Frank Ellis Movies

A nasty rancher orders his men to kill his own half-brother for a piece of valuable ranch land in this low-budget PRC oater starring singing cowboy Eddie Dean. Bill Ryan (Kermit Maynard) is indeed cowardly ambushed by Brad Barton's (Bob Duncan) henchmen, and the following day, Barton and his equally crooked attorney, Alton Small (Ted Adams), issue an order evicting Bill's daughter, Robin (Shirley Patterson), and son, Freckles (Johnny McGovern), from their home. After courageously standing up to Barton's threats, Robin and Freckles find allies in drifters Eddie Dean and Soapy Jones (Roscoe Ates), who are secretly in league with a very much alive Bill. Eddie manages to turn one of Barton's hirelings, Gringo (Jack O'Shea), and with the further assistance of the sheriff (Frank Ellis), the Ryan ranch is saved. In between the gun play, Eddie Dean sings "Tumbleweed Trail," "Lonesome Cowboy," and "Careless Darlin'." ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

One of four western films made for PRC by bantam-weight Bob Steele, Ambush Trail stars Steele as cowpoke Curley Thompson. The villain of the piece intends to bankrupt all the local ranchers and grab up the surrounding property for himself. But with Curley involved, the bad guy and his minions don't have a chance. The screenplay, by D. W. Griffith alumnus Elmer Clifton, is a medley of western cliches, pausing every so often for a first-rate action sequence. Perennial sagebrush sidekick Sid Saylor provides negligible comedy relief. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A grizzled old prospector literally stumbles over General Santa Ana's missing payroll treasure in this average "Durango Kid" Western from Columbia Pictures. Cimarron Dobbs (Emmett Lynn), who has been grubstaked by Rangers Steve Reynolds (Charles Starrett) and Smiley Burnette, soon finds himself in the clutches of greedy saloon proprietor John Munro (Robert Filmer) and his accomplice, saloon belle Dixie King (Helen Mowery), who will stop at nothing, including depriving the old man of water, to get hold of the treasure. Enter Steve Reynolds' alter ego, the Durango Kid, who not only manages to save Cimarron and find the treasure but also donates the loot to Munro's victims, the local farmers. Smiley Burnette performs his usual pratfalls and sings his own "Swamp Woman Blues", "Don't Be Mad at Me" and "Coyote Chorus", while the congregation known as Hank Newman and the Georgia Crackers takes care of Bob Newman's "Following the Trail". ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Wildfire was the first release from Screen Guild Productions, the adventuresome little independent that would eventually metamorphose into Lippert Pictures Inc. The title character is a magnificent wild horse, slated to be destroyed by a group of ranchers. It seems that Wildfire is being held responsible for luring the ranchers' own stock of horses into the hills. Bob Steele and Sterling Holloway play Happy and Alkali, two rambunctious horsetraders who rescue Wildfire from extinction. Apparently they succeed, inasmuch as 1948 brought forth a sequel, Return of Wildfire, which unlike its predecessor was lensed in Sepiatone rather than Cinecolor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Law of the Saddle stars Bob Livingston as Rocky Cameron, aka "The Lone Rider". With his sidekick Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John), Rocky rides into a small town plagued by cattle rustlers. He can expect no help from the Law, since the sheriff is as crooked as the Yellow Brick Road. In fact, the sheriff is the head of the rustlers, meaning that Rocky's really got a dilemma on his hands this time out. The villain in Law of the Saddle is played by Lane Chandler, a former silent-film cowboy star who sustained his career into the 1960s by specializing in stubble-chinned heavies. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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

The penultimate entry in the Texas Rangers lineup, PRC's super-low-budget rival to Republic Pictures' Three Mesqueteers series, Frontier Fugitives once again stars Tex Ritter, Dave O'Brien, and Guy Wilkerson. This time, the trio are on to a gang that preys on both traders and Indians. Trailing the main suspect in the killing of Trader Williams (George Morrell), Tex is accused by a fake Indian agent (Jack Ingram) of murdering a brave. The latter, however, proves to be merely another member of the gang in disguise but before he can clear his good name, Tex has to get himself out of jail. When not battling crooked Indian agents and comic opera braves, Ritter performs Al Dexter's "Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry" and "I'll Wait for You, Dear." The Western was filmed on location at Chatsworth, CA. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

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

Buster Crabbe and Al St. John (or "Our Old Pals", as they were invariably billed) star in the PRC western Blazing Frontier. As ever, Crabbe plays Billy the Kid, aka Billy Carson, while St. John is the daffy Fuzzy Q. Jones. This time, Billy intervenes in a feud between the railroad company and local settlers. Crooked land agents are busily stoking the flames of the feud, and it's up to Billy and Fuzzy to keep things from getting out of hand. Also known as Billy the Kid in Blazing Frontier, this 6-reel western didn't make it to New York theatres until April of 1944, nearly eight months after its regional release. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Filmed at Corriganville, actor Ray "Crash" Corrigan's movie ranch in Simi Valley, Sonora Stagecoach was the last of Monogram's eight ramshackle "Trail Blazers" Western. The series had already suffered the loss of veteran star Ken Maynard -- who had become too difficult and costly -- and both Hoot Gibson and Bob Steele were nearing the end of their starring careers. This time, the "Trail Blazers," Gibson, Steele and Maynard's odd replacement, Chief Thundercloud), are escorting prisoner Rocky Camron (aka Gene Alsace) to trial in Sonora. Sheriff Hampton (Henry Hall) warns the three marshals that a gang of outlaws may attempt to assassinate Camron, whom the sheriff believes to be innocent. And sure enough, Blackie Reed (Charles King) and his gang do their best to get to the prisoner, who is given a gun in order to defend himself. Rocky, as it appears, was framed for the murder of two deputies, a deed actually committed by Blackie on behalf of stagecoach office manager Paul Kenton (Glenn Strange) and his banker brother, Joe (Karl Hackett). With the help of Betty Miles), Rocky's girlfriend and Weasel (Charles Murray, Jr.), a henchman turned state's evidence, the "Trail Blazers" clear Rocky of all charges and arrest both Blackie and his backers. Gibson and Steele went on to appear together in three additional Monogram Westerns -- Marked Trails, Trigger Law and Utah Kid (all 1944) -- but although they are often designated as "Trail Blazers" Westerns today, they were never produced or advertised as such. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

A "Texas Rangers" series entry from PRC, this low budget western features Dave "Tex" O'Brien as a stranger in town introducing himself as the notorious bandit Spade Norton. Crooked saloon owner Red Hayden (I. Stanford Jolley) believes him at first but then the real Spade (Jack Ingram) turns up and all hell breaks loose. Guy Wilkerson and James Newill plays O'Brien's ranger colleagues, the latter performing Speed Hansen's "Someone Is Waiting", "Forget Me Not" and "When the Western Sun Is Sinking". ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

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

In their third and final "Trail Blazers" Western together, Ken Maynard, Hoot Gibson and Bob Steele witness what appears to be a gang of Indians raiding a stagecoach. Investigating, the three lawmen discover that the attackers are actually white bandits dressed as Indians and that their leader is one Polini (Ian Keith), a gangster smuggling diamonds in the axle grease of the stagecoach wheels. Aided by young Donny Davis (Don Stewart) and pert Ruth Hampton (Myrna Dell), the "Trail Blazers" survive several clashes with death -- including being trapped inside a cave -- before Polini and his cohort, Banker Steve Lynch (Karl Hackett), are apprehended. In only her second Western, blonde heroine Myrna Dell was not exactly in awe of her veteran leading men who, as she later recalled were "old enough to be my grandfather!" Maynard, in fact, had come to the end of his long starring career. Unable to get along with his more athletic co-star Bob Steele, the often cantankerous left the series and only returned to films in rare cameo appearances. His place in the final two "Trail Blazers" Westerns was taken by Chief Thundercloud. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide