Edmund Cobb Movies

Jon Hall, Universal's beefcake kid, usually comported himself in South Seas or Arabian nights outfits. In Michigan Kid (based on a novel by Rex Beach), he's decked out in ten-gallon hat, levis and six-guns. Hall and his cohort Andy Devine are among the many characters searching for a treasure stolen during a stagecoach holdup. Our hero also tries to protect lovely ranch owner Rita Johnson from the clutches of crooked politicians. Since most of Hollywood's Technicolor cameras were busy at 20th Century-Fox, Michigan Kid was lensed in the red and blue hues of Cinecolor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Although benefitting from the "Zorro" trademark, the title character of this Western serial is not the direct offspring of the legendary hero, but rather a distant relative assuming the role of masked avenger in order to prevent a corrupt politician from taking over the territory. Handsome supporting actor George Turner played Jeffrey Stewart, a discharged cavalry officer righting the wrongs of evil Roy Barcroft. Favorite B-Western and serial heroine Peggy Stewart provided romantic interest and the chapterplay also benefitted from the customary excellent special effects work by brothers Howard and Theodore Lydecker. Son of Zorro was released in 13 chapters and was followed two years later by Ghost of Zorro starring a pre-Lone Rider Clayton Moore. The slightly built George Turner was in all likelihood chosen for this serial in order to match stock footage of Linda Stirling in Zorro's Black Whip (1944). ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

After a brief mid-1940s burst of originality, Monogram's Johnny Mack Brown western series settled back into the commonplace with such entries as Flashing Guns. In this outing, Brown tries to save his pal Shelby (Raymond Hatton) from being thrown off his ranch by crooked banker Ainsworth (James E. Logan). To do this, our hero must prove that the banker is in cahoots with the local gambling boss (Douglas Evans). This he does, and as a bonus exposes the banker as the secret head of an outlaw gang. Good location photography keeps this rubber-stamp western afloat. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Abbott & Costello western spoof The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap is predicated on an actual Montana law of the 19th century, which dictated that if a man killed another in a gun duel, that man was responsible for the care and support of the victim's family. The film gets under way with an introductory title: "MONTANA: Where Men Are Men? With Two Exceptions." Those exceptions are travelling salesmen Duke (Bud Abbott) and Chester (Lou Costello), freshly arrived in the wide-open western town of Wagon Gap. No sooner has Chester reached Main Street than he is falsely arrested for the murder of Hawkins, the town layabout. He and Duke are spared the hangman's noose when the genially corrupt Judge Benbow (George Cleveland) reminds the jury that Chester is now responsible for Hawkins' debts and family. In short order, Chester is moved bag and baggage into the ramshackle home of the rowdy Widow Hawkins (Marjorie Main) and her brood of seven noisy children. Forced to do all the chores around the Widow's home, poor Chester must also put in overtime at Jake Frame's (Gordon Jones) saloon to pay off Hawkins' debts. While the crafty Duke tries to figure out various methods of extricating Chester from his dilemma, the Widow uses all of her wiles to get Chester to propose marriage to her. The plot goes off on a new tangent when it is discovered that none of the town desperadoes are willing to shoot down Chester, lest they inherit the Widow and her brats. Emboldened by his "untouchable" status, Chester swaggers around town striking fear in the hearts of the local menfolk, bosses Duke around for a change, and is even appointed sheriff! Alas, his invulnerability comes to an abrupt end when it turns out that the Hawkins spread is the most valuable property in town, thereby making Widow Hawkins the territory's most eligible bachelorette. The story comes to an uproarious conclusion when Chester and Jake Frame confront each other in a "high noon" gun duel. Incredibly, screenwriters D.D. Beauchamp and William Bowers originally intended The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap as a vehicle for James Stewart! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this below-average western serial, a Texas ranger goes undercover as "The Scarlet Horseman," a legendary figure for the Commanche tribe whose leadership they respect. The reason for the ranger's sudden interest in Commanche affairs stems from a series of kidnappings of wives and daughters of senators in an attempt to force a partition of Texas. Behind the scheme is Matosca, a mysterious woman who turns out to be the daughter of a discredited senator. The cast of this serial is more interesting than the overly complicated plot or the rather pedestrian action sequences. Peter Cookson, a typically bland 4F leading man of the early '40s, earned star billing, although the title role is played by Paul Guilfoyle, a sneaky-looking character actor who usually played hoodlums. Even more surprising than Guilfoyle's sudden heroics is the presence of Virginia Christine ("Mrs. Olsson" of coffee commercial fame), a blond dialectician rarely found in such slam-bang surroundings. Victoria Horne, the wife of comedian Jack Oakie, played a treacherous Indian squaw and Janet Shaw, an all-purpose Universal starlet, was the little seen heroine. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

