Tom Mix, the first "King of Cowboys" and the actor who defined the clean-cut cowboy image and who always "saved the day," was buried next to his horse, Cement, at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery nearly 70 years ago.
Tom Mix was born January 6,1880 and was the inspiration for the movie careers of both Ronald Reagan and John Wayne who were youngsters when Mix made more than 160 cowboy films throughout the 1920's. His intelligent and handsome horse Cement was a part of his image and used by Mix as a chick magnet. In later years Tom Mix became jealous of his well-hung steed and suffered from terminal penis envy because the chicks were more enamored of Cement than his rider. Because of this, Mix ceased riding his horse into saloons and tended to become reclusive.
For his contribution to he motion pictures industry, Tom Mix has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cement's hoof print can be seen at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
Tom Mix died October 12, 1940 in a fluke accident, being hit in the back of the head by an alluminum suitcase while braking his car to avoid going through a traffic barrier
