Actor Known as 'Texas Bruce' Passes Away

By Mike Bush

KSDK-For kids growing up in the 1950's and '60's, he was must see tv.

"Every afternoon we used to come home from school and we could not wait for Texas Bruce to come on," said former Wrangler Bob Clark.

Born and raised in Wagon Mound, New Mexico, Harry Gibbs was St. Louis's "Texas Bruce". "Texas Bruce and the Wrangler Club aired on KSD-TV for 13 years.

"What we did was take western movies and make a serial out of them, you know, like used to be on Saturday," he recalled in 2007. "We'd start out with a chapter on Monday and finish it out on friday."

What started out as a vehicle to fill the new medium called television quickly became a hit with the kids.

"I was on the show when I was probably 6 or 7 and I was the birthday boy. As a kid youre so small, he seemed like he was 10 feet tall, " said Clark.

Gibbs, his horse "Trusty" and his sidekick "Dry Gultch" became favorites in the community There wasn't a parade or picnic they didn't attend.

"Without being out in the community and doing it what was going on in the studio just didn't make sense, "said Gibbs in 2007. When the show ended in 1963, Gibbs continued to work in radio, TV and films. In 1999, he was in the movie "Ride with the Devil" alongside the future "Spiderman", Toby Maguire.

Around here though, he'll always be remembered as the legendary "Texas Bruce" and the way he signed off every program.

"Hasta la vista vaqueros. I'll be seeing you wranglers!"

Gibbs died Friday morning as a result of complications due to a brain infection. He was 91-years-old.

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