In this Western, an outlaw tries to escape from a gang of robbers after they refuse to assist a gang member wounded during a stagecoach caper. He and the wounded outlaw leave and try to steal a stagecoach as their ex-gang robs it. The sheriff's daughter observes the incident. Believing that the two outlaws were trying to save the stage, she takes them into town where the "heroes" are given jobs working for the stage. The wounded crook really does want to go straight, but his partner is only interested in waiting for the perfect caper so he can retire in style. As he is guarding an office, his old gang busts in. Soon the truth about his past is revealed. For revenge he shows the posse the location of the robbers' hideout. He then captures the leader, which results in a pardon for he and his partner. The protagonist then marries the sheriff's daughter. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Roy Rogers could do no wrong at the box office in 1946, so it's safe to assume that Song of Arizona would have been a hit even if it hadn't been as good as it is. The plot is slightly reminiscent of Boys Town, with Gabby Whittaker (Gabby Hayes) running an Arizona ranch for homeless boys. One of Gabby's charges, young Chip (Tommy Cook), is the son of notorious bank robber King Blaine (Lyle Talbot). When Blaine is killed, Chip secretly digs up his dad's stolen money, intending to use it to pay off Gabby's mortgage. It is up to Roy Rogers to rescue Chip's from his Blaine's gang and to convince the boy that ill-gotten gains never did anyone any good (not in the movies, anyway). The film's musical highlight is a nightclub sequence, spotlighting a Roy Rogers-Dale Evans duet. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This fast-paced western, geared entirely to the small-fry, was the first in Republic Pictures' long-running "Red Ryder" series to star Allan Lane. Lane had taken over from William Elliot, who had been promised A-westerns only by company president Herbert I. Yates. Ryder and his young Indian pal Little Beaver (Robert Blake) come to the aid of Ryder's stout aunt, "The Duchess" (Martha Wentworth), whose crusading efforts to open up a privately owned toll-road for all travellers has put the elderly rancher in danger from a powerful if corrupt civic leader, newspaper publisher Crawford (Barton MacLane). The second in the Lane "Red Ryder" series to be filmed, Santa Fe Uprising was substituted for a weaker entry in order to give the new Ryder the best possible chances for success. Wentworth, whose character name as depicted by series creator Fred Harman was, interestingly enough, "Martha 'The Duchess' Wentworth," replaced Alice Fleming in the role as Ryder's indomitable aunt. Lane, Blake, and Wentworth went on to star in six more "Red Ryder" westerns before the series moved over to Eagle-Lion (the former PRC) where the roles would be played by Jim Bannon, Don Kay Reynolds, and veteran B-western actress Marin Sais. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

In this western, a postal inspector becomes determined to discover the truth after a series of robberies involving mysteriously disappearing stagecoaches occur. A female Pinkerton agent assists him, and together, they drain a nearby lake, find a missing stagecoach and solve the mystery. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this western, a tuneful saddletramp is appointed sheriff of Rawhide and begins rounding up three troublesome brothers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Filmed extensively on location, The Falcon in San Francisco is one of the best of RKO Radio's "Falcon" series. This time around, amateur sleuth Tom Lawrence (Tom Conway), aka The Falcon, comes to the aid of 10-year-old Annie Marshall (Sharyn Moffet). While trying to solve the murder of Annie's nurse, Lawrence is accused of kidnapping the kid. Several beatings, warnings and murders later, Lawrence discovers that the solution of the mystery is tied in with a gang of silk smugglers, headed by none other than?.Oh, no! The surprise ending isn't going to be tipped off here! Director Joseph H. Lewis' occasional utilization of "cinema verite" techniques would later develop full-blown into such noir classics as Gun Crazy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this western, a dreamy young woman, tired of her boring life and job travels to an abandoned town where her grandmother had been a notorious dancehall queen. There she imagines scenes from her illustrious grandma's life. The dream takes up most of the picture and during it, the gal meets many fascinating characters. One of those characters is a clean-cut, handsome cowboy. Romance ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide