Whether this was the gentleman who knocked out Scotty Chapman in
Medicine Hat in 1920 is unknown, but he was most definitely a cowboy
movie star, who was usually known as Art Mix in silent B Westerns.
His career declined to minor supporting roles, mostly as a henchman or
gang member. He initially and briefly starred as a range hero in "West
of the Rockies" (1929), Sagebrush Politics (1930), and The Rawhide Terror
(1934). There was legal trouble over the use of the name "Art Mix" with
film creator Victor Adamson, aka Denver Dixon (aka Art Mix), but George
won out and continued to use the name for the rest of his life. He
possibly appeared in 175 sound era films, 80% of them westerns.
He was born June 18, 1896 in Illinois, and died December 7, 1972.
Genealogy data for the Kestersons show that he did, indeed, live
in Alberta for a time, and this would justify the boxing connection.
"George was born in Pike County Illinois, on the 18th of June 1896, the
second child, and the first son, of George Washington Kesterson (Sr) and
Nancy Helen Manker, who were married in Pike County IL, 9 April 1891. The
elder George was the son of Jeremiah Jefferson Kesterson and Nancy Jane
Parker, who were married 2 February 1860 also in Pike County IL. Jeremiah
was born 15 July 1840 in Caldwell County KY, the son of Peter Kesterson and
Betsy Cherry. Peter migrated from Caldwell County KY to Pike County IL
before 1850 and remained there until his death in 1864. Peter was the son of
George Kesterson and Lettice Baker, who settled in Caldwell County KY
around 1800. Prior to that the family lived in Greene County TN and are
descendants of Thomas Kesterson of Northumberland County VA."
"Although born in Illinois, George also lived in Canada from
around the age of 16. Around 1912 George's father bought a horse ranch
in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. Living on a horse ranch certainly gave
George the first hand knowledge and expreience to ride a horse and learn
the "cowboy" ways. Its not exactly known when, or even "if" George SR
left Canada, but we do know that George's mother Nancy (Manker) Kesterson
died in Orange County California 14 June 1942. We're still looking for
the place and time of death for George Sr. Our Cowboy, George (Art) was
definitely back in the states by the late 1920's as he launched his film
career by 1928. According to some of the writings I've seen, he also
worked in a circus and even tried boxing before he started acting."
--by Frances Lorraine (Kesterson) Zazulak, daughter of George Kesterson
Note the boxing reference. This clinches the connection to the
misspelling of his name in the 1920 boxing match.
He appeared in one movie with John Wayne, called Sagebrush Trail (1933).
