Marin Sais Movies
Taking her professional name from the beautiful Northern California county of her birth, American action heroine Marin Sais appeared in vaudeville prior to making her screen debut with the Vitagraph company in 1909. She became a star at the rival Kalem company, headlining several two-reel action series, including Stingaree (1915-1916) and The Girl From Frisco (1916-1917), both opposite True Boardman, and The American Girl (1917). A young cowboy from Oklahoma, Jack Hoxie, appeared opposite Sais in the latter and she became Mrs. Hoxie in 1920. As Jack's career began to take off in the mid-'20s, Marin's was rapidly declining. She often appeared in her husband's Westerns and, surprisingly, usually played villainesses. Increasingly blowsy, Sais turned to supporting roles and bit parts after the changeover to sound, almost always in B-Westerns. Working in obscurity for most of the next decade and a half, she enjoyed a brief renaissance in 1949 when cast as The Duchess in the long-running Red Ryder series of low-budget oaters. Retired from the screen since the early '50s, Sais later resided at the Motion Picture Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, CA. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide- 1953
Within its own modest limits, The Great Jesse James Raid is a well-crafted western. Willard Parker plays Jesse James, who when the film opens is seen comfortably settled into respectable retirement. At the instigation of the unscrupulous Bob Ford (Jim Bannon), Jesse leaves hearth and home behind to commit one last robbery. Somewhere in the deep recesses of a mine is $300,000 in hidden loot, and Jesse aims to get his mitts on it. Featured in the cast of The Great Jesse James Raid are Barbara Payton and Tom Neal, whose turbulent real-life romance resulted in a great deal of negative publicity. The film is stolen by Wallace Ford as a Scripture-quoting dynamiter; perhaps it is true, as one historian observed, that Ford was in more movies than anyone else in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Willard Parker, Barbara Payton, (more)
- 1950
Jim Bannon's final "Red Ryder" western was the Cinecolor effort Cowboy and the Prizefighter. Aiding and abetting the red-headed Ryder is his youthful Indian sidekick Little Beaver (Don Kay Reynolds, aka Little Brown Jug) and a tough galoot named Steve (Don Haggerty), whose life the hero saves in the opening reel. This time, Ryder takes on a crooked boxing promoter who's been fleecing the locals. The villain is played by John Hart, who later went straight as TV's Lone Ranger (replacing Clayton Moore in 26 episodes). Hart's cohort is real-life pugilist Lou Nova, with whom Ryder squares off in the boxing ring. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Bannon, Emmett Lynn, (more)
- 1950
Though Eagle Lion's "Red Ryder" westerns were not as well received as the earlier entries from Republic, they still managed to turn a profit. In Fighting Redhead, the heroic Ryder is played by Jim Bannon, with Don Kay Reynolds -- aka Little Brown Jug -- as Ryder's youthful Indian chum Little Beaver. In his first Cinecolor adventure, Red Ryder tries to bring a murderous cattle rustler to justice. The villain is played by John Hart, who'd later switch to the right side of the law as Clayton Moore's temporary replacement on TV's Lone Ranger series. Heroine Peggy Stewart is refreshingly feisty and fearless as she tries to exact vengeance for the murder of her rancher father. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Bannon, Don Kay Reynolds, (more)
- 1949
Jim Bannon is back as enduring cowboy hero Red Ryder in Eagle-Lion's Roll, Thunder, Roll. As ever, Ryder's cohorts are Little Beaver and the Duchess, here played by "Little Brown Jug" (aka Don Kay Reynolds) and Marin Sais. This time, Ryder tries to prove that a series of cattle raids and ranch fires were not the handiwork of masked Mexican do-gooder El Conejo (I. Stanford Jolley). One of the genuine villains is played by Glenn Strange, a year or so after his impersonation of The Monster in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. While Jim Bannon's "Red Ryder" films made money, there were many "B"- western aficionados who felt that Bannon was an inadequate sub for previous screen "Ryders" Don Barry and Allan Lane; the late film-historian Don Miller suggested that Roll, Thunder Roll should have been renamed Stop, Bannon, Stop. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Bannon, Don Kay Reynolds, (more)
- 1949
