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opinion

I remember Saturday mornings when I made my way to see Westerns featuring Johnny Mack Brown, Tim McCoy, Buck Jones, Hopalong Cassidy, Wild Bill Elliot and others. I did not know of any real-life heroes in those days except World Heavyweight Boxing Champ Joe Louis. As a 10- or 12-year-old I did not know of any politicians or civil rights leaders, so my adoration went to the good guys of the Old West.

I know a number of people who relive those youthful times by watching “Riders of the Silver Screen” hosted by Marshal Andy Smalls on our PBS station every Saturday morning. We not only see movies of yesterday, we see and hear Andy and his rotating cadre of musicians and experts on the Old West talk about the stars of those films and their personal contacts with many of them. It is a delight to reminisce about how we watched those shows while we munched on bags of popcorn more than 70 years ago.

Marshal Andy, a legend in his own right, is a raconteur full of memories of his associations with a number of those great stars of stage and screen. He amazes me with his imitation of country music great Eddy Arnold. His stories about actor Dub “Cannonball” Taylor are hilarious. Over the years he has invited a number of these stars to Knoxville for Western roundups and other activities. He and his late wife, Kathryn, played host to them here and in other places.

Born in Georgetown, S.C., on July 29, 1929, Andrew Smalls attended Georgetown High School and Clemson University, where he played center and linebacker on the football team. He played in the Orange Bowl in 1951 and the Gator Bowl in 1952. Early on he acquired an interest in big band, jazz and country music and began singing. He did commercials for radio and television in Charleston, Charlotte and Atlanta while performing big band music in various markets.

Andy came to Knoxville in April 1968 as a representative of the Ted Turner Advertising Co. to promote cable TV and boost ad sales. After two years the company reassigned him to Atlanta, but he had fallen in love with Knoxville and East Tennessee so he returned in 1971 to work with the Tombras Advertising Agency. He also worked with Jim Clayton in developing the Clayton Manufacturing Co.

Andy’s love for horses, music and the stage fits his persona as “Knoxville’s Cowboy.” He learned to ride at 6 years old. Not satisfied with just riding, he broke his first horse at age 20. He enjoyed riding until he had back surgery in 2010.

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In December 1983 he debuted “Riders of the Silver Screen,” which captured the interest of those of us who rode broomsticks playing cowboy when we were young. We listen as his guests talk about the real Sunset Carson and Charles Starrett, who fascinated us those many years ago. Andy continues to treat us with his melodic voice as he croons with his groups of musicians. He closes his show with the words, “If you can’t wear a white hat, wear a smile so we can tell you from the bad guys.”

As a master storyteller, Andy loves to recall his camaraderie with some of the biggest stars in the business. Andy’s new book, “Knoxville’s Cowboy,” is his life story. Call 865-458-4838 for more information.

Robert J. Booker is a freelance writer and former executive director of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center. He may be reached at 546-1576.

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