Trigger the Horse Movies

Republic Pictures trotted out some of their popular Western stars -- including Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Trigger, Allan Lane and Don "Red" Barry -- for this backstage musical starring the company's newest singing cowboy, Monte Hale. To top it all off, the studio "inaugurated" Trucolor, which, in reality, was the old Magnacolor system under a more enticing name. Hale played himself, a cowboy seeking employment with "Globe Pictures" along with such other newcomers as little Bobby Blake (later Robert Blake) and his dancing horse Pardner. Monte and the horse are hired to appear in the newest Rod Mason (John Dehner) Western extravaganza, but the self-important Mason grows increasingly jealous of Monte's success and engages in a bit of sabotage. Pardner is slightly injured as a result, and although he is wanted for a series of his own, Monte takes time out to heal the animal's wounds. Mason immediately accuses his rival of not only kidnapping the horse but mistreating him as well. Assisted by Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage, Monte eventually forces Rod and his henchman Ace (Fred Graham) to admit their culpability in Pardner's injuries, doing so the oldfashioned way -- by brute force. In addition to offering an enticing glimpse behind the scenes at Republic Pictures in its heyday, Out California Way also included such songs as Boogie Woogie Cowboy, Rose of Santa Fe, Little Bronc of Mine, and the title tune. Columnist and occasional screenwriter Jimmy Starr appeared briefly as himself. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Rainbow over Texas is set in a western never-never land, with vintage six-shooters and stagecoaches sharing screen time with modern limousines and radio studios. Roy Rogers (cast as "himself," as usual), plays a cowboy singing star who agrees to participate in a re-creation of the first Pony Express race. For reasons too numerous to mention here, the villains conspire to prevent Rogers from winning the race. Not only does Roy foil the bad guys, but he also finds time to sing several sprightly musical numbers with co-stars Dale Evans and The Sons of the Pioneers. And of course, there's always room for the comic interpolations of grizzled old Gabby Hayes. Two notes of interest: The principal villain in Rainbow over Texas is played by Sheldon Leonard, who would seem to be more at home in the mean streets of Brooklyn; and the screenplay was based on a novel by Max Brand, of Destry Rides Again fame. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Roy Rogers takes on crooked wartime profiteeers in the musical western Ridin' Down the Canyon. Posing as solid citizens, the crooks spend their evening hours stealing horses from local ranchers, then selling the steeds to the government at exorbitant prices. The head of the bad guys runs a dude ranch where Rogers and his pals (The Sons of the Pioneers) are employed. When Rogers figures out what's what, he sets about to bring the rustlers to justice. There's some piquancy in the fact that the character played by juvenile actor Buzzy Henry is named Bobby Blake; within a few years, the real Bobby Blake (who later grew up to become Robert Blake) would be appearing as Little Beaver in Republic's "Red Ryder" western series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Roll on Texas Moon was the first of 26 Roy Rogers vehicles directed by fast-action specialist William Witney. The plot concerns a deadly feud between cattle ranchers and sheepherders, with the villains playing both ends down the middle. Working on behalf of the cattlemen, Rogers tries to avoid an all-out range war, finding time to champion the cause of gorgeous sheep rancher Jill Delaney (Dale Evans). Dennis Hoey, best known for his portrayals of the thick-witted Lestrade in Universal's "Sherlock Holmes" series, is rather surprisingly cast as the main heavy. While the musical content of Roll on Texas Moon is as omniprescent as ever, the "thrill" content is considerably heightened by the expert contributions of William Witney. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hot on the heels of Frontier Pony Express came the equally exciting Roy Rogers vehicle Rough Riders' Roundup. In the first film, Rogers was an express rider during the Civil War era; in the second, he's a veteran of the Spanish American war (ubiquitous fellow, isn't he?) With several of his fellow Rough Riders, Rogers joins the Texas border patrol, where he almost immediately clashes with a villain named Arizona (William Pawley). While maintaining a respectable facade, Arizona and his minions rob the stagecoaches and express offices, divesting the local prospectors of their hard-earned gold. With the help of grizzled old sidekick Rusty (Raymond Hatton)-not to mention the rest of the Rough Riders-Rogers crushes Arizona's operation once and for all. The film boasts two leading ladies: Rogers' usual vis-a-vis Mary Hart, and former silent star Dorothy Sebastian, here making a comeback attempt. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans still weren't man and wife when they costarred in Republic's San Fernando Valley. As always, Rogers is cast as a cowboy who happens to be named Roy Rogers; Evans, on the other hand, plays feisty femme ranchowner Dale Kenyon. At the behest of Dale's grandfather (Andrew Tombes), Roy does the "Taming of the Shrew" bit, taking a job as ranch cook so he can woo and win the volatile Miss Kenyon. He also takes time out to capture a couple of bank robbers who'd earlier relieved him of his life savings. Many of the film's best scenes belong to hoydenish Jean Porter, cast as Dale's bratty kid sister: Ms. Porter would later retire from films to marry director Edward Dmytryk. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This Roy Rogers starrer is set in motion by a range war between ex-partners Brower (William Farnum) and Jackson (Stanley Andrews). Adding to Brower's headaches is the fact that Jackson is a crook who's not above stealing cattle to suit his purposes. When Jackson manages to frame Brower on a trumped-up criminal charge, that's when hero Rogers swings into action. Roy's leading lady this time out is Lynne Roberts, herein billed as Mary Hart, reportedly because Republic wanted its own "Rogers and Hart" team. The 1944 Warner Bros. musical Shine on Harvest Moon bears no relation to this 1939 Republic oater. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This Roy Rogers musical western gets off to a grim start when rancher Jerry Johnson (Jerome Cowan) is murdered by resort-hotel operator Lucky Miller (John Carradine). It's all part of Lucky's scheme to take financial advantage of a railroad right-of-way construction project. Conspiring with the villain is Johnson's mail-order bride Mary Hardigan (Phyllis Brooks)-or is she? No matter: the main plot complication concerns the efforts by Miller to frame Roy Rogers, Johnson's ranch foreman, for the murder. Somehow, Roy, Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers find time for several songs, while ace stuntman Yakima Canutt gets to perform one of his more famous feats. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans weren't yet husband and wife when they co-starred in Song of Nevada, but the rapport and chemistry is already very much in evidence. Roy befriends millionaire Thurston Hall, who was believed to have been killed in a plane crash. Hall hires Rogers to "tame" his snooty, citified daughter Evans, who has come West to take over her dad's ranch. Yes, it's Taming of the Shrew on the prairie, and it's every bit as enjoyable as its Shakespearean predecessor. Songs include such deathless gems as "The Harum Scarum Baron of the Harmonium." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Sons of the Pioneers is a showcase for?the Sons of the Pioneers, who are reteamed with ex-"Son" Roy Rogers in this budget western. The plot is contingent upon a deposit of rare minerals, vital to the American war effort. The villains want to get their hands on these minerals, and to do so organize themselves into a gang of masked terrorists, bent on chasing everyone else out of the territory. Unable to handle the villains alone, sheriff Gabby Whittaker (Gabby Hayes) sends for Roy Rogers, whose father was a legendary guns-slingin' peacekeeper. Alas, Roy is a shy entymologist who's never handled a gun in his life-but he soon learns how, thereby routing the heavies and striking a blow for Democracy. Pat Brady, a member in good standing of the Sons of the Pioneers, makes the first of many screen appearances as Roy Rogers' comical sidekick. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this western, brave Roy Rogers and his pals take on high-tech big city gangsters who fight their battles with airplanes and tommy guns. The trouble begins as Rogers is taking three important investors to see some land. At the same time, a crime lord endeavors to kidnap the investors and leave poor Rogers to take the fall. Guns blaze and somewhere in the midst of it all, old Rogers sets himself down and sings some songs. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Roy Rogers enters the atomic age with this sci-fi western directed by serial ace William Witney. Our hero runs a pipeline near a site where Dr. Manning (William Forrest) and his daughter Frankie (Penny Edwards) are experimenting with long-range weather forecasting by using rockets. Enter nasty Gregory Camwell (Ralph Withers) and his crew of thugs, who have in mind quite different uses for the missiles. Aided by Frankie, sidekick Splinters (Gordon Jones), Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage singing group and Bullet, the dog, Roy is soon knee-deep in a whole new kind of trouble that culminates with a blazing fight to the death on an oil derrick. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide