Wallace Fitzgerald Beery

Born in Kansas City, Missouri on April Fools Day 1885, Wallace Beery was an actor in motion pictures, starring in more than 200 cinematic films during his famous 36 year career. Wallace was a fellow who certainly helped popularize Death Valley with one of his great movies, 20 Mule Team, a now rare 84 minute movie created by MGM studios in 1940.

A few choice quotations found online (likely studio sources for movie promotion) go like this: “Beery … a whip-totin’ … gun-blazin’ son of a coyote … from the orneriest end of the desert!” and “Roaring! Out Of Death Valley – the hell-hole of creation comes Beery’s greatest hit!” The movie centers around a place called Furnace Flat, involves double crosses and romance, and tells a tall tale near the end of the borax era.

For classic Death Valley movie worshippers, acquire this one for a chilly winter’s viewing.