Customer Reviews

Hopalong Cassidy: King of the Cowboy Merchandisers (A Schiffer Book for Collectors)

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Author Harry Rinker does a great job in bringing back the images of a forgotten hero, Hopalong Cassidy as portrayed by actor William Boyd. His book recaptures, vividly, the massive Hoppy merchandise of the 1950's when Boyd-a marketing genius- was a superstar to children the world over, including this Australian who, as a six year old during Boyd's Australian tour of 1954, was absolutely devastated that Hoppy didn't come west to WA. We got the Queen instead! This book, complete with lavish colour plates of the thousands of Hoppy items is not just a book for collectors of Cassidy memorabilia.Rinker's early chapters include the effect of Hoppy on him as a child, the evolution of Cassidy in novels films and television, the history of Boyd's visionary marketing skills and an interview with his widow, Grace, who is still alive some 28 years after her husband's death. The durability of the film and TV Hoppy (vastly different from novelist Clarence E Mulford's original character) lasted for 20 years thanks to Boyd fusing his own persona with that of the character. Boyd commenced in the Cassidy role in 1935, as a middle aged actor of 40( making 66 films as Cassidy over the next 13 years) and retired in 1954 as a TV and radio hero, internationally renowned. The transformation of Boyd into a hero of children is well captured by Rinker- albeit briefly- although a more detailed biography of William Boyd is long overdue. Boyd's morals,responsiblity,concern and many acts of kindness towards his youthful supporters, as Hoppy, was an example of the very best America had to offer-and America's best is very good indeed. That is why people who grew up in the middle of the 20th century will always recall with affection the black-garbed knight gallant of their childhood - Bill Boyd as Hopalong Cassidy.

Hopalong Cassidy was considered to be one of the three greatest B-Western stars. This book has many beautiful pictures of his memorabilia as well as complete descriptions of the items. There is also a section on personal facts about Hoppy. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a Western Movie fan.