LeRoy Mason Movies
The quintessential "Big Boss" heavy in B-Westerns, with or without a mustache, LeRoy Mason entered films in the mid-'20s as Roy Mason, playing mostly juveniles. After the advent of talkies, he was usually on the wrong side of the law, appearing opposite nearly every Western star on the Hollywood prairie, a career that included quite a few action serials as well. By the 1940s, he had become one of the busiest character actors in Hollywood, switching from 20th Century Fox to Republic and back again with seemingly little time to recuperate. In 1943, he signed a "term player" contract with Republic and became busier than ever. The hectic schedule took an awful toll, however, when he suffered a fatal heart attack on the set of the 1947 Monte Hale Western California Firebrand. Mason was married to Rita Carewe, who briefly billed herself Rita Mason, a former actress and the daughter of silent screen director Edwin Carewe. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide- 1939
Forever keeping apace of current headlines, Republic's "Three Mesquiteers" series came up with the 1939 entry Wyoming Outlaw. The story is based on a true incident, wherein a disgruntled young lawbreaker took refuge in the mountains of Wyoming, successfully eluding a large posse for several days. The press had a field day with the story, labelling the fugitive a "Modern Robin Hood"-at least until he was shot down by a well-armed waiter. The movie version of this incident finds hotheaded Will Parker (Donald Barry), the son of recently fired highway worker Luke Parker (Charles Middleton), thrown into jail for violating the local game laws. Busting out, Parker scurries to the hills, hotly pursued by our heroes Stony Brooke (John Wayne), Tucson Smith (Ray Corrigan) and Rusty Joslin (Raymond Hatton). Not altogether unsympathetic to Parker, the Mesquiteers set about to capture the film's real villain, corrupt politician Balsinger (Leroy Mason), after the fugitive meets his fate at the hands of gun-toting gas-station attendant Newt (David Sharpe). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Wayne, Ray "Crash" Corrigan, (more)
- 1939
Tailspin Tommy (played by John Trent) flies again in Monogram's Sky Patrol. The plot is motivated by an airborne smuggling operation, masterminded by gunrunner Mitch (Leroy Mason). Assigned to thwart the villains is young Carter (Jackie Coogan), the son of Tailspin Tommy's flight commander (Boyd Irwin). Deathly afraid of guns, Carter is unable to
effectively pursue the smugglers, and as a result is shot down and captured. With the help of Tommy and his pal Skeeter (Milburn Stone), Carter gets over his firearms phobia and helps to bring the criminals to justice. Marjorie Reynolds costars as requisite heroine Betty Lou, who despite her stewardess job never gets off the ground! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Trent, Marjorie Reynolds, (more)
- 1939
A "special" by Monogram standards, Lure of the Wasteland was lensed in a not inexpensive process called Telco-color. Grant Withers takes a break from his duties in the "Mister Wong" series to play Smitty, a US marshal assigned to track down $250,000 in stolen bonds. To gain the confidence of the outlaws, Smitty pulls the old ploy of posing as a crook and joining the gang. Despite his mental agility in plotting and planning large-scale robberies, outlaw leader Butch (LeRoy Mason) is unable to see through Smitty's guise until it's too late for him. Former silent comedy star Snub Pollard, fresh from a comic-sidekick stint in Grand National's Tex Ritter series, plays a relatively straight role as a reformed crook who acts as Smitty's go-between. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Grant Withers, Karl Hackett, (more)
- 1939
The Three Mesqueteers attempt to prevent wholesale slaughter in this fine Republic Western starring John Wayne, Ray "Crash" Corrigan, and Raymond Hatton. Planning to build a reservoir on the site, the state government has condemned the town of New Hope and surrounding ranches. Construction chief M.C. Gilbert (LeRoy Mason) arrives with a clear mandate to buy off both the townsfolk and the ranchers but receives unwanted resistance from old Major Braddock (Eddy Waller) and his grandchildren (Jennifer Jones, Dave O'Brien, and Sammy McKim), who are ready to take up arms against the intrusion. When Gilbert and his cohort, Proctor (Harrison Greene), resort to ungentlemanly methods, including bringing in a crooked real-estate developer (Wilbur Mack), the Mesqueteers ride into action. Jennifer Jones, in her screen debut, is billed under her real name of Phyllis Isley. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Wayne, Raymond Hatton, (more)
In this musical western, ranch owner "Lucky" Langham (Robert Homans) dies unexpectedly, and in his will he leaves his spread to his daughter Cody (Carol Hughes). However, "Lucky" added the proviso that ranch foreman Gene (Gene Autry) is to be the executor of his will, and must give his OK before Cody can marry. Larry Cummings (Craig Reynolds) is a man from the city with eyes for Cody and her ranch; Gene has a feeling that Larry isn't to be trusted, and refuses to allow them to wed. Gene turns out to be a shrewd judge of character when Larry involves Cody in a kidnapping, and Gene (who is also drawn to Cody's charms) must come to the rescue. As usual, Smiley Burnette co-stars as Gene's sidekick Frog, and Gene warbles five songs of the sagebrush. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, (more)
- 1938
In this entry in the long-running series of westerns, the Three Mesquiteers transform their ranch into a prison farm to provide a model for prison reform. They are opposed by a local contractor who wants to build a standard prison. He and his colleagues endeavor to destroy the ranch, but they are thwarted by the daring trio. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Livingston, Max "Alibi" Terhune, (more)
- 1938
Charles Starrett heads the cast; Sam Nelson directs; and the supporting players inlude Iris Meredith, Dick Curtis, Ed Cobb, Edward LeSaint and Bob Nolan. This could stand as the description for all of Starrett's 1938 westerns, not merely West of Santa Fe. In this one, US marshal Lawlor (Starrett) takes on a gang of cattle rustlers headed by Taylor (Dick Curtis). His reasons are partly personal: Conway (Edward LeSaint), the cattle-baron father of Lawlor's sweetheart Madge (Meredith), has been murdered by Taylor's minions. Yes, the film ends with yet another outsized fistic battle between Charles Starrett and Dick Curtis, who by now must have had all the moves memorized. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Starrett, Dick Curtis, (more)
- 1938
Its somewhat risible title aside (how can a saddle have rhythm?), this is one of the better Gene Autry westerns of the late 1930s. The story is built around a Frontier Week rodeo, owned by pretty Maureen (Peggy Moran). Despite doing land-office buisness, Maureen is in danger of losing the rodeo thanks to the chicanery of villain Pomeroy (Leroy Mason). But trick rider Autry and his saddle pal Frog (Smiley Burnette) can be counted upon to come to the rescue, even though he finds himself at the mercy of Pomeroy's minions somewhere during the fourth reel. One of the minor characters is played by Archie Hall, the legendary wheeler-dealer later immortalized in the 1961 Jack Webb picture The Last Time I Saw Archie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, (more)
- 1938
Singing cowboy Bob Baker starred in this average music western as a cavalry officer assigned to investigate the murders of several Pony Express riders. Going undercover as Pony Express riders themselves, Captain Bob Bradley and his sidekick Andy Sharpe (Don Barclay) arrive at the Ricardo Ranchero to purchase horses for the Express. Don Ricardo's neighbor Don Diego (Julian Rivero) is killed after filing a grant with the United States Land Office in Placita, and Bob begins to suspect a connection between the Pony Express killings and the Spanish land grants. Don Ricardo (Martin Garralaga) is the next obvious victim and, sure enough, shortly after the dignified rancher files his claim, the rider assigned to deliver it to Placerita is found murdered. Realizing that Don Ricardo is in danger from a gang of outlaws plotting to take over all the valley's ranches, Bob forms a posse with the surviving riders and arrives at the Ricardo ranchero just in time to save the don and his pretty daughter, Loreta (Cecilia Callejo) from the marauding thieves. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Baker, Cecilia Callejo, (more)
- 1938
Tom Keene, formerly George Duryea and latterly Richard Powers, made his final starring appearance in the Monogram western The Painted Trail. Keene is cast as a former federal agent who is drawn out of retirement to stem the activities of smugglers Boss (Leroy Mason) and Driscoll (Walter Long). Disguising himself as an outlaw, our hero gains the confidence of the two desperadoes, only to be found out at the least appropriate time. Rest assured that Keene saves the day and manages to march ingenue Ann (Eleanore Stewart) to the altar. Painted Trail wraps things up with a spectacular shootout, with the hero on one side of the Mexican border,and the villains on the other. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The Republic Three Mesquiteers series western Santa Fe Stampede stars John Wayne as Stony Brooke, Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Tucson Smith, and Max Terhune as Lullaby Joslin. The plot finds our heroic trio butting heads and exchanging gunfire with a gang of crooked politicians. Head crook LeRoy Mason frames Wayne for the murder of William Farnum, but Big John proves his innocence with the help of his fellow mesquiteers. A startling moment occurs when two mischievous kids are killed in a runaway buckboard. As western historian Don Miller has observed, "Rough treatment of children was a near-taboo in westerns." In other words, Santa Fe Stampede isn't your usual run-of-the-mill Three Mesquiteers opus. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Wayne, Max "Alibi" Terhune, (more)
Back when silver-haired character actor Larry Blake was a firm-jawed leading man at Universal, he starred in the low-budget meller Air Devils. Blake and Dick Purcell play Horseshoe and Slats, a pair of ex-Marine aviators working as police officers on a tiny island in the South Pacific. The former flyboys are both stuck on Beryl Wallace, but she only has eyes for a third party. Horseshoe and Slats forego romance to rescue a pack train from marauding natives. Mamo Clark, who'd made an impression on moviegoers as one of the Tahitian maidens in 1935's Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), is cast in Air Devils to convince us that the entire film was, indeed, lensed in the South Seas. The film was produced by the Trem Carr unit, the same folks who'd been responsible for Universal's John Wayne vehicles of the 1936-37 season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Larry Blake, Dick Purcell, (more)
Gene Autry leaves the West behind (at least temporarily) in Roundup Time in Texas. Hired to deliver a herd of horses to his diamond-mining brother, Autry and his sidekick Frog Millhouse (Smiley Burnette) journey all the way to Africa. Hoping to get rid of the Autry boys and move in on the diamonds themselves, the villains frame Autry on a smuggling and murder charge. It's up to heroine Gwen (Maxine Doyle), the daughter of the murder victim, to clear Gene and place the blame where it belongs. Musical support is provided by the Five Cabin Kids, a quintet of talented black youngsters who previously appeared with Our Gang and W.C. Fields. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, (more)
- 1937
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
- Starring:
- Russell Gleason, Maxine Doyle, (more)
- 1937
In this western, a singing outlaw and a US marshal kill each other in a fight. Their demise is witnessed by an opportunistic fellow who assumes the dead lawman's identity. He soon finds himself in over his head when he tries to stop cattle rustlers and gain the love of a rancher's daughter. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Baker, Joan Barclay, (more)
Former nightclub crooner Smith Ballew made his singing-cowboy debut in Western Gold. Set during the Civil War, the story finds Union soldier Bill Gibson (Ballew) heading West to prevent valuable Northern gold shipment from being systematically stolen by Confederate spies. Making our hero's job difficult is the fact that his old friend Fred Foster (LeRoy Mason) is in charge of the Rebel raiders. Anguishing over the notion of having to arrest his lifelong chum, Bill is "saved" when Foster is dispatched by a bullet conveniently fired from a stranger's gun. The leading lady in Western Gold is British-born Heather Angel, who looks mighty confused by her unfamiliar frontier surroundings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Smith Ballew, Heather Angel, (more)
- 1937
The prolific Jack Natteford wrote this unusual Gene Autry Western -- or, to be accurate, "Eastern" -- which reportedly suffered cuts after censors found it too violent. Gene, as usual, plays Gene Autry, this time the son of a Georgian cattleman (Charles Middleton) waging a war against the areas "turpentiners," harvesters of pine tree sap. Disowned by his father after siding with the turpentiners, Gene takes up with Colonel Millhouse's (Smiley Burnette) traveling Wild West Show. The show returns to Pine Ridge two years later and Gene discovers that a gang of rustlers is now using the turpentiners as a cover for their crimes. While Gene is occupied with the rustlers, the Wild West Show audience grow restless and Millhouse sends in an imposter (Art Mix), who mimes to a recording of Autry's voice. The leader of the rustlers, Len Parker (LeRoy Mason), takes this opportunity to get rid of his enemy and has the imposter killed. The real Gene, meanwhile, finds his father murdered by what appears to be someone connected by the leader of the turpentiners, Bayliss Baynum (Russell Simpson), and when Autry Sr. is likewise found slain, Gene becomes the natural suspect. The turpentiners demand swift justice, but Gene manages to track down the real culprit with the aid of Baynum's daughter, Milly (Betty Bronson), and the Wild West Show performers. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, (more)
- 1937
Carefully measuring the success of Republic's Clyde Beatty serial Darkest Africa, Columbia top-billed wild animal hunter Frank "Bring 'Em Back Alive" Buck in the 15-chapter Jungle Menace. The story takes place in the mythical Asian province of Seemang, where rubber planter Edward Elliot (John St. Polis) owns a huge and profitable plantation. When one of Elliot's shipments is hijacked by river pirates, his daughter Dorothy (Charlotte Henry) and her planter friend Tom Banning (William Bakewell) narrowly escape with their lives. Things get worse when Elliot himself is shot by an unknown assailant, at which point soldier-of-fortune Frank Hardy (Buck) takes a hand in matters. For the rest of the serial, Hardy tries to ascertain the identity of the mysterious villain who wishes to drive Elliot off his property, while poor Dorothy is subjected to one jungle peril after another. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Buck, Reginald Denny, (more)
- 1937
The very urban Paul Kelly is the unlikely hero of It Happened Out West. Sent to Arizona to persuade ranch owner Anne Martin (Judith Allen) to sell her property, banker Dick Howe (Kelly) begins to wonder if this transaction is a good idea. His doubts are fueled by the behavior of Anne's foreman Burt Travis (Leroy Mason), whose eagerness to sell the girl's ranch is downright sinister. Sure enough, Travis and Dick's boss Middleton (Reginald Barlow) are in cahoots to get their hands on the ranch's hidden silver deposits. Our hero foils the villains, enabling Anne to keep her land -- an excellent wedding present, as it turns out. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Kelly, Judith Allen, (more)
- 1937
This action drama features John Wayne in an early, non western role. He plays a trucker who owns half of a small but increasingly successful trucking firm. When Duke's company begins stealing business away from LeRoy Mason's firm, Mason retaliates by engineering the violent death of Wayne's partner, Emerson Treacy. He falls in love with the head of the railroad shipping department. Unfortunately, the evil competitor murders the Duke's partner in a mysterious explosion. The Big Guy then joins forces with an even larger company and destroys Mason's business causing Mason to team up with a train magnate and plot his revenge. The film's highlight, is a cross country race between Duke's trucks and Mason's trains. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Wayne, Louise Latimer, (more)
Western favorites Ray "Crash" Corrigan and Hoot Gibson head the cast of the 12-chapter Republic serial The Painted Stallion. Corrigan plays American federal agent Steve Clark, on assignment in Santa Fe to draw up a trade agreement with the newly installed Mexican governor. Meanwhile, Walter Jamison (Hoot Gibson) leads a wagon train from Missouri, hoping to take advantage of the new agreement. Among Jamison's passenger are famed frontiersman Jim Bowie (Hal Taliaferro) and a very youthful Kit Carson (Sammy McKim). The destinies of all these personalities intersect when villainous ex-governor DuPrey (LeRoy Mason) schemes to undermine the treaty and take over the New Mexico territory for his own vile purposes. Somewhere along the way, Davy Crockett (Jack Perrin) joins the "good guys" in their efforts to thwart the despicable DuPrey. Years after the release of The Painted Stallion, film historian William K. Everson waxed rhapsodic over a particulary exciting chapter ending-then commented that he hoped never to see that particular ending again, just in case it proved to be less exciting than he remembered. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hoot Gibson, Sammy McKim, (more)
A coarse cowboy is heralded as a fast-draw gunslinger in this western film. ~ All Movie Guide
Ghost Town Gold was the second entry in Republic's long-running "Three Mesquiteers" western series. Ray "Crash" Corrigan and Robert Livingston return as Tucson Smith and Stony Brooke, while Max Terhune replaces Sid Saylor as Lullaby Joslin. Almost immediately, comic ventriloquist Terhune established a rapport with his two co-stars, though audiences could have done with a lot less of his garrulous dummy Elmer. As for the plot, our three heroes try to retrieve some stolen money before an innocent banker is blamed for the theft. Adding spice to the quest is the fact that the banker has a pretty daughter (Kay Hughes). Other highlights include a typical Republic saloon-brawl scene, in which Tucson cleans the clock of head-villain Frank S. Hagney. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Livingston, Max "Alibi" Terhune, (more)
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
- Starring:
- Frankie Darro, LeRoy Mason, (more)
