Art Acord

Born: Arthemus Ward Acord, April 17, 1890 Stillwater, Oklahoma.  Died: January 4, 1931 Chihuahua, Mexico.

It was a sleazy rundown hotel in Chihuahua, Mexico.  The New Year was only four days old.  The maid comes to the door.  She knocks several times.  She does not hear the “gringo”.  She thinks now is a good time to clean the room.  She takes out her master key and opens the door.  She finds the dead body of the famed Hollywood Western actor, Art Acord.

The autopsy found his body containing high levels of cyanide poisoning.  Local law-enforcement officials rule the death a suicide.  However, his friends believed that if you wanted to commit suicide, you would not swallow the huge amount of cyanide the autopsy found.  They believe local gambler syndicate murdered him.  In Mexico, he amassed a great gambling debt.  The dead corpse, lying on the bed on the cheap hotel room, was one of Hollywood’s earliest Western movie stars.

A real cowboy, Art Acord showed his horseback-riding prowess, at an early age.  The teenager began his cowboy life as a ranch hand.  However, the glamour of rodeos captured his attention.

He competed in Western rodeos and won many trophies and cash prizes.  Art performed as an all-around cowboy in bronco busting, calf roping and bulldogging events.  During this time, he rode the famous rodeo wild bronc “Cyclone.”  This won him instant Western fame.  Rodeo cowboys proclaimed “Cyclone” the toughest bronco in the business.

Dick Stanley and Bud Atkinson operated a Wild West Show in the early 1900’s.  In 1909, they hired Art to perform in their Wild West Show.  The show toured America.  They finally arrived at the then movie capitol of the world...New York City.  After Thomas Edison inventory moving pictures, the film industry started in metro New York.

Adam Kessel started one of those early film studios called The Bison Film Company.  He hired Art as a stuntman and as a bit-player for his early one-reel Westerns. However, it was not long before Art tired of moving making.  He accepted an offer to perform with the “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s Wild West Show.  The show toured America, Canada and Europe.

In July 1913, Art Acord competed in the Salt Lake City, Utah rodeo.  He married actress Edythe Sterling during the rodeo.  Touring across America in Wild West Shows and performing in rodeos, put pressures on a young couple.  The following year, he returned to motion pictures.  The Mutual Film Corporation hired Art to star in two-reel Westerns under the name of Buck Parvin.  He also starred in string of horse operas for the American Film Company.  He quickly rose to fame as a top-notch Western performer.

However, his marriage to Edythe Sterling ended in divorce by 1916.  The divorce shattered Art.  America entered World War I.  To take his mind off his divorce, he joined the U.S. Army.  After basic training, the Army sent his unit to France.  Released in 1919, he toured the U.S. and Australia with the Stanley-Atkinson Wild West Show.

He made a screen comeback with Universal Studios.  They gave him the lead role his first serial, The Moon Riders.  The movie became a big hit.  Art signed a contract with Universal to star in five more chapter-plays.  In addition, he acted in their three and five-reel features.  Universal filmed a series of five-reel films known as the “Blue Streak” series.  Movie experts considered them among the best little Westerners made during the 1920’s.  The movies contained plenty of trick riding and fancy stunts by Art.

By 1924, Universal Pictures 3 leading cowboy stars were Harry Carey, Hoot Gibson and Art Acord.  The three stars made a fortune for their studio and for themselves.  It was a time movie executives considered Westerns box office poison.

Three years later, sound movies arrived.  Studio executives told Art his voice was unsuitable.  He even offered his services to the cheaper independent companies.  Even they turned him down.

Finally, his heavy drinking affected his film career.  It was a time when America prohibited alcohol.  Art left Hollywood and became involved in illegal bootlegging.  The law booked him and he served a short jail term.  On his release, he arranged an act and in 1930, moved to Mexico.  At 41 years old, Art Acord’s life was over.