Nathan Cole Hebert (born May 6, 1892, date of death unknown), known as Slim Cole and sometimes credited as King Cole,[1] was an American actor and stuntman who appeared in a string of B-movie westerns during Hollywood's silent era.[2]
Slim Cole | |
|---|---|
| Born | Nathan Cole Hebert May 6, 1892 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Other names | King Cole |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, stuntman |
| Years active | 1915–1932 |
| Spouse | Katherine Fay (m. 1915-1921) |
| Family | Nathan Cole (grandfather) |
Biography
editEarly years
editSlim was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to Joseph Hebert and Hallie Cole.[3] His mother's father, Nathan Cole, was once mayor of St. Louis.[4] Joseph Hebert, Slim's father, died when Slim was a toddler, and he was raised by his mother in the Los Angeles area.[5][6][7]
Career as a forest ranger
editWhile working as a forest ranger in the San Bernardino Mountains, he learned how to ride a motorcycle, a skill that would serve him well when he entered the motion picture industry around 1915.[8] "They laughed at me when I started patrolling the forests on motorcycle, but after I got the knack for following old trails and making new ones, I showed them that I could cover as much territory as four rangers on mounted horses."[1]
Career in Hollywood
editAfter being spotted by a motion picture director, Slim was soon in demand for his willingness to perform all sorts of death-defying stunts. He often worked with fellow stunt performer and actress Grace Cunard. Early on, he was employed by Charlie Chaplin's studio.[9]
In 1922, he briefly returned to St. Louis with the ambition of starting a motion picture industry in his hometown. He also aimed to give his body a rest after years of being roughed up on the job. "I'm getting too old for the business," he told a reporter with The St. Louis Post Dispatch. "I'm only 29, but I've been through a lot, and I don't have to wait for a psychic hunch."
He did continue to act, but his roles got smaller and smaller until he was pretty much only landing bit parts.[6]
Personal life
editCole married Katherine Fay in 1915; the couple divorced in 1921.[10] After his last film was released in 1932, it's unknown what happened to Cole.
Partial filmography
edit- His Day Out (1918)
- A Dog's Life (1918)
- Shoulder Arms (1918)
- Smashing Barriers (1919)
- Where Is This West? (1923)
- Beasts of Paradise (1923)
- The Ghost City (1923)
- Reckless Speed (1924)
- Ridin' Pretty (1925)
- The Great Circus Mystery (1925)
- The Fighting Ranger (1925)
- Prowlers of the Night (1926)
- Desert Dust (1927)
- The Texas Bad Man (1932)
- The Last Frontier (1932)
- Gold (1932)
References
edit- ^ a b "St. Louisan Quitting a Career in Which a Man Is Old at 29". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 5 Nov 1922. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
- ^ Katchmer, George A. (2015-05-20). A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-0905-8.
- ^ "Rotogravure Picture Section". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 18 Apr 1920. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
- ^ "St. Louisan Star in 'The Shiek' Movie Play". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. 29 Nov 1921. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
- ^ "Cole Heir in Need, Heart Is Broken". The St. Louis Star and Times. 16 May 1913. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
- ^ a b "Screen Life in Hollywood". The Morning Union. 27 Sep 1932. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
- ^ "Adventurer of Films Added to Gish Cast". The Los Angeles Times. 18 Jul 1926. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
- ^ "'The Texas Bad Man' Now Showing at Seltzer Theatre". The Daily News. 12 Nov 1932. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
- ^ "Out of Luck". The Los Angeles Times. 13 Jan 1918. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
- ^ "Says Husband Spurned Meal; Divorces Him". The Los Angeles Times. May 21, 1921. p. 15. Retrieved 2020-03-17.