Movie Series - Westerns

"B" Western

Movie Series

NEWLY REMASTERED

Yes - I've returned to my archives (and some new prints) in order to

completely re-master all 51 Allan "Rocky" Lane westerns in release order.

Digital restoration / enhancement technology has been extensively employed

right across the entire collection in bringing either 3 or 4 films to each DVD.

The set of films is of good to excellent print quality throughout

>>> Reduced price upgrades are available (under certain conditions) <<<

Allan "Rocky" Lane Westerns

Volume 1 - 6 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$45 or US$45 or £23

Volume 2 - 4 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Volume 3 - 4 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Allan "Rocky" Lane made many very good western films for Republic Studios. Apparently "Rocky" was a perfectionist who liked working with experienced people. He insisted upon doing his own stunts and his perfectionism dominated that as well. In one movie Lane had to ride a horse down a difficult descent, and Rocky fell off a few times, but kept doing takes until he managed to stay on for the whole trip down. Writer Barrie Hanfling said, "likable or not, on screen he gave his all." His movies had small budgets, but Lane's hard work and perfectionism made them some of the best "B" westerns ever made.

In all, Rocky starred in 51 westerns beginning in 1944 with Silver City Kid. His 51st and final appearance in a western film as star was El Paso Stampede (1953). Note that Lane also appeared in 5 other films during this time but they were either non-westerns like Gay Blades or non-starring roles such as Trail of Robin Hood - a Roy Rogers film with Lane in a small guested role. The early films of this series usually featured Tom London as an old man and Twinkle Watts as precocious "Shirley Temple like" girl. The middle period of 7 films featured Robert Blake as Little Beaver whilst the remaining films co-starred Eddie Waller (Red Rock in Casey Jones) as Nugget Clark. Legendary tough guy Roy Barcroft was usually cast as the baddie. Rocky's horse "Black Jack" also featured prominently.

Volumes 1, 2 & 3 presents the entire collection of westerns in which Rocky was the star - 51 westerns in total.

Also worth a look : Cowboys of the West Radio Shows (comprising dramatized western adventures on radio with Jimmy Wakely, Tim Holt, Monte Hale, Tex Ritter, Johnny Mack Brown, Allan "Rocky" Lane, Don "Red" Barry, "Wild Bill" Elliott, Buck Jones, Tom Mix & Ken Maynard) - check out the Old Time Radio section of this website. These shows have been digitally restored & come on MP3 CDs which work in your DVD player. The shows are free - with conditions. Check out the Old Time Radio section for further details

Volume 1 - 6 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$45 or US$45 or £23

Allan "Rocky" Lane (Vol. 1) Disc No. 1

Silver City Kid (1944)

Stagecoach To Monterey (1944)

Sheriff Of Sundown (1944)

Allan "Rocky" Lane (Vol. 1) Disc No. 2

The Topeka Terror (1945)

Corpus Christi Bandits (1945)

Trail Of Kit Carson (1945)

Allan "Rocky" Lane (Vol. 1) Disc No. 3

Santa Fe Uprising (1946)

Stagecoach To Denver (1946)

Vigilantes Of Boomtown (1947)

Allan "Rocky" Lane (Vol. 1) Disc No. 4

Homesteaders Of Paradise Valley (1947)

Oregon Trail Scouts (1947)

Rustlers Of Devil's Canyon (1947)

Allan "Rocky" Lane (Vol. 1) Disc No. 5

Marshal Of Cripple Creek (1947)

The Wild Frontier (1947)

Bandits Of Dark Canyon (1947)

Allan "Rocky" Lane (Vol. 1) Disc No. 6

Oklahoma Badlands (1948)

The Bold Frontiersman (1948)

Carson City Raiders (1948)

Marshal Of Amarillo (1948)

Volume 2 - 4 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Allan "Rocky" Lane (Vol. 2) Disc No. 1

Desperadoes Of Dodge City (1948)

The Denver Kid (1948)

Sundown In Santa Fe (1948)

Renegades Of Sonora (1948)

Allan "Rocky" Lane (Vol. 2) Disc No. 2

Sheriff Of Wichita (1949)

Death Valley Gunfighter (1949)

Frontier Investigator (1949)

The Wyoming Bandit (1949)

Allan "Rocky" Lane (Vol. 2) Disc No. 3

Bandit King Of Texas (1949)

Navajo Trail Raiders (1949)

Powder River Rustlers (1949)

Gunmen Of Abilene (1950)

Allan "Rocky" Lane (Vol. 2) Disc No. 4

Code Of The Silver Sage (1950)

Salt Lake Raiders (1950)

Covered Wagon Raid (1950)

Vigilante Hideout (1950)

Volume 3 - 4 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Allan "Rocky" Lane (Vol. 3) Disc No. 1

Frisco Tornado (1950)

Rustlers On Horseback (1950)

Rough Riders Of Durango (1951)

Night Riders Of Montana (1951)

Allan "Rocky" Lane (Vol. 3) Disc No. 2

Wells Fargo Gunmaster (1951)

Fort Dodge Stampede (1951)

Desert Of Lost Men (1951)

Captive Of Billy The Kid (1952)

Allan "Rocky" Lane (Vol. 3) Disc No. 3

Leadville Gunslinger (1952)

Black Hills Ambush (1952)

Thundering Caravans (1952)

Desperadoes' Outpost (1952)

Allan "Rocky" Lane (Vol. 3) Disc No. 4

Marshal Of Cedar Rock (1953)

Savage Frontier (1953)

Bandits Of The West (1953)

El Paso Stampede (1953)

Bat Masterson

2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Bat Masterson was a 30 minute US western TV series which ran for 3 seasons and 108 episodes from 1958. Bat Masterson was played with great aplomb by Gene Barry, fresh from success in the lead role in War of the Worlds. The show took a tongue-in-cheek outlook, with Barry's Masterson dressed in expensive Eastern clothing and preferring to use his cane rather than a gun to get himself out of trouble, hence the nickname "Bat." Masterson was also portrayed as a ladies' man who traveled the West looking for women and adventure. The black derby, fancy vest, black jacket, and elegant cane were his trademarks. He was a professional gambler, a scout, an Indian fighter and a lawman, although he used his cane and his 'wits' before resorting to his gun.

The series is based upon the legend created by the real William Bartley "Bat" Masterson

Great Prints

Bat Masterson Disc No. 1

Double Showdown

Two Graves For Swan Valley

Dynamite Blows Two Ways

Stampede At Tent City

The Fighter

Bear Bait

A Noose Fits Anybody

Dude's Folly

The Treasure Of Worry Hill

Cheyenne Club

Bat Masterson Disc No. 2

Jeopardy At Jackson Hole

The Fatal Garment

Farmer With A Badge

The Marble Slab

Dead Man's Claim

The Fourth Man

Valley Of Death

Meeting At Mimbres

Trail Pirate

Sherman's March On Dodge City

Bob Steele Westerns

4 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

The son of director Robert N. Bradbury, Bob Steele began his show-business career at age two in vaudeville before graduating to silent westerns directed by his father. Steele easily made the transition from silents to talkies, and was soon starring in a series of low-budget westerns for such independent studios Supreme and Monogram. His short stature and scrappy nature were things that many young western fans could identify with (and the fact that most of the villains he beat up were much bigger than he was didn't hurt, either), and his films were quite popular. He was handsome, gently spoken and always "got the girl". In the early 40's he moved to Republic, playing Tucson Smith more than 20 times in The 3 Mesquiteers series. In later years at age 59 he landed the part he is best known for: the aging but cantankerous Trooper Duffy, who at the drop of a hat would began reminiscing about his fighting "shoulder to shoulder with Davy Crockett at the Alamo" in the western comedy series "F Troop" (1965). This set represents a collection of his early talky westerns in which he was the star.

Bob Steele Westerns Disc No. 1

Texas Buddies (1932)

The Gallant Fool (1933)

Galloping Romeo (1933)

A Demon for Trouble (1934)

The Brand of Hate (1934)

Bob Steele Westerns Disc No. 2

Western Justice (1934)

No Man's Range (1935)

Kid Courageous (1935)

Big Calibre (1935)

Smokey Smith (1935)

Bob Steele Westerns Disc No. 3

The Kid Ranger (1936)

The Law Rides (1936)

The Gun Ranger (1937)

Lightnin' Crandall (1937)

The Trusted Outlaw (1937)

Bob Steele Westerns Disc No. 4

Gun Lords of Stirrup Basin (1937)

The Arizona Gunfighter (1937)

The Feud Maker (1938)

Mesquite Buckaroo (1939)

El Diablo Rides (1939)

Buck Jones … Cowboy Legend

Volume One 4 DVD (Discs Nos. 1, 2, 3 & 4) Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Volume Two - 5 DVD (Discs Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5) Boxed Set price : AU$40 or US$40 or £20

Volume Three - 1 DVD (Discs No. 5 only) Boxed Set price : AU$20 or US$20 or £10

Buck Jones has justifiably been called "…one of the greatest of the B-Western stars ,,,". As a teenager, he enlisted in the US Army and served on US-Mexican border before seeing service (and being wounded) in the Moro uprising in the Philippines. As such he was well versed in the necessary riding and shooting skills that would stand him in good stead as a hero of Westerns. A stint as a champion bronco buster preceded his move to Hollywood and with a new stage name of Charles Buck Jones (later reduced to just Buck Jones) he quickly climbed to the upper ranks of Western stardom, playing an amiable and dignified cowboy hero with the squarest of jaws in a "ten gallon" hat, who always gets the girl.

His first starring roles in "talkie" westerns were released through Columbia, but produced under the auspices of Sol Lesser and his Beverly Productions company. It was in these that Buck proved he could really "act" by developing a powerful screen "presence" such as with The Texas Ranger (1931) in which whilst going undercover, he has a scene as a saloon drunk, and faces off against his nemesis, the great Harry Woods in a series of drama-filled scenes.

Buck was supported by a young John Wayne in the fine Range Feud (1931). They play stepbrothers involved in a feud before Buck discovers that a cattle rustler (Harry Woods, again) is stirring up the bad blood between the families for his own nefarious purposes.

Perhaps the most unconventional of this series of films is The Thrill Hunter (1931). More a straight action film than a western, Buck still wears his traditional cowboy garb as he plays a small-town spinner of tall tales who claims to be a top-notch stuntman. He's forced to put up or shut up when a movie company, filming an adventure flick, shows up in town. Buck, after hiring on as a stunt double, proves himself by driving a race-car and flying an aeroplane before catching a bunch of real-life criminals who aren't play-acting.

In 1934 Buck moved to Universal and as part of the deal, he formed Buck Jones Productions. His first outing with the new studio was Rocky Rhodes (1934) and he would stay with Universal for a further 4 years producing and starring in a string of enjoyable "oaters"

Note that all 16 films in this set are of good quality with clean audio and nice clear images - and are of far superior quality to those on commercial release

Note: All five of Buck Jones serials (all westerns) can be found in the Movie Serial section of this website (accessed via the Home Page) - they are available as single serials and in a "5fer" DVD combination

Buck Jones Westerns Disc No. 1

Shadow Ranch (1930)

Men Without Law (1930)

The Avenger (1931)

The Texas Ranger (1931)

Buck Jones Westerns Disc No. 2

Branded (1931)

Range Feud (1931) (in which John Wayne gets the girl)

McKenna of the Mounted (1932)

White Eagle (1932)

Buck Jones Westerns Disc No. 3

Sundown Rider (1932)

The Thrill Hunter (1933)

The Fighting Code (1933)

Rocky Rhodes (1934)

Buck Jones Westerns Disc No. 4

Outlawed Guns (1935)

The Throwback (1935)

Sunset of Power (1935)

Left-Handed Law (1937)

Buck Jones Westerns Disc No. 5

Stone of Silver Creek (1935)

The Ivory-Handled Gun (1935)

Law for Tombstone (1937)

NEWLY REMASTERED

Charles Starrett Westerns … before Durango …

2 DVD Boxed Set price: AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Charles Starrett starred in many westerns before first played The Durango Kid in 1940.

This 2 DVD set consists of a nice group of westerns in which Charles Starrett was the star - they come from the period before The Durango Kid (1940) and include Texas Stagecoach (1940) which is the pen-ultimate western before Starrett first donned the Durango mask.

All are very good prints!

Note that a nice and very extensive set of Durango westerns can be found below (under "D") as well a 3 DVD set of Charles Starrett …"Between the Durangos"westerns also below.

Charles Starrett Westerns … before Durango … Collection Disc No. 1

Stampede (1936)

Two Fisted Sheriff (1937)

South of Arizona (1938)

Charles Starrett Westerns … before Durango … Collection Disc No. 2

The Thundering West (1939)

Outpost of the Mounties (1939)

Texas Stagecoach (1940)

NEWLY REMASTERED

This is a completely new mastery of Charles Starrett's non-Durango westerns

to which six new films have been added and others have been deleted.

This allows for the set to be now targeted to the Starrett westerns

which were filmed in the 4 year period between the first two Durango films.

Various digital enhancements have been employed

in bringing 4 films to each DVD

Charles Starrett Westerns … between the "Durangos" …

3 DVD Boxed Set price: AU$30 or US$30 or £15

In 1940, Charles Starrett starred in what was assumed to be just another Columbia western, a film entitled "The Durango Kid." In this film, Starrett played a masked Pecos gun sharp known as The Durango Kid who avenges the death of his father. It was a big hit with western fans but, surprisingly it took another 4 years before the second Durango Kid film was released, namely: The Return of the Durango Kid (1945).

In the 4 years between The Durango Kid (1940) & The Return of the Durango Kid (1945), Charles Starrett continued to make westerns of note - a nice set with former Hoppy side-kick Russell "Lucky" Hayden in 1941/42 - comedic support was proved by Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards. Hayden then moved onto his own western series.

Next came a series with Arthur 'Arkansas' Hunnicutt during 1943.

In 1944/45 Starrett did a series of westerns with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor. Interestingly music support was provided here by Jimmy Wakely and his Saddle Pals. Dub (as "Cannonball") actually returned for a "Durango" set in 1945 before finally leaving to join Russell Hayden and then Jimmy Wakely in their respective cowboy series.

The 11 films listed below in this 3 DVD set consist of five westerns with Lucky (Discs Nos. 1 & 2), two with Arkansas (Disc No. 2) and then 4 with Cannonball (Disc No. 3)

Disc No. 3 includes Rough Ridin' Justice (1945) which represents Starrett's last non-Durango western before donned the Durango mask for good (ie. for the rest of his career).

All are very good prints!

Note that a nice and very extensive set of Durango westerns can be found below (under "D") as well a 2 DVD set of Charles Starrett Westerns …"Before Durangos" …. above.

Note further that the Jimmy Wakely as well the Russell Hayden western series as can also be found below.

Charles Starrett Westerns … between the "Durangos" … Collection Disc No. 1

Riders of the Badlands (1941) - with Russell "Lucky"Hayden

West of Tombstone (1942) - with Russell "Lucky"Hayden

Lawless Plainsmen (1942) - with Russell "Lucky"Hayden

Down Rio Grande Way (1942) - with Russell "Lucky"Hayden

Charles Starrett Westerns … between the "Durangos" … Collection Disc No. 2

Bad Men Of The Hills (1942) - - with Russell "Lucky"Hayden

The Fighting Buckaroo (1943) - with Arthur "Arkansas" Hunnicutt

Frontier Fury (1943) - with Arthur "Arkansas" Hunnicutt

Charles Starrett Westerns … between the "Durangos" … Collection Disc No. 3

Sundown Valley (1944) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

Cyclone Prairie Rangers (1944) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

Saddle Leather Law (1944) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

Rough Ridin' Justice (1945) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

The Cisco Kid Movie Series (Warner Baxter)

1 DVD (Disc No. 1) Boxed Set price : AU$20 or US$20 or £10

O. Henry's famous Robin Hood of the Old West was first played by Warner Baxer in an early talkie titled In Old Arizona - he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as The Cisco Kid in this film! The film also received a further 4 Oscar nominations (for Best Picture, Cinematography, Director & Writing) - an auspicious introduction to the film exploits of O. Henry's intriguing character.

Baxter was back in the title role in 1931's The Cisco Kid and returned several years hence in Return of the Cisco Kid (1939). This third film utilized "western trio" dictum which was popular at the time. Lopez (Cesar Romero) was side-kick to Warner Baxter's Cisco with Chris-Pin Martin's Gordito (comic relief?) rounding out the group.

Cesar Romero was to move up the Cisco role later in that same year for a series of 5 Cisco Kid westerns with Chris-Pin Martin's Gordito returning to form the familiar "duo" which was to remain through several film series and ultimately the TV series

Excellent Prints

The Cisco Kid (Warner Baxter) Movie Series Disc

In Old Arizona (1928)

The Cisco Kid (1931)

Return of the Cisco Kid (1939)

The Cisco Kid Movie Series (Cesar Romero)

2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Before Duncan Renaldo was to provide the most famous of Cisco Kid's, Cesar Romero would admirably fill the role in six exciting western adventures. Cesar's first appearance in a Cisco Kid film was as side-kick Lopez to Warner Baxter's Cisco in The Return of the Cisco Kid (1939). Unlike other Cisco Kid films & TV series this film had a trio of adventurers (similar to Republic's 3 Mesquiteers) with Chris-Pin Martin's Gordito rounding out the group. Cesar moved up to the role of Cisco and Chris-Pin Martin returned as Gordito to form a "pair" of adventurers in The Cisco Kid and the Lady (1939). They were to remain together for 5 further outings as Cisco & Gordito.

Excellent Prints

The Cisco Kid (Cesar Romero) Movie Series Disc No. 1

The Return of the Cisco Kid (1939)

The Cisco Kid and the Lady (1939)

Viva Cisco Kid (1940)

The Cisco Kid (Cesar Romero) Movie Series Disc No. 2

The Gay Caballero (1940)

Romance of the Rio Grande (1940)

Ride On Vaquero (1941)

Lucky Cisco Kid (1940)

The Cisco Kid Movie Series (Monogram)

Volume One - 1 DVD (Disc No. 1) Boxed Set price : AU$20 or US$20 or £10

Volume Two - 2 DVD (Discs No. 2 & 3) Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Volume Three - 3 DVD (Discs No. 1, 2 & 3) Boxed Set price : AU$30 or US$30 or £15

After Cesar Romero finished his reign as The Cisco Kid, Monogram Pictures took over the franchise, casting

Duncan Renaldo as Cisco in a series of three western adventures. Martin Garralaga was to play Cisco's side-kick in each if these and he was called Pancho - this being the first occurrence of the character Pancho (Gonzales) in Cisco Kid filmdom.

Gilbert Roland then took over the Cisco role from Renaldo for a further six films for Monogram. Martin Garralaga was to again played Pancho in the first 4 of these before Chris-Pin Martin (Gordito in earlier Cisco films) assumed the (Pancho) role in the last two Monogram entries

Excellent Prints

The Cisco Kid (Duncan Renaldo / Martin Garralaga) Movie Series Disc No. 1

The Cisco Kid Returns (1945)

Old New Mexico (1945)

South Of The Rio Grande (1945)

The Cisco Kid (Gilbert Roland / Martin Garralaga) Movie Series Disc No. 2

The Gay Cavalier (1946)

South Of Monterey (1946)

Beauty And The Bandit (1946)

The Cisco Kid (Gilbert Roland / Martin Garralaga / Chris-Pin Martin) Movie Series Disc No. 3

Riding The California Trail (1947)

Robin Hood Of Monterey (1947)

King Of The Bandits (1947)

The Cisco Kid Movie & TV Series (Duncan Renaldo & Leo Carrillo)

7 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$45 or US$45 or £23

When the Monogram franchise of 9 Cisco Kid films ended, Universal Pictures decided to resurrect the character and cast Duncan Renaldo (who had earlier appeared as Cisco in three Monogram entries) in the knight-errant title role and Leo Carrillo (then in his seventies) as his portly sidekick, Pancho.

Throughout a series of five Cisco Kid films, they developed the Cisco and Pancho combination to such an extent that a move to television seemed the obvious next step. In the TV series which followewd, Cisco and Pancho saw plenty of action as they galloped around 1890's New Mexico on Diablo and Loco meting out justice to black-hearted villains. They kept violence to a minimum, with Cisco confining himself to shooting guns from his opponent's hands, whilst Pancho was an expert with the whip. Cisco was a bit of a dandy, dressed in his finely embroidered shirts and silver spurs with a giant sombrero. Pancho, however, loved his food. The adventures were played mainly for laughs and Pancho's terrible grip of the English language was used to the full. The TV series was filmed in color

Picture & Sound are both perfect

Special Note: 1st Renaldo / Carrillo feature film "Valiant Hombre" - is available as special bonus with this DVD set

The Cisco Kid "Bonus" Movie Disc

Valiant Hombre (1948)

The Cisco Kid (Renaldo/Carrillo) Movie Series Disc No. 1

The Gay Amigo (1949)

The Daring Caballero (1949)

Satan's Cradle (1949)

The Girl From San Lorenzo (1950)

The Cisco Kid TV Series Disc No. 2

Big Switch

Convict Story

Oil Land

Chain Lightning

Railroad Land Rush

Confession for Money

Haven for Heavies

The Cisco Kid TV Series Disc No. 3

Freight Line Feud

Phoney Heiress

Monkey Business

The Puppeteer

The Talking Dog

Pancho and the Pachyderm

Face of Death

The Cisco Kid TV Series Disc No. 4

Laughing Badman

Canyon City Kid

Dutchman's Flat

Freedom of the Press

Battle of Red Rock Pass

Bandaged Badman

Chinese Gold

The Cisco Kid TV Series Disc No. 5

Counterfeit Money

Cattle Rustling

Newspaper Crusaders

Medicine Flats

Lynching Story

Dog Story

Pancho Hostage

The Cisco Kid TV Series Disc No. 6

Performance Bond

Water Rights

Uncle Disinherits Niece

Stolen Bonds

Jewellery Hold-Up

Ghost Town Story

Buried Treasure

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (Season 1) TV Series

4 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Dick Powell & Zane Grey …

Zane Grey was a prolific American writer and pioneer of Western as a new literary genre. He produced over sixty books during his career and presented the West as a moral battle ground, in which his characters are redeemed through a final confrontation with their past or destroyed because of their inability to change.

Dick Powell may be best remembered as a movie star, a boyish crooner in dozens of Hollywood musicals of the 1930s, and later, a hard-boiled film noir tough guy. Like many stars of the studio era, Powell turned his dramatic talents to television in the fifties, and especially as an independent telefilm producer. Between 1952 and his death in 1963, Powell served as the head of Four Star Television (along with actor pals: Charles Boyer, David Niven & Ida Lupino), which became, under his leadership, one of Hollywood's leading suppliers of prime-time network programming.

Four Star's stock-in-trade was anthologies and in particular Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre, hosted by and occasionally starring the Four Star chief executive officer himself. Zane Grey Theatre ran for five years (1956-1961) on CBS, at once feeding and riding the crest of the phenomenal surge of western programs on television in the late 1950s.

Probably because of the financial clout of the "Four Stars", the series was well-budgeted in comparison with most programs of its time - a real "outdoors" show, filmed outdoors on realistic locations - it looked good!

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre was created by Luke Short, himself a highly regarded western novelist and screen-writer. The half hour series was originally based on the short stories and novels of Grey, but as the episodes continued, new material was used and it often came from the pen of Aaron Spelling (who went on to become the famed Hollywood producer).

Dick Powell hosted each episode appearing briefly at the beginning, usually with some "western props" which, by way of explanation, introduced that week's program. Powell appeared as various characters in 15 of the 149 episodes of the program whilst an incredible array of Hollywood movie talent filled the roster for the balance of the series - see below

As an example of the type of programs which were a staple of this excellent series, consider the episode Until the Man Dies. In it we have the forthright and upright rancher Clint Belmet (John Payne) who rescues the murderer Dave Jordan (Stuart Whitman) from a mob hanging. Clint takes Jordan to the town sheriff Mark Clanton for imprisonment awaiting trial. We learn that Clint and Mark are best friends and that Mark's wife Ella (Carolyn Jones) was once close to Clint. Unfortunately Jordan escapes and in the process kills Mark, leaving Clint feeling responsible (and the hanging mob less than impressed). Clint must now track down Jordan and in the process deal with the emotional impact on Ella (and himself).

But as the hunt ensues, we learn that all is not what it seems ..

So there you have it: a taunt, lean and muscular story in which our hero's values and determination are tested to the limit - John Payne at his best in a typical Zane Grey yarn (although written by Aaron Spelling). Direction comes via the impressive skills of John English, the legendary Republic serial director.

This listing is for Season 1 only - the best season - all 29 B&W episodes from Season 1 are presented here in their original telecast order. All 29 episodes are of exceptional (digitally restored) quality and are completely uncut running the full 26 minutes.

Note that some Episode Guides indicate that there were 30 episodes in Season 1

This is incorrect - these (faulty) guides list Episode No. 21 as " The Hangin' Tree" but its one and the same as Episode No. 1 "You Only Run Once"

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (Season 1) Disc No. 1

You Only Run Once - Robert Ryan

Fearful Courage - Ida Lupino & James Whitmore,

The Long Road Home - Dick. Powell

The Unrelenting Sky - Lew Ayres

Lariat - Jack Palance

Death Watch - Lee J. Cobb

Stage for Tucson - Eddie Albert

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (Season 1) Disc No. 2

A Quiet Sunday in San Ardo - Wendell Corey

Vengeance Canyon - Walter Brennan

Return to Nowhere - Steven McNally, John Ireland & Audrey Totter

Courage is a Gun - Dick Powell

Muletown Gold Strike - Rory Calhoun

Star over Texas - Ralph Bellamy

Three Graves - Jack Lemmon

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (Season 1) Disc No. 3

No Man Living - Frank Lovejoy

Time of Decision - Lloyd Bridges

Until the Man Dies - John Payne, Carolyn Jones & Stuart Witman

Backtrail - Dick Powell, Catherine McLeod

Dangerous Orders - Mark Stevens

The Necessary Breed - Sterling Hayden

Village of Fear - David Niven

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (Season 1) Disc No. 4

Black Creek Encounter- Ernest Borgnine

There Were Four - John Derek & Dean Jagger

Fugitive - Eddie Albert & Celeste Holm

A Time To Live - Ralph Meeker & Julie London

Black is for Grief - Mary Astor & Chester Morris

Badge of Honor - Gary Merrill, Tom Tully & Robert Culp

Decision at Wilson's Creek - John Forsythe & John Dehner

Man on the Run - Scott Brady

Don "Red" Barry

4 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

A college football star, Don Barry went from the stage to the screen and after 4 years of playing the heavy at a number of studios, Don got the role that would change his image. That role was as Red Ryder in the Republic serial Adventures of Red Ryder (1940) - available from the Serial Section of this website. Although he had appeared in westerns for two years or so, this was the one that would keep him there. He would acquire the nickname 'Red' from his association with the Red Ryder character. After that he starred in a number of films as other characters such as the Cyclone Kid and the Tulsa Kid. His side-kick (and comedy relief) in a lot of these films was Wally Vernon. They formed a nice duo with Don always displaying a tough uncompromising "attitude" towards those on the wrong side of the Law.

Note: The films listed below are NOT Red Ryder films!

A Don "Red" Barry Collection - Disc No. 1

One Man's Law (1940)

Frontier Vengeance (1940)

Wyoming Wildcat (1941)

Desert Bandit (1941)

A Don "Red" Barry Collection - Disc No. 2

Death Valley Outlaws (1941)

Arizona Terrors (1942)

Stagecoach Express (1942)

The Cyclone Kid (1942)

Dead Man's Gulch (1943)

A Don "Red" Barry Collection - Disc No. 3

Carson City Cyclone (1943)

Days Of Old Cheyenne (1943)

Fugitive From Sonora (1943)

The Black Hills Express (1943)

The Man From The Rio Grande (1943)

A Don "Red" Barry Collection - Disc No. 4

Canyon City (1943)

Outlaws Of Santa Fe (1944)

Gunfire (1950)

Train To Tombstone (1950)

NEWLY REMASTERED

Now in original Production Order

Yes - I've returned to my archives (each of my Durangos - like all of my westerns - were mastered from 16 mm to a single film per DVD and stored in my garden shed - true!)

From these I assembled (over a 3 year period from 2004), the various multi-film DVDs

that comprised the original Durango Volumes.

But now …

This is a completely new mastery of my Durango collection to which

two new films have been added and various digital enhancements have been employed

in bringing 4 films to each DVD*

The set of films is now in the original production order and

of good to excellent print quality throughout

>>> Reduced price upgrades are available (under certain conditions) <<<

* Disc No. 1 has only 2 films on the DVD

(specifically, the first two entries and the only ones to feature "Durango" in the title)

The Durango Kid (starring Charles Starrett)

Volume One - 4 DVD (Discs No. 1, 2, 3 & 4) Boxed Set price: AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Volume Two - 4 DVD (Discs No. 5, 6, 7 & 8) Boxed Set price: AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Volume Three - 4 DVD (Discs No. 9, 10, 11 & 12) Boxed Set price: AU$35 or US$35 or £18

In 1940, Charles Starrett starred in what was assumed to be just another Columbia western, a film entitled "The Durango Kid." This role, however, was destined to change the course of his career. The Durango Kid turned out to be one of the most popular Western heroes of the silver screen. In this production, Starrett played a dual role: young Bill Lowry, a ranch owner who's father had been murdered; and the masked Pecos gun sharp known as The Durango Kid. As the mysterious Durango Kid, Lowry avenges the death of his father.

This concept drew tons of mail from the youngsters who attended Saturday matinee Westerns. Both fans and exhibitors alike wanted more of The Durango Kid!

It was decided that Charles Starrett would continue in this role much the same as William Boyd had become Hopalong Cassidy. But, surprisingly it took another 4 years before the second Durango Kid film was released, namely: The Return of the Durango Kid (1945).

After the credits rolled on The Return of the Durango Kid (1945) and before the filmed actually commenced we got to read the following:

During the pioneering days of the West, some unscrupulous men, greedy for money and power, flouted the laws and

trampled the rights of the early settlers.

But there were other men willing to risk their lives

in defense of people unable to protect themselves.

Such was the Durango Kid, a mysterious masked rider,

whose name became a by-word ....

The Durango series was a tremendous success - so much so that Charles Starrett never played another role on film again - he remained as the Durango Kid for a further 63 films before hanging up his spurs and retiring after wrapping The Kid From Broken Gun (1952).

In the first two films Durango has no side-kick but by the third entry Both Barrels Blazing (1945), Dub "Cannonball" Taylor (who had previously played Starrett's side-kick in 8 westerns in 1943/45 - between the first two Durangos films) had joined the cast. He stayed for seven outings before leaving to join Jimmy Wakely at Monogram (see the Jimmy Wakely western series below).

For all of the remaining Durango films, the trusty side-kick (and comic-relief) role was played by Smiley Burnette - and he played a character called Smiley Burnette (or just Smiley) in each western!

By the time the dust had settled in 1952, Starrett had made 65 Films as the mystery rider. That was an incredible accomplishment. Even more amazing was that the films got better as they went along. The Durango Kid became even more athletic as Starrett grew older, thanks for the most part to Jock Mahoney doubling as the masked rider and who at times also appeared in the cast. Still however, even in his forties, Starrett could dish out the action as later entries will bear out.

One classic example is the 1949 entry Bandits of El Dorado - good story, lots of action and with a great cast list that boasted John Dehner, Clayton "The Lone Ranger" Moore & George J. Lewis

Gail Davis (TV's Annie Oakley) scored well in Trail Of The Rustlers (1950) - she was one of a number of women who had strong roles in Durango films.

Charles Starrett walked away from Hollywood at age 48 after The Kid From Broken Gun (1952). He was independently wealthy and didn't feel the need to try that new medium: Television (he had made one single TV appearance the year earlier, in an episode of the live anthology romance series Faith Baldwin Theatre called Shot in the Dark)

Note: These are very good prints!

Note further: There are two nice sets of Charles Starrett's non-Durango westerns also available from this section of the website (check above under "C")

Volume One - 4 DVD (Discs No. 1, 2, 3 & 4) Boxed Set price: AU$35 or US$35 or £18

The Durango Kid Collection Disc No. 1

The Durango Kid (1940) - the very first ever Durango film!

The Return Of The Durango Kid (1945)

The Durango Kid Collection Disc No. 2

Both Barrels Blazing (1945) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

Blazing The Western Trail (1945) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

Lawless Empire (1945) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

Texas Panhandle (1945) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

The Durango Kid Collection Disc No. 3

Roaring Rangers (1946) - the first with Smiley Burnette

Gunning For Vengeance (1946)

Galloping Thunder (1946)

Two-Fisted Stranger (1946)

The Durango Kid Collection Disc No. 4

The Desert Horseman (1946)

Heading West (1946)

Landrush (1946)

Terror Trail (1946)

Volume Two - 4 DVD (Discs No. 5, 6, 7 & 8) Boxed Set price: AU$35 or US$35 or £18

The Durango Kid Collection Disc No. 5

The Fighting Frontiersman (1946)

South Of The Chisholm Trail (1947)

The Lone Hand Texan (1947)

West Of Dodge City (1947)

The Durango Kid Collection Disc No. 6

Law of the Canyon (1947)

Prairie Raiders (1947)

The Stranger From Ponca City (1947)

Riders Of The Lone Star (1947)

The Durango Kid Collection Disc No. 7

Buckaroo From Powder River (1947)

Last Days Of Boot Hill (1947)

Phantom Valley (1948)

West Of Sonora (1948)

The Durango Kid Collection Disc No. 8

Whirlwind Raiders (1948)

Blazing Across the Pecos (1948)

Trail To Laredo (1948)

Challenge Of The Range (1949)

Volume Three - 4 DVD (Discs No. 9, 10, 11 & 12) Boxed Set price: AU$35 or US$35 or £18

The Durango Kid Collection Disc No. 9

Desert Vigilante (1949)

Laramie (1949)

The Blazing Trail (1949)

South Of Death Valley (1949)

The Durango Kid Collection Disc No. 10

Bandits Of El Dorado (1949)

Trail Of The Rustlers (1950)

Streets of Ghost Town (1950)

Prairie Roundup (1951)

The Durango Kid Collection Disc No. 11

Snake River Desperadoes (1951)

Bonanza Town (1951)

Cyclone Fury (1951)

Pecos River (1951)

The Durango Kid Collection Disc No. 12

Smoky Canyon (1952)

Laramie Mountains (1952)

The Rough, Tough West (1952)

The Kid from Broken Gun (1952) - the very last ever Durango film!

The Frontier Marshals … PRC's Cowboy Trio …

1 DVD (Disc No. 1) Boxed Set price : AU$20 or US$20 or £10

This interesting series of westerns was produced by PRC studios who wanted a cowboy trio to rival Republic's 3 Mesquiteers & Monogram's Rough Riders & Range Busters franchise.

The members of The Frontier Marshals were Bill 'Cowboy Rambler' Boyd, Art Davis & Lee Powell.

Both Bill 'Cowboy Rambler' Boyd and Art Davis had considerable singing cred (Boyd recorded over 200 records for Victor) whilst Lee Powell had developed quite a following from his Republic serial days thanks to an action-man performance in 1938's The Fighting Devil Dogs (which is available from the Movie Serial section of this website).

Plenty of ridin', ropin', shootin' & singin' from this capable ensemble.

Great Prints

The Frontier Marshals Movie Series Disc

Raiders Of The West (1942)

Rolling Down The Great Divide (1942)

Tumbleweed Trail (1942)

George O'Brien … No Singin' here …

3 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$30 or US$30 or £15

George O'Brien (1899-1985) was handsome leading man of classic silent films who became a different kind of star in B-Western talkies, mainly for RKO. He was often the husky, dark-clad cowboy with his hat tilted to one side, riding a horse named Mike, and with a ready grin, even in the face of adversity.

But before RKO, O'Brien's westerns were produced by Sol Lesser, with Fox doing the releasing - they included The Dude Ranger & Thunder Mountain (the latter with George 'Gabby' Hayes).

When O'Brien moved to RKO, he let it be known that he wasn't a fan of the singing cowboy nor musical interludes - even telling singing cowboy side-kick, Ray Whitley that "people came to O'Brien movies expecting action, and he intended to give it to them, so the musical numbers would be out." Hence Ray's appearances were restricted to just two outings: The Renegade Ranger (1938) & Trouble in Sundown (1939). Interestingly the former co-starred Tim Holt who went on to succeed O'Brien in RKO's westerns and become that studio's last western series star. (There's a nice set of Tim Holt westerns elsewhere in this section of the website). Colorful character actor Chill Wills played O'Brien's non-musical side-kick "Whopper" Hatch in a few westerns but O'Brien was mainly on his own, except perhaps for regular leading lady Virginia Vale who appeared as "the girl" in O'Brien's last 6 RKO outings.

Triple Justice (1940) ended the O'Brien series at RKO because, by then, he (soon to be joined by his successor, Tim Holt) was back in the service for World War II.

After the war, when he could not find work in acting, Director John Ford, who in 1924, had picked the virtually unknown George to star in his first picture, The Iron Horse (1924), gave him solid roles in the first two of his Cavalry Trilogy (also available from the website), namely Fort Apache (1948) & She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)

This 3 DVD set of 12 westerns gives a good representation of George O'Brien … No Singin' here …

Good quality pictures and sound

George O'Brien … No Singin' here … Disc No. 1

The Dude Ranger (1934)

Thunder Mountain (1935)

The Renegade Ranger (1938) - costarring Rita Hayworth

Lawless Valley (1938)

George O'Brien … No Singin' here … Disc No. 2

Arizona Legion (1939)

Trouble in Sundown (1939)

The Marshal of Mesa City (1939)

Legion of the Lawless (1940)

George O'Brien … No Singin' here … Disc No. 3

Bullet Code (1940)

Prairie Law (1940)

Stage to Chino (1940)

Triple Justice (1940)

NEWLY REMASTERED

Now in original Production Order

Hopalong Cassidy

Volume One - 6 DVD (Discs No. 1 to 6) Boxed Set price : AU$45 or US$45 or £23

Volume Two - 4 DVD (Discs No. 7 to 10) Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Volume Three - 4 DVD (Discs No. 11 to 14) Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Volume Four - 4 DVD (Discs No. 15 to 18) Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Volume Five - 4 DVD (Discs No. 19 to 22) Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Pulp author Clarence E. Mulford had been writing his Bar-20 stories for quite a while. They featured a foul-mouthed, whisky guzzling cow hand who hobbled along with a limp: Hop-A-Long Cassidy. Producer Harry Sherman planned to make a series of westerns based on Mulfords books and he needed a cheap actor for a supporting role. William Boyd had already slid as far as he could go and readily accepted the part. But when he got his script and began reading, Boyd's fertile imagination was fired. Hop-A-Long was a part that he could get into, but the old reprobate's personality needed a serious adjustment. Boyd knew how to fix the character.

Boyd approached Sherman with his ideas about Cassidy and proposed that he take the role himself. It was agreed. The first Hop-A-Long Cassidy western appeared in 1935. In the next film, all the dashes were eliminated in the name and he became simply Hopalong Cassidy or Hoppy for short.

It soon became apparent to Boyd, and everyone around him, that his personal identity was merging with the character, and there was good reason. On screen Cassidy was understanding, fatherly, and gentle, but when he became riled, woe betide the villain. Hoppy, in essence, was everything Boyd wanted to be. So he changed is personality and became Hopalong Cassidy.

The Hoppys were slick, beautiful productions with gorgeous photography (most were shot around Lone Pine and Mt. Whitney) and perhaps the best musical scores of any of the B westerns. They were well-scripted and well-acted. Hoppy's sidekicks included George Hayes (he was later known as Gabby), the hilarious Scottish comedian Andy Clyde, Russell Hayden, Jimmy Ellison and others. Supporting players included Victor Jory, Lee J. Cobb, George Reeves, Russell Simpson, a very young Robert Mitchum, Betty Bronson, and nearly all the well-known heavies of the period. They were immensely successful.

We all have our favorite Hoppy westerns - and they often form a subgroup based on Hoppy's side-kicks. Some prefer Windy Halliday (Gabby Hayes) to California Carlson (Andy Clyde) whilst others may prefer Lucky Jenkins (Russell Hayden) to Johnny Nelson (James Ellison).

My preference is the 6 films with combined both Lucky & California: commencing with Three Men From Texas (1940) and concluding with 1941's Wide Open Town - I even own an original Lobby Card for Three Men From Texas.

Note: Rand Brooks recreated the "Lucky" Jenkins role when, after two and a half years, William Boyd re-launched the Hoppy series under his own production banner, Hopalong Cassidy Productions with 1946's The Devil's Playground. Remember Rand Brooks? - He was Cpl Boone in The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin TV series (also available from this website)

In all William Boyd filmed 66 Hopalong Cassidy movies - they are all presented here in their original production order across 5 Volumes and 22 discs

Picture & sound on all 22 discs are both perfect

Note that Russell "Lucky" Ellison had his own western series before combining with James "Shamrock" Ellison for a further series in which they shared top billing. Both of these western series can be found below

Also worth a look : The Hopalong Cassidy Radio Shows (voiced by William Boyd and Andy Clyde) - check out the Old Time Radio section of this website. These shows have been digitally restored & come on MP3 CDs which work in your DVD player. The shows are free - with conditions. Check out the Old Time Radio section for further details

Volume One - 6 DVD (Disc Nos. 1 to 6) Boxed Set price : AU$45 or US$45 or £23

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 1

Hop-Along Cassidy (1935) - Hoppy 1st western (with James Ellison as Johnny Nelson)

The Eagle's Brood (1935)

Bar 20 Rides Again (1935) - the first with Gabby Hayes as "Windy"

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 2

Heart of the West (1936)

Call of the Prairie (1936)

Three on the Trail (1936)

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 3

Hopalong Cassidy Returns (1936) - this one doesn't have James Ellison (Johnny Nelson) in the cast

Trail Dust (1936)

Borderland (1937) - the last with James Ellison as Johnny Nelson

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 4

Hills of Old Wyoming (1937) - the 1st with Russel Hayden as Lucky Jenkins

North of the Rio Grande (1937)

Rustler's Valley (1937)

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 5

Hopalong Rides Again (1937)

Texas Trail (1937)

Partners of the Plains (1938)

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 6

Cassidy of Bar 20 (1938)

Heart of Arizona (1938)

Bar 20 Justice (1938)

Volume Two - 4 DVD (Disc Nos. 7 to 10) Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 7

Pride of the West (1938)

In Old Mexico (1938) - sequel to Borderland (1937) with the return of "The Fox"

The Frontiersmen (1938)

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 8

Sunset Trail (1939)

Silver on the Sage (1939)

Renegade Trail (1939) - the last with Gabby Hayes as "Windy"

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 9

Range War (1939)

Law of the Pampas (1939)

Santa Fe Marshal (1940)

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 10

The Showdown (1940)

Hidden Gold (1940)

Stagecoach War (1940)

Volume Three - 4 DVD (Disc Nos. 11 to 14) Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 11

Three Men from Texas (1940) - the first with Andy Clyde as "California" Carlson

Doomed Caravan (1941)

In Old Colorado (1941)

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 12

Border Vigilantes (1941)

Pirates on Horseback (1941)

Wide Open Town (1941) - the last with Russel Hayden as Lucky Jenkins

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 13

Riders of the Timberlane (1941)

Stick to Your Guns (1941)

Twilight on the Trail (1941)

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 14

Outlaws of the Desert (1941)

Secrets of the Wasteland (1941)

Undercover Man (1942)

Volume Four - 4 DVD (Disc Nos. 15 to 18) Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 15

Lost Canyon (1942)

Hoppy Serves a Writ (1943) - Robert Mitchum's first (credited) film role

Border Patrol (1943)

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 16

Leather Burners (1943)

Colt Comrades (1943)

Bar 20 (1943) - George "Superman" Reeves sole appearance as side-kick Lin Bradley

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 17

False Colors (1943) - the 1st with Jimmy Rogers as side-kick (of the same name)

Riders of the Deadline (1943)

Texas Masquerade (1944)

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 18

Lumberjack (1944)

Mystery Man (1944)

Forty Thieves (1944) - the last of the Harry Sherman Productions (also Jimmy Rogers' last as side-kick)

Volume Five - 4 DVD (Disc Nos. 19 to 22) Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 19

The Devil's Playground (1946) - the 1st Hopalong Cassidy Productions & 1st with Rand Brooks as Lucky Jenkins

Fool's Gold (1947)

Unexpected Guest (1947)

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 20

Dangerous Venture (1947)

The Marauders (1947) - aka King of the Range (1947)

Hoppy's Holiday (1947)

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 21

Silent Conflict (1948)

The Dead Don't Dream (1948)

Sinister Journey (1948)

Hopalong Cassidy Disc No. 22

Borrowed Trouble (1948)

False Paradise (1948)

Strange Gamble (1948) ) - the last Hoppy film

Hopalong Cassidy "Made For TV" TV Series

4 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

The first significant Western to appear on network television was The Hopalong Cassidy Show, which began in 1949. It starred movie-cowboy legend William Boyd as Hopalong, a character he had played in sixty-six movies between 1935 and 1948. Boyd sold almost everything he owned (even his ranch) to raise the funds to buy the rights to his films. He then re-cut 12 of them into 26 minute TV episodes. These re-cuts which included Hoppy's trademark narration were from his later films and co-starred Rand Brooks and Andy Clyde. To these he added another 40 made-for-TV episodes starring himself as Hoppy, still owner of the Bar 20 Ranch with a sidekick, Red Connors (cleverly played by Edgar Buchanan) who was the perfect foil for Cassidy.

This DVD set consists of the 40 "made for TV' episodes - excellent prints

Also worth a look : The Hopalong Cassidy Radio Shows (voiced by William Boyd and Andy Clyde) - check out the Old Time Radio section of this website. These shows have been digitally restored & come on MP3 CDs which work in your DVD player. The shows are free - with conditions. Check out the Old Time Radio section for further details

Hopalong Cassidy "Made for TV" Disc No. 1

Guns Across the Border

The Knife of Carlos Valero

The Trap

Alien Range

The Feud

Ghost Trails

Marked Cards

Don Colorado

Black Waters

Blind Encounter

Hopalong Cassidy "Made for TV" Disc No. 2

The Promised Land

The Vanishing Herd

Black Sheep

Lawless Legacy

The Devils Idol

The Sole Survivor

The Valley Raiders

Twisted Trails

The Last Laugh

The Jinx Wagon

Hopalong Cassidy "Made for TV" Disc No. 3

Illegal Entry

Gypsy Destiny

Arizona Troubleshooters

Death By Proxy

Frontier Law

Don't Believe in Ghosts

The Renegade Press

Double Trouble

Copper Hills

New Mexico Manhunt

Hopalong Cassidy "Made for TV" Disc No. 4

The Outlaw's Breed

Grubstake

Steel Trails West

Silent Testimony

3-7-77

Masquerade For Matilda

Frameup For Murder

The Black Sombrero

The Emerald Saint

Tricky Fingers

Jimmy Wakely … Monogram's Gene Autry …

3 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$30 or US$30 or £15

Jimmy Wakely was sometimes referred to as a Monogram's Autry in films, to which he replied:

"Everybody reminds somebody of someone else until they are somebody.

And I had rather be compared to Gene Autry than anyone else.

Through the grace of God and Gene Autry, I got a career."

With the incredible success of singing cowboys during the war years, film studios were falling over themselves in grooming top country singers for B Western stardom. To this end, Monogram Pictures signed the slim, laidback, good-looking Jimmy Wakely (of The Jimmy Wakely Trio fame) to a 5 year contract and more than 20 successful cowboy outings. Dubbed the Bing Crosby of C&W, his stay at Monogram went well from his debut (as lead) in Song of the Range (1944) through his finale in Lawless Code (1949).

Jimmy's sidekick was initially Lee "Lasses" White with the first three vehicles - Disc No. 1: Song of the Range (1944), Springtime in Texas (1945) & Saddle Serenade (1945) were really a trio (a la 3 Mesquiteers) series, with Wakely and "Lasses" White teaming with Dennis Moore (as "Denny") in the first two followed by John James (as "Dusty") in the third.

Disc No. 3 consists of 4 entries with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor as Jimmy sidekick. These westerns are quite different from the earlier ones, being more action oriented and with less musical content. Jimmy also seemed to "dress down" to a more generic shirt and jeans (from a Roy Rogers type "range uniform")

With the break-up of Monogram and the end of B Westerns imminent, Lawless Code (1949), proved to be Jimmy's last starring role as he moved from screen to more lucrative recording contracts and personal appearances, reaching his peak as a recording artist in 1950.

Great Prints

Jimmy Wakely … Monogram's Gene Autry … Disc No. 1

Song of the Range (1944)

Springtime in Texas (1945)

Saddle Serenade (1945)

Jimmy Wakely … Monogram's Gene Autry … Disc No. 2

Trail to Mexico (1946)

Rainbow Over the Rockies (1947)

Song of the Wasteland (1947)

Jimmy Wakely … Monogram's Gene Autry … Disc No. 3

Song of the Drifter (1948) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

Gun Runner (1949) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

Gun Law Justice (1949) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

Lawless Code (1949) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

NEWLY REMASTERED

Yes - I've returned to my archives in order to

completely re-master these Johnny Mack Brown westerns into release order.

Digital restoration / enhancement technology has been extensively employed

right across the entire collection in bringing 4 films to each DVD.

The set of films is of good to excellent print quality throughout

>>> Reduced price upgrades are available (under certain conditions) <<<

Johnny Mack Brown Westerns

Volume One - 6 DVD (Discs No. 1 to 4) Boxed Set price : AU$45 or US$45 or £23

Volume Two - 4 DVD (Discs No. 7 to 10) Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

An All-American halfback while attending the University of Alabama, Johnny Mack Brown (JMB) would chose the silver screen over football when he graduated. His muscular good looks made him a natural for westerns, most of which were filmed by Universal. These were top-flight actioners with strong supporting casts and often including Tex Ritter, Bob Baker & Fuzzy Knight.

In 1943, Brown moved to Monogram Studios where he would film over 60 westerns. The high point of these latter films were those in which he teamed with former Mesquiteer & Rough Rider Raymond Hatton.

With JMB usually playing U.S. Marshal 'Nevada Jack" McKenzie and Hatton as US Marshal Sandy Hopkins - each film ended with the boys going their separate ways: JMB to Nevada and Hatton to Texas but in the next film they would again meet up and bring further crooks to justice and (a measure of) peace to their corner of the Old West.

As with most of the early Cowboy stars, JMB was a hero to millions of young children and consistently among the top ten money-makers in Westerns from 1942-50.

Note: All 5 Johnny Mack Brown's serials (Fighting With Kit Carson, Flaming Frontiers, The Oregon Trail, The Rustlers of Red Dog & Wild West Days) can be found in the Movie Serial section of this website - they are available as single serials and in "2fers" and a "5fer" DVD combination

Volume One - 6 DVD (Discs No. 1 to 6) Boxed Set price : AU$45 or US$45 or £23

Johnny Mack Brown Westerns Disc No. 1

Branded a Coward (1935)

Between Men (1935)

Rogue of the Range (1936)

The Crooked Trail (1936)

Johnny Mack Brown Westerns Disc No. 2

Under Cover Man (1936)

The Gambling Terror (1937)

Lawless Land (1937)

Guns in the Dark (1937)

Johnny Mack Brown Westerns Disc No. 3

A Lawman is Born (1937)

Boothill Brigade (1937)

Oklahoma Frontier (1939)

Chip of the Flying U (1939)

Johnny Mack Brown Westerns Disc No. 4

Boss of Bullion City (1940)

Riders of Pasco Basin (1940)

Bad Man from Red Butte (1940)

Law and Order (1940)

Johnny Mack Brown Westerns Disc No. 5

Pony Post (1940)

Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie (1941)

Law of the Range (1941)

Rawhide Rangers (1941)

Johnny Mack Brown Westerns Disc No. 6

Man from Montana (1941)

Stagecoach Buckaroo (1942)

The Silver Bullet (1942)

Raiders of San Joaquin (1943)

Volume Two - 4 DVD (Disc Nos. 7 to 10) Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Johnny Mack Brown Westerns Disc No. 7

The Stranger from Pecos (1943)

Six Gun Gospel (1943)

The Lone Star Trail (1943)

Outlaws of Stampede Pass (1943)

Johnny Mack Brown Westerns Disc No. 8

The Texas Kid (1943)

Raiders of the Border (1944)

Partners of the Trail (1944)

Stranger from Santa Fe (1945)

Johnny Mack Brown Westerns Disc No. 9

Under Arizona Skies (1946)

Land of the Lawless (1947)

Code of the Saddle (1947)

Frontier Agent (1948)

Johnny Mack Brown Westerns Disc No. 10

Triggerman (1948)

The Sheriff of Medicine Bow (1948)

West of El Dorado (1949)

Outlaw Gold (1950)

Ken Maynard Westerns

Volume One (Discs 1 & 2) - 2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Volume Two (Discs 3, 4 & 5) - 3 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$30 or US$30 or £15

Ken Maynard was an accomplished horseman who performed in rodeos and was a trick rider with Buffalo Bill 's Wild West Show and a circus rider with Ringling Brothers. After serving in the US Army in WWI, he came to Hollywood firstly for stunt work but soon showed ability as an actor. Maynard learned his acting trade the hard practical way by living the life of a real cowboy. He enjoyed the rough and tumble and hard knocks of cowboy life. He would feel the pain of dare devil horse riding, eating his meals by camp fire and sleeping under the stars in the cold and hot seasons. With his white cowboy hat, classy shirt, pair of six-shooters and famed white stallion "Tarzan", from the 1920s to the mid-1940s, Maynard appeared in more than 90 films across several studios and production arms: Tiffany, KBS, World Wide, Grand National, Mascot & Columbia. Ken Maynard westerns were a consistent lot, full of action, wit and mystery. Although apparently "difficult" off-screen, Maynard was a real charmer on-screen and his westerns remain well liked and appreciated for what they were: straight forward & "fun". A standout entry is 1931's gritty The Pocatello Kid, in which Maynard plays the dual roles of brothers Ken & Jim Bledsoe.

Note that all 18 films in this set are of good quality (some exceptional) with clean audio and nice clear images - and are of far superior quality to those on commercial release

Volume One (Discs 1 & 2) - 2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Ken Maynard Westerns Disc No. 1

Fightin' Thru (1930)

Alias: The Bad Man (1931)

Branded Men (1931)

The Pocatello Kid (1931)

Ken Maynard Westerns Disc No. 2

Texas Gun Fighter (1932)

Between Fighting Men (1932)

The Fugitive Sheriff (1936)

Whirlwind Horseman (1938)

Volume Two (Discs 3, 4 & 5) - 3 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$30 or US$30 or £15

Ken Maynard Westerns Disc No. 3

Whistlin' Dan (1932)

Come On, Tarzan (1932)

Phantom Thunderbolt (1933)

Ken Maynard Westerns Disc No. 4

Fargo Express (1933)

In Old Santa Fe (1934)

Western Courage (1935)

Ken Maynard Westerns Disc No. 5

Boots of Destiny (1937)

Flaming Lead (1939)

Death Rides the Range (1939)

Lightning Strikes West (1940)

Kirby Grant … Northwest Mountie …

2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

In 1949, Kirby Grant, who had previously replaced Rod Cameron as Universal's B-Western series star in the mid 1940s, moved to Monogram Pictures for a series of mounted-police adventures action adventure films based on James Oliver Curwood's 1908 novel: The Gold Hunters.

In the first Trail of the Yukon (1949), Grant plays Bob McDonald, RCMP and we meet his faithful companion, a beautiful white malamute named Chinook (the Wonder Dog). An excellent outdoors adventure set in beautiful country, this movie formed the template for an effective series of "Northwest Mountie" action films.

