Roy Rogers in TruColor and Uncut (2 Viewers)

[ponset]

 

[Bob Gu]

The audio YouTube clips of Dick Foran, in Post #660 on page 33, of "Born to the Saddle" and "A Cowboy Has to Sing", were from a radio program called "10-2-4 Ranch", with Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers.

"10-2-4 Ranch" was sponsored by Dr. Pepper, the soft drink company. It was titled "10-2-4" because Dr. Pepper scientists came up with a study that said that folks needed a pick-me-up at certain times throughout the day. That would be around 10:30AM, 2:30PM and 4:30PM. Good times to drink Dr. Pepper soda.

I like the voice of the lady who introduced, 'Foreman', Dick Foran on the "A Cowboy Has to Sing" clip. I found out it was Martha Mears. She was a singer and prolific dubber of actresses' singing voices in movies.

Martha Mears.

Martha Mears dubbing.



Martha Mears and Dick Foran hosted the "10-2-4 Ranch" radio show.

The "10-2-4 Ranch" began broadcasting around the time Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers reunited with Roy Rogers and started appearing in Roy's Republic movies. Prior to that the Pioneers appeared in 15 Charles Starrett Columbia westerns, with Bob Nolan playing Starrett's sidekick.

Ad promoting the Sons of the Pioneers. Note that they appeared on two radio programs at the time. The "10-2-4" show was syndicated to areas that actually sold Dr. Pepper. Dr. Pepper was not nationwide yet. The "Melody Round-Up" was broadcast coast to coast and sponsored by Goodyear Tires, and hosted by future Roy Rogers Trucolor sidekick, Andy Devine.

Andy Devine with Roy Rogers and Bob Nolan.

 

[Flashgear]

The audio YouTube clips of Dick Foran, in Post #660 on page 33, of "Born to the Saddle" and "A Cowboy Has to Sing", were from a radio program called "10-2-4 Ranch", with Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers.

Thanks Bob for another wonderful post, fascinating details of the radio realm, antecedent and contemporary to our more familiar movie and television realms. I really enjoyed reading through the associated print materials too! Old time radio, having enjoyed loads of it previously over the years, a unique enjoyment that is really fulfilling, is something I wish to experience more of, while trying to find time while trying to pour through my own massive movie and TV collection on disc. I'm thankful to just find some time on a Saturday or Sunday night to enjoy some great old radio programs that our parents knew and loved! Good ol' Dick Foran and the pioneers, hootenanny on the ranch! I might even crack open a Dr. Pepper, although I hope I can manage the 'pick-me-up' well enough to sleep afterward.

 

[Bert Greene]

Very interesting stuff, on the old-time radio front! Always figured there's a wealth to explore in that venue. I have a Dr. Pepper right here, one of the kinds made specifically with 'real' sugar. I'm still glad the Warner Archive line released that complete collection of Dick Foran's WB westerns. Wish they could have done the same for Tom Keene's RKO's, instead of just two individual, isolated releases.

Backtracking a little, in regards to Republic Studios' tendency to distribute some indie releases during its first year or so, I did take a gander at one of the more curious examples, "Frankie and Johnny" (1936), produced by Select Productions, and starring Chester Morris and famed songstress Helen Morgan. Based on the ballad, it takes place in 1870 St. Louis. The movie was actually filmed in early-1934 at the Biograph Studios in New York. But it got mired in problems, including the death of third-billed Lilyan Tashman, which apparently had to be worked around. By the time it was completed and ready for release, the Production Code had come into effect (mid-year), and aspects of the plotline would no longer fly. Apparently some things were cut, and there were scenes re-shot in 1935, a full year later. But even then, it didn't get released to the public until May 1936, when Republic decided to pick it up. The film itself? It's a minor but diverting period-piece. I still get a sense of uneven choppiness about it (even though the print is complete at 66 minutes), but on the good side, the film did sport some rather nice, moody photography, especially towards the end.

