Joe Harris Movies
A member of John Ford's stock company at Universal in the late 1910s to early '20s, dark-haired Joe Harris played scores of villains in Westerns, often opposite early cowboy star Harry Carey. They remained lifelong friends and Harris reportedly passed away at the home of Harry Carey Jr. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide- 1952
It's always a pleasure to see ace western director Leslie Selander in action, and Riders of Vengeance is no exception. Originally released as The Raiders, this Universal programmer stars Richard Conte as a miner who leads an expedition of his compatriots to the California Gold Rush. Crooked Morris Ankrum sets about to cheat Conte and his friends out of their claims. The good guys stage a counteroffensive with the help of Mexican miner Richard Martin. Viveca Lindfors once more brings intelligence and charm to a two-dimensional role. Watch for future Gunsmoke star Dennis Weaver as "Logan". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Conte, Viveca Lindfors, (more)
- 1947
Various artists participate in the songs featured in this collection which includes "Rhythm in a Riff" and "Jivin' in Bebop." ~ All Movie Guide
- 1923
Veteran western performers Harry Carey and Marguerite Clayton appeared in three films together from 1923-1924: Desert Driven, Tiger Thompson and, perhaps their best, Canyon of the Fools. Produced by Film Booking Office, this action-packed silent western overcame a miniscule budget by throwing stock footage of a flood into an otherwise common story about a bandit reformed by the love of a good woman. Both leads had done this already then-stale plot many times before, Carey as Universal's top western ace in the 'teens (until his position was usurped by Hoot Gibson), and Clayton opposite early cowboy star Broncho Billy Anderson. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harry Carey, Marguerite Clayton, (more)
- 1923
Veteran screen cowboy Harry Carey was getting a bit uncomfortable doing romantic scenes by 1923 and Crashin Thru therefore supplied young Cullen Landis to take care of the more potent love scenes. Carey plays a rancher whose foster son (Landis) is getting too chummy with a gang of obvious crooks. To offer the impressionable boy a more conventional homelife, he takes out an advertisement for a mail-order bride. The rancher gets two replies -- from a mother (Myrtle Stedman) and her daughter (Vola Vale)! ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harry Carey, Cullen Landis, (more)
- 1922
Tom Mix played "Clean-Up" Sudden, a drifter restoring law and order to a small farming community run by a corrupt sheriff (Al Fremont) in this typical silent Western. A henchman in league with the dethroned lawman, Scott Mason (Sid Jordan), kidnaps lovely Dorothy Clark (Patsy Ruth Miller), ties her to a tree and sets fire to the Clark ranch. Happily, Sudden lives up to his name and rescues the damsel-in-distress in the nick of time, and the nasty Mason perishes in the flames. For Big Stakes, which should not be confused with Big Stakes, a low-budget J.B. Warner oater released that same year, marked the second and last teaming of Mix with 18-year-old WAMPAS Baby Star Patsy Ruth Miller. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Mix, Patsy Ruth Miller, (more)
- 1922
Hoot Gibson returns to his place of employment to find his former boss murdered and the man's son accused of a crime he didn't commit. A fiendish dope dealer (Joseph Harris), the mastermind behind these unfortunate events, has his chief henchman (Noble Johnson) kidnap the dead rancher's daughter. Gibson goes after the kidnapper full throttle, and the unusually taut western ends in an explosive climax when a door rigged with explosives detonates in the face of the fleeing master villain. The best performance in the film is offered by supporting actor Noble Johnson, a light-skinned African American who often portrayed Indians or, as here, "half-breeds." The leading lady, Gertrude Olmstead, later married MGM contract director Robert Z. Leonard. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hoot Gibson
- 1922
A drifter, Racey Dawson (Buck Jones) falls for pretty Molly Dale (Eileen Percy), the daughter of alcoholic rancher Henry Dale (Robert Daly) but is soon falsely accused of murdering the old man. The real killer, however, proves to be McFluke (G. Raymond Nye), a powerful rancher who covets the valuable Dale property. The most unusual aspect of this average silent western is the casting of popular comedienne Mae Busch as a dance-hall girl holding the key to solving the murder. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1921
