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Unkempt, rough and tough looking members of the gang, or lynch mob, or vigilantes, or posse riders, or cow herders. They had minimal or no dialog, not much screen time, and were generally not listed in the film credits. Some would show up as a face in the crowd, portraying townspeople, barflies, deputies, wagon drivers, ranch hands, etc. We tend to recognize some of their faces, but have no clue as to their real names.



1940


1956		Ray Jones

Birth name probable:
Dewey Roy Jones

Many name variations:
Ray Jones
Rayden Loyal Jones
Rayden Charles Jones
Raden Charles Jones

1898 - 1975

appeared in about 180 westerns, 6 serials, and lots of early TV shows

  Ray Jones was born November 11, 1898 in Panola County, Texas, and parents were Deamer Escoe Jones and John R. Jones. And he's another familiar B western "face in the crowd", and most of his film and TV work were uncredited roles as a henchman, townsman, barfly, etc.

Les Adams has Jones identified in 180+ western movies and 6 serials.

As with many other B western supporting players, Jones migrated to early TV shows and can be spotted in many episodes of DEATH VALLEY DAYS, GUNSMOKE, HAVE GUN - WILL TRAVEL, WYATT EARP, ANNIE OAKLEY, BUFFALO BILL JR., CISCO KID, GENE AUTRY SHOW, WILD BILL HICKOK, RANGE RIDER, more.

His film and television career spanned 30+ years, from about 1928 through the early 1960s.

Lots of confusion with his birth name. In the information below, there are mentions of his first name being Raden / Rayden. But other sources have Dewey Roy Jones as birth name.

There was an unknown first marriage. He married Irene Cole (1910 - 1980) in 1933, and had a son, Rayden Douglas Jones (1934 - 2006).

Suffering from cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Ray Jones passed away on October 27, 1975 at Broadway Community Hospital, Los Angeles.

The Three Stooges net website has Ray Jones in a few shorts with the zany trio: http://www.threestooges.net/cast/actor/4065/

  Although some of the data may be incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database has information on Ray Jones: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0429070/



(From Old Corral collection)

At the saloon table with their beers are Ray Jones (left) and unidentified player (right). Left to right In the background are Jack Evans, Benny Corbett and Chester Gan. Crop from a still from the Reb Russell oater FIGHTING THROUGH (Willis Kent, 1934).

His many name variations:
He's DEWEY JONES in the 1900 Census.
He's DEWIE JONES in the 1910 Census.
He's RADEN CHARLES JONES on his World War I draft registration (and signs the registration with that name).
He's RAY JONES on his 1933 marriage license.
He's RAYDEN JONES in the 1940 Census.
He's RAYDEN LOYAL JONES on his World War II draft registration (and signs the registration with that name).
He's DEWEY ROY JONES in the 1964 death notice for his brother Jim.
He's RAYDEN JONES on his 1975 death certiificate.
On the trail of Ray Jones.
The Family Search website (free), Ancestry.com (subscription), ProQuest obituaries, California Death Index, Social Security Death Index (SSDI), newspapers, and other sources have info on our B western actor Ray Jones.

To tie together this info, I've highlighted three common threads:

1. Ray's mother was Deamer Escoe, and there are several variations of her name which I've highlighted in this COLOR.
2. Ray's wife was Irene Cole, and I've highlighted her in this COLOR.
3. There was a brother named James / Jim, and I've highlighted him in this COLOR.
4. His November 11, 1898 birth in Panola County, Texas (not highlighted).
His parents were easy to locate in various records. But there's issues in finding Ray Jones, western movie actor. We'll begin with info that Ray reported about himself:

The Ray Jones and Irene Cole 1933 marriage license noted above list his parents as John R. Jones and Deamer Escel [sic] (born Texas). Confirned with family trees on ancestry.com which have his parents John Rasmus Jones (1864-1923) and Deamer A. Escoe (1872-1950). In 1923, Deamer re-married, and her second and last husband was Joel Thomas Lee Dean (1871-1931).

But there's no Ray / Rayden / Raden with them in the 1900 and 1910 census. However, there is a son named Dewie / Dewey who was born about 1898. Could "Dewie / Dewey" be our Ray / Raden / Rayden Jones? The probable answer is Yes!

In March, 2026 I connected with Jones family member Tonya Powell. She sent me the newspaper death notice for Ray's brother Jim from the November 6, 1964 Weekly Record newspaper in Madrid, Missouri. Jim's parents were John Jones and Deater Esco [sic] Jones. Listed as a survivor was "Dewey Roy Jones of Hollywood".

