Manuscript Group 443 TOM MIX COLLECTION 1980-1993
1.5 cubic feet
Tom Mix was born in Cameron County, Pennsylvania and became a film and radio star of the 1920s and 1930s. Known as Hollywood's first "King of the Cowboys," he was the first American celebrity to have his own traveling circus. A hero to children across America, Mix not only became known through his appearance on film, but on cereal boxes as well. Tom Mix items were among the first to be offered as box-top premiums by Ralston-Purina. Tom Mix was killed in an automobile accident near Florence, Arizona, on October 12, 1940.
Dr. Richard F. Seiverling, a fan of Tom Mix and a collector of Mix memorabilia for more than sixty years, exhibited his collection throughout the United States, representing Mix's successful career as an American and an international star. In 1994, materials from his collection were on exhibit at the Hershey Museum of American Life as "Tom Mix: Larger Than Life Cowboy." His silent movie, "The Great K and A Train Robbery"(1925) was also presented. Seiverling is the founder and chairman of the International Tom Mix Festival which began in Mix's hometown of DuBois, Pa. The success of these annual festivals show the continuing interest in Tom Mix among his loyal fans and the succeeding generations. Richard Seiverling is the author of Tom Mix: Portrait of a Superstar. In 1994, Seiverling donated a large portion of his collection to the State Museum and State Archives.
The Tom Mix Collection located at the Archives includes:
