Jack Hoxie, Silver Screen Cowboy

At the turn of the century, silent silver screen stars like Jack Hoxie, brought thrilling adventures of the Old West to theaters across America. It all started with the filming of “The Great Train Robbery” in 1903 and from there western films were high in demand. 10 cent movie houses filled quickly with nail biting, western loving Americans.

Jack Hoxie’s name is synonymous with other great silver screen stars like William Hart, Hoot Gibson, Tom Mix, and Buck Jones. Jack made approximately 1200 pictures including “The Last Frontier”, “Thunderbolt Jack”, “The Border Sheriff”, “Ridgeway of Montana”, “The Girl from Frisco”, The Broken Spur”, and “Ridin’ Thunder”.

Jack Hoxie was one of the few Hollywood Stars who believed he had a responsibility to the public. He always considered his young fans who saw his pictures. On the screen, he never smoked a cigarette, took a drink of liquor or beer, or was arrested or jailed. He always tried to keep his actions before the camera honest, clean and morally unquestionable. He was seen on the screen as a rugged, admirable honest man, and off the screen he was the same sturdy person he portrayed.

After Jack left Hollywood he started touring the country with his own wild west show. He later operated a dude ranch in Herford, Arizona called “The Broken Arrow”. There he practiced trick shooting and trained horses. He later moved to Keyes, Oklahoma, in Cimarron County with his talented wife Bonnie Hoxie.

Jack always took the time to visit with orphaned children and children’s hospitals. Wherever he could bring a bit of sunshine into a darkened life, he would. Jack was over one-half Cherokee Indian and in an interview with LeRoy Sebastian in 1963, he said “Pastor, I am an Indian, and therefore I have lived these many years believing in the Red Man’s God…because I have always believed in this God, I have tried to consider other men’s feelings as well as my own and to do good whenever and wherever I had the opportunity.”

Jack Hoxie – January 11, 1885 – March 27, 1965