Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters, The

The Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters was a long-running juvenile western adventure radio series that aired from 1933 to 1950. The show was created by St. Louis adman Charles E. Claggett and centered around the legendary cowboy star Tom Mix and his adventures on the TM Ranch in the fictional town of Dobie, Texas.

The series was a rival to the popular Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy and was sponsored by the Ralston Purina Company, known for their “Checkerboard Square” brand. The show featured a mix of western ranch life, mystery, and excitement, with Tom Mix and his young wards Jimmy and Jane, along with his elderly sidekick the Old Wrangler, constantly being called away to solve baffling crimes and confront villains.

The series started on NBC in 1933, moved to the NBC Blue Network in 1937, and then aired on the Mutual network from 1944 to 1950, undergoing a format change in 1950 to feature Curley Bradley as “The Singing Marshal.”

The Stars

The role of Tom Mix was originally played by Artells Dickson, a stage actor with experience on the Chautauqua circuit. His elderly sidekick, the Old Wrangler, was portrayed by New Zealand-born Percy Hemus.

When the show moved to Chicago in 1937, Jack Holden took over the role of Tom Mix until 1939, when Russell Thorson became the new Tom. Jimmy was played by George Gobel, who went on to become a famous TV star, and Jane was portrayed by Jane Webb, who later became a respected cartoon voice-over artist.

After a two-year hiatus during World War II, the show was revived on the Mutual network in 1944 with Joe “Curley” Bradley in the role of Tom Mix. George Gobel’s role as Jimmy was taken over by Hugh Rowlands, while Jane Webb continued as Jane.

Key Dates

September 25, 1933: The Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters debuts on NBC, airing 15 minutes three times a week. March 26, 1937: The show moves to the NBC Blue Network. September 27, 1937: The production moves from New York City to Chicago. March 27, 1942: Ralston cancels its sponsorship, and the show goes off the air for two years. June 5, 1944: The show is revived on the Mutual network, airing 15 minutes five days a week. September 26, 1949: The show becomes a 30-minute, three-times-a-week program. June 23, 1950: The final episode of The Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters airs. August 6, 1950: A new show, “The Singing Marshal” featuring Curley Bradley, debuts on Mutual.

Other Information

Over the years, The Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters featured a wide variety of villains and mysteries for Tom Mix to solve, including rustlers, spies, killers, ghosts, invisible men, and even a Japanese giant. The show also offered numerous premiums and giveaways to its young listeners, including rings, flashlights, magnifiers, whistles, and more, all featuring the familiar Ralston Checkerboard brand and Tom Mix’s TM logo.

Even after the show ended in 1950, the Ralston Purina Company continued to offer Tom Mix-themed merchandise well into the 1980s, cementing the lasting popularity of this iconic western hero.