▁do ▁there ▁was ▁scratch ▁together ▁a ▁small ▁band ▁and ▁play ▁at ▁a ▁winter ▁resort ▁du de ▁ran ch . ▁After ▁four ▁years ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁with ▁the ▁Texas ▁V au dev ille ▁and ▁local ▁rode o ▁shows . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁he ▁got ▁a ▁job ▁as ▁a ▁replacement ▁guitar ist ▁with ▁the ▁Stars ▁Over ▁Texas ▁Bond ▁Drive ▁joining ▁several ▁Republic ▁Pictures ▁cele brit ies ▁and ▁staff . ▁ ▁This ▁introduced ▁him ▁to ▁western ▁stars ▁like ▁Ch ill ▁Will s ▁and ▁convinced ▁Phil ▁Is ley ▁to ▁recommended ▁him ▁to ▁Herbert ▁Y ates , ▁head ▁of ▁Republic ▁Pictures . ▁Y ates ▁agreed ▁to ▁" test " ▁him ▁but ▁he ▁must ▁fund ▁his ▁own ▁trip . ▁Some ▁friends ▁gave ▁him ▁$ 2 0 0 ▁and ▁he ▁fle w ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁and ▁he ▁signed ▁with ▁the ▁company ▁for ▁seven ▁years ▁and ▁changed ▁his ▁name ▁from ▁Bur en ▁E ly ▁to ▁" Mon te ▁H ale ". ▁He ▁soon ▁star red ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁major ▁role ▁in ▁Home ▁on ▁the ▁Range . ▁He ▁appeared ▁in ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁western s ▁fil med ▁in ▁color ▁and ▁was ▁given ▁use ▁of ▁Roy ▁Rog ers ' ▁musical ▁side k icks , ▁the ▁" S ons ▁of ▁the ▁P ione ers " ▁for ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁mov ies . ▁He ▁was ▁often ▁cast ▁as ▁a ▁young ▁cow boy ▁with ▁came os ▁by ▁Don ▁Barry , ▁Allen ▁Lane ▁and ▁Roy ▁Rog ers ▁and ▁D ale ▁Evans . ▁H ale ▁then ▁played