Lash LaRue Movies
A former hairdresser, Al LaRue first tried to break into movies during the war years but failed to get past the casting directors, most of whom felt that he looked too much like Humphrey Bogart to suit their tastes. Refusing to give up, LaRue had by 1945 picked up quite a few supporting bad-guy roles. He began showing up in secondary parts in the Eddie Dean westerns at PRC studios; on the strength of his voluminous fan mail, he was elevated to his own starring series in 1946. Billed as "Lash" LaRue in honor of his skill with a 15-foot bullwhip, the actor played a black-clad do-gooder named Cheyenne, while his comic sidekick was the ubiquitous Al "Fuzzy" St. John. In 1951, LaRue headlined the 15-minute TV series Lash of the West, in which he would introduce and narrate clips from his earlier films. At that time, La Rue began showing signs of a drinking problem. By the late '50s, it was compounded by other legal problems, including an accusation of theft (he was acquitted), an arrest for vagrancy, drug possession and abuse, and other small crimes and misdemeanors. He claimed to have been married 10 ten times and paying his wives and for his legal problems left him impoverished.Resurfacing in 1972, the destitute LaRue accepted the lead in a porno western, Hard on the Trail (even though he didn't participate in the sex scenes, the film would remain a source of shame and embarrassment for him). Late in life, Al "Lash" LaRue emerged as an evangelist on the rodeo and country-music circuit; he also became a popular guest speaker at western and nostalgia conventions. La Rue made his final film appearances in two sci-fi westerns Dark Power (1984) and Alien Outlaw (1985). He also made a cameo appearance in the terrible made-for-television remake of John Ford's Stagecoach (1986). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
In this made-for-TV western, Willie Nelson portrays a safecracker in the custody of a Texas Ranger (Kris Kristofferson) who is also in pursuit of a serial killer. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, (more)
The outlaws of country music--including Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson--team up and head across the Southwestern desert braving Indians, brigands and conflict in this made-for television version of John Ford's classic film. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
A handful of cowboys and cowgirls fend off an interstellar attack in this sci-fi-Western hybrid. A platoon of space aliens land in a remote desert, and they set out to enslave the humans they encounter; however, a small band of beautiful women are determined to stop the space creatures with a little help from an old cowhand who has a way with the whip. Alien Outlaw features appearances from Western movie stalwarts Lash LaRue and Sunset Carson, as well as fitness trainer Kari Anderson. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
A dusty sheriff (played by real-life cowboy Lash LaRue) must protect the residents of a house--built over a burial ground--from the haunting Mexican spirits trying to drive them out. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- 1985
- R
This gory exploitation actioner from drive-in schlockmeister Earl Owensby was originally released in 3-D and centers upon a vagabond who comes to town in search of work and ends up taking a murder rap and sent to a horrific jail where he is brutalized. He gets a chance for revenge during a violent riot. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1969
This graphically violent western features disturbing scenes of rape and torment. It was originally filmed in a triple-X version titled Hard On the Trail and later cut down to this soft-core version that still features much blood and nudity. The film stars the once popular western hero Lash LaRue, who made a sad comeback after a 19-year absence from films with this exploitative pile of road apples. The story centers on LaRue who plays a ruthless sadist hell-bent on learning the location of another cowboy's secret gold mine. To get the map, LaRue has his thugs torture and graphically rape the cowboy's daughter. Things look bleak until the heroic fiance of one of the daughters shows up and kills the thugs. His love is killed in the ensuing gun fight, so he takes the surviving daughter and they ride out for bloody revenge against the wicked gang leader. Tragedy for all ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
The actions of various criminals such as Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, Bonnie and Clyde and Baby Face Nelson are reenacted in this film. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1952
In this western, two Federal Marshals attempt to round up ruthless counterfeiters by having hero Lash LaRue dress up as the mysterious "Frontier Phantom." Unfortunately, the Phantom and his friend end up captured by the town sheriff. They have the darnedest time convincing the fellow lawman that they are really on his side. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1952
Not so much produced as stitched together, The Black Lash was ostensibly a sequel, with plenty of stock footage, to Frontier Revenge (1948). Duce Rago (Ray Bennett), whom Marshal (Al "Lash" LaRue) had shipped off to prison in the earlier adventure, is back but his stagecoach and train robberies leave a bit to be desired due to the stupidity of the hired help. Lawyer Bill Leonard (Byron Keith) suggests that they get some "heavy artillery," meaning good ol' Lash, who apparently was so disgusted with Rago only receiving a slap on the wrist for his previous crimes that he abandoned law enforcement for good. Naturally, our black-clad hero is working undercover with Cattlemen's Association agent Lem Woodruff (Kermit Maynard) and this time he manages to send Duce up the river for more than six months. Bennett, Sarah Padden, and Jim Bannon all repeated their roles from the earlier film; actually, the latter was apparently unavailable and a double was rather noticeably employed in all the new footage. Leading lady Peggy Stewart was also back, but her character had changed from an undercover agent in Frontier Revenge to a villainess in the return engagement. (Both Stewart and Ray Bennett visibly age from one scene to another.) Walter Greene's intrusive score is kept at a high pitch throughout even though not much is happening onscreen and the film's running time is stretched to an interminable length with seemingly endless chases on horseback, a sure sign of economy in scripting and execution. The fact that producers Ron Ormond and June Carr (Mrs. Ormond) stretched the Lash LaRue series well beyond the saturation point can only be explained by the popularity of LaRue's sidekick, Al St. John, whose Fuzzy Q. Jones character proved a perennial favorite with the small fry. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Fuzzy St. John, (more)
- 1951
In this western, Lash LaRue and his trusty bullwhip are assigned to keep outlaws from getting to the new territorial governor. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1951
In this Lash LaRue western, Our Hero aligns himself with the Pinkerton Detective Agency ("We Never Sleep") to capture a vicious outlaw gang. No dummies they, these criminals have developed a rather sophisticated communications system, using tin cans and waxed string. But the villains are no match for LaRue and his trusty bullwhip. Al "Fuzzy" St. John, as ever, is on hand for a few laughs. Producer-director Ron Ormond's Lash LaRue western series for Realart release ran hot and cold; Vanishing Outpost can be described as lukewarm, its protracted dialogue sequences jarring against the more exciting action highlights. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Riley Hill, (more)
- 1951
After becoming a promising star, cowboy star Lash LaRue's new series for producer Ron Ormond quickly fell into a groove of predictability. Thundering Trail, for example, offers very little that LaRue's fans hadn't seen already. LaRue is cast as the bodyguard of a newly elected territorial governor (played by Archie Twitchell, best known as the insinuating clothes salesman in Sunset Boulevard). He must protect his charge from the evil machinations of outlaw-leader Ed West (Ray Bennett). Unable to best the villains with his six-guns, Lash resorts to his trusty bullwhip. As was customary in the Lash LaRue films, comic sidekick Al "Fuzzy" St. John provides the brightest moments. The supporting cast includes such old reliable western hands as Reed Howes, George Cheseboro and Bud Osborne. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Sally Anglim, (more)
- 1950
The title King of the Bullwhip could only refer to one of two western-movie favorites: Lash LaRue or Whip Wilson. Since LaRue was under contract to Ron Ormond productions, it was LaRue who starred herein. Usually associated with the lowest of low-budget productions, LaRue is here surrounded with decent production values and an above-average cast, including Jack Holt, Anne Gwynne, Tom Neal, Michael Whalen, Dennis Moore and George Lewis. And, as always, LaRue is aided and abetted by trusty comical sidekick Al "Fuzzy" St. John. Likewise praiseworthy is the plot, a solid mystery yarn concerning an unknown bank robber. The finale finds LaRue subduing the villain with a startling exhibition of expert whip-cracking. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Jack Holt, (more)
- 1950
The plot for this Western involves the wives and girlfriends of the Dalton gang, who decide to carry on the gang's criminal activities after the menfolk were either gunned down or locked up. Old-time B-Western star Lash LaRue shows up to take care of them. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1949
Lash LaRue essays a dual role in the 1949 western Outlaw Country. LaRue plays himself (or at least his screen self) and an outlaw known only as The Frontier Phantom. The story finds the "good" Lash and his sidekick Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John) searching for counterfeiters. Meanwhile, the "bad" Lash is in cahoots with the crooks. After the two LaRues face each other in a showdown, the "bad" Lash turns good and helps the hero round up the villains. The leading lady this time out is Nancy Saunders, whose previous experience included a handful of Three Stooges 2-reelers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Dan White, (more)
- 1949
Lash LaRue stars as U.S. deputy, with Al "Fuzzy" St. John as his comic-relief deputy. Lash and Fuzzy are on the trail of El Sombre (Michael Whalen), a notorious bandit. Unbeknownst to everyone but the audience, El Sombre doubles as a kindly dentist named Jarvis. While trying to stem the villain's activities, Our Heroes rescue heroine Vicki (Noel Neill) from various perils. True to his name, Lash LaRue wields his bullwhip with deadly accuracy. Son of a Badman received better reviews than usual, by virtue of the clever screenplay by Ron Ormond and Ira Webb and the top-flight supporting cast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, Noel Neill, (more)
- 1949
If it weren't for the movies, how would the public have known that Billy the Kid, who died at the age of 21, had a son? According to this low-budget sagebrusher, Billy (George Baxter) didn't die in 1881 as previously reported, but escaped to another town, started up a whole new life as a respectable banker, and fathered a boy named Colt (Johnny Jones). U.S. marshal Jack Garrett (Lash LaRue) doesn't believe that Billy has gone straight, but he changes his mind when a gang of outlaws try to frame the ex-outlaw. Amusingly, the most dangerous character in this little opus is the nominal heroine (Marion Colby)! As always, Lash LaRue is partnered with comical sidekick Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lash LaRue, June Carr, (more)
- 1948
Black-garbed cowboy hero Lash LaRue considered this low-budget series entry one of his best films, "best," of course, being a relative term. This time around Marshal LaRue is assigned to bring law and order to a town run by greedy saloon owner Lance Taggert (Marshall Reed), who had the last visiting lawman hanged on a trumped-up charge. LaRue escapes an assassination attempt by Taggert's henchman, Colt Jackson (John Cason), and discovers that the saloon owner is after the valley's water rights which legally belong to rancher Danny Phillips (Jimmie Martin) and his sister, Mary (Suzi Crandall). Impersonating a territorial land representative killed by Jackson, Lash and his sidekick, Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John), manage to unmask Taggert and bring peace and prosperity back to the valley. Mark of the Lash was produced by the husband-and-wife team of Ron Ormond and June Carr, who had gotten both LaRue and St. John on the cheap after the demise of their previous employer, PRC. Neither of the Ormonds knew the first thing about filmmaking, a fact that quickly became obvious to their unsuspecting audience. That their LaRue Westerns remained profitable can only be explained by the relatively cheap productions costs and St. John's enduring popularity. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1948
The peaceful, solitary existence of a crippled lad and his grandfather living in a remote wooded valley is disturbed when two armed robbers accompanied by moll visit. On the lam from the law, the crooks are desperate and dangerous. But as time passes and they get to know the strange and gentle boy, the robbers begin to think about giving up on crime. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Curtis, Anne Gwynne, (more)
- 1948
Dead Man's Gold, starring the black clad, whip wielding Lash LaRue and his sidekick, Fuzzy (Al St. John), is the kind of cheesy low-budget production in which legendary lawman Wyatt Earp's name is misspelled "Erpt" in a foreword. Arriving at their friend Jim Thornton's ranch in Gold Valley, Lash and Fuzzy learn from Thornton's niece, June (Peggy Stewart), that her father has gone missing for three days. Lash finds some gold nuggets and realizes that the land may be valuable and a target of claim jumpers terrorizing the valley. As it turns out, Thornton has been murdered by the town's crooked mayor (Lane Bradford), who is in league with the Thornton foreman (Terry Frost). Lash and Fuzzy "persuade" the foreman to turn state's evidence and the mayor is brought to justice. Dead Man's Gulch was one of ten ultra-cheap Westerns produced by Ron Ormond, his wife, former vaudevillian June Carr, and Ira Webb. The budgets were so tight that stunt doubles were eliminated. Years later, LaRue and frequent adversary Terry Frost wondered how they ever survived the quite realistic-looking fight scenes. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 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)
