Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Paperback 547: Tales of Wells Fargo / Frank Gruber (Bantam 1726)

Paperback 547: Bantam 1726 (1st ptg, 1958)

Title: Tales of Wells Fargo
Author: Frank Gruber
Cover artist: Uncredited

Yours for: $7
Bant1726.WellsFargo
Best things about this cover:
  • It's so generic that the only thing I can get at all excited about is the adjective "bullion-laden."
  • I do like the little B&W ticker at the bottom. I just wish it was animated and came w/ olde timey music, like a player piano or something.
  • Oooh, Dale Robertson. He's .... who is he?
  • "Tales of Wells Fargo" sounds like the testimonials page at their bank website: "The tellers were super-friendly..."

Bant1726bc.WellsFarg

Best things about this back cover:
  • Oooh, Dale Robertson. He's ... nope, nothing. Looks like Generic McWhiteGuy.
  • "Maybe some sweat in their arm-pits" FTW!!!! Now that's vivid! I can almost smell Dale Robertson.
  • Flint-eyed ... rock-jawed ... smashing their eyes and jaws together to start fires. Truly fearsome.

Page 23~
"Item number 3," the auctioneer went on. "This old suitcase. But who can say what treasure might lie inside? I admit it looks ancient and worn, yet this humble and modest exterior could be deceiving. Ladies and gentlemen, I beg you not to disappoint me with paltry bids that insult not only man's intelligence but his imagination. Bid up this time, bid high. Live recklessly." 

Well, someone can say. You could just unzip it and look inside and then ... oh, I'm missing the point? All right then.

~RP

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9 comments:

D.A. Trappert said...

Why are you so insulting to Dale Robertson? You actually never heard of an actor who won an Academy Award? And played JFK?

Rex Parker said...

Yes, I have actually never heard of him. That is correct. This paperback is the first time I've ever seen his name / face.

Rex Parker said...

Academy Award???? Are you thinking of CLIFF Robertson?

Anonymous said...

Cliff Robertson played JFK in "PT 109." Dale Robertson seems to be almost forgotten today, but he was very popular in the late 1950's as the star of "Tales of Wells Fargo." He also made "B" Western movies, and starred in another TV Western series, "The Iron Horse" in the mid 1960's. He played FBI agent Melvin Purvis in two made-for-TV movies in the 1970's. He was also a semi-regular in the first season of "Dynasty."

Anonymous said...

What, are you stupid or something? Didn't know Dale Robertson? She was both famous on her own, and married to Roy Rogers, with whom she was hugely famous, for over 51 years?

Anonymous said...

Dude, Dale Evans was never named Robertson in any of her marriages, so quit slinging names.

Deb said...

So, they had "Storage Auctions: Western Edition" even back then?

Titus Groan said...

Chip and Dale Robertson were famous in many Disney cartoons.

Keir said...

What an entertaining set of comments!
I actually researched the man and found this:
"After parachuting into Africa, Steve Austin is rescued by a couple of nuns. One of the nuns, Sister Annette, states that she is President of the Dale Robertson Fan Club and discusses Tales of Wells Fargo. She states that Robertson speaks Flemish. Robertson appeared at the end of the episode in a cameo as himself."