I've always liked Chester Morris, but it's really Helen Morgan's film, and she gives a very fine performance. I usually think of her limited movie-career defined by two bookends, between the highly impressive early-talkie "Applause" (1929-Par), and her signature "Show Boat" (1936-Univ). But she did a few odds-and-ends between this. Age and drink gave her a touch of frowziness which precluded her from leading-lady roles as a whole, but this film again showed me that this was a professional singer who had a good talent for acting. I recall she also had a decent supporting part in the rather nice "You Belong to Me" (1934-Par), with Lee Tracy, a sentimental gem (although the other co-star, poor Helen Mack, really gets put through the mill in it). Helen Morgan is a top-notch singer, although I never explored her discography too thoroughly, as she seemed particularly limited to the 'torch singing' vein. Not my thing. I've always been a bit more of a Ruth Etting fan, as although she did her share of torchy stuff (as in tunes like 'Take Me in Your Arms' - 1931, a real scorcher), she also sang light, fun material, like "I'm Walking Around in a Dream" and "I Want to Meander in the Meadow." A broader repertoire, so to speak.

This outfit, Select Productions, which made "Frankie and Johnny," mainly seemed to release through RKO. All of them were indeed filmed in New York at the Biograph Studios... "Woman in the Dark" (1934), "Gigolette" (1935), and "The People's Enemy" (1935). That first one, "Woman in the Dark," with Fay Wray, came out on blu from Flicker Alley just recently, and the print looks gorgeous. Our western-heroine fave, Nell O'Day, has a supporting role in it too! For some reason, in early tv-syndication, this one was retitled "Woman in the Shadows." Same thing happened with "Gigolette," which was retitled "Mistaken Heiress." Have a copy of this latter film, and it's a pleasant if minor fluff, mostly of note as it gives Adrienne Ames a rare starring role. Her brand of aloof, fashion-plate beauty usually relegated her to 'other woman' roles, so it was interesting seeing her given the spotlight. Anyway, it seems "Frankie and Johnny" was originally scheduled for RKO to release like the others, but something must have fallen through (did RKO reject it for its choppiness...?). Republic eventually picked it up, and I think might have even retained ownership of it, which often isn't the case with these indie items.

 

[Bob Gu]

Radio shows going to TV, or even a TV show becoming a radio show is a fun area of study. Then there are the radio shows that were single radio versions of popular movies. Most of the movie cast would appear on the radio show version. Sometimes there would be substitutes. I heard one on YouTube that did "Ball of Fire"-1941. Barbara Stanwyck reprised her role, but Gary Cooper was replaced with Fred MacMurray. A fun part of these movie shows was that the stars and the host, director, C.B. DeMille, would join in on the commercials, talking up the sponsor's products.

I have a stack of MP3 discs from OTRCAT. My favorite is "Challenge of the Yukon"/"Sergeant Preston". I was able to spot many radio plots that were reused for the "Sgt. Preston" TV show. One Preston radio show also reused a plot from "The Lone Ranger" TV show. That probably means the story originated on "The Lone Ranger" radio show. Maybe there's a "Green Hornet" version, too.

Chester Morris and Helen Morgan.

Chester Morris is a very high energy actor. I never really thought of him as a western character, but he does a good job in the 1936 version of "The Three Godfathers".

Chester Morris and Irene Hervey.

There's a WAC double feature with the Morris version and the 1929 version, "Hell's Heroes".

Warner released a 2007 DVD of the 1948 John Wayne version. Anything newer?

Grit-TV shows a newer restoration, I think.

 

[Mysto]

Radio shows going to TV, or even a TV show becoming a radio show is a fun area of study. Then there are the radio shows that were single radio versions of popular movies. Most of the movie cast would appear on the radio show version. Sometimes there would be substitutes. I heard one on YouTube that did "Ball of Fire"-1941. Barbara Stanwyck reprised her role, but Gary Cooper was replaced with Fred MacMurray. A fun part of these movie shows was that the stars and the host, director, C.B. DeMille, would join in on the commercials, talking up the sponsor's products.

I have a stack of MP3 discs from OTRCAT. My favorite is "Challenge of the Yukon"/"Sergeant Preston". I was able to spot many radio plots that were reused for the "Sgt. Preston" TV show. One Preston radio show also reused a plot from "The Lone Ranger" TV show. That probably means the story originated on "The Lone Ranger" radio show. Maybe there's a "Green Hornet" version, too.

Chester Morris and Helen Morgan.
View attachment 136752

Chester Morris is a very high energy actor. I never really thought of him as a western character, but he does a good job in the 1936 version of "The Three Godfathers".

I can remember listening to the Lone Ranger on radio, rather than watching the TV, because we could put the radio on the porch and play outside.

Chester Morris - no matter how many movies he did will always be Boston Blackie to me.

 

[bujaki]

@Bob Gu Ford's 3 Bad Men is unrelated to any version of The Three Godfathers.