By the time came for the second entry The Wolf Hunters (1949), Grant had become RCMP Corporal Rod Webb - a title he would keep through to the last entry of the series Yukon Vengeance (1954), which had a rather interesting baddie: Monte Hale - the legendary last of screen's singing cowboys! (whose western series is also available from this website - see below)

Chinook appeared (and to great effect) in all the films in the series - they were well made and utilized a greater budget than other Monogram / Allied Artists fare. The Wolf Hunters (1949) even had the legendary Budd Boetticher as director!

Interestingly, whilst filming the series Kirby Grant scored the role that was to make him a household name: Sky King. Yes this is the same Kirby Grant who would portray Arizona rancher-pilot Schuyler "Sky" King, who fought bad guys and rescued people with his airplane in that fabulous 1950's TV series of the same name (and available from the TV Series section of this website).

Great set of Prints

Kirby Grant … Northwest Mountie … Disc No. 1

Trail of the Yukon (1949)

The Wolf Hunters (1949)

Snow Dog (1950)

Call of the Klondike (1950)

Kirby Grant … Northwest Mountie … Disc No. 2

Yukon Manhunt (1951)

Northwest Territory (1951)

Northern Patrol (1953)

Yukon Vengeance (1954)

Lash La Rue (LaRue) Westerns

Volume One (Discs 1 & 2) - 2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Volume Two (Discs 3 & 4) - 2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Volumes One & Two (Discs 1 to 4) - 4 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Lash La Rue was known as the "King of the Bullwhip" who together with sidekick, Al "Fuzzy" St. John, made a string of highly successful westerns for producer Ron Ormand's Western Adventure Productions. In these films, Lash played a character with his own name. Most of his movies featured a fight-ending blow in which Lash would seem to jump into the air and strike downward with a knockout punch. It wouldn't have been effective in a real fight, Lash confessed. "But it looked good!" Lash said he always made sure his hat came off in fights, so audiences could see that it was really him and not a stuntman. Outlaw Country (1949) was among Lash's favorites of his movies. In it he played two roles both his own character and his wayward twin brother, The Frontier Phantom. He revisted the dual characters once more in The Frontier Phantom (1952) - see Volume 2 (Disc No. 4). Of significance here is that The Frontier Phantom (1952) was Lash La Rue's last western film before he moved over to TV (and his own western TV series)

Earlier in his career, Lash LaRue played Marshal "Cheyenne" Davis in a string of 8 westerns for PRC. Filmed in 1947 and directed by genre veteran Ray Taylor, the series commenced with Law of the Lash and was suitably rounded out with Cheyenne Takes Over. These "Cheyenne" Davis films were action packed affairs again featuring Fuzzy St. John and sometimes Jennifer Holt (sister to Tim and daughter of Jack).

All 8 "Cheyenne" Davis films can be found sequentially in Volume 2 below.

Volume One (Discs 1 & 2) - 2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Lash La Rue Westerns Disc No. 1

Dead Man's Gold (1948)

Mark Of The Lash (1948)

Frontier Revenge (1948)

Outlaw Country (1949)

Son Of Billy The Kid (1949)

Lash La Rue Westerns Disc No. 2

Son Of A Badman (1949)

The Daltons' Women (1950)

King Of The Bullwhip (1950)

The Thundering Trail (1951)

The Black Lash (1952)

Volume Two (Discs 3 & 4) - 2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Lash La Rue Westerns Disc No. 3 (The Marshall "Cheyenne" Davis Series)

Law of the Lash (1947)

Border Feud (1947)

Pioneer Justice (1947)

Ghost Town Renegades (1947)

Stage to Mesa City (1947)

Lash La Rue Westerns Disc No. 4 (The Marshall "Cheyenne" Davis Series + two later Lash westerns )

Return of the Lash (1947)

The Fighting Vigilantes (1947)

Cheyenne Takes Over (1947)

The Vanishing Outpost (1951)

The Frontier Phantom (1952) - Lash's last western film!

The Lone Ranger TV Series (Season 1)

6 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$45 or US$45 or £23

"A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty "Hi Yo Silver!" The Lone Ranger. "Hi Yo Silver, away!" With his faithful Indian companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains, led the fight for law and order in the early west. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. The Lone Ranger rides again!"

Perhaps the most famous Western of all is The Lone Ranger. It was the tale of the mysterious masked man and his faithful Indian companion and their efforts to maintain law and order throughout the West. It came to TV in 1949 in a series of half-hour films epitomizing the good guys vs. the bad guys Western theme.

In the beginning, six Texas Rangers led by Captain Dan Reid in search of a bunch of outlaws known as the Cavendish gang are ambushed at Bryant's Gap. All of the Rangers are shot and left for dead. A Mohawk Indian, Tonto, comes upon the massacre and discovers one Lone Ranger still alive. Tonto carries the seriously wounded man to a cave and nurses him back to health. John Reid, the surviving ranger, tells his story to Tonto, and later tears a piece of black material from his dead brother Dan Reid's vest and makes a mask which enabled him to hide his identity and to pose as an outlaw to get near the gang. Later, Reid and Tonto learn most of the outlaws had been hanged or imprisoned. To symbolize the massacre at Bryant's Gap, The Lone Ranger never removed his mask and continued to pursue outlaws and defend justice every week with his faithful Indian companion Tonto, his equally faithful steed Silver, and his legendary silver bullets, never fired in anger.

After a long and successful radio and comic book career, The Lone Ranger came to TV in 1949.

In an ambitious project, 52 initial episodes were filmed for the 1949 / '50 Season. Well shot on a good budget and with deft scripting developed from the successful radio series (as penned by the legendary Fran Striker), The Lone Ranger was off to a good start. Not the least of which was a three part story arc recounting the origins of The Lone Ranger, Tonto & (horse) Silver and as told the first three episodes: (Enter The Lone Ranger, The Lone Ranger Fights On, The Lone Ranger's Triumph).

A record 221 episodes were filmed between 1949 and 1955 (182 in B&W and 39 in color)

This set consists of the first (and best) Season.

PICTURE (B&W) & SOUND ARE BOTH PERFECT

(Also worth a look: at the conclusion of the TV Series, The Lone Ranger moved to the big screen with two Technicolor outings: The Lone Ranger (1956), The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958) - both of these films are available from within the INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of this website)

The Lone Ranger TV Series (Season 1) Disc No. 1

Enter the Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger Fights On

The Lone Ranger's Triumph

Legion of Old Timers

Rustlers' Hideout

War Horse

Pete and Pedro

The Renegades

The Lone Ranger TV Series (Season 1) Disc No. 2

The Tenderfeet

High Heels

Six Gun's Legacy

The Return of the Convict

Finders Keepers

The Masked Rider

Old Joe's Sister

Cannonball McKay

The Man Who Came Back

The Lone Ranger TV Series (Season 1) Disc No. 3

Outlaw Town

Greed for Gold

Man of the House

Barnaby Boggs, Esquire

Sheep Thieves

Jim Tyler's Past

The Man With Two Faces

Buried Treasure

Troubled Waters

The Lone Ranger TV Series (Season 1) Disc No. 4

Gold Train

Pay Dirt

Billie the Great

Never Say Die

Gold Fever

Death Trap

Matter of Courage

Rifles and Renegades

The Lone Ranger TV Series (Season 1) Disc No. 5

Bullets for Ballots

The Black Hat

Devil's Pass

Spanish Gold

Damsels in Distress

Man Without a Gun

Pardon for Curley

Eye for an Eye

Outlaw of the Plains

The Lone Ranger TV Series (Season 1) Disc No. 6

White Man's Magic

Trouble for Tonto

Sheriff of Gunstock

The Wrong Man

The Beeler Gang

The Star Witness

The Black Widow

The Whimsical Bandit

Double Jeopardy

Monte Hale … Last of the Singing Cowboys …

4 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Republic Pictures were looking for someone to test a new color film and decided to team Monte Hale with Adrian Booth thus making Hale Republic's first western star in a color series. This color film, Home on the Range (1946) was in Magnacolor which would eventually be called Trucolor.

As such Monte Hale became Republic's first B-western star to appear in color pictures, (a year before Roy Rogers!)

Monte went on to make another eight films color westerns finishing with California Firebrand (1948). Son of God's Country (1948) then commenced a run of 11 B&W westerns at Republic with his last starring role being The Missourians (1950).

The latter film qualifies Monte Hale as the last survivor of the screen's singing cowboys!

Whilst Hale's westerns were enhanced by the clever playing of character actor Paul Hurst as his sidekick who appeared in most of his films, it was the Republic production values (and Roy Barcroft as the baddie) which set this cowboy series apart: fine, well scripted affairs with charismatic performances from Monte as the films devolved to less singing and more action.

Interestingly after his last starring role (The Missourians) and after a break of a few years he was back before the cameras this time as a heavy in Yukon Vengeance (1954) - the last of Kirby Grant's excellent "Monogram" Mountie series which is also available from this website (see above).

Excellent Prints

Monte Hale … Last of the Singing Cowboys … Disc No. 1

Home on the Range (1946) - in Magnacolor

The Man from Rainbow Valley (1946) - in Trucolor but shown here in B&W

Last Frontier Uprising (1947) - in Trucolor but shown here in B&W

Monte Hale … Last of the Singing Cowboys … Disc No. 2

California Firebrand (1948) - in Magnacolor

Son of God's Country (1948)

Prince of the Plains (1949)

Monte Hale … Last of the Singing Cowboys … Disc No. 3

Law of the Golden West (1949)

Outcasts of the Trail (1949)

South of Rio (1949)

San Antone Ambush (1949)

Monte Hale … Last of the Singing Cowboys … Disc No. 4

Ranger of Cherokee Strip (1949)

Pioneer Marshal (1949)

The Vanishing Westerner (1950)

The Missourians (1950)

Morton of the Mounted

Special 2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$20 or US$20 or £10

Empire Pictures announced a series of 6 "Morton of the Mounted" films in 1934 with John Preston to play RCMP Sgt. Bruce Morton. Initially 3 scripts were commissioned. Timber Terrors (aka Morton of the Mounted) and Courage of the North were first two adventures and they were well received. From stories by Barry Barringer and with direction from Robert Emmett Tansey, each film saw Morton ably supported by "Dynamite, the Horse" and "Captain, King of Dogs". However, this proved to be the only Morton of the Mounted films because by the third outing, The Silent Code, International / Stage & Screen had taken over and the Morton name was dropped in favour of RCMP Corporal Jerry Hale and was played by Kane Richmond (without animal support!)

Nice Prints

Morton of the Mounted Disc

Timber Terrors (aka Morton of the Mounted) (1935)

Courage of the North (1935)

The Silent Code Disc

The Silent Code (1935)

The Restless Gun TV Series

3 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$30 or US$30 or £15

The Six Shooter was a 1953-54 radio series created by Frank Burt in which legendary actor James Stewart played the role of the cowboy traveller Britt Ponset. James Stewart's Britt Ponset was a man with a reputation for having a fast gun but nonetheless a thinking man who didn't reach for his gun first and ask questions later.

(This excellent radio series - perfectly restored - is available from the Old Time Radio section of this website)

The Six Shooter was to become The Restless Gun on television in 1957-58. Action film star, John Payne took over from James Stewart, taking the name Britt Ponset with him into three appearances on TV's Schlitz Playhouse of Stars before moving onto a regular TV series, entitled The Restless Gun and with a name changed to Vint Bonner. Just like Stewart, Payne "narrated" proceedings in a series of stories which were often adapted from episodes aired on radio.

John Payne also produced the TV series (along with David Dortort, who would go on to produce Bonanza) which ran for two seasons and 77 episodes - these were very polished, well budgeted 30 minute B&W western adventures which also featured an interesting array of guest stars: Ben Johnson, James Coburn, J. Carrol Naish, Edgar Buchanan, Jack Elam, William Hopper, Andrew Duggan plus eventual regulars on Bonanza: Dan Blocker & Michael Landon.

This 3 DVD set begins with the original pilot episode for the TV series - simply titled The Restless Gun, it is an entry in the Schlitz Playhouse of Stars anthology series.

The following 23 episodes are from the regular series and are presented here in their original telecast order and are of very nice quality throughout

Also worth a look : The Six Shooter Radio Shows - check out the Old Time Radio section of this website. These shows have been digitally restored & come on MP3 CDs which work in your DVD player. The shows are free - with conditions. Check out the Old Time Radio section for further details

The Restless Gun Disc No. 1

The Restless Gun (Pilot - Schlitz Playhouse of Stars)

Man and Boy

Cheyenne Express

Thicker Than Water

The Child

Hornitas Town

Woman From Sacramento

The Hand Is Quicker

The Restless Gun Disc No. 2

The Outlander

The Gold Star

Jebediah Bonner

Bonner's Squaw

Remember the Dead

No Way To Kill

Multiply One Day

Paligroso

The Restless Gun Disc No. 3

The Way Back

The Painted Beauty

The Lady and the Gun

Blood of Courage

Melany

Incident at Bluefield

The Pawn

Code for a Killer

Robert Mitchum … still out West but in the Lead …

2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Robert Mitchum had "really served his time" by the mid 1940s. He'd played the role of a "heavy" in a number of Hopalong Cassidy films (the complete collection of which is available from this website), most notably featuring in Riders of the Deadline (1943) where his role as Nick Drago gave him several scenes in which he was able to demonstrate "serious screen presence" even up against William Boyd's Hoppy.

So in 1944 RKO gave him his own "B" western series, pairing him up an appealing Richard Martin who as side-kick Chito Rafferty provided the comedic relief. (Martin was to play a string of side-kick roles as Chito in RKOs later "B" western series starring Tim Holt - a nice collection of which is available from this website).

The Robert Mitchum series was to only last for two films but they were well received and through them it became obvious that Mitchum was a star in the making. His chemistry with Chito worked well on screen, and both films were skilfully directed by Edward Killy (who was to make his name as an assistant director in the 50s). Zane Grey's novels were used as the basis for the series so there was plenty of "meat in the stories" and Mitchum's trademark laconic behaviour bubbled "just below the surface" in these action packed oaters.

Raoul Walsh & Warner Bros liked Mitchum's leading man credentials in the RKO series and cast him in their superlative Pursued in 1947. It was a genuine A list western with dark nourish tones telling a story that unfolds through a series of flashbacks where the hero Jeb Rand (Robert Mitchum) struggles to evoke an obscure incident of his early childhood - the memory that may well be the key to a series of tragedies that take place one after the other with no apparent reason.

RKO were so impressed with the film that they decided to do their own noir western and signed Mitchum to film Blood on the Moon (1948) with noted director Robert Wise. Adapted from the novel "Gunman's Choice", it told of a drifter Jim Gary (Robert Mitchum) riding into the middle of a dispute between a cattleman, John Lufton and a group of homesteaders lead by Tate Riling (Robert Preston). Although a friend of Riling, Gary must soon have to choose sides when it emerges that Lufton is being set up.

Interestingly, Blood on the Moon was released between Mitchum's fabulous two noir "suits & fedoras": Out of the Past (1947) & The Big Steal 1949) - a pair of excellent films which actually started a genre!

Both Pursued and Blood on the Moon are now acknowledged as classic "noir-westerns" and cemented Robert Mitchum as a leading man - a position he was to hold for a further half century before his death in 1997.

Note that Pursued (1947), Out of the Past (1947), Blood on the Moon (1948) & The Big Steal 1949) are also available separately from within the INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of this website.

Excellent Prints

Robert Mitchum … still out West but in the Lead … Disc No. 1

Nevada (1944)

West of the Pecos (1945)

Robert Mitchum … still out West but in the Lead … Disc No. 2

Pursued (1947)

Blood on the Moon (1948)

Rod Cameron … Out West …

4 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

"Tall in the saddle" is the way leathery, wiry-framed 40s and early 50s western film star Rod Cameron was often described. Born in Alberta, he aspired to be a Canadian Mountie but found himself in Hollywood as a "stand-in" for Fred MacMurray (whom he closely resembled).

His breakout screen role was as clench-jawed WWII Agent Rex Bennett, out to bring down the foreign enemy and save the world, in the Republic serial cliffhangers G-men vs. the Black Dragon (1943) and Secret Service in Darkest Africa (1943) - both of these excellent serials are available from the Movie Serials section of this website.

From there he was signed by Universal to appear in a series of B westerns with Eddie Dew and Fuzzy Knight on board as his comic sidekick. These low-budget outings were always entertaining action affairs often featuring Jennifer Holt (daughter of Jack and sister of Tim) as the feisty female.

Rod then seemed to turn freelance, taking up nice lead roles in westerns for Republic, Monogram & Columbia. His Republic Pictures entries were excellent color (albeit Trucolor) westerns that ran for a full 90 minutes - hardly B's, they were the headline act in many cinemas across the country. In The Plunderers (1948), Cameron played an undercover lawman with Forrest Tucker as the likeable outlaw who ends up fighting renegade Indians on Cameron's side. In the following year he was on another undercover job in Brimstone (1949), where the mission was to bring to justice a crime family headed by Walter Brennan. Even bigger budgeted color Republic's followed with Oh! Susanna (1951) & Ride the Man Down (1952) - both of which co-starred Forrest Tucker and Chill Wills.

Cameron's last two films with Republic, San Antone (1953) & Hell's Outpost (1954) whilst sporting excellent production values were nonetheless shot in B & W. But both were compelling stories with the former co-starring Katy Jurado and the latter being an interesting modern day western in which Rod Cameron plays an opportunistic Korean war veteran who poses as a friend of the late son of a mine owner (Chill Wills), intending to work the mine for all it's worth and then pull out. What's goin' on? Rod Cameron a cowboy baddie? - its OK - by and by, he slowly turns honest, but the same cannot be said of rival miner (John Russell).

This DVD set of 10 westerns gives a good representation of Rod Cameron … Out West ...

Very good quality pictures and sound

There are two interesting Rod Cameron westerns available separately from the INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of the website: PANHANDLE (1948) & STAGE TO TUCSON (1950)

Note that both Rod Cameron's serials - G-MEN VS. THE BLACK DRAGON (1943) & SECRET SERVICE IN DARKEST AFRICA (1943) - are available in a "2fer" set from the Movie Serials section of this website

Rod Cameron … Out West … Disc No. 1

Trigger Trail (1944)

The Old Texas Trail (1944)

Beyond the Pecos (1945)

Renegades of the Rio Grande (1945)

Rod Cameron … Out West … Disc No. 2

The Plunderers (1948) - color

Brimstone (1949) - color

Rod Cameron … Out West … Disc No. 3

Oh! Susanna (1951) - color

Ride the Man Down (1952) - color

Rod Cameron … Out West … Disc No. 4

San Antone (1953)

Hell's Outpost (1954)

NEW …………..NEW …………..NEW …………..NEW ………….NEW

NEWLY REMASTERED

WITH NEW PRINTS & RESTORATIONS

NOW A 6 DVD SET

Roy Rogers … King of the Cowboys …

6 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$45 or US$45 or £23

Roy Rogers was born Leonard Franklin Slye on November 5, 1911, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He spent his youth primarily in McDermott, Ohio, where he attended school and then took a job in a local shoe factory to help support his parents and siblings. Rogers tired of factory work and moved to California in 1930 where he worked at various jobs including harvesting peaches and driving dump trucks. He also began a career in country music, joining several country and western bands, including the Hollywood Hillbillies, the Rocky Mountaineers, the Texas Outlaws, and the International Cowboys. In 1934, Rogers's first real musical success came when he formed the group the Sons of the Pioneers. Rogers changed his name from Leonard Slye to Dick Weston and finally to Roy Rogers, while singing with the Sons of the Pioneers.

During the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, Roy Rogers was a household name. With his wife Dale Evans and his horse Trigger, Rogers became one of the biggest stars of this era and one of the greatest country and western performers of all time. He starred in more than one hundred movies, composed music for several additional movies, made numerous guest appearances on television programs, and starred in the Roy Rogers Show on CBS Television from October 1951 to September 1964. At the peak of his popularity, Rogers received more than 75 000 fan letters in a single month. In 1980, the Country Music Hall of Fame inducted the Sons of the Pioneers in 1980 and Roy Rogers in 1988.

Yes, Roy Rogers was arguable the King of the B western movie stars and indeed starred in the aptly named King of the Cowboys (1943). He rose the very top of his field whilst never losing sight of his humble beginnings - a true King (just like Gable & Elvis) he transcended the medium to become a larger than life character - so much so, that watching a Roy Rogers western was like watching Roy Rogers doing his thing in real life. In Bells of Rosarita (1945), Roy actually plays himself: a cowboy movie star who helps Sue Farnum (Dale Evans) & Gabby Whittaker (George ‘Gabby’ Hayes) in their fight to keep control of their ranch. Of further interest in this film is the fact that Roy gets good help from his “B” western pals: Don 'Red' Barry, Bob Livingston, 'Wild Bill' Elliott, Alan 'Rocky' Lane & Sunset Carson) in bringing the baddies to heel!

Whilst Springtime in the Sierras (1947) is opined as one of Roy's best ever westerns, its also remembered for a number of interesting items: the novelty of a female villain and the famous fight which takes place in the freezer between Roy and Loring's henchman Matt Wilkes (Roy Barcroft, who else). Additionally, the film was also made at the time when Republic Pictures were concerned about the recent marriage of Roy to usual female lead Dale Evans. Dale and Roy's first western together had been Cowboy and the Senorita (1944) and their on-screen chemistry had garnered considerable box-office appeal up to and including Bells of San Angelo (1947). But Republic got nervous and Dale was replaced for Springtime in the Sierras (1947) with (effectively) two female leads Jane Frazee & Stephanie Bachelor. Dale Evans would eventually return to the fold, two years later when producers realized that she was now vital to continued box-office success for Roy Rogers westerns.

Another interesting entry is Spoilers of the Plains (1951). Always wanting to "push the envelope", this film finds Roy fighting "Cold War" spies. There's desert sites for rocket-launching and artificial satellites and a blazing fight one -on-one fight to the death on an oil derrick. Sometimes called a sci-fi western but probably best remembered as the first "Cold War" western!

Roy's westerns moved to color in 1947 (Bells of San Angelo (1947) was Roy's second outing filmed with Republic's Trucolor system). These big-budget affairs really pushed Roy's films into the "A" league but eventually Republic scaled back and Roy's last color western was North of the Great Divide (1950).

Pals of the Golden West (1951) marked the "finish" for Roy. Sadly, it was his last western feature, before he and Dale moved on to a successful TV career.

Across this incredible run of successful westerns, Roy got support from a comic side-kicks: Smiley Burnette (playing Frog Millhouse), George ‘Gabby’ Hayes (playing Gabby Whittaker), Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams (playing Teddy Bear), Andy Devine (playing Cookie Bullfincher) and Gordon Jones (playing Splinters McGonigle). Each bought their own style to the role and clever scripting gave them ample scope in “bringing the laughs”.

Roy’s westerns were always action packed affairs thanks to the excellent production values of veteran serial production house Republic Pictures (his “B” western pals listed above, were all from the Republic stable). And they did have music with Roy and his guitar being joined by either the Sons of the Pioneers or Riders of the Purple Sage.

Whilst Roy’s earliest westerns had a number of songs, the quotient was lifted in the early 40’s before being wound back considerably in the late 1940s. This later group, which benefited by the deft direction of serial legend William Witney, contained some of Roy’s best westerns.

What’s your favorite Roy Rogers western?

For Trev, its easy: Bells of San Angelo (1947), with Bells of Coronado (1950) a close second.

Both of these westerns were filmed in color using Republic’s own Trucolor process: cost- efficient and effective at the time they were ideally suited to westerns because the primary colors in those films were blues, browns and reds. Like Cinecolor, it could produce vibrant reds, oranges, blues, browns and flesh tones, but its renderings of other colors were often muted, such as bright greens (rendered dark green) and purples (rendered a sort of dark magenta).

Lots of Roy Rogers films have been released commercially. But they are invariably very poor quality and have been “cut” to 54 minutes regardless of the actual true running time. This is because just about all of the catalogue was sold to TV (which require the film to fit into an hour with commercials) and its these TV prints that have also fallen into “Public Domain” resulting in “copies of copies” pervading the market.

So what’s on offer here?

Here we have a nice set of 18 uncut, beautifully restored prints - the full running time throughout and with B&W/Color renditions & digital restorations of pleasing quality.

Please realize that some of the Trucolor prints whilst nicely restored do show slight signs of “redness” and “brownness” - but its hardly noticeable

Very good quality pictures and sound (and "uncut")

There are several Roy Rogers westerns (ALL UNCUT) available separately from the INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section of the website:

Cowboy and the Senorita (1944), Bells of Rosarita (1945), Bells of San Angelo (1947), Springtime in the Sierras (1947), Bells of Coronado (1950), Trigger, Jr. (1950) & Trail of Robin Hood (1950).

Roy Rogers … King of the Cowboys … Disc No. 1

King of the Cowboys (1943) - B&W - 70 mins - with Smiley Burnette

Song of Texas (1943) - B&W - 72 mins

Hands Across the Border (1944) - B&W - 70 mins - with Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams

Roy Rogers … King of the Cowboys … Disc No. 2

Cowboy and the Senorita (1944) - B&W - 78 mins - Roy and future wife Dale Evans' first western together

Bells of Rosarita (1945) - B&W - 68 mins - with Don “Red” Barry, “Wild Bill” Elliott, Alan “Rocky” Lane, Bob Livingston …

Roll on Texas Moon (1946) - B&W - 68 mins - Roy's first with director William Witney

Roy Rogers … King of the Cowboys … Disc No. 3

Heldorado (1946) - B&W - 70 mins - "Gabby" Hayes' last western with Roy Rogers

Bells of San Angelo (1947) - Color - 76 mins - Roy's first with Andy Devine

Springtime in the Sierras (1947) - Color - 75 mins - Dale Evans replaced! (temporarily)

Roy Rogers … King of the Cowboys … Disc No. 4

Under California Stars (1948) - Color - 70 mins - with Andy Devine

Bells of Coronado (1950) - Color - 67 mins - incredible print quality!

Trigger, Jr. (1950) - Color - 67 mins - one of Roy's personal favourites (incredible print quality!)

- Gordon Jones' first as Splinters McGonigle

Roy Rogers … King of the Cowboys … Disc No. 5

North of the Great Divide (1950) - Color - 67 mins - Roy's last color western

Spoilers of the Plains (1951) - B&W - 67 mins - the first ever "Cold War" western

Heart of the Rockies (1951) - B&W - 66 mins - Gordon Jones' last as Splinters McGonigle

Roy Rogers … King of the Cowboys … Disc No. 6

In Old Amarillo (1951) - B&W - 67 mins

South of Caliente (1951) - B&W - 67 mins

Pals of the Golden West (1951) - B&W - 67 mins (Roy's last western feature)

Russell Hayden … "Lucky" in the Lead …

3 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$30 or US$30 or £15

Russell Hayden first came to prominence when he replaced James Ellison as Hopalong Cassidy's new sidekick 'Lucky Jenkins'. Hayden was in 27 of the Hoppy adventures from 1937 - 1941. Paramount also used him in several of their 'Zane Grey' films during that time. After leaving Paramount (& Hoppy), Hayden moved to Columbia Studios and became second lead to Charles Starrett in a string of westerns there. Looking good in the saddle, he soon was given his own series and became a "Leading Man" by moving to the top of the credits for The Lone Prairie (1942). After A Tornado in the Saddle (1942), he filmed his first of several Mountie films with 1943's Riders of the Northwest Mounted. These Columbia westerns were slick and exciting action-packed affairs with deft support coming from the redoubtable Dub Taylor as Cannonball. The Last Horseman (1944) proved to be Hayden's last with Columbia and he then took the lead role in the Universal serial The Lost City of the Jungle (which is available from the Movie Serial section of this website). Next up Hayden filmed a very nice set of 4 Mountie films based on books by James Oliver Curwood. Commencing with 'Neath Canadian Skies (1946) and following up North of the Border (1946), Hayden got good support from Inez Cooper & Douglas Fowley. The following year Hayden played RCMP David 'Lucky' Sanderson in another two excellent films: Where the North Begins & Trail of the Mounties, in both cases this time with support from Jennifer Holt (daughter of Jack & sister of Tim).

Of important note here is that these 4 Mountie films were "Four Reelers" - that is their length was not much more than 40 minutes. But they were tight, fast paced and well directed by experienced hands in B. Reeves Eason & Howard Bretherton.

Unfortunately Trail of the Mounties (1947) proved to be Russell Hayden's last starring role in a film.

(Technically speaking, though Lucky did then combine with fellow Hoppy side-kick James Ellison for a further set of westerns in which he had equal top billing (with Ellison who had adopted the moniker "Shamrock" for the series). Often referred to as the "Shamrock & Lucky" western series, the full set of these westerns can be found below)

Excellent Print Quality throughout

Note that James Oliver Curwood's books provided for an excellent set of Mountie films starring Kirby Grant - they are available from this section of the website

Russell Hayden … "Lucky" in the Lead … Disc No. 1

The Lone Prairie (1942) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

A Tornado in the Saddle (1942) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

Riders of the Northwest Mounted (1943) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

Russell Hayden … "Lucky" in the Lead … Disc No. 2

Silver City Raiders (1943) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

The Last Horseman (1944) - with Dub "Cannonball" Taylor

'Neath Canadian Skies (1946)

Russell Hayden … "Lucky" in the Lead … Disc No. 3

North of the Border (1946)

Where the North Begins (1947)

Trail of the Mounties (1947)

NEW ……………NEW ……………NEW ……………NEW

Sunset Carson @ Republic

4 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Michael Harrison was a tall, handsome rodeo star who was spotted by Tom Mix, and given a job in Mix's touring Wild West Show. He then travelled to South America in 1940, winning the Champion All-Around Cowboy awards in Buenos Aires two years in a row. Returning to the U.S., he was spotted by Republic executive Lou Grey. His size, looks, and horsemanship got him a contract as the star of a series of B-Westerns, along with a name change to Sunset Carson. Within two years, Carson was in the top 10 of Western Stars. But Republic parted ways with Carson in 1946.

In that time he made 15 Westerns as star, although for the first 4 he had to settle for second billing behind Smiley Burnette. Firebrands of Arizona (1944) marked Burnette’s last appearance in a Republic and is considered a cult film due to its most unusual self-satire. Played tongue-in-cheek and full of throwaway gags, it’s a great final pairing of Smiley & Sunset.

Sunset’s next film, Sheriff of Cimarron (1945) - his first on his own - is regarded as one of his finest. An action packed affair, it marked noted stunt man Yakima Canutt’s first (credited) full directorial film.

Whilst Sunset was to only make 15 westerns across a little over two years at Republic, they are very highly regarded. Republic was at their peak in the early to mid 1940s, with solid production values, great stunts and fine support players filling each western with action and adventure. And Sunset’s Republic canon is a fine example of that studio’s capability to entertain

Excellent prints (mastered in release order) throughout!

Sunset Carson @ Republic Disc No. 1

Call of the Rockies (1944) - Sunset’s first Republic western

Bordertown Trail (1944)

Code of the Prairie (1944)

Firebrands of Arizona (1944) - Smiley Burnette’s last Republic film

Sunset Carson @ Republic Disc No. 2

Sheriff of Cimarron (1945) - Sunset now on his own in Yakima Canut’s first (credited) full directorship

Santa Fe Saddlemates (1945)

Oregon Trail (1945)

Bandits of the Badlands (1945)

Sunset Carson @ Republic Disc No. 3

Rough Riders of Cheyenne (1945)

The Cherokee Flash (1945)

Days of Buffalo Bill (1946)

Alias Billy the Kid (1946)

Sunset Carson @ Republic Disc No. 4

The El Paso Kid (1946)

Red River Renegades (1946)

Rio Grande Raiders (1946) - Sunset’s last Republic film

"Shamrock" & "Lucky" - James Ellison & Russell Hayden together!

2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

The two major side-kicks from the Hopalong Cassidy series of westerns were James Ellison and Russell Hayden. Ellison played Jimmy Nelson for 8 entries and when he left for (supposed) greener pastures, his replacement, Russell Hayden (as "Lucky" Jenkins) was equally well received and stayed with Hoppy for 27 consecutive features before leaving after completing 1941's Wide Open Town. Hayden then went into his own western series (see above).

In 1950 Lucky combined with James Ellison for a new series of 6 films in which they shared equal top billing. Because he was playing opposite and providing an ideal foil to "Lucky", Ellison adopted the moniker "Shamrock" in keeping with the spirit of this excellent series. These sprightly affairs benefited from the two principals charismatic interplay and are often termed the "Shamrock & Lucky" western series.

This 2 DVD set of 6 westerns is the entire collection of the "Shamrock" & "Lucky" series presented here in release order

Perfect pictures and sound

The "Shamrock" & "Lucky" Western Series - Disc No. 1

Hostile Country (1950)

Marshal of Heldorado (1950)

Crooked River (1950)

The "Shamrock" & "Lucky" Western Series - Disc No. 2

Colorado Ranger (1950)

West of the Brazos (1950)

Fast on the Draw (1950)

NEWLY REMASTERED

Yes - I've returned to my archives and a new print in order to

completely re-master this set of westerns all over again.

Digital restoration / enhancement technology has been extensively employed

The set of films is of excellent print quality throughout

>>> Gratis upgrades are available (with one small condition) <<<

The Three Mesquiteers ((Livingston, Renaldo & Hatton)

2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Popular western author William Colt MacDonald wrote a story called "Law of the 45's" in 1935. This was the genesis of the three characters known as Tucson Smith, Stoney Brooke and Lullaby Joslin who called themselves the Three Mesquiteers. They were great friends who help out needy souls in the late 1800's West. Republic Studios secured the rights in 1936 and produced 51 Three Mesquiteers westerns from 1936-1943. The series really reached its high-water mark in 1939/40 with seven well received films teaming Robert Livingston as Stoney, Duncan (The Cisco Kid) Renaldo as Rico and Raymond Hatton as Rusty Joslin.

Note : See below for John Wayne's 3 Mesquiteers Collection

The Three Mesquiteers Movie Series (Livingston, Renaldo & Hatton) Disc No. 1

The Kansas Terrors (1939)

Cowboys from Texas (1939)

Heroes of the Saddle (1940)

Pioneers of the West (1940)

The Three Mesquiteers Movie Series (Livingston, Renaldo & Hatton) Disc No. 2

Covered Wagon Days (1940)

Rocky Mountain Rangers (1940)

Oklahoma Renegades (1940) - nice new print!

A Three Mesquiteers Collection starring John Wayne

1 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$20 or US$20 or £10

A notable part of the popular series consisted of John Wayne as Stoney, Ray Corrigan as Tucson & Max Terhune as Lullaby

John Wayne's The Three Mesquiteers

Pals of the Saddle (1938)

Overland Stage Raiders (1938)

Three Texas Steers (1939)

Tex Ritter … Cowboy Crooner …

3 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$30 or US$30 or £15

Tex Ritter began his singing career in 1929 at a radio station in Houston. By 1932, he had become a featured singer in the Madison Square Garden Rodeo, which established his "singing cowboy" reputation and led to his landing a starring role in "The Lone Star Rangers," one of the first western radio programs in New York.

A movie contract followed in 1936 and Tex went on to make 78 westerns.

He made an initial string of singing cowboy adventures with the Boots and Saddles Production Company and they were released through Grand National Pictures. These films, which included 1937's Sing, Cowboy, Sing & Riders of the Rockies were made on a shoe-string but were popular enough to warrant increased budgets when the production company signed on with Monogram Pictures in 1938 with Tex's first outing for the new studio being Starlight Over Texas (1938).

The high point of his movie career probably occurred when he began making westerns for Universal Pictures, the last of which being Oklahoma Raiders (1944) which co-starred Fuzzy Knight, Dennis Moore & Jennifer Holt - its an exciting adventure in which Tex investigates the wrangling of horses meant for the US Army.

In the twilight of his career, Tex moved over to PRC Studios for a nice set of Texas Ranger westerns. Ritter portrayed Texas Ranger Tex Haines, and had Dave O'Brien (Texas Ranger Dave Wyatt) and comic relief Guy Wilkerson (Texas Ranger Panhandle Perkins) as his buddies in a 3 Mesquiteers type set up which was popular with western fans at the time. The final two "Texas Ranger" outings (1945's Frontier Fugitives & Flaming Bullets) were probably the best of the series but the writing was on the wall for Tex Ritter and Flaming Bullets (1945) proved to be his very last starring role.

Note that all 10 films in this set are of good quality with clean audio and nice clear images - and are of far superior quality to those on commercial release

A Further Note of Interest: Tex Ritter also appeared in an excellent 8 western run in 1941/42 with Wild Bill Elliott - this series can be found in a 2 DVD set from within the Wild Bill Elliott listing below.

Tex Ritter … Cowboy Crooner … Disc No. 1

Sing, Cowboy, Sing (1937)

Riders of the Rockies (1937)

Starlight Over Texas (1938)

Where the Buffalo Roam (1938)

Tex Ritter … Cowboy Crooner … Disc No. 2

Pals of the Silver Sage (1940)

Cowboy from Sundown (1940)

Marshal of Gunsmoke (1944)

Oklahoma Raiders (1944)

Tex Ritter … Cowboy Crooner … Disc No. 3

Frontier Fugitives (1945)

Flaming Bullets (1945)

NEWLY REMASTERED

Yes - I've returned to my archives (and some new prints) in order to

completely re-master these Tim Holt westerns into release order.

Digital restoration / enhancement technology has been extensively employed

right across the entire collection in bringing 4 films to each DVD.

The set of films is of good to excellent print quality throughout

>>> Reduced price upgrades are available (under certain conditions) <<<

Tim Holt's RKO Westerns … a Chip off the old Block …

5 DVD Boxed Set price: AU$40 or US$40 or £20

Tim Holt was a popular second generation cowboy star (his father Jack Holt had been one of Paramount's top silent era cowboy stars). When George O'Brien (RKO's top cowhand) left the studio in 1940, Tim took over his series of low-budget Westerns, gathering a strong following over the next few years After service in WWII. Tim once again assumed his position as RKO's resident B-Western star (a post that, in his absence, had been briefly held by Robert Mitchum) with several adaptations of Zane Grey stories: Thunder Mountain, Wild Horse Mesa (a remake of the silent version in which his dad had starred), and Under the Tonto Rim (all 1947).

Still youthful-looking, Tim had been matured by the war, and was more grim, more thoughtful on-screen than he'd ever been before. He made another two dozen or so Westerns-which were among the best in the field-between 1948 and 1952 and his films from this period rank at the top of the B western genre.

Richard "Chito" Martin was Holt's saddle pal during the entire group.

Tim Holt's RKO Collection Disc No. 1

Along The Rio Grande (1941)

Under The Tonto Rim (1947)

Thunder Mountain (1947)

Wild Horse Mesa (1947)

Tim Holt's RKO Collection Disc No. 2

The Arizona Ranger (1948) - a great film co-starring his Dad, Jack Holt

Guns Of Hate (1948)

Brothers In The Saddle (1949)

Stagecoach Kid (1949)

Tim Holt's RKO Collection Disc No. 3

Masked Raiders (1949)

The Mysterious Desperado (1949)

Storm Over Wyoming (1950)

Rider From Tucson (1950)

Tim Holt's RKO Collection Disc No. 4

Gunplay (1951)

Pistol Harvest (1951)

Hot Lead (1951)

Overland Telegraph (1951)

Tim Holt's RKO Collection Disc No. 5

Trail Guide (1952)

Road Agent (1952)

Target (1952)

Desert Passage (1952) - Tim's very last western!

Tim McCoy … Cowboy Colonel ….

4 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Before he became a immensely popular western star, Tim McCoy was already an expert horseman and roper who had competed in numerous rodeos, before enlisting in the United States Army when America entered the WWI. By the end of the war he was a decorated soldier who had risen to the rank of Colonel with the Army Air Corps - a title he would carry with him into the movies.

His initiation into Hollywood came about through of his expansive knowledge of Indian folklore, and by bringing hundreds of Native Americans to the movie capital for 1923's The Covered Wagon - a film on which he was to serve as technical advisor.

McCoy's early film success came with Columbia Pictures with a high energy crop of more than 30 pictures including 1932's End of the Trail, which is arguably his finest film and considered by many to be one of the best series Westerns produced in the 1930s. After Justice of the Range (1935), McCoy moved to Puritan Pictures with The Outlaw Deputy (1935). It was whilst he was at Puritan that he began working with director Sam Newfield, firstly in Bulldog Courage (1935) - Newfield & McCoy were to combine in a number of successful westerns over the next 6 years across several studios. The Traitor (1936) was to be McCoy's last picture with Puritan before he moved to Monogram for a neat quartet of westerns commencing with West of Rainbow's End (1938) and concluding with Phantom Ranger (1938). McCoy's next film was with Sam Katzman's Victory Pictures and it proved to be a winner: Lightning Carson Rides Again (1938). He was to portray the steely-eyed, black-clad strong man of the west, Lightnin' Bill Carson to great acclaim in 7 more films for Katzman.

McCoy then moved to PRC (Producers Releasing Corporation) for a further series of films which included 1940's Frontier Crusader (aka Fighting Crusader) & Arizona Gang Busters (aka Gang Busters).

Interestingly Tim McCoy could really "walk the talk": not only was he an expert rider, roper and marksman, he was also famed for his fast draw. (A film editor once timed it on 35mm film with 24 frames per second: it took exactly six frames from the blur of his hand to the smoke issuing from the end of his gun!)

This DVD set of 16 westerns gives a good representation of McCoy's cowboy starring efforts across the 4 studios before he moved back to Monogram in 1941 and second billing (behind Buck Jones) for the Rough Riders series.