A stranger (Harry Carey) comes to the Western town of Broken Buckle, but discovers that the gambling hall there is crooked. He decides to open up an honest one of his own, but town school teacher Zoe Whipple (Helen Ferguson) wants him to do something more positive with himself. Denver Red, the proprietor of the already existing hall (Charles LeMoyne) has his own reasons for halting the stranger. But Carey persists, and the day comes when he opens his new establishment -- only it's not a gambling hall at all, but a library and school. In a gunfight, the stranger sends Denver Red packing, and wins Zoe's love. This was a rather tame entry for star Carey and director John Ford. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1921
Director John Ford based this silent western on The Girl He Left Behind by Eugene Manlove Rhodes, turning it into a fine vehicle for the veteran Harry Carey as a prospector who strikes it rich but loses his girl in the process. The husband-to-be is Carey's best friend, William A. Steele, a candidate to the office of sheriff. A nasty villain (C. E. Anderson) frames the young man in a murder, but Carey unravels the plot and clears his friend. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1921
Universal's rather dishevelled cowboy hero Hoot Gibson once again played a cowpoke with girl trouble in this above-average silent Western directed by John Ford. Gibson depicted Jeff Bransford, whose girlfriend Marian (Molly Malone) rejects him because he lacks ambition. Unbeknownst to Marian, however, Jeff prevents the girl's married sister (Fritzi Brunette) from running away with a bounder. The latter instead steals $5,000 from Elinor's husband, kidnapping Marian along the way. She is rescued by Jeff and finally realizes how much she loves the shy but brave cowpoke. Comedy relief in this Western was provided by 7-year-old Breezy Eason, Jr., the son of director B. Reeves Eason. Little Breezy died tragically later that year after being hit by an out-of-control vehicle on the set of the Harry Carey Western The Fox. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1920
Following the Civil War, Southerner Jefferson Todd (Frank Mayo) finds himself broke, so he becomes a river boat gambler. One of his fellow card players is Colonel Brereton (Mark Fenton), who bets four horses -- the last of his possessions -- and loses. As a result, he commits suicide and Todd is left to explain things to the Colonel's daughter, Ophelia (Beatrice Burnham). But his wicked brother-in-law, Raoul Castiga (Jason Harris) has already tried to turn Ophelia against Todd. Eventually Ophelia sees Castiga as the scoundrel he really is and he and Todd wind up in a duel. Castiga shoots before the count is over, but Todd is uninjured. Todd and Ophelia decide to stake claims in the West, as does Castiga. On the night after the land rush, Todd and Castiga battle it out once again and this time Castiga falls into a pool and drowns. Is it any surprise that this manly picture was an early directorial effort by John Ford? ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1920
An above-average silent western starring Harry Carey, Human Stuff centers on the ubiquitous feud between sheep herders and cattlemen. An Eastern boy (Carey) is shipped West to tend the family's sheep ranch. Carey's presence angers the neighboring cattle ranchers, whose leader (Charles LeMoyne) resorts to kidnapping to get his point across. Portraying Carey's millionaire father, German-born character actor Rudolph Christians made a rare western appearance in this film, one of the corpulent star's last. Christians died suddenly of a heart attack during the filming of Erich Von Stroheim's Foolish Wives (1921), and his remaining scenes were filmed with Robert Edeson. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1920
Universal ace director Lynn Reynolds directed this better-than-average silent western about a hobo Harry Carey who stumbles upon a gold-mine. The story was old hat, of course, but Carey's realistic approach to the genre proved a breath of fresh air in an era increasingly dominated by the flamboyant Tom Mix. Overland Red marked the first of three westerns in which Carey played opposite brunette Vola Vale. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1919
Legendary director John Ford began his long, eventful screen career helming Harry Carey westerns for Universal. He got that job courtesy of big brother Francis Ford, but the youngster quickly established himself as the Ford to watch. He was not quite there yet, but Riders of Vengeance was a harbinger of things to come. Carey witnesses his family murdered by a gang of outlaws and tracks down each of every one of the gun men. Along the way, he finds time to save Seena Owen from an Indian attack, much to the chagrin of the girl's fiancee, the local sheriff Joseph Harris. Leading lady Seena Owen (née Signe Auen) had previously played the Princess Beloved in D.W. Griffith's masterpiece, Intolerance.The Danish-American actress was the sister of screenwriter Lilie Hayward (Aloma of the South Seas, etc.) ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1919
When rancher Cheyenne Harry (Harry Carey, in the recurring role he made famous) won't cooperate with a packers' trust, cattle-king John Merritt (J. Barney Sherry) boldly takes his land. So Harry goes to see Merritt in Chicago, but he accomplishes nothing other than finding his Western ways the object of ridicule. To even things up, he steals Merritt's payroll and his daughter Helen (Kathleen O'Connor), mocking him with a receipt for "payment in full." While Merritt's men are searching for them, Harry proves his manliness to Helen with caveman tactics and she falls in love with him (apparently women in those days actually liked such behavior). By the time her father locates her, he is compelled to accept her choice of Harry as husband. Harry Carey and his collaborator, director John Ford (then known as Jack Ford), generally wrote and filmed westerns with a lot more action than there is here, so this is a somewhat unusual entry in the Cheyenne Harry series. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1919
In this tale of the Canadian Northwest, Harry Carey plays Cheyenne Harry, who is on the lam after getting tangled up with some cattle rustlers. He hides out at an Indian camp, where he encounters a lovely young Native-American maiden (Neola May). But along comes half-breed whiskey runner Black Michael (Joe Harris). He kills another Indian in a fit of jealousy over the girl, and tries to pin the crime on Cheyenne Harry. Harry just barely escapes the Canadian Mounted Police and lands at a store of the Hudson Bay Company. Black Michael has arrived there and is making moves on the manager's daughter, Kate (Neva Gerber). But Kate finds Harry much more to her liking, so Michael kidnaps her. Harry follows, and a brutal fight erupts between the two men. Ultimately, Michael falls off the cliff, but before he meets his demise, he confesses to the murder he accused Harry of doing. The film ends with Kate and Harry together. Since this picture was one of John Ford's early directorial efforts, there's lots of action to be had, along with Carey's usual brand of affable humor. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1919
For quite a long while, director John Ford and silent cowboy star Harry Carey had a fruitful working relationship. This Western wasn't one of their better efforts, but it still benefits from Ford's fine understanding of the wide-open spaces, which is reflected in the scenic cinematography. Cheyenne Harry Henderson (Carey) is fed up with all the cattle rustling that's going on, but his efforts to stop it have been futile. He comes to realize that the Yucca county sheriff (Joel Harris) is in cahoots with the outlaws. He goes to Sheriff Faulkner of neighboring Pinkerton county (Duke R. Lee). Sheriff Faulkner claims his hands are tied, since Harry lives in Yucca county, but Harry solves this dilemma by hitching some horses to his cabin and moving it to Pinkerton county. The rustlers retaliate by kidnapping Sheriff Faulkner's daughter, Madeline (Peggy Pearce), whom Harry loves. Harry rescues the girl, and brings the rustlers to justice. During the trail, their friends break the bad guys out. Harry saves the day once again by luring the bad guys to his cabin and rendering them unconscious with firewater that has been dosed with knockout drops. With the rustlers out of the way, he can now settle down with Madeline. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1919
After the father of Cheyenne Harry (Harry Carey) is shot dead, His mother makes him promise to put down his guns. He agrees, though this is easier said than done in the Old West. A pair of rustlers, Boone Travis (Joe Harris) and Lopez (Vester Pegg), hear about Harry's pledge and believe his cattle are easy prey. Not so, as it turns out -- Harry catches up with them and lets them have it with his bare fists. Their hatred for Harry is now even greater, and their malice spreads to Conchita (Betty Schade), Harry's Spanish sweetheart. The villains frame Harry as a murderer and the charge nearly sticks. Harry is about to be hung when he finds out his brother Bud (Howard Ensteadt) has been branded by Travis and Lopez. He grabs the sheriff's gun, escapes and shoots his persecutors dead. Later, he is acquitted of the previous charge when Conchita provides an eyewitness account of the deed. While loaded with suspense, this wasn't the best of the collaborations between Carey and director John Ford, who in those days was known as Jack Ford. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1919
In this Harry Carey/John Ford collaboration, Carey plays Texas Ranger Jim Kyneton. Jim's foster brother Nick (Vesta Pegg) has fallen in with a pack of bandits who rob a mine. For this particular Ranger, duty comes before family, and Jim arrests all of them, including Nick. But Roseen (Claire Anderson), a dance-hall girl, is angry because Jim spurned her, so she helps the varmints escape. Jim has to go round them up all over again, which he does -- except for Nick, who commits suicide by riding his horse off a cliff. His job finished, Jim returns to Betty (Gloria Hope), the girl he loved all along. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1919
