Misty's parents Pied Piper and Phantom were main charterers in Marguerite Henry's Misty of Chincoteague. The storybook charterers were wild ponies living on Assateague Island. Pied Piper was described as a commanding pinto stallion with a forelock almost as long as his tail. The book stallion was feared and Paul called him a killer. Phantom was described as copper and white colored and a map of the United States on her side. Book Phantom was a local legend who regularly evaded capture. The real ponies lives were quite different from their book counterparts.
Pied Piper
Misty's Sire
Chestnut Pinto Chincoteague Pony Stallion
Pied Piper was a herd stallion on Beebe Ranch and owned by Clarence Beebe. He had other foals than Misty but we don't have any documentation of them. Pied Piper is in a photo with other Beebe Ranch ponies in a Pictorial Life Story of Misty. The photo isn't labeled as it being Pied Piper, but Maureen Beebe identified him. She said that many of his foals had a saddle marking on their back like he did. Pied Piper was trained to ride as seen in a photo taken of the stallion with Clarence Beebe.
After the stallion's death the movie Pied Piper was occasionally referred to as the "real Pied Piper" in media. One bizarre newspaper article even had him pulling a cart at the Misty movie premier. In actuality that wasn't even a Chincoteague Pony as was written in A Pictorial Life Story of Misty. Another strange article incorrectly said he sired Misty's foals.
Pied Piper was a herd stallion on Beebe Ranch and owned by Clarence Beebe. He had other foals than Misty but we don't have any documentation of them. Pied Piper is in a photo with other Beebe Ranch ponies in a Pictorial Life Story of Misty. The photo isn't labeled as it being Pied Piper, but Maureen Beebe identified him. She said that many of his foals had a saddle marking on their back like he did. Pied Piper was trained to ride as seen in a photo taken of the stallion with Clarence Beebe.
After the stallion's death the movie Pied Piper was occasionally referred to as the "real Pied Piper" in media. One bizarre newspaper article even had him pulling a cart at the Misty movie premier. In actuality that wasn't even a Chincoteague Pony as was written in A Pictorial Life Story of Misty. Another strange article incorrectly said he sired Misty's foals.
Photo from The Pictorial Life Story of Misty
|
Photo on display at Beebe Ranch
|
Photo that was on display at Pony Penning Enterprises
|
Phantom
Misty's Dam
Smoky Black Pinto Chincoteague Pony Mare
Phantom was one of the Beebe Ranch mares owned by Clarence Beebe. We know she was a black pinto based on photos. She was also a smoky black because of Misty being a palomino with a chestnut pinto sire. Marguerite Henry saw Phantom and Misty at Beebe Ranch and convinced Clarence Beebe to sell her Misty. Misty was too young to leave Phantom at the time so Misty stayed with her dam for four more months. Phantom was trained to ride based on a photo of her with Maureen Beebe aboard. A visitor to Beebe Ranch in 1951 said in an article that Phantom was still there. She likely had other foals and one may have been a stallion on Assateague. A Breyer model of Phantom was released in 2022.
Phantom was one of the Beebe Ranch mares owned by Clarence Beebe. We know she was a black pinto based on photos. She was also a smoky black because of Misty being a palomino with a chestnut pinto sire. Marguerite Henry saw Phantom and Misty at Beebe Ranch and convinced Clarence Beebe to sell her Misty. Misty was too young to leave Phantom at the time so Misty stayed with her dam for four more months. Phantom was trained to ride based on a photo of her with Maureen Beebe aboard. A visitor to Beebe Ranch in 1951 said in an article that Phantom was still there. She likely had other foals and one may have been a stallion on Assateague. A Breyer model of Phantom was released in 2022.
Photo from the Pictorial Life Story of Misty
|
Photo from The Pictorial Life Story of Misty
|
Phantom and Maureen, photo displayed at Beebe Ranch
|
Misty's Movie Parents
These ponies played Misty's parents in the 1961 movie Misty. Maureen and Ralph Beebe helped trainer Les Hilton train the ponies for the movie. It's unknown if they were Chincoteague Ponies or other breeds.
Movie Pied Piper, promotional photo
|
The movie Pied Piper made public appearances and performed tricks for the crowd at Pony Penning 1962. It appears he lived at Beebe Ranch for a time as he made public appearances with the real Misty. Photos of him appeared in Life magazine May 1961.
Occasionally photos this pony are erroneously labeled as the real Pied Piper. |
Movie Phantom, H&H Pharmacy Postcard
|
The movie Phantom lived at Burton's Ranch after the movie was filmed. The barn she lived in is now the Country Store at Tom's Cove Campground. She greeted tourists alongside a movie Misty and movie Black Comet. The mare had at least one foal who was named Sandpiper.
Some non-Wesley Dennis illustrations of Phantom are of a solid flaxen chestnut because of her portrayal. |