Note that all 16 films in this set are of good quality (some exceptional) with clean audio and nice clear images - and are of far superior quality to those on commercial release

Tim McCoy Westerns Disc No. 1

End of the Trail (1932)

Fighting Shadows (1935)

Justice of the Range (1935)

The Outlaw Deputy (1935)

Tim McCoy Westerns Disc No. 2

Man from Guntown (1935)

Bulldog Courage (1935)

Roarin' Guns (1936)

Ghost Patrol (1936)

Tim McCoy Westerns Disc No. 3

The Traitor (1936)

West of Rainbow's End (1938)

Phantom Ranger (1938)

Lightning Carson Rides Again (1938)

Tim McCoy Westerns Disc No. 4

Six-Gun Trail (1938)

Code of the Cactus (1939)

Frontier Crusader (1940) (aka Fighting Crusader)

Arizona Gang Busters (1940) (aka Gangbusters)

Tom Keene … Actor & Cowboy …

2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Known for his handsome looks and fitness, Tom Keene was an actor first and a western hero second: he purposely returned to the stage and also took lesser roles in better quality films from time to time in order to avoid the cowboy typecast.

Of interest is his films for E.B. Derr's Crescent Pictures productions which whilst essentially westerns were billed as historical adventure yarns. The most famous of these would have be 1936's Rebellion which has neat support from Rita Hayworth & Duncan "Cisco Kid" Renaldo.

In 1937, after the Crescent series, Tom Keene went to the relaunched Monogram Pictures group and appeared in four (pre-WWII) films of which Where Trails Divide (1937) has significance because of the appearance of a young Dave Sharpe before his emergence as the premier stuntman in Hollywood.

In 1941 Keene was back on the big screen and back in the saddle for Monogram and again distinguishing self as an actor & cowboy …

Note that all 6 films in this set are of good quality with clean audio and nice clear images - and are of far superior quality to those on commercial release

Tom Keene … Actor & Cowboy … Disc No. 1

Rebellion (1936) - costarring Rita Hayworth & Duncan Renaldo

The Law Commands (1937)

Where Trails Divide (1937)

Tom Keene … Actor & Cowboy … Disc No. 2

Dynamite Canyon (1941)

Lone Star Law Men (1941)

Arizona Round-Up (1942)

Tom Mix … out of the "Silents" …

Volume One (Disc No. 1) - 1 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$20 or US$20 or £10

Volume Two (Discs Nos. 1 & 2) - 2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

In the 1920s Tom Mix was the most famous man on the planet. Tom was a soldier of fortune, an entrepreneur, rider of the silver screen and traveler of the sawdust trail (ie circus performer). Destined by his unique personality to be a western film star, he became the idol of millions of children and adults.

From 1909-1929 Mix made 326 silent films but when the talkies rolled around, he seemingly retired ….

However, in 1932, Universal Studios was able to entice Mix back to the silver screen with a great offer: his own production unit, nice budgets of between $100,000 to $150,000 per film and approval over the cast, script, etc. But by then Mix was in his early fifties. He hadn't made any movies for about three years, had never worked with a microphone and suffered from many injuries accumulated during his prodigious silent career. However he "cowboyed up" and did most of his own stunts and riding in what was to be an excellent set of talkies.

The initial plans for the 1932-1933 release season were for six adventures but the fans flocked to the theatres to see the born again screen legend and in response, Mix and Universal turned out nine entries. From the initial offering, the excellent Destry Rides Again (1932) through to the last, 1933's Rustler's Roundup, Tom Mix was again a huge hit at the cinemas.

Mix was to star in one last western. In 1935. Nat Levine, a producer of chapter-plays at Mascot Pictures offered Mix $40,000 to make The Miracle Rider serial. Mix, who was now 55 years old, accepted and this highly regarded cliffhanger came to pass.

Despite that serial's success, Mix left the movies and returned to the circus.

Although he was to tragically die in a 1940 road accident, the Tom Mix image was kept alive until 1950 by the Ralston Purina breakfast cereal people who sponsored The Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters radio program. Tom was played on the radio by different actors, Curley Bradley being the most notable. The show offered Tom Mix premiums like The Straight Shooters Secret Manual, glow-in-the-dark belts, and magic-light tiger-eye rings. The 140 premiums, most with Tom’s image or TM brand on ‘em, were issued from 1933 to 1950 and were written into the show’s story lines so that every kid would want a signature ring just like the one Tom wore!

This DVD set consists of 4 of Tom's Universal releases (including his first Destry Rides Again and last Rustler's Roundup) on Disc No. 1 as well as a very nice print of The Miracle Rider serial on Disc No. 2.

An option exists to purchase just Disc No. 1 only.

Note that The Miracle Rider (1935) is also available separately from within the Movie Serials section of this website

Tom Mix … out of the "Silents" … Disc No. 1

Destry Rides Again (1932)

The Texas Bad Man (1932)

Hidden Gold (1932)

Rustlers' Roundup (1933)

Tom Mix … out of the "Silents" … Disc No. 2

The Miracle Rider (1935) - 15 Chapter serial

Whip Wilson … Monogram's "Lash" ….

Volume One (Disc Nos. 1, 2 & 3) - 3 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$30 or US$30 or £15

Volume Two (Disc Nos. 4 & 5) - 2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

In the late 1940's Monogram Studios were looking for a "Buck Jones" type who could use a whip. Lash LaRue (whose western series is also available from website) was gaining some fame cracking a bull whip for PRC and so emerged Illinois singer Roland Charles Meyers as Whip Wilson in a well appreciated series of westerns for Monogram. Whip's first starring western was Crashing Thru (1949) and he followed up with a further 21 western features for Monogram before riding off into the sunset in 1955.

Whip's most appreciated westerns were the first dozen entries through to 1951's Abilene Trail. They each featured Andy Clyde as his comedic sidekick. Clyde had fulfilled a similar role as California Carlson in a string of Hopalong Cassidy westerns commencing with 1941's Three Men From Texas (all 66 Hopalong Cassidy westerns are also available from this website). Clyde's clever playing alongside Whip lifted these formula westerns to a new and popular level.

Unfortunately, Clyde decided to move on after Abilene Trail (1951) and Whip's new pairing was to become a trio for his next western Wanted: Dead or Alive (1951), being joined by Jim Bannon (playing U. S. Marshal Jim Bannon) and Fuzzy Knight as Texas. Bannon stayed through to Lawless Cowboys (1951) after which it was just Whip & Fuzzy for a few further entries. By Wyoming Roundup (1952), Whip was on his own (with some comic relief provided by Tommy Farrell) in what was to be his very last western (& film) - apart from an uncredited appearance in 1953's The Silver Whip.

At the peak of his fame, Whip Wilson comics began to appear and Whip even appeared on live TV, demonstrating his deft skills with the whip - he was so good with a whip that he was hired to do (just) the whip scenes in Burt Lancaster's 1955 film, The Kentuckian.

Volume One - 3 DVD set consists of 11 westerns which co-starred Andy Clyde.

Volume Two - 2 DVD set consists of 7 later westerns which DID NOT co-star Andy Clyde.

Note that all 18 films in this set are of good quality with clean audio and nice clear images.

Volume One (Disc Nos. 1, 2 & 3) - 3 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$30 or US$30 or £15

Whip Wilson Disc No. 1

Crashing Thru (1949)

Haunted Trails (1949)

Riders of the Dusk (1949)

Range Land (1949)

Whip Wilson Disc No. 2

Fence Riders (1950)

Gunslingers (1950)

Arizona Territory (1950)

Silver Raiders (1950)

Whip Wilson Disc No. 3

Cherokee Uprising (1950)

Outlaws of Texas (1950)

Abilene Trail (1951)

Volume Two (Disc Nos. 4 & 5) - 2 DVD Boxed Set price : AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Whip Wilson Disc No. 4

Wanted: Dead Or Alive (1951)

Canyon Raiders (1951)

Stagecoach Driver (1951)

Lawless Cowboys (1951)

Whip Wilson Disc No. 5

Stage To Blue River (1951)

Night Raiders (1952)

Wyoming Roundup (1952)

NEWLY REMASTERED & EXPANDED

Yes - I've returned to my archives, some new prints and some new titles in order to

completely re-master these Wild Bill Elliott westerns into release order.

Digital restoration / enhancement technology has been extensively employed

right across the entire collection in bringing either 2, 3 or 4 films to each DVD.

The set of films is of good to excellent print quality throughout

>>> Reduced price upgrades are available (under certain conditions) <<<

"Wild Bill" Elliott

Volume One - 4 DVD (Discs No. 1 to 4) Boxed Set price: AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Volume Two - 5 DVD (Discs No. 5 to 9) Boxed Set price: AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Volume Three - 4 DVD (Discs No. 10 to 13) Boxed Set price: AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Volume Four - 2 DVD (Discs No. 14 & 15) Boxed Set price: AU$25 or US$25 or £13

"Wild Bill Elliott" grew up around horses. His father was a commissioner at the Kansas City Stockyards and at age 16 Elliott won a first-place ribbon in that city's annual "American Royal Horse and Livestock Show." After a move to California, Elliott appeared in a steady stream of movies, first silents and then talkies, in which he played too great a variety of roles to be "typed." In many of these movies he was billed as "Gordon Elliott."

In 1938, however, Columbia cast him as the lead in its 15-chapter serial, "The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok," (available form the Serial Section of this website) and Elliott's identification with westerns began. He even began to adopt the names "Bill" or "Wild Bill." He also became famous for using the line: "I'm a peaceable man ... " (Which was inevitably followed by an outburst of violence.)

At Columbia, Elliott often teamed with Dub Taylor (as Cannonball) and later with Tex Ritter.

In 1941 Columbia signed up Tex Ritter for a series of 8 westerns with Wild Bill Elliott. Elliott often played Wild Bill Hickok in this sparkling series with Tex playing the local sheriff - Cannonball was mostly played by Frank Mitchell. This series is often (& probably justifiably) seen as the high point of both Wild Bill's & Tex's western career. Across 8 consecutive and well received cowboy films, these two western legends made a formidable team - their rapport was obvious and the series just seem to hit the right balance between action, adventure, songs & humour - the like was rarely repeated.

Calling Wild Bill Elliott (1943) signalled Elliott's move to Republic Pictures and as if to publicise the move, he and well-known Hopalong Cassidy side-kick George "Gabby" Hayes actually played themselves (by name) in a western who's title used the lead characters real name!

At Republic, Elliott then made 16 Red Ryder films which are NOT part of this collection.

In 1947 Elliott moved away from the Red Ryder "formula" and into a run of 9 bigger budgeted westerns with Republic. These were quite long films (between 80 and 100 mins) and had great production values and interesting co-stars (eg Vera Ralston, John Carroll, Albert Dekker, Andy Devine, Bruce Cabot & Forrest Tucker). Two (1949's The Last Bandit & Hellfire) were even shot in color.

In 1951, Wild Bill left Republic for Monogram / Allied Artists Films for a further stint as a cowboy in 11 well received entries before finishing his western CV with 1954's The Forty-Niners

Volume One consists of 16 of Wild Bill's pre Red Ryder westerns

Volume Two consists of ALL 9 of Wild Bill's post Red Ryder Republic westerns

Volume Three consists of ALL 11 of Wild Bill's Monogram /Allied Artists westerns

Volume Four consists of ALL 8 of the Wild Bill with Tex Ritter westerns

Note: Wild Bill's made three serials (all westerns): The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1938), Overland with Kit Carson (1939) & The Valley of Vanishing Men (1942). They can be found in the Movie Serial section of this website (accessed via the Home Page) - they are available as single serials and in a "3fer" DVD combination

Further Note: After 1955's The Forty-Niners, Bill went on to make 5 crime dramas in which he played Andy Flynn (the name was changed to Andy Doyle after the first entry, but it's the same character), a detective for the LA sheriff's office. I've christened this movie series Bill Elliott's "Suits & Fedoras". It can be found in the Movie Series section of this website (under "B" for Bill Elliott's "Andy Doyle).

WILD BILL ELLIOTT before RED RYDER

Volume One - 4 DVD (Discs No. 1 to 4) Boxed Set price: AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 1

Lone Star Pioneers (1939)

Taming of the West (1939)

Pioneers of the Frontier (1940)

The Man from Tumbleweeds (1940)

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 2

The Return of Wild Bill (1940)

Across the Sierras (1941)

Hands Across the Rockies (1941)

The Son of Davy Crockett (1941)

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 3

Calling Wild Bill Elliott (1943) - Wild Bill's first Republic western

The Man from Thunder River (1943)

Bordertown Gun Fighters (1943)

Wagon Tracks West (1943) - now an excellent print

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 4

Overland Mail Robbery (1943)

Death Valley Manhunt (1943)

Mojave Firebrand (1944)

Hidden Valley Outlaws (1944)

WILD BILL ELLIOTT at REPUBLIC after RED RYDER

Volume Two - Special 5 DVD (Discs No. 5 to 9) Boxed Set price: AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 5

Plainsman and the Lady (1946)

Wyoming (1947)

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 6

The Fabulous Texan (1947)

Old Los Angeles (1948)

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 7

The Gallant Legion (1948)

The Last Bandit (1949) - in color!

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 8

Hellfire (1949) - in color! - a new addition

The Savage Horde (1950) - a new addition

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 9 (Bonus Disc)

The Showdown (1950) - Wild Bill's last Republic western

WILD BILL ELLIOTT at MONOGRAM

Volume Three - 4 DVD (Discs No. 10 to 13) Boxed Set price: AU$35 or US$35 or £18

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 10

The Longhorn (1951)

Waco (1952)

Kansas Territory (1952)

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 11

Fargo (1952)

The Maverick (1952)

The Homesteaders (1953)

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 12

Rebel City (1953)

Topeka (1953)

Vigilante Terror (1953)

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 13

Bitter Creek (1954)

The Forty-Niners (1954) - Wild Bill's last western!

WILD BILL ELLIOTT with TEX RITTER

Volume Four - 2 DVD (Discs No. 14 & 15) Boxed Set price: AU$25 or US$25 or £13

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 14

King of Dodge City (1941)

Roaring Frontiers (1941)

The Lone Star Vigilantes (1942)

Bullets for Bandits (1942)

Wild Bill Elliott - Disc No. 15

North of the Rockies (1942)

The Devil's Trail (1942)

Prairie Gunsmoke (1942)

Vengeance of the West (1942)

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