Bret Harte's story gets an unusual adaptation in the hands of director John Ford (in the days when he was known as Jack Ford) and western star Harry Carey. Carey takes a break from his usual "Harry Carey" role to play a man in love with a much younger woman (Gloria Hope). He is convinced however, that the much younger Billy Gentry (Cullen Landis) has a better chance at winning her. The older man picks up a copy of Harte's The Outcasts of Poker Flat and the story unfurls: Lonely gentleman gambler John Oakhurst (Carey) adopts a young boy, not knowing that when Tommy grows up (to be played by Landis) that they will be vying for the same girl (Hope again). After many adventures, John decides to sacrifice himself in order for the young people to be happy together. After Oakhurst's death, the film cuts back to the man finishing the last of the book. He puts it down with the comment (in titles), "The feller in the book was a durn fool," and goes to the girl he loves who, it turns out, was his all along. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1919
This heartwarming Harry Carey Western was based on the story Three Godfathers by Peter B. Kyne, which appeared in the Saturday Evening Post. Harry is in jail on a train robbery charge, along with his two pals Tom Gibbons (Joe Harris) and Tony Garcia (Ted Brooks). They break out of jail and go their separate ways until they meet up once again in a mining camp. Harry has met and fallen in love with Ruby Merrill (Winifred Westover), a decent girl who is forced to waitress at a dance hall due to unfortunate circumstances. Harry wants to lead an honest life, but his friends are plotting to rob a bank, and since they saved his life, he feels duty-bound to help them. After the robbery, the trio escape to the desert, where they come upon a wagon containing a woman giving birth. As she dies, she hands the newborn infant over to the men, begging them to bring up her daughter to be as good a person as they are. In the ensuing sandstorms, Gibbons and Garcia perish, but Harry makes it back to town with the baby. Ruth is waiting for him, but so is Sheriff Cushing (Charles Lemoyne). When Cushing finds out that the infant is his niece, he pardons Harry. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1918
John Ford's fourteenth film is a fast-paced Harry Carey western vehicle featuring Carey as his popular Cheyenne Harry hero. From the Plains, Harry rides into the disorderly western town of Rawhide, where he makes an immediate friend in Cimmaron Bill (Duke Lee). Harry then falls for dance-hall girl Bess (Neva Gerber), an upstanding woman forced into this particular line of work by a series of dire circumstances. Rawhide is yet another western town lorded over by crooks and outlaws. Harry determines to rid the town of the riffraff and restore order, but complications set in when he finds out that Bess' brother is a member of the gang that is riding roughshod over the town. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harry Carey, Neva Gerber, (more)
- 1918
Harry Carey returned in his traditional role of "Cheyenne Harry" in this early John Ford effort. Here Cheyenne Harry is in jail, as is a forger, Buck Masters (Joe Harris). The warden's mercenary son (Harry Carter) has Masters lend his craftsmanship to the prison books so he can steal funds. But when Masters is pardoned, he doesn't think that the warden's son gave him a big enough cut, so he starts blackmailing him. Then Harry is pardoned, with the condition that the pardon will be unconditional if he tracks down Masters. A long-time enemy of Masters, Harry agrees to the scheme, but his resolve is weakened when he falls in love with Masters' sister Lola (Neva Gerber). So Harry rounds up his two brothers and retrieves Masters, only to return him to his mother whereupon he promises to reform. Meanwhile, Harry and Lola go to the nearest town and get married. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1915
The eponymous girl is Sarah Towney (Margarita Fischer), a small-town soda-shop clerk with a splendid singing voice. Leaving her wealthy sweetheart Don Blair (C. Elliot Griffen) behind, Sarah embarks upon a theatrical career which transports her to London. Meanwhile, Don pays a visit to his British friend, Lord Galory (Joseph Singleton), during which he falls under the spell of the Duchess of Breakwater (Beatrice Van), a mercenary adventuress. Fortunately, Sarah shows up in time to save Don from the Duchess' clutches, whereupon she realizes that she has never fallen out of love with him. A Girl From His Town was adapted from a novel by Marie Van Vorst. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
