Western Film Series of the Sound Era

481 Pages·2008·12.48 MB·English

by  Michael R. Pitts

Western Films Series
of the Sound Era
For Midnight, Butterscotch,
Charlie, Oreo, Fred and Macy
Western Film Series
of the Sound Era
M R. P
ICHAEL ITTS
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina, and London
ALSO BY MICHAEL R. PITTS
AND FROM MCFARLAND
Horror Film Stars, 3d ed.(2002)
Charles Bronson: The 95 Films and
the 156 Television Appearances(1999; softcover 2003)
Poverty Row Studios, 1929–1940:
An Illustrated History of 55 Independent Film Companies,
with a Filmography for Each(1997; softcover 2005)
Western Movies: A TV and Video Guide
to 4200 Genre Films(1986; softcover 1997)
Hollywood and American History: A Filmography of
Over 250 Motion Pictures Depicting U.S. History(1984)
LIBRARYOFCONGRESSCATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATIONDATA
Pitts, Michael R.
Western film series of the sound era / Michael R. Pitts.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7864-3529-6
illustrated case binding : 50# alkaline paper
1. Western films—United States—History and criticism. I. Title.
PN1995.9.W4P57 2009 791.436'278—dc22 2008042863
British Library cataloguing data are available
©2009 Michael R. Pitts. All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying
or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
On the cover: Elements of poster art from Hills of Old Wyoming, 1937,
with William Boyd and George “Gabby” Hayes
(Paramount Pictures/Photofest)
Manufactured in the United States of America
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
Table of Contents
Preface 1
BILLYCARSON 3
BILLYTHEKID 21
CHEYENNEHARRY 34
THECISCOKID 43
DR. MONROE 64
THEDURANGOKID 68
FRONTIERMARSHALS 113
HOPALONGCASSIDY 118
THEIRISHCOWBOYS 175
JOHNPAULREVERE 180
LIGHTNINGBILLCARSON 183
THELONERANGER 190
THELONERIDER 208
NEVADAJACKMCKENZIE 219
THERANGEBUSTERS 232
RANGERBOBALLEN 254
REDRYDER 259
RENFREWOFTHEROYALMOUNTED 284
THEROUGHRIDERS 290
ROUGHRIDIN’ KIDS 300
v
vi TABLE OF CONTENTS
ROYALCANADIANMOUNTEDPOLICE 303
THESINGINGCOWGIRL 320
THETEXASRANGERS 322
THETHREEMESQUITEERS 340
THETRAILBLAZERS 384
WILDBILLELLIOTT 391
WILDBILLHICKOK 399
WILDBILLSAUNDERS 412
WINNETOU 415
ZORRO 429
Bibliography 457
Index 459
Preface
Westerns have always been one of the most Bill Elliott. In a number of cases, a series would
popular of movie genres, dating back to the cin- have a comedy sidekick who would often be on
ema’s infancy with The Great Train Robbery in a par with the hero, such as Al St. John’s char-
1903. Series westerns took off not long after that acter Fuzzy Q. Jones in the “Billy the Kid” and
when G.M. Anderson starred as “Broncho “Billy Carson” outings, Guy Wilkerson in the
Billy” for Essanay, eventually headlining and “Texas Rangers” productions and Smiley Bur-
directing nearly 400 one-; and two-reel install- nette in most of the “Durango Kid” affairs.
ments between 1907 and 1916. By 1910, the In making series westerns, the studios
western was firmly established with the movie- hoped to keep moviegoers coming back for
going public and would reach its zenith in the each installment, much like with weekly serial
mid–1930s when more than two dozen cowboy chapters. Western series entries were usually
stars were making series cowboy movies. Al- spread out over a period of weeks or months
though it was first thought that outdoor pro- and box office returns determined series lon-
ductions would not adapt well to sound, the gevity. The “Hopalong Cassidy” and “Durango
talkie In Old Arizona (1929) proved this to be Kid” series each contained more than 60 fea-
false and the western continued in popularity tures, with “The Three Mesquiteers” not far
with numerous oater series being produced well behind. Cassidy ran theatrically for 13 years,
into the early 1950s. Durango for eight years and the Mesquiteers
This volume examines thirty western film for seven years. “Billy Carson,” “Nevada Jack
series made during the sound era. To be in- McKenzie” and “The Range Busters” had bet-
cluded, the series must have a continuing char- ter than average runs while a few such as
acter or characters or be based on a particular “Rough Ridin’ Kids” and “The Singing Cow-
theme, such as the “Royal Canadian Mounted girl” lasted only three or four installments.
Police” films taken from the works of James Purists may argue that other series deserve
Oliver Curwood. Most of the western film se- to be included in the book but these lack the cri-
ries that are examined here focus on a charac- terion of featuring a continuing lead character.
ter or multiple characters, such as the triad hero The films of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers are
concept in the series “The Range Busters,” omitted because they were all individual fea-
“The Three Mesquiteers,” “The Rough Riders” tures without any continuous plots other than
and “The Trail Blazers.” More often, though, a having the stars use their own names for the
series was about a single hero portrayed by a characters they portrayed. Just the opposite is
particular western star, such as William Boyd’s true for such series as Allan Lane’s “Action
Hopalong Cassidy, Johnny Mack Brown’s Westerns” (1944–45) and “Famous Westerns”
Nevada Jack McKenzie, Tim McCoy’s Light- (1947–53) for Republic, and the “Range Rider”
ning Bill Carson and the trio of series starring series Tex Ritter did for Grand National (1936–
1
2 PREFACE
38). These oaters had a continuing star playing ing into the complicated world of these Euro-
a different character in each feature. Also omit- pean series offshoots, the best source is Thomas
ted are silent films and short subjects unless Weisser’s Spaghetti Westerns—The Good, the Bad
they are part of a bigger overall character in the and the Violent: 558 Eurowesterns and Their Per-
sound era, for example “The Cisco Kid” and sonnel, 1961–1977, published by McFarland in
“Zorro.” Perhaps one exception is “Cheyenne 1992.)
Harry,” a character Harry Carey played more For each serial covered in this volume, a
than a dozen times in the silent days and brief introduction to the history of the charac-
reprised for two sound features. ter or characters is first provided, including dis-
The series included in this book mainly cussion of appearances in mediums such as
were produced from the 1930s into the early books, stage, radio or television. This is fol-
1950s excepting “Winnetou,” which was made lowed by chronologically arranged synopses and
in Europe in the 1960s. Television basically shut analyses of the movies in the serial. A filmog-
down the series western but the “Winnetou” raphy providing the production, cast and crew
features revived the concept and proved to be information, also chronologically arranged, fol-
hugely popular, especially overseas. Their pop- lows the discussion of the movies.
ularity spawned a batch of new series, includ- I would like to thank Larry Shuman for
ing “Django,” “Sabata,” “Sartana” and “Trinity,” suggesting the concept for this book and Ray
but few of these outings ever made it to the White and Francis M. Nevins for the help they
U.S., unlike the “Winnetou” features, which provided in its writing. Viewing these wonder-
were all released stateside. (Also, many of the ful old films again and writing about them has
Winnetou-inspired series were not originally been a most enjoyable experience for me and I
made around a continuing character but were hope learning about the western film series of
retitled and redubbed to make them appear to the sound era will provide the same enjoyment
be a “Django” or “Sartana” feature when factu- for the reader.
ally they were not. For those interested in delv-
B C
I L L Y A R S O N
PRC’s evolution of the Billy the Kid (q.v.) made it look good. St. John had honed his Fuzzy
series into a Billy Carson series was a simple one: character to a sharp comic point.” David Rothel
The company only changed the name of star opined in Those Great Cowboy Sidekicks (1984),
Buster Crabbe’s character. There have been a “The Buster/Fuzzy series for PRC was never well-
number of reasons given for this metamorphosis: produced; the budgets only allowed for the cheesi-
parental groups objected to children having a pos- est of sets, static camera setups, and scripts that
itive association with a known outlaw, exhibitors often seemed to be made up as they prepared to
felt the same way or thought that Billy the Kid roll the film in the camera. The main thing the se-
had run his course as a box office draw, or that ries had going for it (if not the only thing) was
Crabbe appeared too mature to be playing a char- the pleasant chemistry exuded by the two stars.
acter with the moniker of “kid.” Whatever the It was as if they knew they were entangled in a
reason, the transition was a smooth one, and out- hopeless mishmash of Western celluloid, but
side the character name, there appears to be little would, nevertheless, attempt to entertain all us
difference between Crabbe’s last Billy the Kid kids who had plunked down our dimes at the box
entry, Blazing Frontier, and the initial Billy Car- office. In short, Buster and Fuzzy didn’t take the
son offering, Devil Riders, both 1943 releases. Ad- series too seriously and, therefore, just had fun
vertising for the series gave Carson’s horse, Fal- with it. We in the audience could do the same.”
con, star billing along with Crabbe, and Wally The Billy Carson features, like the Billy the
West continued to be the star’s stunt double. Kid ones which preceded them, were PRC’s bread
Crabbe would make 23 Billy Carson fea- and butter. Exhibited at smaller venues than “A”
tures, with Al St. John continuing in the role of productions, they were potent enough at the box
Fuzzy Q. Jones. By this time the Neufeld broth- office to help keep the company afloat for most
ers had ended their “Lone Rider” (q.v.) series, thus of the 1940s with the two stars each earning about
freeing St. John to work solely with Crabbe. Sig- one thousand dollars per feature. That, along with
mund Neufeld continued to produce while his the Neufelds’ salaries, probably accounted for
sibling, Sam Newfield, directed. The co-stars about one-half of the budget for each production.
made a likable duo and gave the otherwise rather The series had a better than average run, with
threadbare productions more than passable en- Buster Crabbe playing Billy the Kid or Billy Car-
tertainment value. In Hollywood Corral (1976), son in a total of three dozen features from 1941to
Don Miller noted that director Newfield “seemed 1946.
to bring added vigor to his work” as the Carson For a long time, film book authors main-
character took over. He added, “Minor perform- tained that each of the Billy the Kid–Billy Carson
ers might blow their lines without retakes and films were a carbon copy of the other, all cheaply
some of the interior sets looked ready for the scrap made and cheap-looking with only the barest of
pile, but the new-found exuberance was a bless- entertainment values. With the coming of the
ing.” Regarding the two stars, Miller said, video age, however, and the renewed popularity
“Crabbe was coasting in his hero role, but his of “B” westerns, the series has been re-evaluated
easygoing manner combined with genuine skill and while it still maintains its reputation for
3