Elaine Riley and Gail Davis

Gail Davis

Real name:
Betty Jeanne Grayson

1925 - 1997

Gail Davis was born in Arkansas. She did heroine duty in about two dozen oaters during the final years of the B western, appearing with Allan Lane, Charles Starrett, Monte Hale, Roy Rogers and Tim Holt. And she also worked in fourteen of Gene Autry's Columbia westerns as well as Gene's television program.

Davis is best remembered for her portrayal of TV's Annie Oakley. The Oakley TVer initially ran from late 1953 - early 1957 and consisted of 81 half-hour shows that were lensed in B&W. Gail's helpers were Brad Johnson (as "Deputy Sheriff Lofty Craig") and Jimmie Hawkins (as "Tagg Oakley"). The program was one of many produced by Autry's Flying A production company.

Circa 1955 - 1959, Davis even had her own series of Annie Oakley and Tagg comics from Dell. All had photo covers showing Davis in her Annie Oakley costume.

Gail Davis passed away from brain cancer in 1997.

(Courtesy of Minard Coons)

Above - Gail Davis with Gene Autry in TEXANS NEVER CRY (Columbia, 1951).

Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Gail Davis: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204625/

Find A Grave site has a photo of the marker for Davis at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6321/gail-davis

Gail's daughter Terrie had the official website for Gail Davis, TV's ANNIE OAKLEY (www.tvsannieoakley.com). But as of Summer, 2007, the website was no longer working and the domain name was for sale.

The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture Project is located at the Central Arkansas Library System in Little Rock. The project has a biography on Gail Davis: https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/gail-davis-2745/

In 2004, Gail Davis was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame: http://www.cowgirl.net/portfolios/gail-davis/

In recognition of her western movie and television work, Gail Davis was presented with a Golden Boot at the 1994 awards ceremony. If you want more info, go to the Golden Boot Awards page on the Old Corral.

The Grand Comics database website has cover images of Gail Davis' Dell and Gold Key Annie Oakley comics:
https://www.comics.org/series/1104/covers/
https://www.comics.org/series/18233/covers/

Elaine Riley

Full name:
Elaine Louise Riley

1917 - 2015

(From Old Corral collection)

Above are Tim Holt and Elaine Riley in a still from Holt's RIDER FROM TUCSON (RKO, 1950).

Elaine Riley was born in Chester, West Virginia in 1917 but her home town was East Liverpool, Ohio (some sources have her birth location as East Liverpool, Ohio). Either could be correct as those towns are about three miles apart, separated by the Ohio River.

She embarked on a modeling career and movie roles followed. In the 1940 census, Elaine was a "Model - Dress Business", living at the Stratford Arms Hotel, Manhattan, New York City and reported her birth location as Chester, West Virginia.

Her film and television work spanned from the early 1940s to about 1960. She appeared in B westerns with Tim Holt, Allan 'Rocky' Lane, William 'Hoppy' Boyd, and Wayne Morris as well as many early TV oaters including THE RANGE RIDER, GENE AUTRY, LONE RANGER and CISCO KID.

Elaine was married to Richard 'Chito' Martin, who is best remembered as Tim Holt's sidekick. In later life, Martin became a successful insurance executive. He died in 1994.

In recognition of her western movie and television work, Elaine Riley was presented with a Golden Boot at the 2004 awards ceremony. If you want more info, go to the Golden Boot Awards page on the Old Corral.

98 year old Elaine Riley passed away on December 7, 2015.

Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Elaine Riley: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0727026/

Elaine Riley's hometown was East Liverpool, Ohio and their Historical Society has biographical info, newspaper clippings and photos on Elaine: http://www.eastliverpoolhistoricalsociety.org/Elainrilact.htm

The Los Angeles Times newspaper website has an obituary on Elaine's husband, Richard 'Chito' Martin: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-09-05-me-34929-story.html

Legacy.com has an obituary on Elaine Riley: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/mercurynews/obituary.aspx?n=elaine-riley&pid=177053614

The Family Search website has more on Elaine Riley and family:

1930 census - living in East Liverpool, Ohio are 42 year old Allan B. Riley (born Pennsylvania), his 40 year old wife Pearle (born California), 15 year old daughter Lillian (born West Virginia) and 13 year old daughter Elaine (born West Virginia). The family is renting at 505 College Street, East Liverpool, Ohio. Father Allan's occupation is "Electrical Engineer - own Shop":
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X4SL-D48

1930 census takers worksheets (the Riley family is on two sheets):
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RCS-PFN?wc=QZFQ-K6Y%3A649446001%2C650116101%2C650144701%2C1589282389%3Fcc%3D1810731&cc=1810731
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RCS-PK1?wc=QZFQ-K6Y%3A649446001%2C650116101%2C650144701%2C1589282389%3Fcc%3D1810731&cc=1810731

1940 census - Elaine Louise Riley is about 23 years old; completed four years of high school; was born about 1917 in Chester, West Virginia and last residence was East Liverpool, Ohio. She is a lodger residing at the Stratford Arms Hotel, Manhattan, New York City and her occupation is "Model - Dress Business":
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQGZ-4JC

1940 census takers worksheet:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9MY-15KB?wc=QZXR-61J%3A790105101%2C804828501%2C804967701%2C954008501%3Fcc%3D2000219&cc=2000219