Brad King Movies
- 1949
Although not released until 1949, this obscure music Western was in all likelihood produced years before, perhaps as early as 1944. Country & western performers Cal Shrum and His Rhythm Rangers come to the aid of little Jimmy Henshaw (Jimmy Shrum), whose ranch is in danger of being taken over by Mark Simmons (I. Stanford Jolley), the youngster's nefarious guardian. Cal and the band obtain assistance from Marshal Brad (Brad King) and Simmons is soon arrested. The villain, however, manages to escape during a barn dance organized by Cal and his brother Walt. About to be caught by Marshal Brad and his posse, Simmons is killed by his own henchmen. With peace restored, Marshal Brad can contemplate a happier future with young Jimmy's new guardian, lovely Aunt Mattie (Lorraine Mickie). Although produced to showcase Shrum and his band along with such specialty performers as Alta Lee, the Yodeling Rangerette (aka Mrs. Cal Shrum), Trouble at Melody Mesa offered star-billing to Brad King, formerly sidekick Johnny Nelson in five Hopalong Cassidy Westerns. The director, W. Merle Connell, was also a prolific producer of "adults only" burlesque short subjects and helmed sexploitation films such as Test Tube Babies (1948). ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- 1945
In his final epic Western, Errol Flynn plays cattleman Clay Hardin, who, on a trek south of the border, has discovered that San Antonio saloon proprietor Roy Stuart (Paul Kelly) is actually a cattle rustler of major proportions. Determined to bring Stuart to justice, Clay runs into difficulties when he mistakes feted chanteuse Jeanne Starr (Alexis Smith) for being on the saloon owner's payroll. Meanwhile, Stuart's French-accented partner, and enemy, Legare (Victor Francen), uses the taut situation to benefit himself. Then Clay's longtime friend, Charlie Bell (John Litel), is brutally slain and Jeanne's manager, Sacha Bozic (S.Z. Sakall) is forced to skip town, Bozic, unbeknownst to Clay, having witnessed the murder. The real killer is eventually forced to confess and San Antonio erupts in a climactic gun battle that culminates in a shootout at the historic Alamo. With Hungarian actor Sakall providing some much-needed comedy relief, Alexis Smith, Doodles Weaver, and a chorus perform a few songs, including: Ray Heindorf, M.K. Jerome, and Ted Koehler's "Some Sunday Morning"; "Put Your Little Foot Right Out," by Larry Spier; and Jack Scholl and Charles Kisco's "Somewhere in Monterey." According to some reports, both Raoul Walsh and Robert Florey directed a few additional scenes. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- Starring:
- Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith, (more)
- 1941
Secrets of the Wasteland is a lesser "Hopalong Cassidy" western, with talk taking precedence over action. This time, Hoppy (William Boyd) and his pals Johnny (Brad King) and California (Andy Clyde) head out on an archeological expedition. While encamped in the San Fernando Valley, our heroes come to the aid of a group of Chinese settlers who are being victimized by land-usurper Salter (Douglas Fowley)and his minions.. As a nod to timeliness, the head of the Chinese colony, May Soong (Soo Young), is obviously based on modern-day China's Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek, while the treacherous Salter is most Hitlerian in his gestures and attitudes. Outside of these calculated anachronisms, Secrets of the Wasteland is nothing special. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brad King, Andy Clyde, (more)
- 1941
Twilight on the Trail was one of three "Hopalong Cassidy" entries tradeshown in New York during the last two weeks of September, 1941 (the other two were Stick to Your Guns and Secret of the Wastelands). William Boyd returns as Hoppy, with Brad King and Andy Clyde as his sidekicks Johny and California. On this occasion, Plot Number 21-B was trotted out, with Hoppy posing as a mild-mannered Eastern dude, the better to catch the cattle-rustling villains off guard. Right on cue in reel six, Cassidy reveals his true identity as he, Johnny and California make the frontier safe for the likes of tremulous heroine Lucy (Wanda McKay). Twilight on the Trail was coscripted by actress Ellen Corby, who thirty years later gained TV fame as Grandma on The Waltons. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- William "Hopalong" Boyd, Andy Clyde, (more)
- 1941
Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd) and his buddies Johnny (Brad King) and California (Andy Clyde) take on a gang of rustlers in Stick to Your Guns. To throw the bad guys off the track, Hoppy and his companions pretend to be rustlers themselves and infiltrate the gang. Their mission is complicated when June, the heroine, takes it upon herself to go rustler-hunting, placing her directly in the line of fire. June is placed by Jacqueline Holt, daughter of Jennifer and sister of Tim; in her later western appearances, she billed herself as Jennifer Holt. Stick to Your Guns was the 41st entry in the "Hopalong Cassidy" series, with 25 left to go! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- William "Hopalong" Boyd, Brad King, (more)
- 1941
Ever on the lookout for original story ideas, the producers of the "Hopalong Cassidy" series came up with a lulu in Outlaws of the Desert. In this one, Hoppy (William Boyd) and his saddle pals Johnny (Brad King) and California (Andy Clyde), is assigned by the US government to head to Arabia, there to buy a herd of Arabian steeds. Once they've arrived in the desert, our heroes are kidnapped by swarthy Sheik Suleiman (played by future "Cisco Kid" Duncan Renaldo). In his efforts to figure a way out of his predicament, Hoppy must also attempt to rescue distressed damsels Susan Grant (Jean Phillips) and Marie Karitza (Luli Deste). Good escapist fun, Outlaws of the Desert is definitely the most unusual of the early-1940s "Hopalong Cassidy" entries (even though the film's "Arabia" is obviously located near Chatsworth, California). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Andy Clyde, Brad King, (more)
- 1941
Riders of the Timberline was the 38th entry in the "Hopalong Cassidy" western series. To keep things from getting stale, star William Boyd and producer Harry Sherman began plunking Hoppy into non-western environs in the early 1940s (including, at one point, the Arabian desert!) Timberline takes place in the Great North Woods, where Cassidy and his cohorts Brad King and Andy Clyde help a campful of lumberjacks. There was plenty of opportunity for the usual riding and gunplay, but this time around the bad guys were dressed in furs and hipboots rather than buckskin. The direction of Riders of the Timberline was in the expert hands of western maestro Lesley Selander. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- William "Hopalong" Boyd, Brad King, (more)
