LeRoy Mason Movies

The taciturn William Elliott stars in this above-average entry in Columbia's "Wild Bill Hickock" B-Western series. Returning to town with Larry Armstrong (Richard Fiske), an old friend he has just saved from a lynch mob, Hickock learns that Mitch Carew (Dick Curtis), a prison parolee, has killed Dan Woodworth (John Dilson), and is now attempting to buy Woodworth's store as a front for his nefarious schemes. Larry, who is embittered about the low wages being paid by the area's ranchers, opts to join Carew's gang of thugs. Wild Bill, meanwhile, is courting Woodworth's Eastern-bred niece Ann (Luana Walters), but the girl scoffs at his old-fashioned western ways. Alarmed that Larry has been involved in a stage robbery, Bill arranges to meet his old friend. Their rendezvous turns hostile and as Wild Bill is about to leave, Stringer (Leroy Mason), one of Mitch's stooges, takes a shot at him. Returning fire, Bill accidentally shoots and kills Larry. Blaming himself for the death of his friend, Bill vows to bring Mitch to justice. But when Ann once again denounces her suitor's western code of ethics, Bill offers to give up his guns and become "a peaceful man." When he learns that Mitch is waiting for him, our hero straps on his guns once again and goes to meet his destiny. A shootout in the street finally ends Mitch's reign of terror. Realizing that he will never be able to forsake the code of the west, Bill bids Ann a fond farewell and leaves town. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

The restful hues of the Trucolor process add to the overall entertainment value of Republic's Along the Oregon Trail. Singing cowboy Monte Hale plays a contemporary of Kit Carson (Forrest Taylor) who, at Carson's request, guides a party of frontiersmen through the wilds of Oregon. Danger looms in the form of despotic Gregg Thurston (Clayton Moore, who later switched to law and order as TV's Lone Ranger), who wants to create his own western empire in Oregon and doesn't cotton to strangers. Thurston and his chief henchmen Stoner (Roy Barcroft) smuggle guns to the Indians, hoping to spark an uprising that will wipe out Hale and his confreres. But our hero prevails, with time left over for a couple of songs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Silent-film director Edwin Carewe hoped to stage a talkie comeback with his self-produced Are We Civilized? Set in a fictional European country, the story concerns the rise to power of a Hitler-like despot. A courageous newspaper publisher (William Farnum) challenges the new dictator's oppressive reign of terror, and the resultant brouhaha nearly leads to a Second World War. Overladen with symbolism, Are We Civilized? invokes the ghosts of such past movers and shakers as Abraham Lincoln, Moses, Buddha, Confucius, Julias Caesar, Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte and even Jesus Christ to hammer home its pacifistic message (the film wants to be both anti-war and anti-dictators, which history has proven to be an oxymoronic set of circumstances). Director Carewe fleshes out his film with generous stock footage from silent Cecil B. DeMille, D. W. Griffith and Thomas Ince historical epics. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Back to his standard Rocky Lane characterization after a brief series of "Red Ryder" westerns, Allan Lane stars in Republic's Bandits of Dark Canyon. In this outing, Lane takes it upon himself to clear ex-convict Ed Archer (Bob Steele) of a trumped-up murder charge. Making things easier is the fact that the "dead" man is actually very much alive, the better to help one of Archer's false friends stage a big gold heist. It's no surprise that Roy Barcroft plays one of the villains: it is a bit surprising to see John Hamilton, best known to fans of the Superman TV series as editor Perry White, participating in the skullduggery. Featured in the cast is veteran western actor Francis Ford, the father of director Philip Ford. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Stodgily directed by actor Russell Hopton, this low-budget oil-drilling melodrama was one of three action-adventures teaming boy actor Frankie Darro with B-Western villain LeRoy Mason, the latter changing his billing to "Roy Mason" for the occasion. Young master Darro plays Clifford Riley, nicknamed "Fishtail," whose father Dan (Frank Shannon) is killed when a rival, J.G. Anderson (Berton Churchill), sabotages his oil well. Enter geologist Hank Langford (Mason), who persuades "Fishtail" to hold on to the potentially valuable well. In retaliation, Anderson has Hank abducted, but the young geologist manages to escape. Learning that Anderson is planning to blow up the Riley well with nitroglycerin, the hero arrives just in time to rescue "Fishtail," but Anderson is killed in the ensuing explosion. The blast also causes the well to come in and both Hank and "Fishtail" emerge from the wreckage as millionaires. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

A prospector's unhappy wife (Alice Calhoun) takes in, cares for and later comes to love a man (LeRoy Mason) who is unjustly accused of a killing. The true killer, however, turns out to be her husband (Ethan Laidlaw), a fact the audience spotted long before the characters caught on. This basically silent western came augmented with a few sound effects and offered an early sympathetic portrayal by LeRoy Mason, a dapper-looking actor more at home playing smooth-talking villains. In fact, had the film been made only a few years later, Mason, whose darkly good looks were almost too sinister for heroics, would undoubtedly have played the murderous husband. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Don "Red" Barry plays Lt. "California Joe" Weldon in this Civil War-era western. Joe is a Union undercover agent, whose job it is to stem the activities of Southern sympathizers. It turns out that the rebels aren't villainous, merely misled. The picture's real heavy is a Quantrill type who intends to play one side against the other and then set up his own personal empire. Like most Don Barry vehicles of this era, California Joe benefits from the comic expertise of Wally Vernon. The simpering cuteness of juvenile actress Twinkle Watts, however, is a decided detriment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this western a pugnacious cowboy tries to prevent a city-slicker from conning the local ranchers and the utility company. The hero believes the man is really a murderer. To find out for sure, the hero and his assistant pretend to be cons on the lam. The hero is soon accused of the murder. Now he must escape and bring justice to the real killer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

According to Hollywood lore, both John Wayne and director Frank Borzage refused to work with Vera Hruba Ralston, the Czech-born inamorata (and future wife) of Republic Pictures owner Herbert I. Yates. Yates somehow managed to convince Wayne to change his mind, but Borzage was replaced by contract director Joseph Kane. The result was Dakota, the company's major release of 1945, a potentially sprawling empire-building Western. Wayne and Ralston play newlyweds heading for Fargo, North Dakota, where they plan to buy land in anticipation of the coming of the railroad. They are opposed by saloon owner Jim Bender (Ward Bond), who also knows about the expansion and is coercing the homesteaders into selling their land to him and his chief lieutenant, Collins (Mike Mazurki). The latter has been elected president of the Wheat Growers Association, and soon the farmers find themselves indebted to Bender. But Wayne, with his wife's help, beats Bender and his henchman at their own game, making certain that the farmers are well compensated for selling their land to the railroad company owned by Ralston's father (Hugo Haas). Contrary to popular belief, Vera Hruba Ralston was not Dakota's chief liability. For some reason, Republic Pictures, normally a leader in action-oriented melodrama, chose to employ an inordinate amount of rear projection footage this time around, making for rather dull viewing. The Western only leaves the confines of the studio back lot for the climactic prairie fire scenes, filmed by a second unit under the direction of stunt expert Yakima Canutt. Apparently a better figure skater than an actress, Ralston actually shows a bit of spirit in some of her scenes but is rather obviously upstaged by the veteran Ona Munson as a kind-hearted saloon entertainer. Munson was borrowed from Warner Bros. and her singing of "Coax Me" by Andrew B. Sterling and Harry Von Tilzer remains one of Dakota's main pleasures despite editor Fred Allen's endless cross-cutting to Ralston's reactions. The latter was reportedly a very pleasant person devoid of a prima donna ego and would be cast opposite John Wayne again in The Fighting Kentuckian (1949). Republic serial heroines Linda Stirling and Adrian Booth can be spotted among Munson's dancing girls. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Also released in a feature version -- retitled FBI 99 -- this 12 chapter Republic Pictures serial benefitted from fine second-unit direction of action scenes by the legendary Yakima Canutt. Adhering to the long-held tradition of casting a relative unknown in the starring role for obvious economy purposes, associate producer Ronald Davidson chose stunt-man Marten Lamont for the title role, a secret service agent in search of the villains who stole Princess Cornelia's crown jewels. Lorna Gray, who played the evil Vultura in The Perils of Nyoka (1942), again appeared in a less than savory role. George J. Lewis, the veteran Hal Taliaferro (aka Wally Wales) and Jack Ingram also contributed to the skullduggery, none of which made the serial rise above the average. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Movie-serial maven Charles Hutchison handled the directorial responsibilities of the thrill-a-minute Flying High. While taking a joyride with his sweetie Alice Calhoun, daredevil pilot William Fairbanks witnesses the aerial hijacking of a mail plane. He gives chase after the bandits and recovers the stolen money sacks. But that's only the beginning: soon Fairbanks is mixed up with a Mata Hari type (Cecile Callahan) who is in turn involved with a gang of society thieves. The climax finds Fairbanks hopping from one plane to another in mid-air to rescue the heroine from the crooks. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Russell Gleason, the personable and talented son of actors James and Lucille Gleason, is afforded a rare starring role in the bottom-budgeted Fury Below. The story centers on a group of courageous miners, digging away despite innumerable dangers and mishaps. Gleason is cast as mine operator Jim Cole III, who tries his best to run the business despite a considerable lack of experience. During a cave-in, Cole proves his mettle, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with foreman Dorsky (Rex Lease) to rescue the trapped workers. John Merton contributes a fine performance as a fear-crazed driller, while screenwriter Phil Dunham, a graduate of two-reel comedies, essays a bit role as Cole's father. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Donald Barry, not yet Donald "Red" Barry, heads the cast of the Republic western Ghost Valley Raiders. A federal marshal, Barry is assigned to put an end to the activities of a stagecoach-robbery gang. That's why he spends most of the film pretending to be an outlaw himself. Stunt specialist Yakima Canutt plays a secondary villain, and also doubles for Barry in the dicier action scenes. Ghost Valley Raiders goes through its familiar paces with the speed of summer lightning. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide