Drake Smith Movies
- 1952
Wild Horse Ambush was the last of four Republic westerns starring juvenile actors Michael Chapin and Eilene Janssen. Once again, Chapin plays Red, the grandson of venerable sheriff Tom White (James Bell), while Judy (Eilene Janssen) is Red's friend and confidante. And once again, the two kids join forces in bringing an adult criminal to justice. This time, the miscreant is a counterfeiter (Roy Barcroft), who is employing a fiendish complex and clever method to smuggle "funny money" across the Mexican border. The intention of this western series was to offer the kiddie fans a pair of protagonists with which they could identify; the experiment didn't work, and Republic went back to grown-up cowboy stars. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Chapin, Eilene Janssen, (more)
- 1951
With a female protagonist as its only selling point, Cattle Queen trots out a farfetched Western story of Queenie Hart (Maria Hart), a rather glamorous bleached blonde cattle driver in 1866 Wyoming. After conning a potential buyer (Robert Robinson) into believing that Queenie's herd is diseased, nasty would-be empire builder Duke Drake (Robert Gardett) is confronted by the girl's new tough foreman, Bill Foster (Drake Smith). In retaliation, Drake frames Bill for a stage robbery, actually committed by his own henchmen, and arranges a phony trial presided over by the saloon's bartender, Judge Whipple (Douglas Wood). Queenie, however, interrupts the "trial" with the news that the townswomen have all elected Jim marshal. To uphold the decision, Bill has secured the release of three convicted outlaws: Blackie Malone (Joe Bailey), Bad Bill Smith (James Pierce), and Shotgun Thompson (Emile Meyer), two of whom join in the fight against Drake and his gang. With all this muscle -- and the power of prayer! -- Queenie finally bests Drake in a climactic shootout. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Hart, Drake Smith, (more)