 

[Bob Gu]

Thanks, Jose! I will remove that from my post.

Say, Marv. The audio, from my ABC-TV station, would be broadcast over the lower end of the FM radio dial. So, I would listen to the "Ozzie and Harriet" TV show on the radio, sometimes, outside. I would also put the radio next to the TV when watching ABC, for simulated stereo.

 

[Bob Gu]

ROUGH RIDERS' ROUND-UP--1939-B&W, 56 minutes.

I have the 53-minute syndicated version from the Mill Creek/Treeline 50 Western Classics DVD Collection. No Republic logos and a generic THE END.

Teddy Roosevelt.

It's 1900 and Roy and his pals, Eddie Acuff and Raymond Hatton, are Spanish-American War veterans of Teddy Roosevelt's "Rough Riders". (Actually, the "Rough Riders" were disbanded in 1898, a month or so after the Spanish war ended.)

With a letter of introduction from Theodore Roosevelt, Roy's unit of "Rough Riders" have an in to stay on the government payroll, by joining the U.S. Border Patrol on the Arizona-Mexico border.

There are outlaws raiding the area and escaping across the international border into Old Mexico.

The head of the U.S. Border Patrol, Jack Rockwell, wants to get permission to pursue the outlaws into Mexico. But that can only happen if the Mexican government agrees.

Jack Rockwell with Roy and Raymond Hatton.

Mary Hart/Lynne Roberts is the runaway daughter of Guy Usher. Usher owns a gold mine, in Mexico, close to the U.S. Border.

Guy Usher, Mary Hart, and Roy.

Eddie Acuff-beer, Roy-sarsaparilla, Ray Hatton-wine.

Roy is assigned to stop Hart/Roberts from entering Mexico. She plans to elope with George Meeker, the manager of her father's mining operation.

Meeker already has a jealous girlfriend, Dorothy Sebastian, So what's he up to?

Turns out that he's in cahoots with the border jumping outlaws led by William Pawley and they are robbing Usher's gold shipments.

George Meeker, William Pawley, and Dorothy Sebastian.

Roy detains Mary Hart, in the cantina, on the U.S. side.

The outlaws start a fight to keep Roy and his men from guarding a gold shipment crossing the border from Mexico into the U.S. Acuff is killed saving Roy. Mary Hart is taken by the outlaws back into Mexico, along with the gold.

Later, Roy provokes Jack Rockwell to suspend him so he can go into Mexico after Acuff's killers. Raymond Hatton quits, to support Roy.

Roy and Ray head after the outlaws across the border and then............................

Look for George Montgomery as a Border Patrolman working in the office.

What's missing? There's a scene where Roy and Ray are captured and locked in a room. Roy picks up and guitar and the scene changes. A missing song there, maybe. When we see Roy, again, he does sing.

Ther's a funny bit when Dorothy Christy takes a swig of Roy's sarsaparilla and makes a face. There may have been a scene where Roy was made fun of for ordering sarsaparilla. The bartenders in westerns are always surprised when somebody orders sarsaparilla, (or milk), but they always have it. They usually blow the dust off the bottle.

Dorothy Christy is the dance hall girl with Hatton. Christy appeared in SUNSET IN THE DESERT-1942 and had a pretty big part in THE COWBOY AND THE SENORITA-1944. Christy was the Queen of the Underground City in the Gene Autry serial, "The Phantom Empire"-1935.

Raymond Hatton is a very interesting actor. He delivers his lines like he's thinking carefully what he wants to say. I suspect he always rewrote his character's lines to suit himself, but still serve the story.

We see Hatton's mule, 'Dinah', win over Trigger in a race to town. Hatton explains that a mule will always outlast a horse over a long distance.

In the early 1960s when I was in grade school, a Spanish-American War veteran gave a talk. I guess he was in his eighties or nineties. I remember he talked about unloading mules in slings from a ship in a Cuban port. Some of the mules struggled out of the slings and fell into the water, between the ship and the dock, and had to be hauled out.

Raymond Hatton and Dinah with Roy and Trigger.

The FilmDetective 53-minute version.

 

[ponset]

Nothing to do with the Roy Rogers movie but there was a ROUGH RIDERS comic book.

There was even a TEDDY ROOSEVELT and The ROUGH RIDERS Comic.

 

[Bob Gu]

The term "Rough Riders" was around before Teddy Roosevelt's 1898 "Rough Riders". Definitely used in Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Shows by at least 1892 and most likely in western dime novels, too.

Buffalo Bill's tributes to a diversity of horsemen and women, portrayed in the shows by the actual world-wide riders.

1933 picture of the "Congress of Rough Riders", now with Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey. Buffalo Bill died in 1917, so that's a look-a-like "Buffalo Bill", seated in the center.

Movie cowboy star Tim McCoy, center, toured with the "Congress of Rough Riders". Is that Tex Cooper on McCoy's right?

McCoy's association with the "Congress of Rough Riders" led to the calling of his trio-western movie series with Buck Jones and Raymond Hatton, "The Rough Riders".

The TV "Rough Riders"-1958-59, series, had nothing to do with Teddy Roosevelt or Buffalo Bill Cody.

Peter Whitney, Kent Taylor, and Jan Merlin.

 

[ponset]

Pocket Knives.

 

[Mysto]

Hopefully this is not too far off topic. I was watching a old murder mystery last night - Moonlight Murder. The movie was so-so but the casting was interesting.
Chester Morris who we were talking about in westerns not too long ago.

But also with Duncan Renaldo

And Leo Carrillo

This was in 1936. It would not be until 1950 that the pair would work together in the Cisco Kid

I realize that the only link to Roy is the fact that both shows were Saturday viewing westerns.

 

[Bob Gu]

I think I'll check with IMDB and dig out all the Chester Morris western guest spots in my TV on DVD accumulation. I, also, enjoy Morris when he shows up, as a panelist, in the YouTube uploads of "To Tell the Truth".

Here's Morris with Gabby, Tex Cooper, and Anita Louise in Republic's "Wagons Westward"-1940.

Duncan Renaldo played the "Cisco Kid" in a series of three Monogram features in 1945 with Martin Garralaga as "Pancho". Leo Carrillo became "Pancho" with Renaldo in Renaldo's next batch of five "Cisco Kid" features released between Dec. 1948 and Feb. 1950.

Monogram released six "Cisco Kids" with Gilbert Roland between March 1946 and Nov. 1947.

I am still confused by the removing and the putting back of the audio mentions of "Cisco" on the soundtracks of the Rolands.

An IMDB reviewer says the removal happened because United Artists obtained the "Cisco Kid" rights from Monogram. But why did "they" not do that to the Renaldo "Cisco Kids", too? Or the Fox releases.

 

[Mysto]

I think I'll check with IMDB and dig out all the Chester Morris western guest spots in my TV on DVD accumulation. I, also, enjoy Morris when he shows up, as a panelist, in the YouTube uploads of "To Tell the Truth".

Here's Morris with Gabby, Tex Cooper, and Anita Louise in Republic's "Wagons Westward"-1940.
View attachment 139882

View attachment 139883

View attachment 139884


Duncan Renaldo played the "Cisco Kid" in a series of three Monogram features in 1945 with Martin Garralaga as "Pancho". Leo Carrillo became "Pancho" with Renaldo in Renaldo's next batch of five "Cisco Kid" features released between Dec. 1948 and Feb. 1950.
View attachment 139885

View attachment 139886

Monogram released six "Cisco Kids" with Gilbert Roland between March 1946 and Nov. 1947.
View attachment 139887

I am still confused by the removing and the putting back of the audio mentions of "Cisco" on the soundtracks of the Rolands.

An IMDB reviewer says the removal happened because United Artists obtained the "Cisco Kid" rights from Monogram. But why did "they" not do that to the Renaldo "Cisco Kids", too? Or the Fox releases.

Republic Theater: "Wagons Westward"-1940. Eagle logo means it's a post 1946 re-release print.

Thanks Bob - I had a brain fart and totally forgot the movie versions.

 

[Bob Gu]

Language, Marv! Maybe you should stay away from dairy.

The internet identifies the above picture as it being from around 1950. But I think it's more likely from around 1941 on the set of the Hopalong Cassidy movie, "Outlaws of the Desert". Duncan Renaldo was a co-star. Hoppy is presenting Duncan Renaldo with an American flag, because he just became an American citizen. (Boyd wore the Hoppy outfit with the lighter shirt and striped pants in "Outlaws of the Desert".)

Renaldo always had immigration problems and through the help of Republic boss Herbert Yates, by giving Renaldo a contract with Republic, he was able to stay in the United States. And later through the direct involvement of Eleanor Roosevelt and her husband President FDR, Duncan Renaldo was given citizenship, in 1941.

 

[Bert Greene]

Republic's "Wagons Westward" (1940) is interesting in that it gives Buck Jones a rare 'supporting' role, and as a villain! Land sakes, Buck a villain! Too disturbing for words. His last b-western series ended in 1938, and he was doing a few odds-and-ends before joining up with Monogram's 'Rough Riders' series in 1941. Before "Wagons Westward," Buck also starred in a little Paramount b-film, "Unmarried" (1939), a contemporary drama with Jones starring as an ex-pugilist on the run. It's only so-so, and a remake of the much superior original version, "Lady and Gent" (1932-Par), starring George Bancroft and Wynne Gibson, the latter giving a very strong performance. This earlier version also has a small but quirky role for John Wayne, who has a scene where he's a seedy-looking, down-on-his-luck fellow boxer, getting a free meal on old friends Bancroft/Gibson. But Wayne laughingly updates Gibson on her old chorus-girl gal-pal, saying she "took to sniffin' snow," and Bancroft tosses him out on his ears. Quite an atypical role for Wayne! John Wayne, seedy bum.

I think Chester Morris is quite a good actor, and certainly proved so when he got older and delivered some very impressive work in 1960s tv-dramas. When he was young and headlining b-films, he had those features from his oiled hair to jawline that looked like they came from a cartoonist's inkwell, which probably made it easy for people to overlook his talent somewhat. Not too long ago I watched him again in "King for a Night" (1933-Universal), a very solid A-film (and yet another with a tangential boxing theme). Although playing one of those brash egotists so common in films of that time, Morris also conveyed a subtle self-doubt and growth which added greatly to the rather grim but well-made film. Sure wish we could get the 'Boston Blackie' films on blu. The tv-series, too. Heck, I'd even take the Bert Lytell films (gee, are they even extant?). Chester Morris was also in a Columbia crime film I've been intending to check out, "Counterfeit" (1936), alongside Lloyd Nolan, Margot Graham, and Marian Marsh. Sounds like it might have potential. I love that strain of 1935-36 'G-Men' type films, like "Let 'Em Have It" (1935-UA), "Men Without Names" (1935-Par), "Show Them No Mercy" (1935-Fox), and obviously, "G-Men" (1935-WB) itself. Despite the first full year of the Movie Code, these films still got away with some pretty raw violence, which was quickly clamped down on shortly after. Eh, I don't know if "Counterfeit" fits into that mold, but I'd like to track it down and give it a look-see.

 

[Bert Greene]

(EDIT TO MY LAST POST): I double-checked, as my memory seemed naggingly askew, and it was bugging me, after I made my post above... The silent actor Bert Lytell played "The Lone Wolf" in a series of films, not "Boston Blackie." But there were a few silent Boston Blackie films, including one starring Fox western/action hero William Russell, as well as the commonly-found Chadwick film, "The Return of Boston Blackie" (1927), starring cowboy star Bob Custer under the moniker Raymond Glenn (his real name). Although the latter film really has the spotlight on dog-star Strongheart, and didn't strike me as having to do much with the familiar Blackie character. I think there might have been a few other Boston Blackie appearances in the silent-era, but I'm not sure of the titles and info, offhand.

 

[Bob Gu]

I watched that YouTube of "Wagons Westward". Interesting take on the familiar good twin/bad twin storyline.

The big action sequence at the end looked large scale and involved around fifty or more riders plus wagons. But the YouTube print is too dark to see really what's going on and who was who. Can't tell if any of the action footage was lifted from other movies.

Anita Louise and Ona Munson had nice, unusual character parts. Ona Munson had a good part in Roy's IDAHO. (See Post #210, page 11.)

There is a scene missing where Gabby was left afoot, by good twin, Chester Morris. Gabby complains about it, but we don't see it happen or why. The YouTube upload is 1hr:08mins:55secs. Republic Confidential list "Wagons Westward" as 70 minutes.

I always check YouTube, for Bert's interesting movie mentions. I found "Unmarried"-1939 and the earlier version, "Lady and Gent"-1932, with a German audio track.

Buck Jones and Helen Twelvetrees.

Helen Twelvetrees. That's a name I recognize, but I never really had a sense of what she looked like or what her famous roles were.