Filmed in "glorious" Cinecolor by Eagle-Lion, this was the first of four "Red Ryder" westerns starring Jim Bannon in the title-role, Don Kay Reynolds (billed, a bit condescendingly, as "Little Brown Jug") as juvenile sidekick Little Beaver, Emmett Lynn as Buckskin, and Marin Sais as Red Ryder's aunt, The Duchess. After rescuing crusading newspaper editor Libby Brooks (Peggy Stewart) from a gang of bandits, Red Ryder and his friends help the girl bring down Frenchy Beaumont (Edwin Max), the evil owner of the Parisian Hotel and the villain who has been terrorizing the town of Devil's Hole. Libby's brother Gerry (Steve Pendleton) loses his life in the fight, but Beaumont cheats the hangman with the help of his arrogant lawyer, Iverson (Fred Coby). There is a shootout on main street between Beaumont and Red Ryder before the villain is finally carted off to jail. Based on the long-running (1938-1964) comic strip by Fred Harman, the "Red Ryder" westerns had been very successful for Republic stars Don "Red" Barry, William Elliot, and Allan Lane before moving over to Eagle-Lion. Comedian Lynn was the only series regular to appear for both companies. Sais, the former wife of silent cowboy star Jack Hoxie, replaced Alice Fleming and Martha Wentworth as the Duchess. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Bannon, Emmett Lynn, (more)
- 1946
Fuzzy's niece is killed in a stagecoach hold-up in this "Billy Carson" Western series entry starring Larry "Buster" Crabbe and Al St. John. Billy and Fuzzy quickly learn that the culprit, who not only killed all the passengers but also absconded with $40,000, may be holed up in lawless Pecos City. Teaming up with Roxy (Patti McCarty), a disgruntled singer at Grant Barlow's (I. Stanford Jolley) saloon, the heroes begin an investigation that leads straight to Ed Sperling (Karl Hackett), who claims that he was forced to join in the holdup. About to reveal the identity of the gang leader, Sperling is shot. Billy, kidnapped by the gang, learns that the true identity of the ruthless leader is known only to a man named Gordon. Making a daring escape, Billy tracks down Gordon, who is sick of the brutality and offers to give himself up. On their way back to town, Gordon is also murdered, but Billy and Fuzzy now know enough to arrest the killer, whose identity comes as a surprise to everyone but the audience. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Larry "Buster" Crabbe, Patti McCarty, (more)
- 1946
An exemplary "Red Ryder" Western, Stagecoach to Denver features Red (Allan Lane), his aunt, the Duchess (Martha Wentworth), and Little Beaver (Bobby Blake) caring for Dickie Ray (Bobby Hyatt), a young child who has broken his back in a stagecoach collision that also took the life of Land Commissioner Felton (Edward Cassidy). Unbeknownst to the people of Elkhorn, stage owner Big Bill Lambert (Roy Barcroft) had arranged the "accident" in order to get rid of the pesky land commissioner who threatened to ruin his plans for controlling all communication between Elkhorn and Denver. Little Dickie requires an operation but Doc Kimball (Tom Chatterton) needs the consent from his nearest relative, Denver resident May Barnes (Marin Sais), whom the boy has never met. Since she is scheduled to arrive on the same stage as the new land commissioner, Taylor (Tom Chatterton), Aunt May poses a problem for Big Bill, who has them both kidnapped and replaced with his own people, Wally (Stanley Price) and Beautiful (Peggy Stewart). The latter feels sorry for little Dickie and is ready to bail but Big Bill forces her to go through with the deception. The boy survives his operation, of course, and Big Bill's treachery is eventually revealed. But Beautiful pays a rather heavy price for her part of the deception when she takes a bullet meant for Bobby. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martha Wentworth
- 1946
Two secret agents must somehow prevent a group of post WW II Nazis hiding in the Hartz mountains from successfully making an atomic bomb as they plan to use the weapon on large Allied cities to help the Germans again rise to power. The two good agents find themselves entangled with beautiful German spies, but this does not keep them from fulfilling their mission just before the evil Germans are to bomb Paris. Interestingly, the Federation of American Scientists did not approve of the movie's use of the bomb. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Gargan, Pat O'Moore, (more)
- 1945
The most thrilling aspect of the PRC oater Lightning Raiders is the film's title. Though Buster Crabbe earns top billing as do-gooder Billy Carson (aka Billy the Kid), the first reel is dominated by Al St. John as Billy's mangy saddle pal Fuzzy Q. Jones. Expecting an important letter, Fuzzy gets suspicious when the mail fails to arrive on time. Billy and Fuzzy soon learn that the mail has been hijacked by bandits, who are holed up in a seemingly impenetrable shack. The brains behind the criminal operation is a "leading citizen" type who hopes to gain a financial leg-up in the community by reading the stolen mail. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Larry "Buster" Crabbe, Fuzzy St. John, (more)
- 1945
Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John) discovers that he may be an heir to a ranch in this ho-hum entry in PRC's Billy Carson Western series. But as Fuzz and Billy (Larry "Buster" Crabbe) soon learn the hard way, other parties arrive to claim the inheritance, including pretty Helen Stockton (Lorraine Miller), the dead man's niece. Merritt (Charles King), who is hoping to grab the loot himself, has Helen kidnapped and substituted with a tough-looking underling, Roxie (Marilyn Gladstone), but Billy and Fuzzy are right there to rescue the damsel-in-distress. As it turns out, Fuzzy is only the late rancher's 35th cousin and his inheritance consists of exactly one dollar and a bundle of unpaid bills. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Larry "Buster" Crabbe, Lorraine Miller, (more)
Though the filmmakers claimed they were writing a biography of Nazi minister Dr. Joseph Goebbels, this film is actually highly fictionalized and filled with patriotic propaganda. The story attempts to explain Goebbels' madness, blaming it on a love affair gone awry when he was a young aspiring playwright. The love in question was a young actress who spurns him. Goebbels cannot bear the rejection and swears that he will spend his life getting revenge upon her and those around her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claudia Drake, Paul Andor, (more)
- 1944
One thing is certain in Frontier Outlaws. Despite evidence to the contrary, Billy Carson (Buster Crabbe) and Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John) do not play the title characters. It's true that Billy joins the outlaws for a spell, but that's only so he can trap them in the act. Outside of the usual sagebrush stuff, the highlight of Frontier Outlaws is a riotous courtroom sequence, presided over by grizzled judge Emmett Lynn. With such villains as Charles King and Jack Ingrim on hand, not to mention two formidable comedy-relief actors (and be assured that Emmet Lynn and Al St. John indulge in scene-stealing aplenty), Buster Crabbe really has to keep his head about him in this 6-reel PRC oater. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Larry "Buster" Crabbe, Frances Gladwin, (more)
- 1941
PRC's "Billy the Kid" series had two different stars over a six-year period. Bob Steele plays the title role in 1941's Billy the Kid in Santa Fe. Framed on a murder charge, Billy heads to guess what New Mexico town. Here he teams with the brother of the murder victim to extract a confession from the real killer. This 66-minute sagebrusher was the sixth of PRC's "Billy the Kid" entries; in late 1941, Bob Steele would be succeeded in the starring role by Buster Crabbe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1941
No relation to the Cracked Nuts he directed in 1931, this hokey sci-fi-comedy from director Edward F. Cline stars Stuart Erwin as Lawrence Trent, a country rube who wins a refrigerator-slogan contest and gets some money for his efforts. Meanwhile, mad scientist Boris Kabikoff (Mischa Auer) builds a silly-looking robot in his own image and hooks up with a New York patent attorney (William Frawley from I Love Lucy) to bilk Trent out of his prize money. Shemp Howard plays the robot as a lusty creature with a penchant for skirt-chasing and is used by black servant Chloe (Hattie Noel) to do housechores and frighten her husband Burgess (Mantan Moreland), who has a gambling problem. Una Merkel co-stars with Astrid Allwyn and Pierre Watkin. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- 1941
In this Gene Autry Western, the valley is threatened by a weed capable of poisoning the cattle. When burning the range proves ineffectual, the local banker, Stacy Bromfield (Frank M. Thomas), sends for a government inspector in desperation. The inspector, played by Autry, quickly suggests spraying the area with a chemical. But the head of the cattlemen's organization, George Larrabee (Robert Homans), foolishly ignores the advice and almost suffers unimaginable consequences when his henchman Frenchy (Hugh Prosser) shoots down a crop duster. Autry, Smiley Burnette, and leading lady Fay McKenzie take time out from battling range weed to warble "Be Honest With Me," "I'll Be True While You're Gone," "Ridin' the Range," "Heebie Jeebie Blues," and the title tune. Sierra Sue was restored in 2001 by Gene Autry Entertainment. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, (more)
- 1941
The paying customers got two Donald Barrys for the price of one in this typically well-mounted Republic Western directed with his customary vim and vigor by George Sherman. A petty criminal, The Sundown Kid (Barry number one), is persuaded by a gang of rustlers to change places with his lookalike brother, Bruce McKinnon, the town sheriff. Assuming his "sheriff's duties," the Kid, aka Jim McKinnon, gets in trouble with his girlfriend, Nita (Lupita Tovar), who jealously watches him courting Bruce's fiancée Ruth Morton (Lynn Merrick). Jim pacifies the seething Nita by telling her the truth, but when a minister turns up to marry "Bruce" and Ruth, she angrily betrays him. In the ensuing melee, Jim is mortally wounded, but manages to reconcile with his estranged brother before expiring. A fine actor in the James Cagney mold, Donald Barry (nicknamed "Red" for obvious reasons) convincingly portrayed the disparate brothers. In what was to become one of the longest partnerships in B-Western history, blond Lynn Merrick (formerly Marilyn Merrick) went on to do 15 additional Westerns opposite Barry. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Don "Red" Barry, Lynn Merrick, (more)
- 1941
Congress suddenly changes the boundary between Texas and Mexico and the rangers leave the territory to the U.S. cavalry in this fine entry in Republic Pictures long-running Three Mesqueteers western series. Left to fend for himself, the commanding officer, Colonel Langley (Forbes Murray), makes the mistake of trusting LeRoque (Peter George Lynn), a half-breed interpreter who in reality is the feared Commanche renegade Waneeche. Nothing the Three Mesqueteers, "Stony" Brooke (Robert Livingston), "Tucson" Smith (Bob Steele) and "Lullaby" Joslin (Rufe Davis), do or say dissuades Langley from walking straight into a trap and only by taking a typically daring approach are the Mesqueteers able to prevent wholesale slaughter. Gale Storm plays the nominal female lead as the colonel's cheery daughter and comedy relief is provided by spinster-ish Ellen Lowe, as Aunt Amanda, a scalp-hungry Glenn Strange and rube comic Rufe Davis. The latter also performs Smiley Burnette's "Just Imagine That" backed by cowboy swing fiddler Spade Cooley. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Livingston, Bob Steele, (more)
- 1940
Columbia Pictures' resident cowboy ace, Charles Starrett, turns into a regular prairie Robin Hood in this fine Western directed by the veteran Lambert Hillyer that also features the singing group of Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers. The Pioneers are ranch hands working for Sam Lowry (Frank LaRue), who is expecting the return from Texas of his son, Jim (Starrett). That very same day, Sam is shot in the back and killed by Bixby (Steve Clark), who is in the employ of Mace Ballard (Kenneth MacDonald), a local cattle baron waging a war against the homesteaders. Ballard conveniently blames one of the nesters for the killing and to get to the truth, Jim dons the garb of the feared Durango Kid, a Texas outlaw with a social conscience. The marshal (Melvin Lang) appoints Jim deputy and assigns him to track down the Kid, a tricky situation that Jim handles in style. Desperate to cover his tracks, Ballard lures Jim/Durango into a trap, but the scheme backfires and the villain is made to confess. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Starrett, Luana Walters, (more)
- 1940
Like the other entries Columbia's "Five Little Peppers" series, The Five Little Peppers at Home is based on characters created by Margaret Sidney. Edith Fellows stars as Polly, the oldest child of the Pepper clan, while her four siblings are portrayed by Dorothy Ann Seers (as Phronsie), Ronald Sinclair (Jasper), Charles Peck (Joey) and Davey (Bobby Larson). This time around, Polly and the kids try to figure out a way to save their mother (Dorothy Peterson) from bankruptcy, with the help of crusty-but-lovable Mr. King (Clarence Kolb). After a slow-moving hour or so, the film picks up tremendously in the final reel when the kids are trapped in a copper mine cave-in, sparking a tension-filled rescue effect. A bit too syrupy sweet for modern tastes, Five Little Peppers at Home is redeemed by the cynical performance of Rex Evans as a sneering butler. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edith Fellows, Dorothy Ann Seese, (more)
- 1940
