From the Marth Retsch collection

Martha Retsch, December 2007

Martha Retsch was initially one of hundreds of subscribers to the Sons of the Pioneers' fanzine, Sam Allen's Tumbleweed Topics. Some of her poetry was featured in them. However, because of World War II and the fact that the Pioneers were exceptionally busy at this time, Tumbleweed Topics gradually faded out. Retsch decided it was time to get a Sons of the Pioneers' fan club going, so she started one in 1943, complete with a newsletter called The Prairie Prattler.

Sam Allen put her in touch with Charles Reed Jones, who was with Republic Pictures’ New York office, and Jones sent her photos for her covers, information about the Sons of the Pioneers’ work schedules, etc. By 1944, the little newspaper had become four pages, professionally printed. The national fan club grew quickly. Both magazines, Tumbleweed Topics and The Prairie Prattler, contain much information useful to Sons of the Pioneers historians.

Retsch was careful to keep her paper informative and factual, avoiding the drollery of the Tumbleweed Topics. She included her own eyewitness accounts of the Pioneers’ appearances at rodeos, banquets, and even the Republic set when The Man from Oklahoma was being filmed.

The snapshots and publicity stills below were originally from Retsch’s personal collection. We are grateful to John Fullerton, to whom Retsch gave the originals, for the images and to Josh Heston for scanning them.

 
Martha Retsch with the Sons of the Pioneers at the Astor Hotel in 1943

The Sons of the Pioneers with fan club president Martha Retsch. Sunday, October 10, 1943 at the Astor Hotel, New York City.

Martha Retsch, president of the Sons of the Pioneers Club, Virginia Sullivan, Roy Rogers, and Virginia Shaw, 1943

Caption on the back reads: Martha Retsch, president of the Sons of the Pioneers Club, Virginia Sullivan (Massachusetts Ranch Boss), Roy Rogers, and Virginia Shaw (Pennsylvania Ranch Boss) at a Fan Club party in honor of Roy on Sunday October 10, 1943.

Autographed publicity still of Lloyd Perryman.

Lloyd Perryman, 1940

Autographed publicity still of Tim Spencer, 1942

Tim Spencer, 1942

Snapshot of Hugh and Karl Farr, 1942

Hugh and Karl Farr, 1942

Snapshot of Tim Spencer and Pat Brady, 1943

Tim Spencer and Pat Brady, 1943

Snapshot of Hugh Farr laughing, 1940

Hugh Farr, 1940

Shug Fisher, Hugh Farr, Bob Nolan, Roy Rogers, Tim Spencer, Karl Farr and Ken Carson 1944

Shug Fisher, Hugh Farr, Bob Nolan, Roy Rogers, Tim Spencer, Karl Farr and Ken Carson, 1944

Autographed publicity still of Bob Nolan, 1945

Bob Nolan, 1945

Autographed publicity photo of Tim Spencer holding a pipe, 1945

Tim Spencer, 1945

Publicity photo of Ken Carson playing guitar and singing, 1945

Ken Carson, 1945

Autographed promo picture of Hugh Farr playing his fiddle.

Hugh Farr, 1945

Autographed promo photo of Shug Fisher playing his bass, 1945

Shug Fisher, 1945

Autographed promo picture of Shug Fisher looking contemplative and whittling, 1945.

Shug Fisher, 1945

Autographed promo picture of Roy Rogers with six-gun and saddle, 1945

Roy Rogers, 1945

Snapshot of Martha Retsch, Helen Gould, Tim Spencer, unidentified, Virginia Gallick, Loretta & Hal Spencer, 1945

Back: Martha Retsch, Helen Gould, Tim Spencer, unidentified, Virginia Gallick
Front: Loretta & Harold [Hal] Spencer
March 5, 1945

Martha Retsch, Tim Spencer and Virginia Gallick
Snapshot of Tim and Velma Spencer, 1945

