Jennifer Holt Movies
The daughter of action star Jack Holt, Elizabeth Marshall Holt reportedly picked the name Jennifer after reading Don Byrne's novel Destiny Bay. Holt studied with famed Russian actress Maria Ouspenskaya and understudied Teresa Wright in Life With Father (1939) on Broadway, but a leading role in Two for the Show (1940) went instead to Betty Hutton. Her brother Tim Holt secured her the femme lead in a Hopalong Cassidy Western, Stick to Your Guns (1941); much to her chagrin, however, producer Harry Sherman insisted on billing her as Jacqueline Holt in honor of her famous father.She was allowed to use the Jennifer Holt moniker while under contract to Universal (1942-1943), and as such, starred in the 1943 serial Adventures of the Flying Cadets and a host of B-Westerns featuring the likes of Johnny Mack Brown, Tex Ritter, and Russell Hayden. But although the films were above average for low-budget action fare, she was only drawing a weekly salary of 75 dollars and bolted when she discovered that she could make much more as a freelance actress.
Returning to Universal at regular intervals -- but now demanding 350 dollars a picture -- Holt became a regular B-Western leading lady at bottom-of-the-barrel producer PRC where, in 1948's The Hawk of Powder River, she even got to play a nasty female outlaw. The Eddie Dean oater remained her favorite film, but the B-Western genre was in decline and she left Hollywood to star in industrial films in Chicago. She also entered the field of early children's television, earning a 1949 TV Guide award for The Adventures of Uncle Mistletoe and Aunt Judy, a local morning show, and a 1951 Peabody Award for the ABC series Panhandle Pete and Jennifer.
Married no less than seven times -- her second husband, William Bakewell, had been her co-star in the 1945 serial Hop Harrigan -- and retiring from performing in 1958 after a guest role on television's Perry Mason, Jennifer Holt later settled in Cuernavaca, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. She returned to the United States often, however, becoming a welcome guest speaker at various B-Western and serial fairs. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1949
Trail of the Mounties was the last of four "streamlined" actioners released by Screen Guild in the late 1940s. Each of these films was set in Canada, each starred Russell Hayden as a Mountie named "Lucky," and each ran approximately 45 minutes. This time, Lucky is on the trail of the fur thief who killed another Mountie. When our hero gets his man, it is with a sense of deep regret, since the villain is Lucky's twin brother (also played by Hayden). Jennifer Holt, daughter of Jack and sister of Tim, is the heroine. Trail of the Mounties was, like its predecessors, an early arrival on TV. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Russell Hayden, Jennifer Holt, (more)
- 1948
In this western a cowboy and his gang must take on a band of bad-to-the-bone female outlaws. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1948
Tornado Range is one of five Eddie Dean westerns originally produced by PRC in 1947 but released the following year by Eagle-Lion. Cast as a troubleshooter for the U.S. Land Office, Dean is assigned to settle a deadly range war. Sure enough, the warring homesteaders and cattlemen are being whipped into a frenzy by a third party, who hopes to "divide and conquer," claiming the land for himself. Surprisingly, all-purpose PRC villain George Cheseboro isn't the culprit in this one; instead, he's cast as the father of heroine Jennifer Holt. Roscoe Ates is once more on hand for some questionable comedy relief. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates, (more)
- 1948
PRC/Eagle-Lion's Eddie Dean western series came to an end with The Tioga Kid. Dean plays a dual role, as an upright Texas ranger and a desperate outlaw. The "bad" Dean joins a gang of horse rustlers who've been making life miserable for rancher Jennifer Holt. It's up to the "good" Dean to save Holt's stock and put the villains in the calaboose. Meanwhile, our hero's faithful sidekick Soapy (Roscoe Ates) is never quite sure which Eddie Dean he's speaking to at any given time. Considered a major improvement over Dean's previous films, The Tioga Kid is a worthy farewell for one of filmdom's most prolific but least memorable singing cowboy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates, (more)
- 1948