Don Douglas, a rather bland supporting actor from Scotland, was elevated to the starring role in this low-budget Western serial produced by Columbia Pictures. Yet another reworking on the old Zorro theme, Deadwood Dick took 15 instalments to tell the simple story of Dick Stanley, a newspaperman tracking down the Skull, a notorious villain terrorizing the Dakota Territory. Dick dons a masked disguise to battle an impressive array of villains that included such B-Western favorites as Marin Sais, Yakima Canutt, Franklyn Farnum, Charles King, Edmund Cobb, Bud Osborne, Tom London, and Al Ferguson. Leading lady Lorna Gray later signed with Republic Pictures and changed her name to Adrian Booth. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1940
In this melodramatic historical drama, the lives of Mexico's Maximilian and Carlotta are chronicled. The story follows their brief reign as figureheads for Napoleon III. The two doomed rulers were terribly naive and had no idea that they were universally despised by the native population. Upon her return to Europe, Carlotta goes mad with grief when she realizes that her beleaguered husband, trapped by a rebel uprising in Mexico City, will receive no aid from their backers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lionel Atwill, Conrad Nagel, (more)
- 1939
The Tex Ritter Monogram Westerns had a change of directors with Riders of the Frontier, Spencer Gordon Bennet having replaced Al Herman. But that was really the only difference between this entry and the previous seven. Ritter impersonated a notorious outlaw in order to infiltrate the gang that is slowly poisoning Sarah, the owner of the Rancho Grande (Marin Sais). The situation becomes a bit tricky when the real outlaw (Roy Barcroft) suddenly appears, but Tex and the the marshal manage to bring the guilty parties to justice and rescue poor Sarah within the allotted six reels. The music interludes were kept to a minimum this time, Ritter warbling only Rose of My Dreams and Ridin' Down to Town, both by house composer Frank Harford. Jean Joyce added a bit of romantic interest as Sarah's nurse, with Hal Taliaferro (formerly Wally Wales joining Jack Rutherford and the always watchable Roy Barcroft on the opposing side. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tex Ritter, Jack Rutherford, (more)
- 1938
In this western, a looter finds an abandoned, empty mine and begins claiming that he has found the mother lode. Soon, gold-hungry prospectors are giving every penny for a chance to work the mine until the hero rides into town and gets suspicious. Fate intervenes: the hero and the duped miners really do find a mother lode in the "worthless" mine. When they go to stake their claim, the outlaw tries to stop them. He fails and justice prevails. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Luden, Beth Marion, (more)
- 1938
One thing was always certain in Columbia's Jack Luden westerns: the supporting cast would include Hal Taliaferro, or Harry Woods, or both. In Pioneer Trail, Taliaferro is fifth-billed as "Smokey", a non-villainous role for a change. The film's chief heavy is Slim Whittaker, playing the leader of an outlaw gang which has been preying on cattle drives. Captured by Whittaker, hero Luden is offered his freedom in exchange for leading a particularly valuable herd of cattle into the rustlers' hands. Luden turns down the offer, and with the help of "wonder dog" Tuffy he escapes to warn the cattlemen of Whittaker's impending attack. The film ends with a spectacular cattle stampede which looks as though it was lifted from an earlier film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Luden, Joan Barclay, (more)
- 1935
Having allowed his name to be listed as "producer" of Gun Smoke, a low-budget Western actually produced by Willis Kent, rodeo star Montie Montana starred in this inexpensive oater, but without the phony producer credit. Originally intended for football star Reb Russell, Circle of Death featured Montana as Little Buffalo, an Indian whose sister, White Fawn (Princess Ah-Tee-Ha), is persecuted by the white settlers, in general, and crooked saloon keeper J.F. Henry (Henry Hall), in particular. Henry is out after Chief Standing Bear's secret gold, but the Indians find shelter at the ranch belonging to Bill Carr (John Ince). When Jerry Carr (Gaylord "Steve" Pendleton, here billed as "Jack Carson") sells the family's cattle to Henry, it is Little Buffalo and the Indians who bring the herd back. In gratitude, the Carrs help the tribe bring the villains to justice. Little Buffalo, meanwhile, has fallen in love with Mary Carr (Tove Lindan) and she with him. After Little Fawn reveals that Little Buffalo is really a white boy named Jim Little, the lone survivor of an Indian raid, the lovers are free to marry. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Montie Montana, Tove Lindan, (more)
