Ray "Crash" Corrigan

Born: February 14, 1902, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died: August 10, 1976 (age 74), Brookings Harbor, Oregon

Ray "Crash" Corrigan (Raymond Benard) born was an American actor most famous for appearing in B-Western movies. In 1937, Ray Corrigan had purchased some land in Simi Valley, California. He developed this into Corriganville, a general location used for many Western movies and TV shows.

1. What did Corrigan begin his career in Hollywood as?

• Physical fitness instructor
• Stuntman
• Wrangler

2. Many of his early roles were in ape costumes - for example, as a Gorilla in Tarzan and His Mate (1934) and an "Orangopoid" in the original Flash Gordon serial.

• Fact or Myth?

3. Republic signed him to a Term Player Contract, running from May 25, 1936 to May 24, 1938. He was cast as one the trio in the Three Mesquiteers series of films. What character did he play?

• Lullaby Joslin
• Stony Brooke
• Tucson Smith

4. There are a variety of stories about how Corrigan got the nickname of 'Crash': Corrigan said that it was a name to compete with 'Flash Gordon'; some said it was because Corrigan was a big bruiser; others said it was because Corrigan wasn't a great rider, and had a hard time staying on a hoss. Regardless, the 'Crash' nickname stuck for the remainder of his life.

• Fact or Myth?

5. Tucson Smith and Stoney Brooke John Wayne compete for Phyllis Isley (Jennifer Jones) in the Mesquiteers adventure, New Frontier (Republic, 1939). Who plays Stoney Brooke in this film?

• Robert Livingston
• John Wayne
• Mel Brooks

6. Around 1937, Ray Corrigan invested in some real estate in California's Simi Valley and developed it as a multi-purpose movie location for use in film production. What did the film location become known as?

• Corriganville
• CrashTown
• MovieLand

7. In Bullets and Saddles (1943), Hammond is after the Craig ranch and has framed Charlie Craig for murder. Mother Craig brings in the Range Busters. They capture one of Hammond's men and Alibi plans to trick him into a confession as to who the real murderer is. Meanwhile, Denny has overheard Hammond's plans for his next move and he and Crash set out to round up the gang. Who plays Hammond?

• James Arness
• Kirk Douglas
• Glenn Strange

8. Arizona Stage Coach (1942), in the midst of some friendly horseplay on their "Flying R" ranch, the Range Busters, Crash Corrigan (Ray Corrigan), Dusty King (John King) and Alibi Terhune (Max Terhune), are sobered by the arrival of a buckboard bearing their old friend Larry Meadows (Forrest Taylor) and his niece Dorrie Willard (Nell O'Day). Who played Henchman Strike Cardigan?

• Kermit Maynard
• Ken Maynard
• Tom Mix

9. Rodeo contestants Johnny King and Corrigan meet, their fathers having been members of the Range Busters. When Johnny is knocked unconscious, time reverts to their father's era and the Range Busters are soon involved in the scheme to get Railroad right-of-way across Mother Slocum's ranch. When she is tricked into signing a release, the Range Busters find their job more difficult as the Sheriff is in with the crooks. What was the film?

10. Pals of the Saddle (1938), returning a lost item to Ann, Stony arrives just two men shoot each other. Ann is a Government Agent and she gets Stony to replace her now dead partner. An important chemical is being smuggled out of the country and she sends Stony to the storage facility posing as the foreign Agent. He fools the guards but the boss arrives to expose the hoax and Stony is made a prisoner. This is a Three Mesquiteers. Who plays Lullaby Joslin?

• Harry Depp
• Joseph Forte
• Max Terhune

11. Where is Ray "Crash" Corrigan buried?

• Hollywood Forever, Hollywood, California
• Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California
• Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California

Answers

1. Physical fitness instructor
2. Fact
3. Tucson Smith
4. Fact
5. John Wayne
6. Corriganville
7. Glenn Strange
8. Kermit Maynard
9. Tumbledown Ranch in Arizona
10. Max Terhune
11. Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California