Left: Marth Retsch, Tim Spencer, and Virginia Gallick. Right: Tim and Velma Spencer
March 5, 1945

Snapshot of Hugh Farr in native American costume on film set, 1945
Hugh Farr and Tim Spencer in native American costume on a movie set, 1945
Tim Spencer in native American costume on a film set, 1945

Hugh Farr and Tim Spencer on the Republic Studios set of “Man from Oklahoma,” March 27, 1945

Snapshot of Hugh Farr and fan Emma Hacket, 1945
Snapshot of Tim Spencer and fan Emma Hacket, 1945

Fan Emma Hackett with Hugh Farr (left) and Tim Spencer (right).
Reading, Pennsylvania October 20, 1945

Snapshot of Bob Nolan in conversation in a field in Kennywood Park, PA

Bob Nolan at Kennywood Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Snapshot of Shug Fisher and Emma Hackett, Reading PA, 1945

Shug Fisher and Emma Hackett,
Reading, Pennsylvania, October 20, 1945

Snapshot of Martha Retsch, Karl Farr, Terry Sevigny, Lloyd Perryman, Pat Brady and Emma Hackett on a sofa, 1945

Martha Retsch, Karl Farr, Terry Sevigny, Lloyd Perryman, Pat Brady and Emma Hackett
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 15, 1945

The Nelson Eddy Show June 2, 1946: Bob Nolan, Hugh Farr, Nelson Eddy, Karl Farr, Lloyd Perryman, Tim Spencer, and Pat Brady.

Bob Nolan, Hugh Farr, Nelson Eddy, Karl Farr, Lloyd Perryman (with Tim standing behind) and Pat Brady.
The Nelson Eddy Show, June 2, 1946

Snapshot of Hugh Farr playing his fiddle, 1946

Hugh Farr, 1946

Snapshot of Tim Spencer playing his guitar, 1946

Tim Spencer, 1946

The Sons of the Pioneers and key fans at the Philadelphia Rodeo Luncheon, 1946

Velma & Tim Spencer, Martha Retsch, Emma Hackett, Hugh Farr, Pat Brady, Karl Farr, Bob Nolan, Lloyd Perryman and Sons of the Pioneers secretary, Terry Sevigny. (Roy Rogers on the dias.)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Rodeo Luncheon, 1946

Publicity photo of Ken Curtis in cowboy garb.

Ken Curtis

Snapshot of Ken Curtis, c. 1950

Ken Curtis, C. 1950

Snapshot of Tommy Doss and Martha Retsch, c. 1950

Tommy Doss and Martha Retsch, C. 1950

1952 Promo photo of the Pioneers: Ken Curtis, Karl Farr, Lloyd Perryman, Shug Fisher, Hugh Farr and Tim Spencer

Clockwise from top: Ken Curtis, Karl Farr, Lloyd Perryman, Shug Fisher, Hugh Farr and Tim Spencer
1952

Snapshot of Dale Evans and Martha Retsch, 1954

Dale Evans and Marth Retsch, 1945

Snapshot of Martha Retsch with Lloyd Perryman, 1954

Martha and Lloyd Perryman, 1954

Marth Retsch and Roy Rogers, 1945

Martha and Roy Rogers, 1945

Snapshot of the Sons of the Pioneers in 1954

The Sons of the Pioneers, September 1954
Standing: Hugh Farr, Dale Warren and Lloyd Perryman Front: Karl Farr, Deuce Spriggins and Tommy Doss

Snapshot of Hugh Farr and Martha Retsch, 1955

Hugh Farr and Martha Retsch, 1955

Snapshot of Martha Retsch and Shug Fisher, 1955

Martha and Shug Fisher, 1955

Snapshot of Lloyd Perryman and Martha Retsch, 1955

Lloyd Perryman and Martha, 1955

Snapshot of Tommy Doss, Martha Retsch, and Dale Warren, 1956

Tommy Doss, Martha Retsch, and Dale Warren, 1956