When Carson, whose real name was Michael Harrison, signed with Republic
Pictures, studio head
Herbert J. Yates thought that his name was too long to fit
on theater marquees and would have to be changed. As he looked out his
window he saw a used-car lot across the street called "Sunset Motors",
and named his new cowboy star "Sunset". The new last name, "Carson",
was in honor of legendary frontiersman Kit Carson.