Although technically crude, Stage to Mesa City, an entry in PRC's "The Cheyenne Kid" series, was a great favorite with the small fries when unceremoniously dumped on theaters in February of 1948. Al "Lash" LaRue once again played the black-clad, whip-wielding hero who, along with sidekick Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John), comes to the aid of troubled stagecoach proprietor John Watson (Steve Clark). Watson, who has been forced to sell his ranch in order to keep the stages running and win a valuable mail contract, is opposed by Baxter (Marshall Reed), a crooked lawyer working for the mysterious "The Boss." When Watson is found murdered, his grown children, Margie (Jennifer Holt) and Bob (Brad Slavin), assign Marshals Cheyenne Davis and Fuzzy to catch his killer and unmask the mysterious "The Boss." Needless to say, the latter proves to be the least likely candidate and is therefore easy to spot for any armchair detective in the audience. Stage to Mesa City was remade in 1951 as Stage to Blue River, this time starring the less than enthralling Whip Wilson. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Jennifer Holt, (more)
- 1948
Arguably Eddie Dean's best Western -- and certainly the balladeer's most unusual -- The Hawk of Powder River features busy B-Western heroine Jennifer Holt as Vivian, the "Hawk" of the title and the murderous leader of a gang of outlaws. When a local newspaper editor begins a crusade against the Hawk's reign of terror, Vivian has her henchmen murder him. Her uncle (Budd Buster), the owner of the Chambers Ranch, accidentally discovers the gang's hideout, and he, too, is killed. Next in line is Vivian's pretty cousin, Carole (June Carlson), but she is saved in the nick of time by cowboys Eddie Dean and Soapy (Roscoe Ates), who decide to get to the bottom of the fearful goings-on. Eddie sets a trap for Vivian's fiancé, Cochrane (Eddie Parker), and The Hawk of Powder River ends in a shootout during which Vivian is killed. In between the carnage, Dean sings four ballads accompanied by Andy Parker and the Plainsmen. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates, (more)
- 1947
Where the North Begins was one of a quartet of 45-minute adventure yarns produced by the Screen Guild in the late 1940s. All four films starred Russell Hayden as Canadian Mountie "Lucky" Sanderson, and all four had nearly identical supporting casts. This time around, Lucky and an undercover officer (Steve Bailey) try to put an end to the smuggling activities of the villain (Tristam Coffin). Evidently, Where the North Begins was intended as a companion feature to its immediate follow-up, Trail of the Mounties. There's also some evidence that these two films were originally one single, longer film, reedited to conform to the then-prevalent Double Feature policy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1947
Produced by Jack Schwartz for low-budget company Screen Guild, this mild Western starring the veteran Richard Arlen was apparently the first entry in a proposed series. Arlen played the title role, here assigned by the army to quell an Indian attack on the powerless settlers. The Indians are accusing Tom Russell (John Dexter) of murdering a member of the tribe, an act, as Buffalo Bill discovers, actually committed by a gang of outlaws hired by investment company owner J.B. Jordon (Frank O'Connor). Buffalo Bill Rides Again was soundly defeated by a low budget and slipshod direction by the veteran Bernard B. Ray. Popular B-Western villain Ted Adams disappeared mysteriously halfway through the film, only to be replaced by Edmund Cobb. Jennifer Holt, the daughter of Arlen contemporary Jack Holt and by far the busiest B-Western heroine of the 1940s, had little to do other than letting herself be kidnapped by evil Gil Patric. Arlen, whose career dated back to the silent era, was perhaps a mite too old and stout by 1946 when this film was produced to become an acceptable B-Western hero. No further Buffalo Bill Westerns were produced by Schwartz. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ted Adams, Richard Arlen, (more)
- 1947
In his final starring vehicle as a singing cowboy, Ken Curtis saves Doc Henderson's Medicine Show from being robbed by the Morrell gang but later earns the enmity of Carolyn (Jennifer Holt) when he blames the troupe for polluting a local watering hole. Arriving in town, the medicine show, which consists of Doc Henderson himself (Holmes Herbert), Taffy (Noel Neill), the singing group the Hoosier Hot Shots and Carolyn, begin their performance while Curt is unsuccessfully attempting to stop the Morrell gang from robbing the bank. The sheriff mistakes Curt for one of the gang, and to save their friend, Curt's buddies Biscuit (Guy Kibbee) and Big Boy (Guinn "Big Boy" Williams) stampede their cattle through town. In order to clear his good name, Curt and his friends go in search of the real bank robbers, who as it turns out are working under orders from Doc Henderson. Leading lady Holt was the daughter of veteran star Jack Holt. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1947
In this low-budget Western from PRC, Marshal Cheyenne (Al "Lash" LaRue) and his sidekick Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John) are looking into the strange goings-on in the town of Buffalo Gap. A ranger (Bob Woodward) has been killed and the trail leads to a gang headed by Bill Judd (Jack Ingram). There is yet another killing, young Al Walters (Steve Drake) is brutally shot by Judd after calling gambler Grayson (Terry Frost) a cheat. But the sheriff (Henry Hall) seems remarkably hesitant to arrest the culprit and may be taking his orders from a mystery boss, who operates out of a shack in the wilderness. Teaming up with Al's pretty sister, Betty and her Uncle Bob (William Fawcett), Cheyenne and Fuzzy go in search of the mystery villain, whose identity may come as a surprise to anyone who has never seen a Grade-Z movie before. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Jennifer Holt, (more)
- 1947
At least 10 percent of the 58-minute Eddie Dean western Shadow Valley is comprised of stock shots from earlier Dean oaters. This time, the star plays as U.S. marshal who comes to the rescue of the standard damsel in distress (Jennifer Holt, sister of Tim and daughter of Jack). The double-dyed villain (George Cheseboro) is a crooked lawyer (and former train robber) who wants to lay claim to the heroine's ranch. What the lawyer knows, but the girl doesn't, is that the land is rich with gold. Roscoe Ates goes through his usual wheezy stuttering routines as Eddie Dean's sidekick Soapy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates, (more)
- 1947
That old reprobate George Cheseboro is at it again in this low-budget Western from the "new" PRC. This time, Cheseboro plays trading post owner Price Taylor, whose shipments are constantly intercepted by a group of vigilantes. But as undercover lawman Cheyenne Davis (Al "Lash" LaRue) and his sidekick Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John) learn, the vigilantes are local homesteaders fighting against Taylor's exorbitant prices. When the leader of the vigilantes, Frank Jackson (Steve Clark), is murdered by the crooked sheriff (Lee Morgan), Cheyenne and Fuzzy go after Taylor, who is eventually whipped into submission. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Fuzzy St. John, (more)
- 1947
"King of the Bullwhip" Lash LaRue continues lashing away in the PRC western Ghost Town Renegades. In this one, the Cheyenne Kid (LaRue) and Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John) investigate mysterious goings-on in an abandoned mining town. The villains have suddenly taken an inordinate interest in the town's played-out mine, and it looks like the mine's rightful owners will end up getting the shaft. But Cheyenne wields his whip in the last reel, forcing the bad guys to cower in submission. The better-than-usual cast includes Jennifer Holt (daughter of Jack, sister of Tim) as the heroine and William Fawcett, future costar of TV's Fury, in one of his "grizzled" characterizations. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Al St. John, (more)
- 1946
Like Captain Midnight before him, Hop Harrigan came to the serial screens courtesy of Columbia Pictures; and, also like the captain, Harrigan had appeared in both radio and the pages of comic strips before becoming a screen star in the guise of fresh-faced William Bakewell. But there the similarity ended; whereas Captain Midnight had been a uniformed super-crusader, Hop was merely an ex-serviceman, just like so many of his fans. Along with pudgy Tank Tinker (Sumner Getchell) and pretty Gail Nolan (Jennifer Holt), Hop attempts to rescue an eccentric inventor, Dr. Tobor (John Merton), from a gang headed by the mysterious Chief Pilot. As it turns out, Dr. Tobor is not quite sane and plans to destroy the world with his newest invention, and only Hop and his friends stand in the way. It might have taken them 14 chapters to get there, but in the 15th and final chapter, grandly entitled "The Fate of the World," Hop and company get rid of the insane professor once and for all. Leading lady Jennifer Holt, one of the prettiest B-film ingénues of the 1940s, was the daughter of action star Jack Holt. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1946
With a catchy title song co-written by the film's star and director, this Jimmy Wakely music Western got off to a lilting start. The film, however, quickly turned out to be just another minor entry in the very derivative Monogram/Wakely series. The former radio crooner and his usual sidekick Lee "Lasses" White, get in trouble this time with an unscrupulous cattle king (Stanley Blystone) and his even more unscrupulous foreman (Terry Frost), both of whom are in league with -- you guessed it -- an unscrupulous railroad man (Jack Ingram). Jennifer Holt, daughter of legendary action star Jack Holt and one of the busiest B-Western heroines of the '40s, added feminine appeal, and rustic comedian White contributed with three songs -- I'm Casting My Lasso, If You Knew What It Meant to Be Lonesome, both co-written with Wakely, and the solo effort Out on the Western Range. Although no Gene Autry or Roy Rogers, Jimmy Wakely was popular enough in the hinterlands for his series to last through 1949. He later owned his own recording label. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1945
