Tom Tyler Movies

William Colt MacDonald's 1934 story based on the Three Mesqueteers characters was brought to the screen the following year by RKO, who billed it "the Barnum and Bailey of Westerns" and seems to have rounded up every Western star not under exclusive contract. The Western, in fact, could boast of no less than 13 former silent screen cowboy heroes: Harry Carey, Hoot Gibson, Guinn "Big Boy" Williams, Bob Steele, Tom Tyler, Buzz Barton, Wally Wales (aka Hal Taliaferro), Art Mix (aka George Kesterson), Buffalo Bill Jr. (aka Jay Wilsey), Buddy Roosevelt, Franklyn Farnum, William Desmond, and William Farnum. Carey, Gibson, and Williams played Tucson Smith, Stony Brooke, and Lullaby Joslin, respectively -- the Three Mesqueteers -- who happen upon a stage robbery in progress. They catch the bandit (Ethan Laidlaw) red-handed rifling through the mail and discover that one of the letters is meant for them. Without their knowing, a young friend, the Guadalupe Kid (Steele), has bought a ranch in their names and is awaiting their arrival. The ranch, however, is located in an area controlled by greedy saloon proprietor turned political boss Steve Ogden (Sam Hardy), who takes umbrage to their presence to the point of hiring a professional gunslinger, Sundown Saunders (Tyler). Provoking a confrontation, Sundown challenges Tucson to his trademark sundown showdown. The wily Tucson realizes that Sundown prefers an encounter in the dusk because of failing eyesight and only lightly wounds his opponent. Although a recuperating Sundown turns down Tucson's request to join the fight against Ogden, in the ensuing shootout the gunslinger heroically takes a bullet meant for Tucson. After forcing a confession out of the crooked sheriff (Adrian Morris), the Mesqueteers confront Ogden who is killed in a fight with Tucson. Filmed on locations at Kernville and Newhall, CA, Powdersmoke Range was not the first film version of MacDonald's Mesqueteers. That honor goes to Law of the .45's, a cheap, independently made Western that had starred Guinn "Big Boy" Williams as Tucson and perennial sidekick Al St. John as Stony. (The film omitted the third mesqueteer, Lullaby Joslin, altogether). Despite the success of Powdersmoke Range, RKO failed to follow up with a regular series. Bob Steele would play the character of Sundown Saunders in an independently produced Western of that name in 1936 but the Three Mesqueteers as a group found a regular berth with Republic Pictures, which went on to produce 51 highly successful and influential B-Westerns between 1935 and mid-1943. Through several cast changes both Bob Steele and Tom Tyler would at one point or another play one of the mesqueteers, as would Robert Livingston, Ray "Crash" Corrigan, ventriloquist Max Terhune, John Wayne, Raymond Hatton, Duncan Renaldo, Rufe Davis, Ralph Byrd, and Syd Saylor. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

From small-scale Reliable Pictures, The Laramie Kid starred the strapping Tom Tyler as a cowboy returning home to help his girlfriend (Alberta Vaughn) save her ranch from a ruthless usurper. Promising the girl to blast the town wide open in order to get the necessary funds, Tyler soon finds himself unjustly accused of robbing the local bank. While Tyler is away in prison, Vaughn discovers evidence of his innocence, and rather than have the girl face the real culprit alone, our hero makes a daring escape. Produced and directed by Harry S. Webb, The Laramie Kid is typical of the era's better independently-made horse operas: technically crude but consisting of nary a dull moment. Tyler makes a strapping hero and an august cast that also includes Al Ferguson, Murdock MacQuarrie, George Chesebro and, for comedy purposes, Snub Pollard keep interest alive throughout. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Having starred in two earlier Westerns produced by Harry S. Webb, Tom Tyler signed with Webb's new company Reliable, where the former silent star went on to make 18 inexpensive but well-made oaters. The first in the series, Fighting Hero, cast Tyler as Tom Hall, a fugitive from justice rescuing a young Mexican woman, Conchita (Renee Borden), from a murder conviction. He falls in love with the girl, but he then overhears her apparently plotting with the leader of a gang of stage-robbers. As it turns out, Conchita is only looking out for Tom's welfare, and with her help he is soon able to apprehend the gang. When the sheriff (Tom London) arrives, Tom reveals himself to be an undercover agent for the Wells Fargo Company. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

In this romantic western, a daring masked outlaw steals the gold from a crooked mining company and uses the loot to pay the honest investors it cheated. When a lovely woman sees the hero unmasked, he kidnaps her to protect his identity. At first the damsel is enraged. But as she is the daughter of one of those the mining company cheated, she soon decides to help the hero with his mission. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Former silent screen cowboy Tom Tyler headlined this average Universal serial as a Northwest Mounted Police officer chasing his own brother (Earl McCarthy), who has been framed in a killing. The real culprits, outlaws Pierce LaRue (Leon Duval) and "Black" MacDougal (William L. Thorne), also murdered pretty Ann Louise's (Jacqueline Wells) father for his gold claim, a prize they attempt to hold on to by any means for 12 two-reel instalments. According to the serial's publicity, Clancy of the Mounted was based on a poem by Robert W. Service. Leading lady Jacqueline Wells, a 1934 WAMPAS baby star, previously acted under the name Diane Duval and would later bill herself Julie Bishop. Former silent screen Western stars Tom London (aka Leonard Clapham), Edmund Cobb, and Fred Humes play bit parts as Mounties in this serial. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

