William "Wild Bill" Elliott Movies
Western star "Wild Bill" Elliott was plain Gordon Elliott when he launched his stage career at the Pasadena Playhouse in 1928. Under his given name, he began appearing in dress-extra film roles around the same time. While he had learned to ride horses as a youth and had won several rodeo trophies, movie producers were more interested in utilizing Elliot's athletic skills in dancing sequences, in which the still-unbilled actor showed up in tux and tails. Beginning in 1934, Elliot's film roles increased in size; he also started getting work in westerns, albeit in secondary villain roles.In 1938, Elliot was selected to play the lead in the Columbia serial The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok, in which he made so positive an impression that he would be billed as "Wild Bill" Elliott for the remainder of his cowboy career, even when his character name wasn't Bill. Elliott's western series for Columbia, which ran from 1938 through 1942, was among the studio's most profitable enterprises. Fans were primed to expect an all-out orgy of fisticuffs and gunplay whenever Elliott would face down the bad guy by muttering, "I'm a peaceable man, but..." Elliott moved to Republic in 1943, where he continued turning out first-rate westerns, including several in which he portrayed famed fictional do-gooder Red Ryder.
In 1945, Elliott began producing his own films, developing a tougher, more jaded characterization than before. A longtime admirer of silent star William S. Hart, Elliott successfully emulated his idol in a string of "good badman" roles. The actor's final western series was a group of 11 above-average actioners for Monogram in the early 1950s, in which Elliott did his best to destroy the standard cowboy cliches and unrealistic Boy Scout behavior symptomatic of the Roy Rogers/Gene Autry school. During his last days at Monogram (which by the mid-1950s had metamorphosed into United Artists), Elliott appeared in modern dress, often cast as hard-bitten private eyes. In 1957, Bill Elliott retired to his huge ranch near Las Vegas, Nevada, where he spent his time collecting western souvenirs and indulging his ongoing hobby of geology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1946
The 87-minute running time of Plainsman and the Lady was evidence aplenty that this was no mere Republic B western. William Elliot (formerly and latterly "Wild Bill" Elliot) stars as cattleman Sam Cotten, who offers his services-and his six-guns-to the newly formed Pony Express. Erudite villain Peter Marquette (Joseph Schildkraut) is a rival stagecoach owner who'll stop at nothing to keep the mail from going through. Ordering his minions to disguise themselves as Indians, Marquette masterminds a series of bloody raids on the pony express riders. But Cotton, aided and abetted by grizzled sidekick Dringo (Andy Clyde) proves to be more than a match for the bad guy. The lady of the title is high-born Ann Arnesen, played by Queen of Republic Vera Ralston; she's decorative enough, but no match for her talented costar Gail Patrick, cast as Ann's sister and the despicable Marquette's wife. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Don "Red" Barry, Andy Clyde, (more)
- 1946
Director Joseph Kane adapted his own story Diamond Carlisle for the screenplay of In Old Sacramento--the third film version of Kane's original tale. Bill Elliot stars as masked bandit Spanish Jack, who behaves as badly as he wishes with few of the usual redeeming features plaguing most cinema desperadoes. In fact, in the earlier film versions of Diamond Carlisle, Elliot's character was the villain! After numerous hairbreadth adventures, Elliot dies in the arms of loving saloon singer Constance Moore. Also released as Flame of Sacramento, this was the first of a long line of films in which onetime "B" cowboy star Bill Elliot would portray a new kind of "B" western hero--one who drank at any opportunity, took advantage of unarmed foes, and lived by his own personal code rather than the edicts of society. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Constance Moore, Hank Daniels, (more)
- 1946
In this western, Red Ryder rounds up a gang of horse thieves who have been stealing cavalry horses. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1946
Red Ryder and his comical sidekick take on a new batch of bad-guys in this western, the 16th in the Red Ryder series. This time the heroic duo try to save a female rancher from a greedy financier who wants her land so he can exploit the enormous oil fields lying under it. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1946
In this western, Red Ryder and his sidekick prove that a man never committed the crime of which he has been accused. They then round up the real outlaws. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1946