One of the last of Universal's "pocket" musicals, Under Western Skies packs a surplus of entertainment value into its brief 57 minutes. Martha O'Driscoll plays Katie, the daughter of travelling showman Willie (Leon Errol). While playing an engagement in a wild-and-wooly Arizona town, Katie runs afoul of a group of bluenoses who harbor a low opinion of show folk. Denied access to the local music hall, the troupe pitches camp at the saloon owned by King Randall (Leo Carrillo). When it turns out the Randall is the head of an outlaw gang, Katie and friends are rescued by shy schoolteacher Tod (Noah Beery Jr.), who happens to be a crack shot! Among the performers in Willie's entourage is the venerable vaudeville team of Al Shaw and Sam Lee, whose routines are older than dirt and just about as funny. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martha O'Driscoll, Leo Carrillo, (more)
- 1945
In this western, a young man infiltrates a vicious gang of bank robbers in order to capture his father's killer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1945
Shortly before Universal Pictures disbanded its "B" unit, the studio inaugurated an energetic western series starring Rod Cameron. In Beyond the Pecos, Cameron plays a rancher at odds with longtime rival Eddie Dew (himself a "B" sagebrush star at other studios). The two brawny men in Stetsons battle over rights of oil land that borders both their properties. When they tire of squabbling over money, Cameron and Dew fight over the attentions of pretty Jennifer Holt (daughter of Jack Holt). Director Lambert Hillyer handles Beyond the Pecos with his customary speed and efficiency. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1945
Johnny Mack Brown and Raymond Hatton once again play undercover U.S. marshals Nevada McKenzie and Sandy Hopkins. This time, Sandy's sergeant, Trevor (Jasper L. Palmer), is shot in the back by Slim Ramsey (Raphael Bennett), an outlaw he had been tracking. Masquerading as a desperado himself, Nevada manages to infiltrate Ramsey's gang and learn the identity of its leader, a villain named Farr (Edmund Cobb). Sandy, meanwhile, pretends to be an Indian trader and the undercover agents are helped in their investigation by Tober (Tom Quinn), a defecting gang member. The latter is being questioned by Paul (Riley Hill) and the murdered sergeant's pretty daughter, Mary (Jennifer Holt), when their cabin comes under attack from Farr and his henchmen. Happily, Nevada and Sandy arrive just in time to prevent a massacre. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1945
Statehood for Wyoming became the weighty focal point in this very low-budget music Western from poverty row company PRC, which served to introduce Eddie Dean as the company's newest singing cowboy. Old Ma Conway (Sarah Padden) champions statehood for Wyoming, believing the measure would put an end to the territory's lawlessness; but the elderly woman is opposed by cattle buyer and tax assessor Lee Landow (Ian Keith and greedy banker Dixon (Robert Barron). When Ma offers her opinion in a newspaper article, Landow sends his henchman Ringo (Rocky Camron) to put the fear of God in the woman. Ranch foreman Eddie Reed (Dean) is outraged, and after warbling such Western ditties as "My Herdin' Song" and "Wild Prairie Rose" to Vicky (Jennifer Holt), Ma's foster-daughter, the cowboy takes matters into his own hand. At first he is aided by a mysterious stranger, "The Cheyenne Kid" (Lash LaRue making his Western debut), but this black-clad rider proves to be a wolf in wolf's clothing, who is in cahoots with Ringo. A former National Barn Dance crooner, the rather homely Dean had been bouncing around Hollywood since 1936, writing prairie ballads and supporting Western stars such as Ken Maynard and George Houston. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Dean, Sarah Padden, (more)
- 1945
Having briefly abandoned his standard "Nevada Jack McKenzie" characterization in Flame of the West, cowboy star Johnny Mack Brown was back as Nevada Jack in Monogram's The Lost Trail. Vowing to bring in a gang of stagecoach outlaws, Nevada redoubles his efforts when he learns that the owner of the stagecoach line is pretty Jane Burns (Jennifer Holt). Meanwhile, comic-relief Sandy (Raymond Hatton) is appointed sheriff of the town by local bigwig John Corbett (Kenneth McDonald), who hopes to deflect suspicion by turning public opinion against the new lawman. Imagine Corbett's dismay when he discovers that Sandy is actually a federal marshal, and that he's been working undercover with Nevada all along. Reviewers of The Lost Trail noted that, by 1945, former football star Johnny Mack Brown was not so much tall in the saddle as he was wide. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Mack Brown, Raymond Hatton, (more)
- 1944
U.S. marshal Ritter arrives in town to round up bandits who are attempting to fix the local elections. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1944
In this western, two cowboys go to buy fresh horses for the cavalry and end up taking on two badguys and a female vigilante. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
