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The Side-kicks.
The side-kicks, whom we've all seen thousands of times in movies, but never knew their names, and were always causing problems or were in need of help. Hopalong Cassidy had eleven side-kicks throughout the years of filming the Hoppy movies, they were as follows; Jimmy Ellison as Johnny Nelson, George "Gabby" Hayes as Windy Halliday, Russell Hayden as Lucky Jenkins, Britt Wood as Speedy McGinnis, Andy Clyde as California Carlson, Brad King as Johnny Nelson, Jay Kirby as Johnny Travers, George Reeves as Lin Bradley, Jimmy Rogers as Jimmy Rogers, who was the son of the famous Will Rogers.
In the 1/2 hour TV series, there were two side-kicks, these were Rand Brooks as Lucky Jenkins, and Edgar Buchanan as Red Connors.
So far, I only have information on just three of these side-kicks, but will be adding the rest as I find information on them. 
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Andy Clyde 1892 - 1967
Andy Clyde was born in Scotland, and during the 1920s, was part of the comedy stable at Mack Sennett's studio. In the 1930s, he made a bunch of two-reel shorts for Columbia. His best remembered role to western fans is that of 'California Carlson', the saddle pal to Hopalong Cassidy. Clyde was also the sidekick to Whip Wilson, and was a regular cast member of early TV shows LASSIE and that contankerous nieghbor and favorite opponent in "checkers" of Grandpa McCoy, on the Real McCOY's. "Checkers anyone"!
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George "Lin Bradley" Reeves
January 5th, 1914 - June 16th, 1959
George Keefer Brewer was born on January 5, 1914 in Woolstock, Iowa to Helen Lescher and Don Brewer. After the Brewers divorced, George was left without a father. In his youth, he began what he hoped would be a career in boxing, while also doing parts in community theatre. The roles kept coming, then came his big break, a small role in what would be one of the biggest films in the biggest year film has ever known; Gone With The Wind. In 1939, just before George filmed his role as Stuart Tarlton in Gone With The Wind, his name was changed to Reeves.
He played a couple of characters in the Hoppy series of films, as Hoppy's sidekick, Lin Bradley, and in the 1943 Hoppy film, Hoppy Serves a Writ, with Reeves playing the role of Steve Jordan.
George Reeves, who had made his movie debut in Gone With the Wind, became so typecast by his TV Superman role that he could not get other work.
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George Francis Hayes 1885 - 1969
George Hayes was born in Wellsville, New York on May 7, 1885, and during his teen years, he joined some traveling shows. Burlesque and vaudeville work followed. He married Olive Dorothy Ireland in 1914, and the two would be together for over forty years, until her death in 1956. Gabby and Olive had no children.
His first major role was portraying 'Windy Haliday', the sidekick to Hopalong Cassidy at Paramount. This took a while to happen and Hayes played some different characters in the initial four Hoppy films he was 'Uncle Ben' in HOPALONG CASSIDY Paramount, 1935; 'Spike' in THE EAGLES BROOD Paramount, 1935; 'Windy' in BAR 20 RIDES AGAIN Paramount, 1935; and 'Shanghai' in CALL OF THE PRAIRIE Paramount, 1936.
THREE ON THE TRAIL Paramount, 1936 was Gabby's first as 'Windy Halliday', and he would continue that role through THE RENEGADE TRAIL Paramount, 1939. The total Hoppy films in which Hayes played 'Windy Halliday', including the two mentioned, is eighteen.
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