All 7 "Red Ryder" B-westerns of the 1946-47 season were directed by R. G. Springsteen. All were written by veteran Earl Snell. And, all starred Allan "Rocky" Lane, returning to the series after briefly being replaced by Bill Elliot. Bobby Blake co-starred in these seven films as Ryder's young Indian chum Little Beaver, while Martha Wentworth filled the role of the Duchess. Each film had a historical slant, covering different eras in frontier history--even though costumes of the principal characters never changed. The self-explanatory California Gold Rush is set in 1849. Ryder heads to Sutter's Mill, where he must contend with claim-jumping and treachery. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1945
Red Ryder rounds up a crooked sheriff in this western adventure. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1945
In this western, Red Ryder tries to be a good example for a young man who idolizes his father, an outlaw. The boy wants to follow in his father's footsteps when the hero intervenes. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1945
In this western, Red Ryder and his young sidekick Little Beaver help prevent an impressionable duchess from being duped by a bogus British aristocrat. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1945
The standard Roy Rogers musical western Bells of Rosarita is enlivened by a cute last-reel gimmick. Rogers is appropriately cast as a cowboy star who invariably rescues the heroine from the villain in his movie vehicles. But when Sue Farnum (Dale Evans) is cheated out of her inheritance by the duplicitous business partner (Grant Withers) of her deceased father, Roy finds out with startling suddeness that Real Life isn't like the movies. In order to rescue this genuine damsel in distress, Rogers enlists the aid of his fellow Republic sagebrush stars Wild Bill Elliot, Allan Lane, Don "Red" Barry, Robert Livingston, and Sunset Carson-each astride his own "celebrity" horse. So well-received was the climactic "hero rally" in Bells of Rosarita that the device was repeated again and again by Republic, most memorably in the 1950 Rogers starrer Trail of Robin Hood. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roy Rogers, George "Gabby" Hayes, (more)
- 1945
Substituting for Allan Lane, who'd been called away to active military service, Bill Elliot stars in the Republic "Red Ryder" western Marshal of Laredo. This time, Red comes to the aid of a frontier lawyer, who is suspected of being an outlaw (a logical enough error). Enlisting the aid of his Native American chum Little Beaver (Bobby Blake) and his older friend The Duchess (Alyce Fleming), Ryder finds the real criminals post-haste. With such thugs and pluguglies as Roy Barcroft, George Cheseboro and Bud Geary in the cast, it's amazing that the bad guys weren't exposed in the first reel. Like all the "Red Ryders", Marshal of Laredo was inspired by the popular Red Ryder comic strip and radio series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1945
In this western, Red Ryder leads a wagon train of homesteaders into a ghost town and discovers that it has become an outlaw's hideout. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1945
An interesting entry in Republic Pictures' long-running "Red Ryder" B-Western series, this film is not about hardy settlers braving the Colorado winters, as the title would suggest. Instead it's a sort of Reform School Western about a couple of wayward Chicago boys (Billy Cummings and Freddie Chapman) taken in by Ryder's indomitable aunt, "The Duchess" (Alice Fleming. The boys escaped their very own "Fagin," Bull Reagan (Roy Barcroft), and were given a second chance on the lady's Western ranch. Unfortunately, Reagan returns to do a bit of cattle rustling, once again luring the boys into becoming his accomplices. The stalwart Ryder (William Elliot and his young Indian sidekick, Little Beaver (Robert Blake), come to their rescue, and the real villain is soon put away. Interestingly, at one point in the film, Ryder and his aunt are (unjustly) accused by the townspeople of exploiting their youthful ranch hands. Buckwheat Thomas of Our Gang fame, plays a character named Smoky. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1944
In this western, a crusty old sourdough finally finds the silver mine of his dreams only to find his mine threatened by vicious outlaws. Fortunately, a cowboy hero rides up to save him, but not until considerable rootin' tootin' action. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1944
Bill Elliot is back as Red Ryder in Cheyenne Wildcat. Also back are Ryder's perennial cohorts Little Beaver (Bobby Blake, later Robert Blake of Baretta fame) and the Duchess (Alice Fleming). When not pummeling the bad guys, Ryder is the reluctant apex of a love triangle. It's formula stuff all the way, socked across with ingenuity by director Leslie Selander. Cheyenne Wildcat is especially fun to watch during the finale, when Republic's battery of stunt experts take over. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1944
In this western, brave Red Ryder and his sidekick save a murdered judge's son from going to jail by proving that someone else killed his father. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1944
"Wild Bill" Elliott heads the all-star (by B-flick standards, at any rate) western Hidden Valley Outlaws. Elliott does battle with a cartel of ruthless landgrabbers, who are victimizing settlers throughout the Southwest. With such formidable villains as Roy Barcroft, Kenneth Duncan, Leroy Mason and Bud Geary to contend with, he certainly has his hands full. Anne Jeffreys provides the romantic interest, while George "Gabby" Hayes makes with the usual "Consarn it"s and "Gol'durn whippersnapper"s. It's uncanny how much sheer entertainment value Republic Studios was able to pack into a mere 56 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1944
Two wild western towns battle it out for the position of county seat. Fortunately, Red Ryder and his little side-kick are around to restore the peace. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1944
In this western, Red Ryder, his youthful sidekick, and another pal take on a wicked governor. This was the first in a new series of Red Ryder, a character based on Frank Harman's comic strip westerns. An earlier attempted series had proven a dismal failure. This series was more successful and continued on for years. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1944
There's oil in them thar' hills and an unscrupulous oil company scout attempts to drive the settlers off their newly valuable land in this typical Red Ryder Western starring "the Peaceable Man" (William Elliott). Oil company representative Walter Garfield (LeRoy Mason) and his equally nefarious associate, Ace Hanlon (Glenn Strange), manage to drive several ranchers away, but obstinate rancher Ben Taylor (Jack Kirk) is killed right in front of his daughter, Ann (Linda Stirling). When Red Ryder (Elliott), Ann's neighbor, becomes too nosy, Garfield sends for an old associate, gambler Johnny Bennett (aka the San Antonio Kid) (Duncan Renaldo), and charges him with killing the pesky rancher. The Kid is saved by Red when his horse bolts and they become friends. Although shocked that the newcomer is a notorious gambler, Red's aunt, the Duchess (Alice Fleming), hires him as a ranch hand and Johnny reveals Garfield's nefarious plan. Working together, Red and Johnny manage to trap Garfield and his henchmen and after a dramatic shootout, Red chases the villains to their hideout. A fight breaks out and a pool of oil is set on fire. Garfield is killed in the subsequent blaze and Hanlon is brought to justice. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William "Wild Bill" Elliott, Bobby Blake, (more)
- 1944
This "Red Ryder" entry stars Gordon "Wild Bill" Elliot as Ryder. The heroine (Linda Stirling) is having troubles with the freight company that she owns. Time and again, her coaches are beset by hooded thieves. With Red Ryder on the job, the robbers haven't got a chance, but they put up a fight anyway. Featured in the cast are series stalwarts Bobby Blake as Little Beaver ("You betchum, Red Ryder") and Alice Fleming as The Duchess. Director Wallace Grissell maintains his usual standard of nonstop action. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 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
Republic's winning combination of western star Wild Bill Elliot, comic sidekick Gabby Hayes and leading lady Anne Jeffreys is shown to good advantage in Death Valley Manhunt. Elliot plays a lawman who is hired by a group independent oilmen to protect them from crooked business interests. One of the bad guys is Richard Quinn (Weldon Heyburn), who tries to stir up a range war against the oilmen and the local landowners. When Elliot figures out what Quinn is up to, pity the poor bad man who gets in Our Hero's way. In the film's best scene, Wild Bill finds himself atop an oil well just as a gusher is about to burst forth from the earth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George "Gabby" Hayes, Anne Jeffreys, (more)
- 1943
The 1943 Republic westerns of "Wild Bill" Elliot maintained a high batting average, and Bordertown Gunfighters was no exception. Elliot is cast as an undercover government agent, assigned to stop a gang of swindlers who've been preying on Mexican immigrants. The villains aren't averse to committing murder, and on several occasions resort to drastic measures to put Wild Bill out of the way. But our hero isn't so easily killed, nor is his grizzled ol' sidekick Gabby Hayes. The leading lady this time out is Anne Jeffreys, on the verge of bigger things, while the villainy is in the capable if grubby hands of Ian Keith and Harry Woods. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George "Gabby" Hayes, Anne Jeffreys, (more)
- 1943
Wild Bill comes to the rescue when his friend needs him to take care of a crook in this western. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
