Floyd Taliaferro Alderson (November 13, 1895 – February 10, 1980) was an American film actor who specialized in westerns. After serving in the Great War, he began his career in the era of silent films, when he frequently used the name Wally Wales.

Wally Wales
Lobby card for Saddle Mates (1928)
Born
Floyd Taliaferro Alderson

(1895-11-13)November 13, 1895
DiedFebruary 10, 1980(1980-02-10) (aged 84)
Sheridan, Wyoming, U.S.
Years active1921-1964

Although he transitioned to sound, he was given smaller parts, and used the name Hal Taliaferro. He appeared in more than 220 films between 1921 and 1964. He lived his later life in Montana at his family ranch.

Biography

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Born Floyd Taliaferro Alderson in 1895 in Sheridan, Wyoming,[1][2] he was raised on his family's ranch, near Birney in Rosebud County, Montana.[3][4]

Young Alderson's first "outside" job was on a cattle drive for rancher John B. Kendrick. He also drove a tourist stage for the Buffalo Bill Stage line before drifting west in 1915. He settled in Los Angeles where he worked as a wrangler on Universal's ranch.

In 1917 during the Great War, Alderson joined the army and served in the American Expeditionary Forces in France. After his return to the US, he became involved in films as an actor.

From 1921 through 1928 he appeared in twenty-two silent films (mainly Westerns), starring in many under the name Wally Wales. In 1929 he made the successful transition to sound, or "talkies". But gradually his star faded, and he began appearing in much smaller roles, usually as Hal Taliaferro.[3]

He retired from films in the early 1950s and returned to his family ranch in Montana. It was then known as the Bones Brothers Ranch. He built a cabin there and lived out his remaining active years painting landscapes.[3]

He died in a Sheridan, Wyoming nursing home from complications of a stroke and pneumonia in 1980, at age 84.[3] In 2004 the Bones Brothers Ranch was listed on the National Register of Historical Places (NRHP).

Filmography

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Lobby card for Pals of the West (1934)
Year Title Role Notes
1921 Western Hearts Pete Marcel as Floyd Taliaferro
Crossing Trails Peter Marcus
1925 Tearin' Loose Wally Blake
The Hurricane Horseman Wally Marden
Galloping On Wally Moore
1926 The Roaring Rider Uncredited
The Fighting Cheat Wally Kenyon
Vanishing Hoofs Wally Marsh
Ridin' Rivals
Double Daring Wally Meeker
Twisted Triggers Wally Weston
Ace of Action Wally Rand
1927 The Cyclone Cowboy Wally Baxter
Tearin' Into Trouble Wally Tilland
The Meddlin' Stranger Wally Fraser
Skedaddle Gold Kent Blake
White Pebbles Zip Wallace
Soda Water Cowboy Wally
The Desert of the Lost Jim Drake
Pals of the West
1928 Desperate Courage Jim Dane
Saddle Mates John Benson
The Flyin' Buckaroo Bill Mathews
1929 Overland Bound Buck Hawkins
The Voice from the Sky Jack Deering
1930 Bar-L Ranch Frank Kellogg
Canyon Hawks Dick Carson
Trails of Danger Bob Bartlett
The Utah Kid Deputy Uncredited
Breed of the West Wally Weldon
1931 Red Fork Range Wally Hamilton
Hell's Valley Wally, Texas Rangers Captain
Riders of the Cactus Bob Bronson
Flying Lariats Wally Dunbar
So This Is Arizona Bob Ransome
1932 Law and Lawless Buck Daggett
1933 Deadwood Pass Pete Sorrenson
Rusty Rides Alone Hank Quillan Uncredited
King of the Arena Bronc Riding Spectator Uncredited
The Fighting Texans Henchman Bill
Secrets of Hollywood An Actor
The Trail Drive Henchman Steve Uncredited
Sagebrush Trail Deputy Sheriff
The Mystery Squadron Mystery Flyer Serial, [Chs. 5–6, 10], Uncredited
1934 Potluck Pards Bud Wallace Short, as Walt Williams
The Lucky Texan Henchman Uncredited
Border Guns Sheriff Tom Uncredited
West of the Divide Henchman Uncredited
Wheels of Destiny Cowhand Uncredited
Adventures of Texas Jack Texas Jack
Nevada Cyclone Dick Short, as Walt Williams
The Lost Jungle Crewman
Romance Revier Frank Wells Short, as Walt Williams
Western Racketeers Sheriff Rawlings
Honor of the Range Third Man Nominating Boots Uncredited
Arizona Cyclone Jim Blaine Short
The Fighting Rookie Gambler
Sundown Trail Wally Barton Short
Smoking Guns Henchman Uncredited
The Lost Jungle Sandy (Mary R crewman) Uncredited
Carrying the Mail Wally Reed Short
Desert Man Wally Bradley Short
Fighting Through Frisco Uncredited
Pals of the West Captain Wally Wallace Short
The Law of the Wild Deputy Tom Serial, [Chs. 7-8], Uncredited
The Lone Rider Jeff Smith Short
The Way of the West Wally Gordon
West of the Law Wally Williams (ranch foreman) Short
The Oil Raider Oil Well Driller Uncredited
Range Warfare Tommy Lord
Mystery Mountain Corwin Teamster Uncredited
1935 The Cactus Kid Cowhand Andy
Unconquered Bandit Henchman Uncredited
The Rustlers of Red Dog Henchman Wally Uncredited
The Lone Bandit Sheriff Jim Mace
Six Gun Justice Nevada Joe
The Phantom Empire Thunder guard Uncredited
Five Bad Men Bad man #4
The Pecos Kid Eric Grayson
The Cowboy and the Bandit Chuck
The Miracle Rider Ranger Burnett Uncredited
The Call of the Savage Lancer Officer-in-Charge Serial, [Chs. 10-12], Uncredited
Silent Valley Fred Jones
Fighting Caballero Henchman Wildcat
The Silver Bullet Deputy Jake as Walt Williams
The Laramie Kid Road Gang Guard Uncredited
Stranded Peterson Uncredited
The Vanishing Riders Wolf Lawson
Get That Man Thomas, Prescott Chaueffeur Uncredited
Men of Action Henchman Wally Uncredited
Danger Trails 'Desolation' Wilson
Heir to Trouble Cowhand Spurs
Powdersmoke Range Aloysius 'Bud' Taggart
Between Men Blacksmith Luke Uncredited
Western Courage Slim Uncredited
Gun Play George Holt
Lawless Riders Sidekick Carl Walton
Swifty Price McNiel
Trigger Tom Sam Slater
The Shadow of Silk Lennox Inspector Swann Uncredited
1936 Lucky Terror Henchman Shake Uncredited
Hair-Trigger Casey Dave Casey
Heroes of the Range Trail Boss Uncredited
Avenging Waters Slivers
The Crime Patrol Henchman Driving Getaway Car Uncredited
The Phantom Rider Henchman Lew
The Traitor Texas Ranger Hank Uncredited
The Unknown Ranger Chuckler as Hal Talioferro
Ambush Valley Joel Potter
Law and Lead Steve Bradley, posing as The Juarez Kid
The Gun Ranger Hanby - Outspoken Juror Uncredited
Rio Grande Ranger Ranger Hal Garrick
1937 Two Gun Law Cattle Buyer Uncredited
Law of the Ranger Wally Hood
Rootin' Tootin' Rhythm Buffalo Brady
The Painted Stallion Jim Bowie
One Man Justice Neal King
The Rangers Step In Breck Warren
Heart of the Rockies Captain Brady - Blackstone Park
Trapped by G-Men Federal Agent
The Trigger Trio Henchman Luke
Wells Fargo Minor Role Uncredited
1938 The Lone Ranger Bob Stuart
Stagecoach Days Milt Dodds
The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok Townsman talking to Boys Uncredited
Pioneer Trail Henchman Smokey
South of Arizona Murdered Ranger Frank Madison Uncredited
Phantom Gold Dan
Black Bandit Weepy
Crime Takes a Holiday Farrell Uncredited
Guilty Trails Sundown Ansel
Prairie Justice Alfalfa
Rio Grande Bart Andrews Uncredited
1939 The Thundering West Frank Kendall
Frontiers of '49 Kit
North of the Yukon Henchman Uncredited
Man of Conquest Tennessean Uncredited
Western Caravans Joel Winters
Overland with Kit Carson Jim Stewart
Riders of the Frontier Henchman Buck
Fugitive at Large Truck Guard Uncredited
Daughter of the Tong FBI Agent Lawson
Outpost of the Mounties Evans
The Story of Charles Goodyear Baker Short
Saga of Death Valley Henchman Rex
The Stranger from Texas Clay Billings
Two-Fisted Rangers Sheriff Jim Hanley
Zorro's Fighting Legion Dungeon Thug Uncredited
1940 Bullets for Rustlers Eb Smith
Pioneers of the West Jed Clark
Dark Command Angry Townsman in Bank Uncredited
The Man with Nine Lives Sheriff Ed Stanton
Adventures of Red Ryder Cherokee Sims
The Carson City Kid Rick Harmon
Colorado Weaver
Cherokee Strip Ben Blivens
Young Bill Hickok Morrell
Texas Terrors John Millbourne Uncredited
The Border Legion Sheriff Amos Link
Hi-Yo Silver Bob Stuart (archive footage)
1941 Along the Rio Grande Sweetwater Sheriff
The Great Train Robbery Pierce
In Old Cheyenne Henchman Pete
Border Vigilantes Henchman Big Ed Stone
Sheriff of Tombstone A.J. Slade
Law of the Range Tim O'Brien
Under Fiesta Stars Smoky - Rodeo Announcer Uncredited
Bad Man of Deadwood Henchman Ripper
Riders of the Timberline Ed Petrie
Roaring Frontiers Link Twiddle
Jesse James at Bay Paul Sloan, Lawyer
Red River Valley Murdock
1942 Bullets for Bandits Croupier Uncredited
Romance on the Range Sheriff Wilson
Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die Dick Mason
Sons of the Pioneers Henchman Matt
King of the Mounties Ed Johnson Serial, (Ch. 6), Uncredited
Little Joe, the Wrangler Ben Travis
Heart of the Golden West Henchman Drake Uncredited
American Empire Malone
Ridin' Down the Canyon Henchman Pete
1943 Idaho Bud (Belle's henchman)
Hoppy Serves a Writ Henchman Greg Jordan
It's a Great Life Master of the Hounds Uncredited
The Leather Burners Telegrapher Lafe
Song of Texas Henchman
Colt Comrades Murder Freight Agent Uncredited
Frontier Law Frank Rodgers
Silver Spurs Steve Corlan
The Man from Music Mountain Henchman Slade
Cowboy in the Clouds Haldey
The Woman of the Town Wagner
1944 The Fighting Seabees Lt. Commander. Hood Uncredited
Lumberjack Henchman Taggart
Cowboy and the Senorita Matt Ferguson
Forty Thieves Jess Clanton
The Yellow Rose of Texas Ferguson
Atlantic City Businessman Uncredited
Haunted Harbor Lawson Serial, [Ch. 1, 6-7]
Vigilantes of Dodge City Walter Bishop
Zorro's Black Whip Henchman Baxter
1945 Utah Steve Lacy
Springtime in Texas Henchman Red Higgins
Federal Operator 99 Matt Farrell
The Cheaters Jim McDonald Uncredited
Fallen Angel Gus Johnson - Police Officer Uncredited
San Antonio Cowboy Uncredited
1946 The Scarlet Horseman Henchman Uncredited
The Phantom Rider Nugget
Miss Susie Slagle's Doctor Uncredited
In Old Sacramento Doctor Uncredited
Heading West Jim Mallory Uncredited
Plainsman and the Lady Pete
1947 Ramrod Jess More
Heaven Only Knows One of Byron's Gunmen Uncredited
1948 West of Sonora Sandy Clinton Uncredited
The Gallant Legion Billy Smith
Red River Old Leather
Blood on the Moon Cowboy Uncredited
1949 Brimstone Dave Watts
1950 Colt .45 Stagecoach Guard Uncredited
The Savage Horde Sergeant Gowdy
California Passage Buck Hanley Uncredited
1951 The Sea Hornet Bone
1952 Junction City Sandy Clinton
1964 Law of the Lawless Uncredited

References

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  1. ^ Huey, William R. (1985). In Search of Hollywood, Wyoming, 1894-The Silent Years-1921. William R. Huey.
  2. ^ U.S. Census, 1900, Rosebud County, Montana
  3. ^ a b c d University of Wyoming Archive Catalog description, Wally Wales Papers
  4. ^ Anderson, Chuck, The Old Corral, http://www.b-westerns.com/wales1.htm
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