Roy Rogers in TruColor and Uncut (1 Viewer)

[Bert Greene]

Great photos, Bob. Thanks for digging them up! I thought about giving "Robot Monster" (1953) a spin, in honor of Barrett, but actually that Bill Elliott flick sounds a better option. After all, "Robot Monster" is a pretty dopey film. Although, I admit I've come across a number of fans who staunchly defend it, on the basis of it being a comic-booky 'kid's dream' type of opus, and offering some merit within that context. It doesn't quite work for me, but I'm not critical of those types of quirky, subjective takes, as I suppose I have a host of my own sometimes hard-to-defend examples.

Which reminds me, The Film Detective is about to put out a blu of "Flight to Mars" (1951-Monogram), a film I like quite a lot. It's by no means a great film, but I always felt it was like a late-40s/early-50s comic-book come to life, in a most appealing way. I frankly don't even look upon "Flight" as part of the 50s sci-fi film cycle at all. To me, it's much more a kin to Jungle Jim, Whip Wilson, the Bowery Boys, late-era serials, and that whole matinee-ish realm. Viewed in this latter context, "Flight to Mars" is a fun little bit of hokum. Tossed into the 50s sci-fi film box, it might easily come across as quite lacking.

 

[Mysto]

Great photos, Bob. Thanks for digging them up! I thought about giving "Robot Monster" (1953) a spin, in honor of Barrett, but actually that Bill Elliott flick sounds a better option. After all, "Robot Monster" is a pretty dopey film. Although, I admit I've come across a number of fans who staunchly defend it, on the basis of it being a comic-booky 'kid's dream' type of opus, and offering some merit within that context. It doesn't quite work for me, but I'm not critical of those types of quirky, subjective takes, as I suppose I have a host of my own sometimes hard-to-defend examples.

Which reminds me, The Film Detective is about to put out a blu of "Flight to Mars" (1951-Monogram), a film I like quite a lot. It's by no means a great film, but I always felt it was like a late-40s/early-50s comic-book come to life, in a most appealing way. I frankly don't even look upon "Flight" as part of the 50s sci-fi film cycle at all. To me, it's much more a kin to Jungle Jim, Whip Wilson, the Bowery Boys, late-era serials, and that whole matinee-ish realm. Viewed in this latter context, "Flight to Mars" is a fun little bit of hokum. Tossed into the 50s sci-fi film box, it might easily come across as quite lacking.

I agree on the comic book look. I think it's fun. Probably why I enjoy Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow more than I should. It looks like it's right off the cover of

 

[bujaki]

Great photos, Bob. Thanks for digging them up! I thought about giving "Robot Monster" (1953) a spin, in honor of Barrett, but actually that Bill Elliott flick sounds a better option. After all, "Robot Monster" is a pretty dopey film. Although, I admit I've come across a number of fans who staunchly defend it, on the basis of it being a comic-booky 'kid's dream' type of opus, and offering some merit within that context. It doesn't quite work for me, but I'm not critical of those types of quirky, subjective takes, as I suppose I have a host of my own sometimes hard-to-defend examples.

Which reminds me, The Film Detective is about to put out a blu of "Flight to Mars" (1951-Monogram), a film I like quite a lot. It's by no means a great film, but I always felt it was like a late-40s/early-50s comic-book come to life, in a most appealing way. I frankly don't even look upon "Flight" as part of the 50s sci-fi film cycle at all. To me, it's much more a kin to Jungle Jim, Whip Wilson, the Bowery Boys, late-era serials, and that whole matinee-ish realm. Viewed in this latter context, "Flight to Mars" is a fun little bit of hokum. Tossed into the 50s sci-fi film box, it might easily come across as quite lacking.

Robot Monster in 3D is amazing. Plus you have a RM who behaves like the indecisive Prince of Denmark. Priceless.

 

[Bob Gu]

ROBIN HOOD OF THE PECOS-1941, B&W, 59 minutes.

Another only around in 53 minute versions. I have the Alpha and will post the Film Detective version below. Both missing the opening and closing Republic Logos and with a generic THE END.

Roy is joined by Sally Payne, again, and Marjorie Reynolds.

The story opens with an odd comedy bit with Sally and Leigh Whipper. Sally plays Belle Starr.

It's post Civil War Texas and the local installed government is taxing folks and confiscating live stock. Cy Kendall is the head carpetbagger, doing this, with an aim to force everyone out of the county, so he can take over.


It's stated that Kendall operated in the same basic job for the Confederates. Kendall was still confiscating cattle for the Confederates, six months after the war was over. News traveled slow.

Robert Strange, Kendall's crooked lawyer and later county judge, Kendall, Leigh Whipper, Sally Payne, Eddie Acuff, head henchman William Haade, and Kendall's secretary Jay Novello.

Gabby is a local hot head that wants to organize vigilantes to go against Kendall and his gang. So he has a outdoor meeting with the residents. This meeting part of the movie is severely cut, so it's hard to figure out what exactly they are going to do. Roy is said to have just returned to the county, but we don't see that. Another cut?

Robert Strange attends the meeting to spy for Kendall. In a later scene Strange mentions, Roy, who plays a character named Vance, sang, "very pleasantly" at the meeting. Gabby, slightly disguised by dying his hair and beard black, can't be identified by Strange. Kendall is certain Gabby is the trouble maker , known as the 'Night Rider', and sends Haade out to arrest him and Roy/Vance, too. I think Gabby is the 'Robin Hood" in the title.

Roy singing pleasantly in another scene.

Roy with henchman Jim Corey, Before Kendall can deal with Roy, the local military commander, Colonel Howard Hickman, arrives and announces that he wants to end Martial Law and have local elections if everyone swears allegiance the Constitution of the United States. Roy trusts Hickman and agrees to convince Gabby and the others. Gabby doesn't trust Kendall, but since Roy has faith in Hickman, Gabby agrees. His niece Marjorie Reynolds, is against it. Anyway Martial Law is lifted and Roy is elected Sheriff.

In a weird side joke, Hickman likes to bum cigars from Kendall. Hickman is alone in Kendall's office, puffing away, and looking for something to read, when he finds proof of Kendall's crimes hidden in a book.!

Enter Jay Novello, who sees this and kills Hickman!!!

Kendall sends Novello away, into hiding. Kendall takes over and accuses Gabby of the murder. Kendall throws out Roy's election and tries to arrest Roy, too. But Roy escapes.

Gabby is put on trial and acquitted by the home town jury. But Kendall throws out the verdict and keeps Gabby and Sally in jail, planning to execute them.

Roy plans to break them out, but stops for a cake break.

Gabby and Sally sing to cover Roy's digging up to them through an old tunnel under the jail. It's definitely Gabby singing. I am never sure it's really Sally Payne singing in the Rogers movies. I think sometimes it is and sometimes it's not.

Roy gets them out, but Gabby falls and is recaptured. Eddie Acuff is wounded as they escape and they borrow a buckboard, at a place nearby, to make him more comfortable. Roy spots Novello there, but continues on with the group to a safe hideout.

Marjorie Reynolds and the vigilantes want to attack the jail and save Gabby. Roy and Sally want to go after Novello to find out why he is hiding.

Novello tells Kendall that Roy saw him. So Kendall shoots him. We don't see that. Another missing scene?

Meanwhile Kendall has asked General Wade Boteler for troops to help him defeat the vigilantes he expects to attack.

Back at Novello's hiding place, Roy and Sally follow a blood trail to the wounded Novello. Roy tends to Novello's wound. Novello wants to stop Kendall and testify. Sally rides to try to stop General Boteler, but it's too late.

When Roy and Jay Novello make it back to the hideout, they find out the vigilantes are on their way to attack the jail, not knowing the army is there.

Will Roy and Jay Novello get to town ahead of the vigilantes and stop the fight????? Sure they will.

