The Ozark, Missouri, area to our north in Christian County was home to many farming families. But for the Weaver Brothers, Leon and Frank, they would turn their musical and acting abilities into a product that not only got them out of farm work, but would bring them an incredible career in the national spotlight.
Leon Weaver was born near Ozark on August 12, 1882. Urged by his parents to make use of homemade musical instruments, Leon was determined at a young age that he wanted to be a professional entertainer.
Younger brother Frank Weaver was born February 2, 1891 near Ozark, and while growing up had the desire to follow in his brother's steps. Very soon, the two were showing their natural music and comedy abilities in multiple gigs in traveling medicine shows. Leon was 19 when he joined Dr. A.B. Christy's Traveling Medicine Show. Frank would join the act later. The bothers could play anything with strings, while Leon was one of the first professional saw players to see national recognition.
In 1914 Leon married June Petrie, a native of Chicago who grew up in Springfield. By the 1920s, June would join the brothers in their act, Leon going by the character name of "Abner," Frank was known as "Cicero," and June rounding out the trio as "Elviry." With her talents, she appeared onstage as the boss, always in charge. June was an accomplished musician playing piano and other stringed instruments.
During the 1920s the Weaver Brothers and Elviry act really took off, as they performed in front of large audiences. In 1923 Leon and June divorced, but in 1925, she would marry Frank! They all got along very well as awkward as this sounds! This marriage lasted until Frank's death in 1967.
By the 1930s, the group was now based in Chicago, and they had formed their own vaudeville act, which featured some twenty members. Known as the Arkansas Travelers, their troupe featured quite a collection of Ozarks-based traditional music with homemade instruments that were really playable and their popularity kept them extremely busy. They would embark on a lengthy tour overseas, which took them to the London Hippodrome for a six-week run, as well as appearances in Denmark, France and Sweden. It was during this trip when the troupe performed in front of the Queen of England.
Soon, the Weaver Brothers and Elviry became members of WSM's Grand Ole Opry. In the late 1930s the motion picture industry expressed interest and soon they were in Hollywood. The trio appeared in a Warner Brothers film starring Humphrey Bogart, "Swing Your Lady," released January 8, 1938. Bogart would go on to say that it was the worst film of his career! He couldn't believe that Warner Brothers had billed him below a group of hillbillies! Bailed out by Republic Pictures in 1938, the trio saw major success making eleven films over the next five years. These films were musical comedies with plenty of song and dance routines. The Weaver Brothers and Elviry had hit the big time!
The critics didn't feel very strong with the trio's hillbilly image on film, but many of the rural based fans enjoyed their homespun humor and musical abilities. Their films were quite successful and made Republic Pictures quite a bit of money. Roy Rogers would make a guest appearance in their 1939 "Jeepers Creepers" release. "Mountain Rhythm" would be their final film together in 1943.
Feeling the need to be back in front of live audiences, the Weaver Brothers and Elviry said goodbye to Hollywood and within a few years retired their act. Leon came home to Springfield, Missouri, in 1943. He would manage a Springfield movie theater that specialized in showing Westerns, and he would later return to Los Angeles to assist Gene Autry in a couple of films. Leon appeared in Autry's "Loaded Pistols" in 1948 as well as "Riders of the Whistling Pines" in 1949 where he played his "Abner Weaver" character and played bass in the musical scenes. Unfortunately, Leon would pass away a year later from a heart attack on May 27, 1950.
Frank and June would remain in California, enjoying their retirement years. Frank would pass away in Ventura County on October 29, 1967. June would spend her final years in Bakersfield, California and would pass away there on November 27, 1977.
I find it quite impressive that this talented trio at the height of their careers often shared billing with some of the greatest comics in the business such as Jack Benny and even George Burns and Gracie Allen. The trio at the time was earning $5,000 a week! June Weaver's talents as a performer were iconic, and back in the day she was without a doubt the best straight-faced comedienne in show business. Many of the great ladies in the industry were inspired by her talents and expressions, Marjorie Main (Ma Kettle) as well as Margart Hamilton (The Wicked Witch of the West).
I'm sure you will want to watch the tricks and talents of this incredible trio. I'm here to tell you it will require some hunting. None of their film footage is available on YouTube, although my friend Tom Peters has an excellent historical discussion on them produced in 2019. At eBay, you will find maybe a couple of their films available for sale from various collectors. As popular as they were, I'm blown away that their films are not commercially available.
While researching and gathering the facts for this piece I found out that the Weavers owned property in Taney County for a time, the Cedar Point Lodge in Forsyth. If anyone out there has any details on that, holler at me! Happy trails, everyone!
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