Census, births, deaths, and other info:
  • 1890 census is unavailable - it was lost in a 1921 fire (and water damage) at the Commerce Building in Washington, D.C.
  • 1900 census - living in the Creek Nation, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) are 39 year old John Jones (born Alabama; occupation "Medical Doctor"), his 28 year old wife Dema [sic] A. (born Texas), 10 year old daughter Clorence (born Texas), 9 year old son James (born Texas), 1 year old son Dewey (born Texas), and a boarder. The census taker enumerated the family on June 11-12, 1900 and Dewey had a November, 1899 birth date and is 6/12 old (meaning 6 months old): https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSR1-68W
  • 1910 census - living in Self Creek Township, Pike County, Arkansas were 45 year old John R. Jones (born Georgia; occupation "Physician"), 37 year old wife Deamie [sic] (born Texas), 18 year old son James (born Texas), 12 year old son Dewie (born Texas), 6 year old daughter Olga (born Oklahoma) and newborn son Haskell (born Arkansas). Census takers worksheet has "Daisy town" as part of the location: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKVL-975
  • 1920 census - owning their home in Wheeler, Van Buren County, Arkansas were 56 year old John R. Jones (born Georgia; occupation "Physician"), his 48 year old wife Demer A. (born Texas), 16 year old daughter Olda [sic] (born Oklahoma), 11 year old son Haskell (born Arkansas), and 9 year old daughter Beatress (born Arkansas): https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDFL-4S5
  • Ray and Irene's son, Rayden Douglas Jones:
    California birth index has Rayden Douglas Jones born June 5, 1934, and his mother's maiden name was Cole: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2Q7-22N
    Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for son Rayden Douglas Jones. He was born June 5, 1934, passed away May 14, 2006, and last residence was Vista, San Diego County, California: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J5JZ-M4H
  • 1940 census summary and census takers worksheet - 40 year old Rayden Jones (born Texas), 28 year old wife Irene (born Maine) and 5 year old son Douglas (born California) were among many renters at 1401 North Ridgewood Place, Los Angeles, and they lived in Los Angeles in 1935. Jones was born in Texas; completed school through the 8th grade; occupation "Actor - Motion Pic", and in 1939, he worked 26 weeks and earned $1400.00: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K9CX-HZC
  • World War II draft registration dated February 14, 1942 for Rayden Loyal Jones. He was born November 11, 1898 in Panola County, Texas. He and wife Irene lived at 5712 La Mirada, Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California; employer was Central Casting; he was 5 feet, 8 1/2 inches tall and weighed 175 pounds: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGXY-TYRH?lang=en
  • Death certificate: 76 year old Rayden Jones passed away on October 27, 1975 at the Broadway Community Hospital, Los Angeles. Cause of death was cancer of the lung, liver and sigmoid, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He was born November 11, 1898 in Texas; was divorced; and home address was 5401 Fountain Avenue, Los Angeles. Parents were John R. Jones and Deamer Escoe (birth place unknown). Death certificate informant was Public Administrator (indicating that no family members were there for him). Funeral director was Pierce Brothers - Los Angeles and burial or cremation at Rosedale Cemetery (now known as Angelus Rosedale Cemetery).
  • Find A Grave website has no record for him and that indicates he was cremated and his cremains were given to family.
  • The California Death Index and the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) have records for Rayden Jones, born November 11, 1898 in Texas, and passed away on October 27, 1975 in the Los Angeles area:
    https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPHP-T11
    https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JG3P-JQQ
  • ProQuest obituaries had a (brief) funeral notice in the November 7, 1975 Los Angeles (California) Times newspaper. Excerpt: "JONES, Rayden ... gravesite services ... at Rosedale Cemetery." No mention of a wife or other family members.

Ray Jones' mother, wife and son Rayden:




(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Marjorie Manners, Archie Ricks, Ray Jones, Buster Crabbe, unidentified man and woman, Frank Hagney, unidentified woman, I. Stanford Jolley (with the six-shooter), and on the far right is an unidentified player. From Crabbe's BLAZING FRONTIER (PRC, 1943). Don't be fooled by the badge on Hagney as he and Stan Jolley are the gang leaders in this Billy the Kid yarn.



(From Old Corral collection)

Left to right are Jack Hendricks (AKA Ray Henderson), Buster Crabbe, Frank Ellis, Al 'Fuzzy' St. John, Ray Jones and Lorraine Miller in Crabbe's BORDER BADMEN (PRC, 1945).



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Leonard Penn and Jim Bannon, and inside the stage are Ray Jones and Black Jack O'Shea. From WANTED, DEAD OR ALIVE (Monogram, 1951), which starred Whip Wilson.



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