Marjorie Reynolds is best known for 'Holiday Inn'-1942. But she had a very visible career for B-fans in westerns and the 'Tailspin Tommy' series with, John Russell look-a-like, John Trent., among other films. She was also Peg Riley in 'The Life of Riley' TV series , with William Bendix.

On the 'Happy Trails Theater' version of ROBIN HOOD OF THE PECOS, Dale Evans mentions she was up for a part in a musical, but was passed over because she was not a dancer. She said Marjorie Reynolds could dance and got the part. 'Holiday Inn'?

I guess Marjorie Reynolds would be the second biggest female star to appear with Roy, after Gale Storm. (Dale Evans is in her own special category.)

"Robin Hood" found his way into many western titles.

ROBIN HOOD OF THE PECOS- 53 min. The Film Detective.

 

[Bob Gu]

How could I have forgotten, this "Robin Hood" western?

 

[ponset]

Thanks Bob.
Here is a link to a Blog post about "Trail of Robin Hood".

The Christmas Movie Blogathon: Trail Of Robin Hood (1950).

This is my contribution to The Christmas Movie Blogathon. The post is an expansion of a previous piece I’ve been wanting to revisit. This blogathon gave me the chance. The old post has been l…

fiftieswesterns.wordpress.com

 

[Bob Gu]

Hey, Scott/ponset, that post leads to some other Roy Rogers posts over there, that I and this threads' founder, Richard--W,, commented in.

Of course, that TRAIL OF ROBIN HOOD post was written before that fully restored version showed up on TCM in 2018, and hasn't been seen since? Any new sightings, anybody?

I have the Republic Home Video 1991 VHS release that has a 90s era RHV logo at the front and credits that go to one side.

YouTube version with the correct period Eagle logo and more centered credits. From a later '90s VHS release? I hoped someone would have uploaded a digital version of the restoration, that appeared on TCM, by now. So it's Christmas trees in July.

 

[Bob Gu]

SHERIFF OF TOMBSTONE-1941, B&W. Original runtime? Sources say 54, 56, 58 minutes. The 58 is from 'Republic Confidential'.

I have it in 53 or so minute versions from Mill Creek and Sinister Cinema. The Sinister version looking better. Both missing the Republic logos fore and aft. Both with generic THE ENDs.

Roy Rogers plays a character named 'Brett Starr'. (Roy also plays 'Brett Starr' in BAD MAN OF DEADWOOD-1941. 'Starr' must be an invention of, writer, James R. Webb. Webb wrote five Roy Rogers movies around this time. Webb later wrote- "How The West Was Won", "Vera Cruz", and "The Charge At Feather River" among other westerns and non-westerns.)

Roy and his unfriendly rival, local tough, Harry Woods are quitting Dodge City and heading for Tombstone. But not together. Roy is traveling with his brother, Jack Ingram and Ingram's family. They are going to meet a third brother and go into business. (Kind of like the Earp boys.)

Harry Woods' character is nick-named 'Shotgun'. 'Shotgun' has been offered the Sheriff of Tombstone job.

On the trail, Roy and the family are joined by Gabby, playing a card playing judge. Gabby is fleeing his daughter, Sally Payne, who wants him to go back to her mother.

At a rest station, Woods shows up and Gabby plays cards with Woods all night and wins big,

Gabby saddles his horse to leave and catch up with Roy, who left the station, already. Woods, the sore loser, enters the stable and is about to shoot Gabby with his shotgun!!
Gabby spins around and shoots Woods, first!!! Gabby takes the shotgun and just leaves.

It's unclear if Gabby thinks he has killed Woods or just wounded him?? Kind of cold either way.

When Roy and Gabby enter Tombstone, they stop some hooligans from harassing Elyse Knox, the love interest.

Since Roy is now holding the shotgun, the crooked mayor, Addison Richards, and the crooked saloon owner, Hal Taliaferro, think Roy is 'Shotgun'. They pin the Sheriff's badge on him. Roy plays along because he suspects something crooked is going on.

The bad guys want Roy to force Elyse Knox's granny, Zeffie Tilbury, off her silver claim, for not paying taxes.

Zeffie can't pay her taxes because her bullion shipments never get through, so she doesn't have any money. The shipments never get through because the local Wells Fargo agent is crooked Jay Novello. Novello is a master of disguise and is also, secretly, the leader of the bandit gang that is robbing the bullion shipments for Richards and Taliaferro.

There's an interesting bit of mining law discussed. The bad guys can't mine their own silver claims without paying Granny royalties, since the silver vein begins on her property.

When 'Shotgun' Woods shows up alive, Roy is on the run again. But Judge Gabby pulls strings and gets Roy appointed Deputy U.S. Marshal. Roy organizes all the honest silver miners and they set a trap for the bad guys.

SHERIFF OF TOMBSTONE has a big look to it. The saloon set is bigger than usual. There are wagons and stages being pulled by six horse teams. (Many times B-s scrimp by using four horse teams.) The big fight at the end features many wagons and riders. Roy even loses his hat so we can see it's really him riding through all the action.

So what's missing? Nothing jumps out as missing. Roy still has two songs. Sally Payne, she's a saloon singer, has two songs with a bar servers quartet. As Roy rides along singing, Trigger looks like he's dancing to the music.

There might be a missing scene where we see Jack Ingram and his family leave Roy and Gabby before Roy and Gabby head into Tombstone?

Was there a scene where we see what happened to Roy's other brother? He's not listed in the credits.

SHERIFF OF TOMBSTONE is Roy Barcroft's first Roy Rogers movie.

Elyse Knox has 39 credits at IMDB. She was in some of the Hal Roach Streamliners, recently released by ClassicFlix. She was the female lead in six of the eleven, Joe Kirkwood, Jr., 'Joe Palooka' features, based on the comic strip. Kirkwood starred in a 'Joe Palooka' one season TV series too in the 50s. I have a vague recollection of watching the TV series. But it may have been the TV station showing the features , or both. I remember the comic strip was still in the local paper at that time.

Elyse Knox with her dog, her mummy, Tracy and Sawyer, and 'Joe Palooka'.

Elyse Knox was married to, sports figure, Tom Harmon and their kids went into show business. Kris, Kelly, and Mark. Say how is Elyse pronounced? Elsie...Elise...Eliza???

SHERIFF OF TOMBSTONE was remade as "California Firebrand"-1948, a Monte Hale Trucolor.

Soft YouTube 53 minute version.

 

[ponset]

Both Roy and Gene are enjoying fishing on their comic book covers.

 

[Bert Greene]

On the movie-cowboy 'comic book' front, I was pleased to run across on the internet recently some scanned copies of the Ralston-Purina "Tom Mix Comics" series (1940-42). I've long been familiar with the later Tom Mix comics that Fawcett published (1948-53), owning several over the years, but never that earlier series. The Ralston-Purina ones were giveaway/premiums, tied to the sponsor's Tom Mix radio series, incorporating the cast characters and such. Rather well-drawn and written, in context of that early comic-book era. The comic also gives the regular character of young Jane her own recurring strip, "Jane at Dream Castle," quite derivative of the famed "Little Nemo in Slumberland." When the war started, the briefly published series transformed into "Tom Mix Commandos" comics, becoming more topical, before disappearing altogether.

My father used to confuse me, when he'd tell me that Tom Mix was his favorite cowboy when he was a kid. This is because my father would have been a hair too young to really see Mix features at the moviehouse. It ultimately dawned on me that my father was a fan of Mix via the radio series (in which Mix himself was not present, being performed instead by a radio actor, who continued well after Mix's death in 1940). My father wasn't aware of this fact. Now my grandfather always professed liking Mix and his films, although he always asserted Bill Hart was his favorite movie cowboy. That's how he always referred to William S. Hart, as "Bill Hart." Even once my grandfather had reached adulthood and was married, he made a point to go see Tom Mix when he made a local appearance at a circus event. But he told me he was a bit disillusioned when he saw Mix performing some target-practice, shooting balloons, in which Mix was obviously using ratshot. I re-watched one of Mix's Universal talkies, "The Texas Bad Man" (1932) a while back, which was good, breezy fun, with both Willard Robertson and Fred Kohler doing black-hat duties.

