Silver King Movies

In this silent Western, popular genre star Fred Thomson was given a new sidekick in six-year-old Billy Butts, a fair-haired boy actor who could ride with the best of them. Fred, as Fred Saunders, rescues little Buddy, an orphan, from being trampled to death by a runaway horse. Saunders soon becomes so attached to the plucky tyke that he "kidnaps" him from the orphanage. The two of them recover money stolen from the collection plate at the local church and Fred falls in love with the minister's daughter, June (Lola Todd). Things turn serious, however, when little Buddy is kidnapped for real, this time by a gang headed by Con Carney (Robert McKim). The Western climaxes in a daring rescue of Buddy, who proves to be June's long-lost kid brother. Billy Butts went on to star opposite Fox cowboy Rex Bell and later replaced Jackie Morgan in the popular "Gumps" two-reeler. His waif-like qualities didn't survive into puberty, however, and Butts retired from films at age 17. Like so many of his FBO Westerns, The Tough Guy was written by Thomson's wife, Frances Marion, under the pseudonym "Frank M. Clifton." ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Handsome silent star Fred Thomson's fifth western for producer Andrew Callaghan was the old story of a prizefighter falsely assuming he has permanently injured an opponent in the ring (real-life boxer Al Kaufman). Thomson's Lightning Kid hightails it to the West where he manages to defeat a local bully, former fighter-turned-dance-hall-operator Wildcat Rea (Frank S. Hagney). Thomson cut a handsome figure astride his famous horse Silver King, and his films often included children. The Dangerous Coward benefitted from both child actors and Hazel Keener, a pert redhead who appeared in the initial six Thomson oaters. The trade magazine Variety considered the film "one of the best (to) have come along in some time." ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Western star Fred Thompson was, for many years, the biggest single moneymaker for the small-scale production firm of FBO. The Thompson vehicles enabled the tiny studio to expand to the point that it was attractive enough to be gobbled up by prestigious RKO Radio Pictures. All of this was still five years in the future when, in 1924, Thompson played the title role in Galloping Gallagher. Although released subsequent to The Mask of Lopez and North of Nevada, this fine silent western was most likely the first Fred Thomson oater filmed. Very much in the tradition of Tom Mix, this good-humored little silent melodrama features Thomson as a happy-go-lucky drifter who is elected sheriff of Tombstone on account of his fine horsemanship. He falls for a lady minister (Thomson regular Hazel Keener) and unmasks the town's banker as a notorious bandit known as "Lily Finger." More important than that, Thomson gets to exhibit his much-admired mount Silver King, who plays a major role in the proceedings. Rumor had it in 1920s Hollywood that the consistently high quality of the Fred Thompson westerns was due to the uncredited input of Thompson's wife, award-winning screenwriter Frances Marion. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Silent cowboy star Fred Thomson raised quite a bit of controversy by portraying the famous outlaw in a sympathetic vein -- there were still a few oldsters around in those days who remembered the furor raised by the James gang. This role was a surprising turn for Thomson, whose films were generally known for their non-violent, clean-living heroes. Here, he polishes up Jesse James' character, gives him a love interest (Nora Lane), then uses the better part of the film to do what Thomson always did best -- perform elaborate tricks with his horse Silver King. The only difference from his prior films was a higher production value -- this was his first film for Paramount. While Hollywood features, for the most part, have dispensed with history in favor of drama (or the star's or director's whims), Thomson's take on Jesse James was not taken lightly, and this disapproval was quite a turnaround from the widespread esteem the actor was used to receiving. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

The first western produced by the newly established Fred Thomson unit at FBO, Ridin' the Wind was severely panned by critics, one of whom found the film to be "as connected as a jackrabbit's tail after being blown to pieces by a shotgun." The story was the old one about the honest rancher whose kid brother joins a gang of outlaws. Thomson's Jim Harkness goes after the masked bandits, capturing only brother Dick (Lewis Sargent), whom he admonishes to go straight. The stubborn kid refuses of course and doesn't repent until the gang captures brother Jim and his girlfriend May (Jacqueline Gadsdon). Thomson had earlier starred in a series of westerns produced by Monogram for release by FBO. Despite the lukewarm reception of this film, the star's first under a new contract with the company, Thomson managed to almost rival the king of the genre, Tom Mix, before his untimely death in 1928.The original story for this film was penned by one "Frank M. Clifton," the nom-de-plume of Thomson's wife, screenwriter Frances Marion. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

To spite her domineering father, Eastern girl Lucy Fox pursues an unsuitable suitor to a small Western hamlet where she obtains a job as a manicurist. A local rancher (Buck Jones), who has fallen for the girl, does his best to persuade her not too marry the bounder. She is determined, however, and leaves town with the man. The rancher, in a final heroic gesture, leaps from his horse to the speeding train and declares his undying love for the girl, who finally accepts. More a romantic comedy than a true western, this silent film's only interesting aspect is the name of the unsuitable suitor: "John Wayne"! ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Buck Jones is supported by a very young John Wayne in this fine Western from his early years at Columbia Pictures. They play stepbrothers involved in a feud between the Turners and the Waltons. Clint Turner (Wayne) is forbidden to visit Judy Walton (Susan Fleming) by her father, John (Edward J. LeSaint). He does so anyway and is conveniently blamed for old man Walton's murder. Forced to arrest his stepbrother, Sheriff Buck Gordon (Jones) decides to investigate the real reason for the feud. After being shot and wounded by a mysterious figure, Buck discovers that a cattle rustler, Vandall (Harry Woods), is stirring up the bad blood between the families for his own nefarious purposes. When Vandall is proven guilty of Walton's murder, the feud comes to a peaceful end and Clint and Judy are reunited. While Wayne disliked working with Tim McCoy, another Columbia Western star, he came to admire the amiable Jones, a friendship that lasted until Jones' death. Range Feud was unofficially remade by Jones as The Red Rider (1934), a 15-chapter Universal serial featuring Grant Withers as the stepbrother falsely accused of murder. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Fred Thomson plays a dual role (sort of) in The Sunset Legion. Thomson is cast as a Texas ranger who poses as a cowardly firearms salesman in order to infiltrate a lawless town. By night, our hero assumes the guise of "The Black-Robed Stranger" to bedevil the villains. Heroine Edna Murphy is mad about The Black-Robed Stranger but has no time for the firearms peddler, never realizing that the two men are one in the same. The Zorro-like plot line wends its way toward an exciting conclusion, as Thomson takes on saloon owner (and outlaw leader) Harry Woods. At this point, he reveals his true identity to the wide-eyed Murphy, leading to mucho hugs 'n' kisses for the finale. The Sunset Legion was directed by Lloyd Ingraham, who helmed most of Fred Thomson's Paramount vehicles. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi