Smiley Burnette
American country music performer and comedic actor (1911-1967) · United States · On the map · Actors · Died at 55
Lester Alvin Burnett, better known as Smiley Burnette, was an American country music performer and a comedic actor in Western films and on radio and TV, playing sidekick to Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and other B-movie cowboys.
Smiley Burnette is read about 136 times a day, in 15 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 19 September 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 60 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?A life in dates
Green AcresSeries, Charley Pratt1963
Petticoat JunctionSeries, Charley Pratt1953
On Top of Old SmokyFilm, Smiley1952
The Hawk of Wild RiverFilm, Smiley Burnette1951
Bonanza TownFilm, Smiley Burnette1950
Trail of the RustlersFilm, Smiley Burnette1948
Blazing Across the PecosFilm, Marshal Smiley Burnette1943
IdahoFilm, Frog Millhouse1942
Heart of the Golden WestFilm, Frog1941
Ridin' on a RainbowFilm, Frog1940
Radio RanchFilm, Oscar (archive footage)1939
In Old MontereyFilm, Frog1937
Dick TracyFilm, Mike McGurk1936
Hearts in BondageFilm, Rammer1935
Harmony LaneFilm, Singer (uncredited)1934
In Old Santa FeFilm, Accordionist-Singer (uncredited)1911Born18 March 1911People around Smiley
Close ties
Gene Autry Produced Rhythm of the Saddle and Carolina Moon
B. Reeves Eason Directed The Adventures of Rex and Rinty (1935)
George Sherman Directed Rhythm of the Saddle (1938)- Harry Grey Produced Ridin' on a Rainbow (1941)
Betty Burbridge Directed Springtime in the Rockies (1937)
Joseph Kane Directed Under Western Stars and Oh, Susanna!
June Storey Also in Blue Montana Skies and Colorado Sunset
William Berke Produced A Man Betrayed and South of the Border
Mack V. Wright Directed The Big Show and Rootin' Tootin' Rhythm
Sol C. Siegel Produced Under Western Stars (1938)
Frank McDonald Directed Carolina Moon and Gaucho Serenade
Oliver Drake Wrote Public Cowboy No. 1 and Boots and Saddles- Nat Levine Produced The Big Show (1936)
- Raoul Kraushaar Wrote Ridin' on a Rainbow and Call of the Canyon
Fay McKenzie Also in Down Mexico Way and Sierra Sue- Lesley Selander Directed Bordertown Trail (1944)
- Lew Landers Directed Ridin' on a Rainbow (1941)
Roy Rogers Also in Under Western Stars and The Big Show- Armand Schaefer Produced Git Along Little Dogies (1937)
- Ralph Staub Directed Prairie Moon and Western Jamboree
Kay Hughes Also in A Man Betrayed and Ride Ranger Ride
Joseph Santley Directed Call of the Canyon and Down Mexico Way- Fred F. Sears Directed Smoky Canyon and The Hawk of Wild River
Ann Rutherford Also in Melody Trail and The Singing Vagabond
Also in Deutsch
Filmography 40
155 credits on file
Television 3
Media & music
Awards
About this person
He was also a prolific singer-songwriter who is reported to have played proficiently over 100 musical instruments, sometimes more than one simultaneously. His career, beginning in 1934, spanned four decades, including a regular role on CBS-TV's Petticoat Junction in the 1960s.