Probably touched on this subject before, but I'm amused by how all the comic-book companies grabbed-up all the movie-cowboy names for their comic series, to the point that none were left, and they then had to resort to 'inventing' their own fake movie-cowboys. Doing so, they utilized male models in cowboy garb on the covers, and peddled them as real. Atlas (Marvel) had "Rex Hart" and "Tex Morgan," with cover blurbs calling them 'your famous western star,' and 'your cowboy hero.' I'm sure some kids bought these comics and wondered why these dudes never showed up at their local cinema. Fawcett had the longest-running example of this, "Bob Colt," featuring covers with model Steve Holland (who later became TV's "Flash Gordon"), running ten issues.

 

[Bob Gu]

Bert, that's amazing that Tom Mix was kept alive on radio and in comics, even fighting in World War II, after he died.

And also all the cowboy stars that stopped making movies, but still appeared in comic books years after. I guess their movies were still being shown in theaters and, later, on TV.

Back cover with address label and postage. No plain brown wrapper?

Boo...continued stories!!

That Ralston-Purina address "Checker Board Square" was still being mentioned in their TV ads, in the 50s and 60s. I wonder if a Tom Mix comics cover showing his supporting players at the bottom subliminally inspired some Mix fan, to combine two of the names, to come up with the "Wrangler Jane" character in "F-Troop"?

The fake photo cover cowboy heroes. Funny stuff. I'd like to think the humor in the "Tex Taylor" cover, "Will his Wonder Horse untie him in time??!!!", was intentional.

Steve Holland, "Bob Colt, is famous to fans of Illustration Art, for being the model James Bama used for his "Doc Savage" covers.

Later James Bama specialized in western art.

 

[Bob Gu]

Roy Rogers with Gene Autry, Jane Withers and an odd group of celebrities.

A Jane Withers 20th Century Fox film was released on DVD, courtesy of Gene Autry Enterprises and Image in 2003 and again in 2006 by Shout!Factory. Autry Ent.,, at some point, bought the ownership of of SHOOTING HIGH from Fox to add to their also buying ownership of Gene's Republic and Columbia features.

SHOOTING HIGH-1940, 20th Century Fox, B&W, 66
minutes.

In 1940, Gene Autry appeared for the first time on the Top Ten Box-Office stars list, as determined by the "Motion Picture Herald". Gene Autry was in fourth place, between Clark Gable and Tyrone Power. Jane Withers was not on this Top Ten list in 1940 or 1939, but she was on the list in 1937, in sixth place and in 1938, in eighth place.

20th and Republic thought it would be mutually beneficial to put Jane Withers and Gene Autry together.




Gene actually has a character name in SHOOTING HIGH. This is only the second time Gene would play a character, not Gene Autry. In Republic's "The Big Show"-1936, Gene played Gene Autry, a stuntman, and his look-a-like, a western star.





Sheet music and publicity hand-out.

SHOOTING HIGH is a modern western and concerned an old fued between Gene's family and Jane's. Jane's sister, Marjorie Weaver, is Gene's intended.

Marjorie Weaver with Robert Lowery and Gene Autry.

Marjorie Weaver with Kane Richmond in another Jane Withers movie.

The fun part...Jack Carson and a Hollywood movie company show up to make a western, based on Gene's relative, an old west Sheriff. So we get the usual behind the scenes Hollywood humor. There's a quick scene or two of the movie company putting up false storefronts to make the town look like the old west.. (The town's modern storefronts, already. looked old to me!! Maybe, that was the joke.)

Gene signs on as the stuntman for the star, Robert Lowery. Lowery takes an interest in Marjorie Weaver.

This horrifies Gene and Jane. Jane manages to scare Robert Lowery out of town. Gene takes over the starring role, in the picture.

