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.
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
Born Floyd Taliaferro Alderson in 1895 in Sheridan, Wyoming,U.S. Census, 1900, Rosebud County, Montana he was raised on his family's ranch, near Birney in Rosebud County, Montana.University of Wyoming Archive Catalog description, Wally Wales PapersAnderson, Chuck, The Old Corral.
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.
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.
He died in a Sheridan, Wyoming nursing home from complications of a stroke and pneumonia in 1980, at age 84. In 2004 the Bones Brothers Ranch was listed on the National Register of Historical Places (NRHP).
Filmography
YearTitleRoleNotes 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
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