08/29/2024

Mounties on the Cover

One of Canada’s most famous exports, the Mountie, is the subject of a visually stunning exhibition highlighting books and magazine covers featuring the fabled Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The University of Alberta collection is called Mounties on the Cover. (Above: L to R: All Star Adventure Magazine, 1937; Saturday Evening Post, 1933. Cover by Edgar F. Whitmack; Canadian Home Journal, 1934. Cover by Rex Woods. )

Zane Grey’s King of the Royal Mounted, 1951. Cover by Jim Gary

The university features the Mounties as part of its celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary this year. Purely Canadian, the Mountie appeared in hundreds of Hollywood movies but was more often seen on thousands of dust jackets, magazines, and comic books.

Left to Right: Boys’ Life, 1938. Cover painting by Edgar F. Whitmack; Adventure, 1948; Challenge for Men, 1955. Cover art by Tom Ryan.

The holdings represent nearly 50 years of collecting by distinguished Staff Sergeant (retired) Al Lund of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who donated his entire collection, held at Bruce Peel Special Collections & Archives.


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5 thoughts on “Mounties on the Cover

  1. How about the CAnadian detective show, Due South (Paul Gross as actor) and his husky police dog, Diefenbaker. I loved it. Calgary and several other prairie cities have museums because how the “west” was tamed…the RCMP: https://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com/2011/03/26/north-west-mounted-police-rcmp-legacy-with-red-jackets. In Calgary old city hall there is great painting of RCMP in daily life: https://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com/2015/06/05/prairies-declaration-of-horse-love-in-art/

  2. Yep, they really are the finest, aren’t they. I sure do remember Dudley! I thought the U of A library was brilliant to do this now, for the 150th.

    1. I’m glad I returned to the last couple of posts to see your responses to my comments. I wasn’t getting any notifications. Your replies are reading as original comments, as opposed to responses to mine. I almost missed your one about Timothy Eaton’s statue’s toe, which made me more than chuckle! Okay, let’s see if my reply to your comment comes out as a reply, or an original comment.

  3. I love it!
    I adore the Mounties. It is difficult to know that because their budget has been cut so low, a lot are leaving for local law enforcement jobs.
    OMG! If I ever would have fallen in love with a man in a uniform, it would be an RCMP!
    😀 Remember Dudley Do Right! :star:

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