob Stevens The Thundering West (1939) as Himself (Sons of the Pioneers) Texas Stampede (1939) as Himself (Sons of the Pioneers Leader) North of the Yukon (1939) as RCMP Const. Bob Cameron Spoilers of the Range (1939) as Bob Western Caravans (1939) as Bob The Man from Sundown (1939) as Bob Riders of Black River (1939) as Bob Outpost of the Mounties (1939) as Mountie Bob

The Stranger from Texas (1939) as Deputy Two-Fisted Rangers (1939) as Ranch Foreman (Sons of the Pioneers) Bullets for Rustlers (1940) as Bob Blazing Six Shooters (1940) as Bob Texas Stagecoach (1940) as Bob Harper The Durango Kid (1940) as Bob West of Abilene (1940) as Bob Thundering Frontier (1940) as Bob The Pinto Kid (1941) as Bob Outlaws of the Panhandle (1941) as Bob Red River Valley (1941) as Himself (uncredited) Man from Cheyenne (1942) as Himself (uncredited) South of Santa Fe (1942) as Himself – Sons of the Pioneers (uncredited) Sunset on the Desert (1942) as Himself (uncredited) Romance on the Range (1942) as Himself Sons of the Pioneers (1942) as Himself (as Sons of the Pioneers) Call of the Canyon (1942) as Singer, Sons of the Pioneers (uncredited) Sunset Serenade (1942) as Bob Heart of the Golden West (1942) as Himself Ridin' Down the Canyon (1942) as Himself (Leader Sons of the Pioneers) Idaho (1943) as Singer – Member Sons of the Pioneers King of the Cowboys (1943) as Himself Song of Texas (1943) as Himself Silver Spurs (1943) as Singer – Member Sons of the Pioneers The Man from Music Mountain (1943) as Bob Hands Across the Border (1944) as Himself Cowboy and the Senorita (1944) as Bob – Sons of the Pioneers The Yellow Rose of Texas (1944) as Singer (as Bob Nolan and The Sons of the Pioneers) Song of Nevada (1944) as Bob San Fernando Valley (1944) as Bob

Lights of Old Santa Fe (1944) as Bob – Leader Sons of the Pioneers Hollywood Canteen (1944) as Himself (uncredited) Utah (1945) as Bob Bells of Rosarita (1945) as Himself Man from Oklahoma (1945) as Singer – Sons of the Pioneers Leader Along the Navajo Trail (1945) as Himself – Leader Sons of the Pioneers Sunset in El Dorado (1945) as Bob – Leader Sons of the Pioneers Don't Fence Me In (1945) as Bob Song of Arizona (1946) as Singer – Sons of the Pioneers Ding Dong Williams (1946) as Bob – Sons of the Pioneers Leader Home on the Range (1946) as Bob Rainbow Over Texas (1946) as Himself My Pal Trigger (1946) as Himself Under Nevada Skies (1946) as Bob Roll on Texas Moon (1946) as Bob Home in Oklahoma (1946) as Bob – Leader Sons of the Pioneers Heldorado (1946) as Himself Apache Rose (1947) as Himself Hit Parade of 1947 (1947) as Himself Bells of San Angelo (1947) as Bob Springtime in the Sierras (1947) as Himself On the Old Spanish Trail (1947) as Himself The Gay Ranchero (1948) as Bob Unusual Occupations (1948, Short) Under California Stars (1948) as Bob Pecos Bill (1948, Short) as Himself (as Bob Nolan and The Sons of the Pioneers) Melody Time (1948) as Himself (as Bob Nolan and The Sons of the Pioneers) Eyes of Texas (1948) as Bob Night Time in Nevada (1948) as Cowhand, Singer (final film role)