This is a movie poster of "Gunsmoke Mesa," one of the Texas Rangers movies that featured East Texan Guy Wilkerson (seen on the far left in upper right corner image). 

Guy Wilkerson, a native of Whitewright, played Texas Ranger Panhandle Perkins in 22 movies  in the early 1940s.

The series followed three Texas Rangers as they established law and order and fought the bad guys of the wild West. Fellow East Texan Tex Ritter was featured in eight of the Texas Rangers films. 

 “Bad Men of Thunder Gap,” one of the films in the series, was released on this date in 1943. He also was in three other films released on this date:  “Lawman” (1960), “The Walking Hills” (1949); and “The Pride of the Yankees” (1943) starring Gary Cooper.

 In The Spotlight

— 2018: Longview native Forest Whitaker is a guest on “Today.”

— 2012: Lindale native Miranda Lambert is a guest mentor on “The Voice.”

— 2012: Longview native Rodney Carrington hosts the TV special “CMT’s Biggest Laughs”

— 2012: Carthage native Derek Wayne Johnson has a guest role on “Disappeared.”

— 2011: Jacksonville native Lee Ann Womack appears on “Backstory: Reba McEntire.”

— 2011:  Lindale native Miranda Lambert appears on “CMT Insider.”

— 2007: Mitchel Musso, who grew up in Rockwall, is featured on “Disney 365.”

— 2000: Ellen DeGgeneres, who grew up in Atlanta, stars in the HBO movie “If These Walls Could Talk 2.”

— 1996: Terrell native Jamie Foxx appears in a guest role on “Moesha.”

— 1995: Quitman native Sissy Spacek stars in the TV movie “The Good Old Boys.”

— 1995: At the People’s Choice Awards, Ellen DeGeneres, who grew up in Atlanta, wins Favorite Female Performer in a New TV Series (“Ellen”). 

— 1988: Classical pianist Van Cliburn, who grew up in Kilgore, appears on “America’s Tribute to Bob Hope.”

— 1988:  “Look What You Started,” a song by The Temptations, featuring Texarkana native Otis Williams,  peaks at No. 8 on the Billboard R&B singles chart.

— 1982: Honey Grove native Bill Erwin is seen in an episode of “Dallas.”

— 1973: Groesbeck native Joe Don Baker has a guest role on “Doc Elliot.”

— 1971: Groesbeck native Joe Don Baker has a guest role on “The High Chaparral.”

— 1970: Archie Bell & The Drells, a vocal group led by Henderson native Archie Bell, appear on the TV series “Soul!”

— 1927: Texarkana native Corinne Griffith stars in the silent movie “Three Hours.”

— 1921: Corsicana native Jacqueline Logan stars in “A Perfect Crime.”