Jane Withers, Marjorie Weaver, Gene Autry, and Kay Aldridge.

Kay Aldridge, star of the Republic serial "Nyoka"-1942, plays the leading lady in the movie made within the movie.

Kay Aldridge was a Vargas Girl.

Jane Withers could be glamorous, too.

Jane Withers and Roy Rogers, again.

 

[Bert Greene]

Yeah, I'm afraid we lost Jane Withers a couple of weeks back, one of our few remaining living connections to that movie-era. At least she made it to a ripe old age. I'm actually pretty fond of her films, although they can vary a bit. After her long line of Fox b-comedies, she did make a quartet of Republic films. The one of these I haven't seen always sounded the most atypical, "Faces in the Fog" (1944). Hope to catch up with that one someday. Withers was quite beloved by the older fandom crowd, as she herself was a big Hollywood history collector and fan. I saw her around a couple of times, many years back, alongside Buddy Pepper, relating some stories and whatnot, but I really didn't get an opportunity to chat with her. Always regretted that. The Fox Archives released five or six of her films on their old (now defunct) 'mod' line, of which I found "Little Miss Nobody" (1936) and "High School" (1940) to be the most fun.

Bright-eyed Marjorie Weaver is always a welcome sight in old films. Cute as a button in "Sally, Irene and Mary" (1938). She would have made a most fetching b-western leading lady, but being under contract to Fox (which didn't dabble in such things), it didn't happen much. An exception was one of those "Cisco Kid" films with Cesar Romero. Earlier on, she was also in one of those oddball westerns that Sol Lesser produced, "The Californian" (1937), released through Fox. Lesser made some of these individual one-off's between his two b-western series of George O'Brien and Smith Ballew. I'm referring to titles like "Secret Valley" (1937) with Richard Arlen and Virginia Grey, "Wild Brian Kent" (1936) with Ralph Bellamy and Mae Clarke, and "It Happened Out West" (1937) with Paul Kelly and Judith Allen. Modern-day westerns, if I'm recalling correctly. All common public-domain staples, like the O'Brien/Ballew films. I'm guessing "The Californian," a more historical western, might also be PD as well, although it's always seemed a little more uncommon, even though copies do circulate. It's the only one I have yet to get around to viewing.

It's a shame Fox didn't really produce much in the way of b-western series, other than those rather abbreviated Cisco Kid and John Kimbrough/George Montgomery efforts. Especially since their b-unit of the mid-30s to the early-40s made some of the best b-films around, giving Paramount a run for its money.

 

[Bob Gu]

Other than Shirley Temple and "Shooting High" I not sure if I ever saw any other Jane Withers movies. The Fox mods are still around and I see there are some on YouTube. I recalled her "Josephine" commercials and talk show appearances, but I didn't recall the product she was selling, Comet Cleanser, until I read her obit.

More Marjorie Weaver. with Henry Fonda, George Reeves, Ricardo Cortez, and Cesar Romero.

Say Bert, speaking of the Cisco Kid. Do you know why the Gilbert Roland Cisco Kids have his name dubbed in as 'Chico', sometimes? Were the Roland Ciscos made as Cisco Kid movies and maybe later they lost the rights and deleted the name Cisco on the audio track and replaced it with Chico? And then at some point they put most of the Ciscos back in? Or were they a Cisco knockoff, in the first place, and then they obtained the rights and were redubbed as Ciscos??

On the VCI DVD releases, only two of the six Gilbert Roland Cisco movies have "The Cisco Kid" on the title card. All six give O'Henry credit as, based on a or the character created by. The credits list starring Gilbert Roland, but never as "The Cisco Kid".

 

[Bert Greene]

Bob, really don't know anything about those name-oriented (or dubbed) anomalies regarding the Roland "Cisco Kid" series. Might have taken mental note of it at the time I last viewed them (quite a while back), but long since forgotten.

Before I completely let go of Jane Withers, I should also add that besides "Shooting High" (1940), another of her comedies featured a western-genre backdrop, "The Arizona Wildcat" (1938). This one also features Pauline Moore, whom we covered a bit earlier. You can always count on a lot of familiar Fox regulars popping up in these things.

