De Yong, Joe, 1894-

Joe De Yong was a western movie extra, a cowboy artist, protégé of Charles Marion Russell (Montana's cowboy artist), and an historical consultant on western films.

From the description of Joe De Yong letter, 1972. (National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum). WorldCat record id: 61257693

Richard "Dick" Jean Flood, the son of Richard Flood and Jeannette St. Jean, was born on April 18, 1942 in Anaconda, Montana. In the 1940s Flood developed an interest in western art, Charles M. Russell and the history of Montana. Working as a salesman for the Montana Leather Co., Flood spent his evenings meeting with and procuring documents from past associates of Russell. Joe De Yong was chief among them and became a close personal friend. Flood married Geraldine Colan of Idaho Falls, Idaho on June 21, 1942. They had two sons, Richard J. Flood, III and Daro M. Flood. As their friendship strengthened, Flood and De Yong developed a financial relationship. As De Yong needed money for his and his mother, Mary's needs, he would sell items to Flood. When De Yong collected items from his friends, Flood would give him a finder's fee for the items. Flood died on September 6, 1993. Born in Webster Grove, Missouri on March 12, 1894, Joe De Yong would become a western movie extra, a cowboy artist, protege of Charles Marion Russell (Montana's cowboy artist), and an historical consultant on western films. In 1913 he joined Tom Mix as a supporting cast of real cowhands in a Selig Motion Picture Company project in Prescott, Arizona where De Yong contracted cerebro-meningitis which left him permanently deaf. Renewing his interest in drawing, he visited Russell in his Great Falls, Montana studio in July 1914. By 1916 he began working in Russell's studio in a teacher-student relationship which lasted until Russell's death in 1926. De Yong moved to Santa Barbara, California to learn bronze casting from Ed Borein. He renewed his friendships with Will Rogers and Tom Mix and befriended western actor, William S. Hart. In 1936 he met Cecille B. DeMille and served as costume designer and frontiersman/Indian expert on the movie, The Plainsman, starring Gary Cooper. Moving to Hollywood during World War II, he continued in the motion picture industry as scenario research consultant through 1967. De Yong died in Los Angeles, California in April 1975.

From the description of Joe De Yong / Richard J. Flood collection, circa 1860-1975 (bulk 1910-1940). (National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum). WorldCat record id: 58795208

Joe De Yong was a western movie extra, a cowboy artist, protÈgÈ of Charles Marion Russell (Montana's cowboy artist), and an historical consultant on western films.

From the description of Joe De Yong letters, 1973. (National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum). WorldCat record id: 61257692