I watched "Unmarried" first. It was pretty much a scene for scene remake of "Lady and Gent". So, watching "Lady and Gent" with the German soundtrack was easy to follow.

Wynne Gibson and George Bancroft.

George Bancroft, another character actor who had lead roles in the thirties. He was teamed up again with Wynne Gibson in "Racketeers in Exile"-1937.

Evelyn Venable snaps Gibson and Bancroft on the set of "Racketeers in Exile".

Buster Crabbe has the boxer part in "Unmarried" that John Wayne played in the earlier "Lady and Gent". In "Lady and Gent" Charles Starrett played the grownup version of the kid Donald O'Conner played in "Unmarried".

Also found "Show Them No Mercy" on YouTube. It's also a Fox Mod DVD-R. It's a satisfying little crime movie, with Rochelle Hudson and Cesar Romero.

That led me to another crime movie with Rochelle Hudson on YouTube. It has an Alpha release.

"Rubber Racketeers"-1942. It's a WW2 home front movie. It has a scene, at the end, that calls back to something Rochelle Hudson does in "Show Them No Mercy".

The third, and last, Republic movie, for Chester Morris was "Girl From God's Country"-1940. The story is set way up North with snow, sled dogs, and Jane Wyatt. I'd like to see it.

Jane Wyatt and Chester Morris.

I just found out that Adrian Morris, who appeared in Roy's "Wall Street Cowboy", was Chester's brother. (See Post #556, page 28.)

Another Roy co-star, Joe Sawyer, with Humphrey Bogart and Adrian Morris in "The Petrified Forest"-1936.

Joe Sawyer's Roy Rogers appearance was in "The Border Legion". (See Post # 552, page 28.)

 

[Bert Greene]

Yes, you see Chester's brother, Adrian Morris, all over the place in the 1930s, in bit parts everywhere. I first became familiar with him in Mascot's "The Fighting Marines" (1935) serial, where he has an atypically large role as lead hero Grant Withers' sidekick. Reminds me of another 'brother' you see everywhere in similar bits... Frank McHugh's brother, Matt McHugh. Hard to sometimes run into an old movie 'without' spotting these guys.

Buck Jones had already co-starred with Helen Twelvetrees before "Unmarried," in one of Buck's later Columbia westerns, the contemporary-set (and humor tinged) "Hollywood Round-Up" (1937). Buck played a movie stuntman to an egotistical western film star (Grant Withers yet again!). Not inappropriate, as Jones actually did stuntwork in films before attaining stardom. Twelvetrees plays a movie-star whose career is winding down to the point she's working in a western programmer with Withers. Talk about a role that's striking discomfortingly close to home for former "A" level star Twelvetrees! She'd been a top RKO star in the early-1930s, but I don't think they really managed her career too well, sticking her in so many convoluted weepies (apparently trying to capitalize on her sad-eyed looks). The early gangster flick "Bad Company" (1931-RKO) is a very interesting exception to the rule, and well worth a viewing. Wasn't initially too crazy about Twelvetrees, upon encountering some of those soapy melos, but as I gradually saw more of her films over the years, I grew to like her quite a lot. I have a really terrific movie still of her and Victor Jory smiling and looking over an issue of "Radioland" magazine, back when they were filming "My Woman" (1933-Col).

You know, Twelvetrees also co-starred with another (future) cowboy-star, Fred Scott, at Pathe. One of those films, "Swing High" (1930) is pretty easily found. A late-1800s period piece with a circus/medicine-show backdrop, it's a flavorful and well-produced movie, mixing old-time melodrama and a bit of music. It's probably too much of an antique for most peoples' tastes, but I rather like the film, and Twelvetrees is as cute as a button in it. Singing-cowboy Fred Scott's western series didn't start up until six years later, of course. I'm on the fence about Scott's westerns. They're pretty low-tier affairs. Re-watching a few last year, some were a little better than I remembered, but they're still much weaker than (for example) the rather pleasing Smith Ballew or Kermit Maynard indies from the same era. Some of Scott's westerns were produced by Stan Laurel, of all people. After his series ended, he did come back for that one PRC oddity, "Rodeo Rhythm" (1942), a film seemingly designed for publicity to spotlight some kiddie rodeo-riding group. Briefly intriguing at first as a cultural curio, the film is ultimately pretty ghastly. Woe be it to some young kiddo stuck at a matinee-showing of this back in 1942, when another moviehouse across the way was screening Roy Rogers in "South of Santa Fe" (1942).