A wagon train sequence and a stampede of buffaloes -- both courtesy of stock footage -- remain the most interesting features of this otherwise stagy early talkie Western from low-budget entrepreneur John Freuler's Monarch Productions. Tom Tyler stars as Tennessee Matthews, a renowned buffalo hunter, who, although in love with settler Virginia Hawkins (Betty Mack), chooses the solitude of his mountains over guiding her wagon train safely through Indian country. Tennessee changes his mind when the new trail guide, O'Hara (Al Bridge), seems to be purposefully leading the train right into an Indian ambush. As it turns out, O'Hara, who is courting a reluctant Virginia, has been robbing several wagon trains with the assistance of the Indians in general and Lola (Mildred Rogers), a fiery squaw, in particular. The latter, who mistakenly believes Virginia to be encouraging O'Hara's company, has her rival kidnapped during the Indian raid, but the white girl is saved by Tennessee, who not only heads off a buffalo stampede, but arrives in the nick of time with the cavalry. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Based on a story in Golden West magazine by Frederick Ryter, this rather pedestrian Monogram Western starred handsome Tom Tyler as Jess Ryder, a detective for the Cattlemen's association who infiltrates a gang of rustlers. The gang is hired by a nefarious land grabber (Robert Walker) to drive the Langton family off their valuable land and their methods of destruction -- injecting the cattle with snake venom -- was the only off-beat touch in this otherwise humdrum Western effort. Tyler, whose B-Western career had begun in the late silent era, was never less than interesting to watch, but Monogram producer G.A. Durlam and veteran director J.P. McGowan offered him very little to work with here. The author of the story, Frederick Ryter, appeared as one of Walker's henchmen. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Competing expeditions attempt to locate a buried treasure of ivory tusks in this highly politically incorrect (by modern standards) Universal serial released in 12 chapters and starring Tom Tyler. The lanky actor convincingly exchanged his usual Stetson for a pith helmet to play big-game hunter Kirk Montgomery, who is not only searching for the ivory, but also a young boy lost in the jungle. The boy's sister (Cecilia Parker) and father (William Desmond) constitute the Morgan expedition, which is constantly waylaid by the competitor, a gang of roughnecks led by villainous Philo McCullough. There is a femme fatale (Carmelita Geraghty) and a strange ape-like creature for added excitement, but good conquers evil in the final chapter, "Buried Treasure." ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Film editor Lloyd Nosler was afforded his first opportunity to direct with the Tom Tyler western Galloping Thru. Tyler plays a young galoot who returns to his hometown after several years' absence, only to see his father shot down in front of him. The local constabulary doesn't seem to be too anxious to seek out the murderers, so Tyler takes the job on himself. Meanwhile, our hero's sweetheart Betty Mack is slowly being wooed away by Tyler's best friend (some friend!) The action is consistently exciting throughout, especially during the last reel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

"Suggested" by the book The West That Was by legendary showman William F. Cody, this 12 chapter Universal serial was merely another slam-bang affair in which Cody (Tom Tyler) and his younger sidekick, Dave Archer (Rex Bell), battle a nasty claim jumper, Jim Rodney (Francis Ford), and his gang. Resenting the interference in his plans, Rodney not only incites the local Indian tribe to attack the town but also blackmails the local community to elect him sheriff. Not one of the era's better serials, Battling with Buffalo Bill still manages to engage no less than 10 former silent cowboy stars in the cast, somewhat of a record. Of course, most of the gentlemen in question were finding the new audible Hollywood an inhospitable place and were just happy to be working, even for the lousy wages offered by Universal producer Henry MacRae. Leading man Tom Tyler, who had replaced Tim McCoy, would become a regular serial hero in the sound era, bringing such comic book heroes as "Captain Marvel" (1940) and The Phantom (1943) to life. A former Fox star, second-billed Rex Bell was the husband of Clara Bow and a future lieutenant governor of Nevada. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Mascot Pictures' second all-talkie sound serial, Phantom of the West starred Tom Tyler as Jim Lester, a young man attempting to prove the innocence of the father of Mona Cortez (Dorothy Gulliver) in the murder of his own paterfamilias. Cortez (Frank Lanning) escapes from prison but leaves a note for Jim proclaiming his innocence and pointing to seven men in town who can reveal the identity of the real culprit, a villain known only as the Phantom. Every time Jim gets close to the truth, the mystery killer's notorious League of the Lawless swoops in to silence whomever is about to spill the beans. The true identity of the killer is revealed in the tenth and final chapter, his identity being a surprise only to new viewers of Mascot serials. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Cowboy hero Tom Tyler dispenses Two-Fisted Justice in this energetic western. At the outbreak of the Civil War, President Lincoln assigns Kentucky Carson (Tyler) to guard an unprotected frontier outpost. In the company of his youthful sidekick (Bobby Nelson), Carson assumes his duties, which turn out to include saving a wagon train and rounding up a vicious band of stagecoach robbers. Former 2-reel comedy star Kit Guard enjoys one of his biggest talkie roles as a "Judge Roy Bean" type, while Barbara Weeks is the obligatory female lead. Two-Fisted Justice was directed by G. A. Durlam, production supervisor of the Tom Tyler unit at Monogram. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide