By Tom Stewart
Famous Oklahomans are as common in this Indian Territory as the state bird, the scissortailed fly catcher. To a person born and raised in Oklahoma or perhaps a multigenerational Oklahoman, famous people are so common that in some cases they are overlooked or just simply accepted as kin folks or neighbors. However, to newcomers, it may seem as if there is some force that brings them into the state.
It seems the film and music industry are becoming one of the state’s natural resources. A few popular films and shows will most commonly bring a famous Oklahoman to mind. This month of August brings some common movies and shows like The Love Boat and My Three Sons to many native Oklahomans’ minds.
This month’s famous Oklahoman is well known. Vera June Miles (birth name, Vera June Ralston) was born on August 23, 1930. Miles was born in the Oklahoma Panhandle in a little place called Boise City. Miles was born just before the “Dust Bowl”, a term as defining as any nickname for this great place called Oklahoma.
Boise City is a town that had rather seedy origins including its namesake where some accounts suggest that Captain Boice, a hero in the Civil War, or the namesake town in Idaho, or simply the Boise Cattle Company who ran cattle in the area at the time. Ken Burns’ documentary, “The Dust Bowl’ seems to sum up or at least make a strong presentation of the area and the twist and turns of the era and area.
Miles’birthplacemayhave anchored the stage for her fantastic career and been a testament for her extraordinary performances. A career that seemed to be success from the beginning must include a famous hard-hitting film or two and for Miles this certainly was the case. Two westerns by John Ford starring John Wayne proved to be perfect for Miles and a setting that her True West origin seemed to compliment.
ThefamousfilmswereThe Searchers,andTheManWho Shot Liberty, whose titles are enough explanation for any movie buff to get the gist of Miles’ perfect fit. These two films are extremely familiar western films but perhaps her most famous roll would become an Alfred Hitchcock thriller film, Psycho, and Psycho II where she played the character Lila Crane.
Miles appeared in an array of films and shows that most readers will recognize includingMurderSheWrote, Hawaii Five-O, Fantasy Island, Columbo, The Streets of San Francisco, Riverboat, My Three Sons, Gunsmoke, Laramie, Wagon Train, The Twilight Zone, Tarzans Hidden Jungle and a long list of others.
Miles seemed to also have a colorful eclectic personal life that her acting parts, at least at times, seemed to reflect. Married four times in a time that housed a generation that tended to look down on multiple marriages, Miles seemed to elegantly kept her fame and position in her career. Perhaps part of the acceptance of her multiple marriages was in part due to the fact that three of her husbands were also actors and stuntmen.
Miles had other interests off stage including her great involvement in Boy Scouts of Americaandhermembership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Miles’ interest did not stop at these organizations as she was also involved in the politics surrounding her and even supported the re-election of President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
This Famous Oklahoman certainly left her mark on the world. Miles joined some of the greatest in film and became one of them herself. Her accolades included being crowned Miss Texas in 1948 and third runner-up in the Miss America contest going to Hollywood just after that.