Ray Taylor Movies
Born in Minnesota, Ray Taylor was an actor and theatrical stage manager before World War I. After leaving the army, he joined Fox Films and became an assistant to John Ford. He moved to Universal in the '20s, where he became a director, mostly of short subjects before moving up to movie serials and B-action thrillers during the silent era. He made the transition to sound easily enough, and by the middle of the decade was one of the film capital's top hands at making chapterplays and fast-moving programmers, mostly crime thrillers and action films. Among his best work are the serials The Return of Chandu (1934), Dick Tracy (1937), and Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940). Although never a noted stylist in the manner of William Witney or Spencer Bennet, Taylor could move his actors along quickly with the best of them, without sacrificing either lyricism or elegance, as exemplified by Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe, which was the prettiest and most majestic serial ever made, rising to Wagnerian heights of grandeur. In the late '40s, with the decline of the serial form, Taylor finished out his career in low-budget westerns. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
A former Green Beret who set out to settle a score with the mob finds they don't give up easy in this action-packed blaxploitation drama. After killing the mobster who killed his parents in Mexico, Slaughter plans to return to a quiet life in Los Angeles, but police detective Reynolds (Brock Peters) warns him that his life is in danger -- it seems crime boss Duncan (Ed McMahon), an associate of the man Slaughter killed, isn't about to allow his killing to pass without retaliation. After an ambitious assassination attempt involving a World War I biplane fails dramatically, Duncan recruits a vicious new hit man, Kirk (Don Stroud), and one of Kirk's first assignments is to take care of Slaughter once and for all. Duncan also has ties to the L.A.P.D., and rather than put Slaughter in protective custody at Reynolds' suggestion, the war hero is put back on the street. However, as Slaughter tracks down the men who murdered his family and threatened the life of his girlfriend Marcia (Gloria Hendry), it looks as if the crooks may need protection from Slaughter more than he needs to be protected from them. A sequel of the successful Jim Brown vehicle Slaughter, Slaughter's Big Rip-Off included an original score by James Brown and his long-time musical partner Fred Wesley. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Archie is uncomfortable with Edith's new friend, a peppery Catholic nun named Theresa (Phyllis Avery). When Edith begins attending mass -- mainly to hear the music -- Archie worries that his wife is planning to convert to Catholicism. In his usual roundabout manner, Arch holds next-door neighbor Irene Lorenzo for leading Edith "astray." Written by Ray Taylor and Don Nicholl, "Edith's Conversion" originally aired on November 10, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1949
Monogram's Johnny Mack Brown western series galloped ever onward in Hidden Danger. This time, Johnny and his saddle pal Banty (Raymond Hatton) come in contact with a cattlemen's protective organization. Ostensibly an honest venture, the association is the front for an extortion racket, headed by a gent named Carson (Myron Healey). The action highlights are complemented by the comic antics of Max Terhune and his dummy Elmer. Aging star Brown relinquishes the romantic responsibilities to Marshall Reed, who spends his screen time wooing heroine Christine Larson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Mack Brown, Raymond Hatton, (more)
- 1949
Lash LaRue essays a dual role in the 1949 western Outlaw Country. LaRue plays himself (or at least his screen self) and an outlaw known only as The Frontier Phantom. The story finds the "good" Lash and his sidekick Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John) searching for counterfeiters. Meanwhile, the "bad" Lash is in cahoots with the crooks. After the two LaRues face each other in a showdown, the "bad" Lash turns good and helps the hero round up the villains. The leading lady this time out is Nancy Saunders, whose previous experience included a handful of Three Stooges 2-reelers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Dan White, (more)
- 1949
Lash LaRue stars as U.S. deputy, with Al "Fuzzy" St. John as his comic-relief deputy. Lash and Fuzzy are on the trail of El Sombre (Michael Whalen), a notorious bandit. Unbeknownst to everyone but the audience, El Sombre doubles as a kindly dentist named Jarvis. While trying to stem the villain's activities, Our Heroes rescue heroine Vicki (Noel Neill) from various perils. True to his name, Lash LaRue wields his bullwhip with deadly accuracy. Son of a Badman received better reviews than usual, by virtue of the clever screenplay by Ron Ormond and Ira Webb and the top-flight supporting cast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Noel Neill, (more)
- 1949
Even his cinematic rival Lash LaRue allowed that Whip Wilson was one of the best whip wielders in the movies. Shadows of the West was Wilson's second starring vehicle for Monogram, and as in the first, Crashing Thru, the star is teamed with seasoned sagebrush funster Andy Clyde. The Whipster plays a vacationing lawman who takes time out from his much-needed R-and-R to help out a reformed criminal. Striking an incongruous note is heroine Reno Browne, whose lavish wardrobe is a bit too lavish for her frontier surroundings. Though Whip Wilson wasn't much in the acting department, and while his singing and fisticuffs left a lot to be desired, his prowess with a whip was nothing short of astonishing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Whip Wilson, Andy Clyde, (more)
- 1949
If it weren't for the movies, how would the public have known that Billy the Kid, who died at the age of 21, had a son? According to this low-budget sagebrusher, Billy (George Baxter) didn't die in 1881 as previously reported, but escaped to another town, started up a whole new life as a respectable banker, and fathered a boy named Colt (Johnny Jones). U.S. marshal Jack Garrett (Lash LaRue) doesn't believe that Billy has gone straight, but he changes his mind when a gang of outlaws try to frame the ex-outlaw. Amusingly, the most dangerous character in this little opus is the nominal heroine (Marion Colby)! As always, Lash LaRue is partnered with comical sidekick Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, June Carr, (more)
- 1949
The differences between West of El Dorado and Johnny Mack Brown's previous 1949 vehicles are minimal. Once again, Brown is teamed with Max "Alibi" Terhune, comic ventriloquist extraordinaire. In this outing, Johnny and Alibi try to straighten out a hostile young boy (Teddy Infuhr) whose older brother was a notorious stagecoach bandit. When a gang of thieves try to strong-arm the kid into revealing the whereabouts of the stolen loot, Johnny and Alibi come to the rescue. There's a cursory romantic subplot involving heroine Mary (Reno Browne) and Barstow (Marshall Reed). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Mack Brown, Max "Alibi" Terhune, (more)
- 1949
By the time Law of the West came out in 1949, Monogram's Johnny Mack Brown westerns were beginning to all look alike. Here as elsewhere, Brown plays a marshal who comes to the rescue of the Downtrodden. This time, it's a group of ranchers who are being victimized by a crooked real estate agent. One novel twist finds Brown's comic sidekick Max Terhune coming to the rescue by utilizing his skills as a ventriloquist. Bill Kennedy is the villain, Gerry Patterson the heroine, and western stalwarts Marshall Reed, Kenne Duncan and Bud Osborne go through their usual bad-guy motions. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Mack Brown, Max "Alibi" Terhune, (more)
- 1949
Western star Whip Wilson stars in the Monogram oater Crashing Thru. He periodically displays his whip-wielding skill (which far outclasses his acting ability) to bring a gang of rustlers to heel. In so doing, he rescues Christine Larson from financial ruin and physical danger. Wilson's comic sidekick Andy Clyde again proves that he's got more talent in his little pinky than most cowboy heroes have in their whole carcasses. Crashing Thru was produced by Barney A. Sarecky, later one of the leading lights of TV's Wild Bill Hickok. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1949
Johnny Mack Brown does his usual Johnny Mack Brown thing in the Monogram western Range Justice. Once more teamed with comic sidekick Max Terhune, Brown champions the cause of feisty lady rancher Ma Curtis (Sarah Padden). A gang of crooks led by the scurrilous Stoner (Fred Kohler Jr.) is trying to drive Ma off her land. Going undercover, Brown joins the gang to bore from within. The rest of the story adheres religiously to the formula firmly established in previous Johnny Mack Brown oaters. Legendary stunt man Eddie Parker is seen in a rare speaking role as "Lacey." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Mack Brown, Max "Alibi" Terhune, (more)
- 1948
In this above-average western, a villainous land grabber attempts to force horse ranchers to sell their ranches so he can become king of the horse market. One stubborn rancher refuses to relent and his killed. His two surviving sisters then continue the fight. They are soon assisted by a passing drifter who ends up falling for one of them. In the end a gunfight between the good and bad guys ensues. Also included in the story are scenes from an exciting fight between two wild stallions. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Arlen, Patricia Morison, (more)
- 1948
Tornado Range is one of five Eddie Dean westerns originally produced by PRC in 1947 but released the following year by Eagle-Lion. Cast as a troubleshooter for the U.S. Land Office, Dean is assigned to settle a deadly range war. Sure enough, the warring homesteaders and cattlemen are being whipped into a frenzy by a third party, who hopes to "divide and conquer," claiming the land for himself. Surprisingly, all-purpose PRC villain George Cheseboro isn't the culprit in this one; instead, he's cast as the father of heroine Jennifer Holt. Roscoe Ates is once more on hand for some questionable comedy relief. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates, (more)
- 1948
PRC/Eagle-Lion's Eddie Dean western series came to an end with The Tioga Kid. Dean plays a dual role, as an upright Texas ranger and a desperate outlaw. The "bad" Dean joins a gang of horse rustlers who've been making life miserable for rancher Jennifer Holt. It's up to the "good" Dean to save Holt's stock and put the villains in the calaboose. Meanwhile, our hero's faithful sidekick Soapy (Roscoe Ates) is never quite sure which Eddie Dean he's speaking to at any given time. Considered a major improvement over Dean's previous films, The Tioga Kid is a worthy farewell for one of filmdom's most prolific but least memorable singing cowboy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates, (more)
- 1948
Arguably Eddie Dean's best Western -- and certainly the balladeer's most unusual -- The Hawk of Powder River features busy B-Western heroine Jennifer Holt as Vivian, the "Hawk" of the title and the murderous leader of a gang of outlaws. When a local newspaper editor begins a crusade against the Hawk's reign of terror, Vivian has her henchmen murder him. Her uncle (Budd Buster), the owner of the Chambers Ranch, accidentally discovers the gang's hideout, and he, too, is killed. Next in line is Vivian's pretty cousin, Carole (June Carlson), but she is saved in the nick of time by cowboys Eddie Dean and Soapy (Roscoe Ates), who decide to get to the bottom of the fearful goings-on. Eddie sets a trap for Vivian's fiancé, Cochrane (Eddie Parker), and The Hawk of Powder River ends in a shootout during which Vivian is killed. In between the carnage, Dean sings four ballads accompanied by Andy Parker and the Plainsmen. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates, (more)
- 1948
PRC's singing cowboy Eddie Dean once again brings law and order to a corrupt town in this average Western co-starring Roscoe Ates and Nancy Gates. When Red Gap's old sheriff (Edward Cassidy) is shot in cold blood by Ace (Mikel Conrad), a member of Brad Taggert's gang, the new lawman, Eddie, orders all firearms in Red Gap to be deposited in the sheriff's office. Taggert (I. Stanford Jolley) takes umbrage, of course, and hires a couple of gunmen (Russell Asrms and Marshall Reed) to rid the town of such nuisance. When that ploy fails, the villain falls back on crooked Judge Hammond (William Fawcett), but Eddie gets rid of him as well in favor of law-abiding Judge Walsh (Steve Clark) -- then the real Boss Villain reveals himself. Ates, Andy Parker, and the Plainsmen perform "A Miserable Ornery Coyote" and Dean sings "God's Little Lanterns" and "Moseyin' Along," the latter in a duet with leading lady Nancy Gates. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates, (more)
- 1948
Produced on the cheap by Ron Ormond and his wife, June Carr, this Western was one of ten to star Lash LaRue and Al St. John, formerly of PRC. They are assigned to catch a gang of outlaws working out of Rhyolite, a town run by Duce Rago (Ray Bennett), who is posing as a legitimate businessman. With the help of an elderly widow, Mrs. Owens (Sarah Padden), and a female undercover agent (Peggy Stewart), Lash and Fuzzy manage to infiltrate the gang and bring Rago and his henchman, Brant (former Western star Jim Bannon), to justice. The Ormonds produced a quite unnecessary sequel to this Western, The Black Lash (1952), which contained sequences lifted in their entirety from Frontier Revenge. A former serial queen at Republic Pictures, Peggy Stewart was a fine actress who deserved better than what the Ormonds had to offer. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1948
Singing cowboy Eddie Dean and sidekick Soapy (Roscoe Ates) come to the aid of novice cattle rancher Ann Howard (Phyllis Planchard) and her juvenile delinquent brother Tom (Steve Drake). Unhappy about the move West from Chicago, the latter forges Ann's signature on the deed to their ranch, which he then plans to sell to Larson (Bob Duncan), the local saloon proprietor turned crooked sheriff. But unbeknownst to Ann and Tom, the ranch is located right on a silver deposit that will make its owner rich. An undercover government agent, Eddie not only makes sure that Larson is punished but also teaches young Tom the honest Western way of life. When not fighting and shooting, Dean, accompanied by Andy Parker & the Plainsmen, performs "Cathy," "It's Courtin' Time," and "When Shorty Plays the Schottische," the latter a rather festive polka. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates, (more)
- 1948
Three fellows band together to help a woman find her uncle's cache of gold in this western. All they have to help them is a tattered map that her uncle, a prisoner of war, created in camp. Unfortunately two badguys have the map and try to turn the three goodguys against the niece. They do not succeed and justice prevails. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1948
Black-garbed cowboy hero Lash LaRue considered this low-budget series entry one of his best films, "best," of course, being a relative term. This time around Marshal LaRue is assigned to bring law and order to a town run by greedy saloon owner Lance Taggert (Marshall Reed), who had the last visiting lawman hanged on a trumped-up charge. LaRue escapes an assassination attempt by Taggert's henchman, Colt Jackson (John Cason), and discovers that the saloon owner is after the valley's water rights which legally belong to rancher Danny Phillips (Jimmie Martin) and his sister, Mary (Suzi Crandall). Impersonating a territorial land representative killed by Jackson, Lash and his sidekick, Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John), manage to unmask Taggert and bring peace and prosperity back to the valley. Mark of the Lash was produced by the husband-and-wife team of Ron Ormond and June Carr, who had gotten both LaRue and St. John on the cheap after the demise of their previous employer, PRC. Neither of the Ormonds knew the first thing about filmmaking, a fact that quickly became obvious to their unsuspecting audience. That their LaRue Westerns remained profitable can only be explained by the relatively cheap productions costs and St. John's enduring popularity. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1948