Yeah, I'm always keeping an eye out for either borderline westerns, or westerns that aren't always evident by their title. A good example of the latter being "Wild Girl" (1932-Fox), starring Joan Bennett. For years I always assumed that title was some kind of racy pre-code affair. But it's actually an excellent western, directed by Raoul Walsh no less, taking place in California's redwood territory. In fact, it's Bret Harte's old "Salomy Jane" story, and was filmed on location in Sequoia National Park. Oh, how I'd love a blu-ray of this one. Another less-than-obvious western (by its title) is "Caught" (1931-Par), which starred Richard Arlen and Frances Dee, although the spotlight was really on Louise Dresser as Calamity Jane. I love Frances Dee in anything, but the film itself turned out a bit too static, too talky.

 

[Bob Gu]

BAD MAN OF DEADWOOD-1941, B&W, 61 minutes.

I have the Alpha 53 minute syndicated version, which is soft and dark but somewhat better looking than many of the YouTube versions, I took a look at. Some of the YouTubes look a littler sharper, but are so bright that the whites obliterate the detail in the faces. The Alpha has a generic THE END and no Republic logos, or end technical credits.. Some of the YouTubes have re-attached the Republic logos and some have the technical credits.

Story wise: I don't know if Roy is the 'Bad Man' of the title or is it one or more of the other villains. Roy plays 'Brett Starr' for the second and last time. But he wants to be called 'Bill Brady', now. 'Brady; is a sharpshooter and singer with Gabby's medicine wagon show. Sally Payne is in the show and is Gabby's daughter, again.

They are run out of town and are pursued by an outlaw gang, when Roy interferes with a robbery.

They are saved by a group of outcasts that have, also, been run out of town. The outcasts are being blamed for all the crime going on in the area and harass the outlaws when they can.

Roy and his group join up with the outcasts. Roy is persuaded by them, Judge Herbert Rawlinson and, ingenue, Carol Adams, to lead the fight against the real criminals.

Roy with Jay Novello, Monte Blue and Herbert Rawlinson.

Carol works for, crusading newspaperman, Henry Brandon. Brandon also appeared in THE RANGER AND THE LADY, with Roy.

The real criminals are the town council, Sheriff Monte Blue, henchman Jay Novello, gang leader Hal Taliaferro and, theater owner, Ralf Harolde, who seems to be the leader.

Ralf Harolde.

Roy gets the drop on Yakima Canutt.

Actually, it turns out, there's a secret real leader, known only to Harolde and Novello. What is unusual, is that after the real leader kills Harolde and Novello, he does not reveal himself to the rest of the gang. He stays in his cover, but still gets the gang to do what he wants.

So what's in the missing seven minutes? I guess more songs. medicine show magic, and spiels, and maybe montages of the outlaws outlawing.

Harry Harvey, Sr. plays the telegraph operator. BAD MAN OF DEADWOOD is the only Roy Rogers movie Harvey was in. Later, Harvey would be a regular, as the Sheriff, in "The Roy Rogers Show"-TV series.

Carol Adams has 64 credits on the IMDB, but only 4 roles with character names. One credit for 1923 and the rest between 1934 and 1944, before she retired from movies. She also was a singer and dancer.

Carol Adams singing and dancing.

 

[Bert Greene]

Regarding Carol Adams of "Bad Man of Deadwood" (1941), I did get to see her when she guested about 15 years ago at one of the Memphis western film festivals. It was the only festival/event I believe she ever attended. On the panel, she mentioned Roy Rogers used to whittle wood, carving little things on the set between filming, and giving them out to people, including one to her. Should have asked if she still had it. She seemed to be a pretty sweet old gal. She actually wasn't a leading-lady in but two or three films. She was primarily a dancer (under contract to Fox), and appeared in a ton of movies in that capacity in the late-1930s. Her dancing ability was how she got her first b-western role in Gene Autry's "Ridin' on a Rainbow" (1941 also), which had that riverboat/showboat backdrop. This then undoubtedly led to her being in the Rogers film. Talked to her a little about her earlier appearances as an extra or bit-player in a few silent "Our Gang" shorts, when she was still a kid, and growing up in downtown Hollywood in those early days. She also worked in vaudeville, mentioning it was on the Pantages circuit. A pretty busy and broad career in entertainment, even though only making a seemingly minor mark in a couple of 1941 b-westerns. Wish if she'd been in a few more.

Herbert Rawlinson is also worth some acknowledgment. I spot him all the time in 1930s/40s films in smallish character parts. Particularly serials. He'd been a prolific star back in the silent days. He had a sort of distinctive 'innocent boy-ish' look in his face, which he still seemed to maintain when he was old and gray-haired. He starred in a lot of movies for Universal in the early-to-mid-1920s, and from their titles which I always used to note in the "Universal Story" book, they always sounded like fun. A lot of light-hearted crime/mystery type films. Modest bread-and-butter stuff, as Universal always specialized in. I suspect they are all probably 'lost' films. Although come to think of it, if two or three of the Gladys Walton films survive, I guess surely maybe a Rawlinson title or two might also be extant.

 

[Bob Gu]

I just watched "Ridin' On A Rainbow". That was a better showcase of Carol Adams' talents, than "Bad Man Of Deadwood". "Rainbow" let her dance and sing, do comedy and some drama.

Carol Adams with two other Republic starlets. And taking care of her teeth for a dental association.

Bert, I had to look up Gladys Walton.

Herbert Rawlinson is a favorite upright citizen type. He, also, played some mounties, and was 'Buck Peters' in a couple of Hoppys. I don't remember if he ever played a bad guy? The mystery mastermind in Chapter 12?

Rocky Lane and Herbert Rawlinson in "King Of The Royal Mounted" and, Rawlinson with William Boyd in "Lumberjack".

 

[Bert Greene]

I keep thinking I've seen Herbert Rawlinson play a baddie at least once or twice. Or maybe just an 'assistant' to the main villain. But this would have indeed been most uncharacteristic for Rawlinson, with that countenance that seems either so guileless or upright. He was sort of the polar opposite of Wheeler Oakman, who always looks like he's up to no good the very moment he enters a room.

I just used Gladys Walton as a point of comparison, as her tenure at Universal in the early-to-mid-1920s mirrored Rawlinson's time there. With my curiosity piqued, I checked the LoC database for any surviving, complete Universal titles starring Herbert Rawlinson. Came up with four, although two are in foreign archives:

"THE MILLIONAIRE" (1921) with Lillian Rich
"ONE WONDERFUL NIGHT" (1922) with Lillian Rich
"HIS MYSTERY GIRL" (1923) with Ruth Dwyer
"THE MAN IN BLUE" (1925) with Madge Bellamy

Another one, "The Dancing Cheat" (1924) is listed as incomplete. A handful of other films Rawlinson starred in for other studios also exist. The only one that seems to widely circulate is really a comedy vehicle for Dorothy Devore, put out by Chadwick Pictures, "The Tomboy" (1924). Alpha released a copy of this film a number of years back, and I found it a fairly pleasant (if slightly overlong) bit of old-time Americana. A reasonably decent, serviceable print, luckily. Especially since some of Alpha's silent releases can be really unwatchable eyesores.

 

[Bob Gu]

Some faces for the names.

Wheeler Oakman.

Lillian Rich.

Ruth Dwyer.

Madge Bellamy.

Dorothy Devore.

Herbert Rawlinson.

"Hellfire"-1949.

Is the "Hellfire" restoration on the streaming sites.? Based on the blueness of these screen shots, below, found online, the restoration is on the torrents.

"The Last Bandit"-1949. Elliott's second Trucolor.

Adrian Booth.

Wild Bill Elliott's last Republic. "The Showdown"-1950, B&W. Another solid western with a religious theme similar to "Hellfire".