Maxwell Emmett “Pat” Buttram planned to follow his father’s footsteps into the Methodist ministry. While in college, a little amateur acting and local radio led him down a different path. That path took him to the National Barn Dance program on WLS in Chicago where he too performed with Gene Autry. National Barn Dance might have been ‘Sidekick U’ for all the careers it launched into film. We may have to revisit the program at the end of this series.

The 40’s found Buttram in Hollywood cast as sidekick to Roy Rogers. Roy had no shortage of sidekicks in those days. Pat didn’t last long. He caught on with Barn Dance buddy Gene Autry and did more than forty films with the singing cowboy. When Gene moved to TV, Pat went along. Together they did more than one hundred episodes of the Gene Autry Show. Gene also had a radio show, Melody Ranch with a spot for Pat.

Buttram closed out his acting career playing Eustace Haney on the CBS sitcom Green Acres. The show ran from ’65 – ’71. He also did some animated voice work for Disney, capitalizing on a voice that by Pat’s lights, never finished puberty.

Pat married twice, the first ending in divorce after ten years. His second marriage to actress Sheila Ryan lasted until her death. They had one daughter. Active in Republican politics, Pat did some speech writing for fellow actor, Ronald Reagan. Pat Buttram died in 1994 at 78. He made it home to the Methodist Church near his family home in Alabama where he is buried. You can find his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Next Week: Dub Taylor
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Ride easy,
Paul