Dead Man's Gold, starring the black clad, whip wielding Lash LaRue and his sidekick, Fuzzy (Al St. John), is the kind of cheesy low-budget production in which legendary lawman Wyatt Earp's name is misspelled "Erpt" in a foreword. Arriving at their friend Jim Thornton's ranch in Gold Valley, Lash and Fuzzy learn from Thornton's niece, June (Peggy Stewart), that her father has gone missing for three days. Lash finds some gold nuggets and realizes that the land may be valuable and a target of claim jumpers terrorizing the valley. As it turns out, Thornton has been murdered by the town's crooked mayor (Lane Bradford), who is in league with the Thornton foreman (Terry Frost). Lash and Fuzzy "persuade" the foreman to turn state's evidence and the mayor is brought to justice. Dead Man's Gulch was one of ten ultra-cheap Westerns produced by Ron Ormond, his wife, former vaudevillian June Carr, and Ira Webb. The budgets were so tight that stunt doubles were eliminated. Years later, LaRue and frequent adversary Terry Frost wondered how they ever survived the quite realistic-looking fight scenes. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1948
Although technically crude, Stage to Mesa City, an entry in PRC's "The Cheyenne Kid" series, was a great favorite with the small fries when unceremoniously dumped on theaters in February of 1948. Al "Lash" LaRue once again played the black-clad, whip-wielding hero who, along with sidekick Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John), comes to the aid of troubled stagecoach proprietor John Watson (Steve Clark). Watson, who has been forced to sell his ranch in order to keep the stages running and win a valuable mail contract, is opposed by Baxter (Marshall Reed), a crooked lawyer working for the mysterious "The Boss." When Watson is found murdered, his grown children, Margie (Jennifer Holt) and Bob (Brad Slavin), assign Marshals Cheyenne Davis and Fuzzy to catch his killer and unmask the mysterious "The Boss." Needless to say, the latter proves to be the least likely candidate and is therefore easy to spot for any armchair detective in the audience. Stage to Mesa City was remade in 1951 as Stage to Blue River, this time starring the less than enthralling Whip Wilson. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Jennifer Holt, (more)
- 1948
Eddie Dean and sidekick Roscoe Ates come to the aid of a young rancher in this low-budget singing Western from PRC. Discovering that Hadley (Steve Clark) hides a gold-encrusted cave on his property, villainous saloon owner Kirby (Terry Frost) kills the elderly rancher and seals the cave. But when he tries to force the Hadley heirs, Larry (Steve Drake) and Janet (Shirley Patterson), off their property, Kirby comes up against the forceful new Hadley foreman, Eddie Dean. The latter takes time out to warble his own and Dean Hal Blair's "Black Hills" and "Let's Go Sparkin'," while the Plainsmen and Ates take care of Pete Gates' comical "Punchinello." ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Dean, The Plainsmen, (more)
- 1947
Return of the Lash exists primarily to display the bullwhip-wielding prowess of cowboy star Al "Lash" LaRue. The plot is set in motion when six wanted outlaws are rounded up and captured by The Cheyenne Kid (LaRue). Collecting the reward money, Cheyenne instructs his sidekick Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John) to give the money to a group of financially strapped ranchers. Alas, Fuzzy falls off his horse, loses his memory, and forgets what became of the money. Fortunately, he snaps out of his amnesia during a climactic fistic set-to with secondary villain Kirby (George Cheseboro). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Mary Maynard, (more)
- 1947
In this low-budget Western from PRC, Marshal Cheyenne (Al "Lash" LaRue) and his sidekick Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John) are looking into the strange goings-on in the town of Buffalo Gap. A ranger (Bob Woodward) has been killed and the trail leads to a gang headed by Bill Judd (Jack Ingram). There is yet another killing, young Al Walters (Steve Drake) is brutally shot by Judd after calling gambler Grayson (Terry Frost) a cheat. But the sheriff (Henry Hall) seems remarkably hesitant to arrest the culprit and may be taking his orders from a mystery boss, who operates out of a shack in the wilderness. Teaming up with Al's pretty sister, Betty and her Uncle Bob (William Fawcett), Cheyenne and Fuzzy go in search of the mystery villain, whose identity may come as a surprise to anyone who has never seen a Grade-Z movie before. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Jennifer Holt, (more)
