Ben Corbett Movies
A diminutive, pot-bellied supporting player in B-Westerns, Ben Corbett had enjoyed some success at the famous rodeo at Pendleton, OR, and at New York's Madison Square Garden, where his roping and "Roman" riding skills reportedly won him several trophies. Entering films as a riding double for William Desmond and Antonio Moreno in Vitagraph Westerns and action melodramas in the 1910s, Corbett later became a member of Western star Hoot Gibson's stock company at Universal. That studio saw enough comedic potential in the former stunt man to team him with the equally diminutive Gilbert "Pee Wee" Holmes as Magpie and Dirtshirt in a series of rural comedy shorts set in the fictive community of Piperock. The series, which was released on Universal's "Mustang Brand" in the mid-'20s, counted among its leading ladies such future stars as Janet Gaynor and Fay Wray. In the 1930s, Corbett's character of Magpie returned in several independently produced "Bud 'n Ben" western shorts and the now veteran supporting player later became Tim McCoy's sidekick at low-budget Victory Pictures. He seems to have popped up in every other low-budget Western thereafter, usually appearing unbilled. B-Western compiler Les Adams has verified Corbett's presence in about 185 Westerns and half a dozen serials between 1930 and the actor's retirement in the early '50s, but there may actually have been many more. History, alas, has not been kind to the rustic B-Western perennial, whose arcane comedy relief, most fans of the genre agree, often seems more a hindrance than a help in keeping a plot moving. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide- 1954
Though heavily advertised as Delmar Daves' Drum Beat, this film owed its existence to producer-star Alan Ladd. The star is cast as a veteran Indian fighter Johnny MacKay, who because of his close relationship with the Medoc tribe is sent out to negotiate a peace treaty. Once he has arrived in Medoc territory, Johnny (Ladd) must contend with the misspent emotions of his childhood sweetheart Toby (Marisa Pavan), the sister of Indian chief Manok (Anthony Caruso). Jealous over Johnny's relationship with pretty Nancy Meek (Audrey Dalton), Toby has cast her lot with renegade warrior Captain Jack (Charles Bronson), who honors no treaties. Though the film has a Native American villain, Drum Beat is largely sympathetic to the plight of the Indian. Based on a true story, the film is distinguished by J. Peverell Marley's breathtaking exterior photography, and by Victor Young's ballad-like musical score. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Ladd, Audrey Dalton, (more)
- 1953
With all those flaming arrows being aimed directly at the audience, it is fairly obvious that Charge of Feather River was originally released in 3D. Fresh from his TV success as Wild Bill Hickok, Guy Madison stars as frontiersman Miles Archer (his character name will be amusing to fans of The Maltese Falcon). In the company of cavalry sergeant Baker (Frank Lovejoy) and a column of troops, Archer heads into Indian country to rescue a pair of white female captives. One of the two girls, Ann McKeever (Helen Westcott), is reluctant to return because she's been despoiled by her Indian captors; the other girl, Ann's sister Jennie (Vera Miles), is in love with the tribal chief and intends to betray her rescuers at the first opportunity. The rescue has been staged to divert the Indians' attention away from the railroad that is being constructed across their territory. The trick now is for Archer, the soldiers and the women to return to Cavalry headquarters in one piece. The film ends with the eponymous charge, excitingly staged by director Gordon Douglas. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Guy Madison, Frank Lovejoy, (more)
- 1952
Springfield Rifle was Gary Cooper's third western in a row, released not long after the classic High Noon. Cooper plays Union army officer Lex Kearney, who undertakes a covert investigation to find out why the North's supply of horses has suddenly diminished. Because of the top-secret nature of his mission, Kearney is forced to distance himself from everyone he knows, including his wife Erin (Phyllis Thaxter) and son Jamie (Michael Chapin). Heading to a remote cavalry post, he discovers that renegade soldiers have been stealing horses and selling them to the South. Someone at the post has been operating as the thieves' "inside man," and Lex, posing as a dishonorably discharged soldier, aims to ferret out the traitor. Had it not followed directly on the heels of the critical and financial success of High Noon, Springfield Rifle might have fared better with audiences and reviewers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Cooper, Phyllis Thaxter, (more)
- 1951
Johnny Mack Brown closed out his 1951 manifest of "B"-westerns with Montana Desperado. The story concerns a fierce struggle over water rights. Complicating the plot is the presence of a masked desperado who is systematically killing off local ranchers. Brown arrives on the scene to find out who's behind the murders--and, of course, to stop him (Her? It?) Although Brown's character name is ostensibly Dave Borden, everyone in the film refers to him as "Johnny" or "Mr. Brown"; evidently the Monogram folks were getting a bit lazy with this long-running series. The cast of Montana Desperado is uniformly fine, including such horse-opera regulars as Myron Healey, Marshall Reed, and Edmund Cobb, whose western credits extended as far back as 1914! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Mack Brown, Virginia Herrick, (more)
- 1950
With Dallas, Gary Cooper revived his long-dormant association with westerns. Cooper plays ex-Confederate officer Blayde Hollister, who rides into Dallas in search of the men who killed his family and stole his land. Because he is considered to be an outlaw by the authorities, Hollister is compelled to switch identities with U.S. marshal Martin Wetherby (Leif Erickson). This ruse requires Hollister to explain his plan to Wetherby's lady friend, Tonia Robles (Ruth Roman). One by one, Hollister gets rid of the men responsible for the murders of his loved ones. The most formidable of his enemies, Will Marlow (Raymond Massey), proves to be a bit too clever to fall into Hollister's trap...at least until Marlow shows his hand in the final scene. There's more talk than action in Dallas, but Gary Cooper's laconic performance holds the audience's interest throughout. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Cooper, Ruth Roman, (more)
- 1950
Juvenile actor Dickie Moore starred in the title role of this 15 chapter serial as a teen-aged Buffalo Bill Cody, who with an adult friend (played by the husky Jock Mahoney, still billed as Jock O'Mahoney), battles a gang of outlaws secretly headed by an unscrupulous lawyer (George J. Lewis). Since the serial was produced by Sam Katzman (known to his legion of detractors as "Jungle Sam"), it was heavily augmented by sometimes rather ill-advised stock footage. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1950
The Randolph Scott western Colt .45 was retitled for TV so as not to be confused with the TV series of the same name. The new title, Thundercloud, misleads the audience into expecting a Native American epic. Actually the film involves a gun salesman (Randolph Scott) whose sample case of Colt 45's is stolen by an outlaw (Zachary Scott--no relation to Randolph). Accused of being a member of the outlaw gang when they start using the Colts in their holdups, the salesman is obliged to track down the crooks. Thundercloud, or Colt .45, represented the last film of supporting actor Alan Hale Sr. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Randolph Scott, Ruth Roman, (more)
- 1950
County Fair is an amiable racetrack drama starring Rory Calhoun. A veteran horse trainer, Calhoun has developed a somewhat unsavory reputation. He redeems himself by arranging for near-impoverished matron Florence Bates to win an important race. It's all for the love of a good woman--in this case, Bates' niece Jane Nigh. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rory Calhoun, Jane Nigh, (more)
Glenn Ford is top-billed in Man From Colorado, though he's anything but a hero. Ford plays a seriously disturbed Civil War vet who kills because he enjoys killing. William Holden, Ford's army buddy, tries to stem Ford's homicidal tendencies. When Ford is appointed the "hanging" judge of a Colorado town, Holden signs on as his deputy. The final break between the two onetime friends comes when Holden casts his lot with a group of disgruntled miners whom Ford has disenfranchised. A fistfight in a burning building brings the no-nonsense Man From Colorado to a brutal conclusion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Ford, William Holden, (more)
- 1949
- NR
Though not acknowledged by contemporary reviewers, Colorado Territory is a westernized remake of the 1941 crime drama High Sierra. Raoul Walsh, director of the earlier film, returns to helm the remake, doing a grand job on both occasions. Joel McCrea stars in the Humphrey Bogart role, playing a veteran outlaw who hopes to pull off one last, spectacular heist. Virginia Mayo portrays the Ida Lupino counterpart, a "bad" dance-hall girl who proves to be the only person who genuinely cares about McCrea's well-being. As in the earlier film, the climax finds McCrea making a futile bid for escape in the mountains, with tragic consequences. High Sierra was good for at least one more remake, the 1955 Jack Palance-Shelley Winters starrer I Died a Thousand Times. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo, (more)
- 1948
Love leads a man to his most evil deeds and forces him to change his ways in this Western. After being handed a dishonorable discharge during the Civil War, Mike McComb (Errol Flynn) becomes a professional gambler and follows a path of ruthless action to get what he wants. After moving out West and making a killing prospecting silver, McComb becomes a wealthy and powerful man, and he finds himself infatuated with beautiful Georgia Moore (Ann Sheridan). However, Georgia is married to Stanley Moore (Bruce Bennett), who works for McComb, so he arranges for Stanley to be given a dangerous assignment; Stanley is killed, and McComb sweeps the widowed Georgia off her feet. Georgia weds McComb, but in time she finds out the ugly truth about her second husband, leaving him behind. Devastated, McComb sets out to mend his ways and win Georgia back by serving more noble purposes. Silver River was the seventh Flynn vehicle directed by Raoul Walsh; it would also mark the last time they worked together. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan, (more)
- 1947
Although Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd) agrees to remain at Mesa City for a couple of days so that California (Andy Clyde) and Lucky (Rand Brooks) can partake in various amusements, the stay becomes more of an ordeal than a holiday when the local bank is robbed during a square-dance competition. A case of mistaken trunks puts California in jail and it is up to Hoppy to clear his name and catch the real culprits. The real bank robbers manage to escape in one of those newfangled horse-less carriages, but as horse-less carriages are wont to do, then as now, this one runs out of gas at the most inopportune moment. Co-scripted by character actress Ellen Corby, Hoppy's Holiday was produced by its star, William Boyd. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William "Hopalong" Boyd, Victor Jory, (more)
- 1947
Character actor Douglas Fowley earns a rare starring role in this oddball western comedy produced and directed by W. Lee Wilder, the brother of star director Billy Wilder. Fowley plays Yankee Davis, a traveling salesman who takes it upon himself to solve the killing of a local marshal (Forrest Taylor). To get to the bottom of things, the ingenious huckster sends for ancient prospector Shaggy Hartley (Clem Bevans), who pretends to be his millionaire uncle, Throckmorton. Hoping that "Uncle Throckmorton" will settle down and enrich the community, the townsfolk are soon perfectly willing to squeal on each other. From one of the informers, Charlie (Ernie Adams), Yankee learns of a smuggling ring headed by -- well that is indeed the question. In the end, it is the dead marshal's young son Tommy (Tom Bernard) who solves the mystery and unmasks the true killer. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Douglas Fowley, Joan Woodbury, (more)
- 1946
The second of William Boyd's self-produced "Hopalong Cassidy" films, Fool's Gold maintains the standards set by the first (Devil's Playground), though it's a step down from the vintage Cassidy films of the late 1930s-early 1940s. Once again, Hoppy (Boyd) is teamed with California Carson (Andy Clyde) and Lucky Jenkins (Rand Brooks). Our three heroes try to help Hoppy's old army buddy, whose son has been keeping company with a gang of crooks. Posing as a disgraced army captain, Cassidy infiltrates the gang and tries to save the boy from himself-if he can avoid detective by The Professor (Robert Emmet Keane), erudite leader of the criminals. Originally released at 63 minutes, Fool's Gold was cut to 54 minutes for its TV release, through the simple expedient of lopping off the entire first reel! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Barclay, Bob Bentley, (more)
A great old Western filled with Tex Ritter's songs, this one revolves around a manhunt by the Texas Rangers who are trying to find the outlaw gang who, years before, broke into a safe and hid the money. Good Western comedy. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
Unlike previous "Trail Blazers" entries, each of which starred three veteran western heroes, Marked Trails top-bills only two sagebrush favorites. Hoot Gibson and Bob Steele play a couple of wandering do-gooders who take on a gang of oil swindlers. Adopting a series of bewildering (but hardly impenetrable) disguises, the Ol' Hooter and Battling Bob manage to con the con-ners. But when it becomes absolutely necessary, our heroes rely on their fists to mete out justice. Just another western, Marked Trails is given distinction by the presence of perennial "hard-boiled dame" Veda Ann Borg. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hoot Gibson, Bob Steele, (more)
- 1944
Range Law stars Johnny Mack Brown as "Nevada" and Raymond Hatton as "Sandy", the same characters they played in most of their mid-1940s Monogram westerns. This time, Nevada and Sandy, US marshals both, set out to collar some renegades who've been driving out the local ranchers. It's just possible that one of said ranchers is behind this land-grabbing scheme. The motive: the land is rich with silver. The formidable bad-guy lineup includes Jack Ingram, Stanley Price, and Lynton Brent. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Mack Brown, Raymond Hatton, (more)
Law Men is a typically austere entry in Johnny Mack Brown's Monogram western series. This one finds saddle pals Nevada (Brown) and Sandy (Raymond Hatton) working as undercover US marshals. Hoping to thwart a gang of stage robbers, Nevada joins the gang, while Sandy poses as a shoemaker in order to keep tabs on local gossip and heresay. Somewhere around reel five, Nevada is exposed as a lawman; and somewhere around reel six, he and Sandy round up the bad guys. Billed fourth in Law Men is orchestra leader Kirby Grant, later famous as TV's Sky King. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Mack Brown, Raymond Hatton, (more)
- 1944
The old bromide about the western town run by outlaws as a hideout for their fellow crooks makes a return appearance in Monogram's Land of the Outlaws. Since the crooks include such reliable disreputables as Charles King and John Merton, the good guys really have their work cut out for them. But not to worry! The heroes are Johnny Mack Brown and Raymond Hatton, whose B-western track record is unbeatable. Land of the Outlaws was directed by Lambert Hillyer, whose sense of rhythm and pace had saved many another inexpensive oater. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1944
This Johnny Mack Brown western once more teams its star with leathery Raymond Hatton. The boys are cast as U.S. marshals Nevada and Sandy, assigned to solve a series of frontier murders. The victims are all ranchers, with no apparent connection between the killings. To everyone's surprise but the audience, the mystery villain intends to scoop up all the local land for himself. Christine McIntyre, soon to become the Three Stooges' favorite leading lady, registers well in an unsympathetic role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Mack Brown, Raymond Hatton, (more)
- 1943
In this western, Wild Bill and his assistant, try to learn why a young med school graduate is being spurned by the members of his own Native American tribe. The heroes learn that the clan's medicine man is a phony in cahoots with a corrupt Indian agent and that these two are working for a wicked rancher who has been polluting the local drinking water with his illegal irrigation project. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George "Gabby" Hayes, Anne Jeffreys, (more)
- 1943
A young buckaroo gallops off after the conniving crooks who framed his bank president daddy for embezzlement. Plenty of western action ensues until justice prevails and the ornery varmints are jailed. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1943
Best known today as Robert Mitchum's screen-acting debut, this fine entry in the long-running Hopalong Cassidy series features the silver-haired hero (William Boyd) as a Texas lawman posing as a gambler in order to track down a gang of highwaymen and cattle rustlers who have found refuge in lawless Oklahoma Territory. Although quickly identifying scar-faced Tom Jordan (Victor Jory) as the leader of the gang, Hoppy has no jurisdiction in the territory and is forced to lure the gang back to Texas. Hoppy Serves a Writ was the final series entry based on an original story by Clarence E. Mulford, the creator of the "Bar 20" novels. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William "Hopalong" Boyd, Andy Clyde, (more)
- 1942
In one of his better early Westerns, Tim Holt, as Deputy Marshal Larry Durant, is sent to Spencerville where a gang of vigilantes has been terrorizing the citizenry. Going undercover as a gunsmith, Larry quickly learns that the leader of the vigilantes, John Spencer (John Elliott), is an honest man who only seeks to establish law and order. The real brains behind the crimes, meanwhile, are revealed to be Spencer's brother-in-law, Lou Harmon (Roy Barcroft), and his chief henchman, Leighton (Charles King), who speculate in the coming of the railroad by forcing the townspeople to relinquish their land. When Harmon learns from innocent tattle-tale Ike (Cliff Edwards) that the railroad will be bypassing Spencerville in favor of neighboring East Spencerville, the vigilantes shift their operations to that community. Spencer is killed by Leighton in the ensuing melee but with the assistance of the East Spencerville townspeople, Larry manages to trap Harmon and his gang in the local saloon. When not making life difficult for Tim Holt, comedy relief Cliff Edwards performs "Grandpap" and "Where the Mountain Meets the Sunset," both by Fred Rose and Ray Whitley. Pirates of the Prairie was a remake of Legion of the Lawless, a '40s Western starring Tim Holt's predecessor at RKO, George O'Brien. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
The old plot device of a western "ghost town" being used as a hideout for criminals is trotted out again in Monogram's Ghost Town Law. This time around, the heroes are The Rough Riders: namely, Buck Roberts (Buck Jones), Tim McCall (Tim McCoy) and Sandy Hopkins (Raymond Hatton). Following their usual modus operandi, the three heroes pretend to be strangers to one another, and also pose as criminals themselves to lull the real villains into a false sense of security. The plot revolves around an old gold mine, jealously guarded by masked, well-armed desperadoes. For the sake of heroine Josie Hall (Virginia Carpenter), the Rough Riders rout the villains and return the mine to its rightful owners. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, (more)
