In real life, Smoky Dawson was Herbert Henry Brown (1913-2008), a singer and entertainer touted as Australia's first singing cowboy. His highly-rated syndicated radio program, The Adventures of Smokey Dawson, along with television appearances, comic books, and recorded songs helped portray him as an easy-going, happy-go-lucky singing cowboy. His father adopted the name Dawson, as did young Herbie. The use of the name Smoky in his professional career started around 1934; it derived from the time Herbie tried to smoke a pipe and became sick. A year later Smoky was part of the first Western group to be broadcast live on an Australian radio station. He had his first commercial success with Columbia Records with "I'm a Happy Go Lucky Cowhand" and "The Range in the Western Sky."
Smoky was rejected for service during World War II because of a "bumpy heart," so he spent much of the war entertaining the troops. (Smoky's father was a survivor of Gallipoli, and Smoky participated in the annual ANZAC Day marches right up until he died at age 94.) Smoky was finally able to enlist in 1941 as a non-combatant nursing orderly while continuing to perform for the troops. After the was, he worked various rodeos, circuses, and country fairs; he also had a knife-throwing act where he would chuck machetes, commando knives, tomahawks and two-edged axes. Smoky also did trick riding on his palomino Flash (Flash lived for 31 years and, towards the end, Dawson would feed her porridge with a spoon).
Returning from a tour of the United States, he was hailed by his native press as an "Australian singing 'cowboy' who has made good in the Us at the expense of the world's best."
The Adventures of Smoky Dawson was on the airwaves for a decade, from 1952 to 1962. The similarly-named comic book was published from 1953 to 1952. Both featured Smoky's persona. For the radio show Smoky provided various sound effects -- "renditions of a magpie, kookaburra, rooster, turkey, pig, cow, an impatient horse, a posse with bloodhounds, a pack of dogs fighting and the next door's dog howling in the middle of the night."
He founded the Smoky Dawson Ranch in 1957, part of which became a children's holiday camp.
Three years before his death, he was asked how he would like to be remembered. "Ah well, just as Herb. Just as one who's tried his best, he's carried out, lover of his country and always thought about the good things in life. Being honest and true to yourself, the main thing. true to yourself. And ah, I think to be remembered as an old friend."
Smoky Dawson was an old friend to generations of Australians.
Here's one of his comic book adventures.
https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=95985&comicpage=&b=i
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