Britt Wood Movies
An amiable, big-nosed former vaudevillian from Tennessee, Brit Wood's main claim to cinematic fame was his brief 1939-1940 stint as William Boyd's comic sidekick Speedy in the long-running Hopalong Cassidy B-Western series. Although he was summarily replaced with the better-known (and plain better) Andy Clyde, Wood wasn't too annoying and could actually play dramatic scenes better than most B-Western rubes. An accomplished harmonica virtuoso, Wood supplied hillbilly tunes to several B-Westerns, including "The Covered Wagon Rolled Right Along" from Gene Autry's Saddle Pals (1947). ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
A young speed demon drives himself down the road to ruin in this crime drama. The trouble starts because the teen is so desperate to get a special set of hub caps for his dragster that he steals them off another car. It was easy and a car theft ring is born when he enlists the aid of pals to help him. They call themselves the Choppers and soon get into hot water with a determined insurance investigator. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1957
Edward Bernds, graduate of Columbia's "Three Stooges" shorts and Allied Artists' "Bowery Boys" epics, expertly guides The Storm Rider through its paces. Scott Brady plays an ex-gunslinger who is hired by a group of ranchers to protect them from covetous land baron Roy Engel. Unbeknownst to the ranchers, Brady is the killer of their former leader. Emotional complications ensue when Brady falls in love with Mala Powers, the widow of the man he killed. The film's ending upholds the uncompromising integrity of the rest of The Storm Rider. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Brady, Mala Powers, (more)
- 1956
Ginger Rogers ended her 23-year association with RKO Radio with the indifferent musical comedy western The First Travelling Saleslady. Ginger and Broadway favorite Carol Channing (whose only starring film this was) play a pair of corset salespersons who head westward in 1897 to hawk their wares. Finding a limited market for corsets, the ladies switch to selling barbed wire, which rests not at all well with cattle baron James Arness. Rescuing Ginger and Carol from Arness' hired guns are horseless-carriage inventor Barry Nelson and callow young cowpoke Clint Eastwood. Whenever asked about First Travelling Saleslady in later years, Carol Channing would blithely refer to it as "the picture that killed RKO"; she wasn't too far wrong in this assessment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ginger Rogers, Barry Nelson, (more)
Randolph Scott makes his 3-D debut in the stereoscopic western Stranger Wore a Gun. This time, Scott plays Jeff Travis, a former spy for Quantrill's Raiders. When he heads to Arizona to start life anew, Travis finds that his reputation has preceded him: crooked Jules Mourret (George Macready) hires him to monitor a series of gold shipments, in preparation for a major robbery. Eventually, Travis falls in love with Shelby Conroy (Joan Weldon), daughter of freight-line operator Jason Conroy (Pierre Watkin), and decides to turn honest. That won't be easy: in addition to the surly Mourret, Travis must deal with such formidable movie heavies as Alfonso Bedoya, Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine. Also on hand is Claire Trevor, in a soft-pedalled variation of her role in John Ford's Stagecoach. Stranger Wore a Gun was directed by Andre DeToth, whose previous foray into 3D had been the box-office smash House of Wax. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, (more)
- 1953
The psychological makeup of a dangerous gunman is probed in Jack Slade. Beginning with his childhood, Slade (Mark Stevens) is shown to be extremely unbalanced; in fact, he kills his first man at age 13. Growing up in the West, Slade comes to the conclusion that his gun is his only friend. At first, he is regarded as a hero because he does his killings on the side of the law; eventually, however, his homicidal tendencies overwhelm him, and he shoots without discretion or even reason. It is a tribute to actor Mark Stevens that he is able to make this character fascinating, rather than totally repellant. The only fault that can be found in Jack Slade is its length; the film would be twice as effective if shorn by 15 minutes or so. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Stevens, Barton MacLane, (more)
The first film version of W.R. Burnett's novel Saint Johnson was filmed as Law and Order in 1932. Essentially an all-names-changed retelling of the Wyatt Earp legend, the film scored on its humanity and restraint. The 1953 remake eschewed the shadings and subtleties of the original in favor of a traditional shoot-em-up, replete with gratuitous violence. Ronald Reagan stars as the Earp counterpart this time, who has sworn to bring criminal Preston S. Foster to justice. The original Law and Order had no love interest at all; the Reagan version pairs up the star with beautiful Dorothy Malone, and offers a second leading lady in the form of Ruth Hampton. The original had a hanging sequence which was treated as business as usual; the remake turns this sequence into a brutal lynching. Common to both films was the final showdown between Reagan and Foster, given added melodrama in the later version by the fact that Reagan had previously sworn to give up his guns for the love of his lady. Like most of Ronald Reagan's 1950s vehicles, Law and Order paid its way and was then forgotten. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ronald Reagan, Dorothy Malone, (more)
Another of the collaborations between actor James Stewart and director Anthony Mann, Bend of the River casts Stewart as a former outlaw, now working as trail guide for a group of Oregon-bound farmers. He is aided in this endeavor by Arthur Kennedy, a far-from-reformed horse thief. Upon arriving in Portland, Stewart gets in the middle of a scam operated by trader Howard Petrie, who has reneged on his promise to ship goods to the settlers. Unable to take action through legal channels, Stewart and farmer Jay C. Flippen steal the provision and scurry back to the settlement by boat. On their return, they discover that Kennedy has sold out to the crooked Petrie and intends to reclaim the supplies, taking Flippen and his daughter Julie Adams as hostages to ensure safe passage. It's up to Stewart to turn the tables on his former friend and save the day. As in the other Stewart-Mann productions, Jimmy breaks away from his usual easygoing screen persona to play a tough, self-serving rugged individual, whose true motives and loyalties remain in doubt until the very end of the film. Bend of the River was adapted by Borden Chase from Bill Gulick's novel Bend of the Snake. Watch for Stepin Fetchit, Rock Hudson, Royal Dano, and Frances Bavier in minor roles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy, (more)
- 1950
With Return of the Frontiersman, Warner Bros. continued to test the acting abilities of their singing star Gordon MacRae. While he does get to warble two songs, MacRae plays it straight for the most part in his role as Logan Barrett, the son of hard-bitten sheriff Sam Barrett (Jack Holt). Villain Larrabee (Rory Calhoun) frames Logan for a series of robberies, forcing the sheriff to lead a posse after his own son. Our Hero is aided and abetted by the daughter (Julie London, who surprisingly doesn't get to sing) of the town sawbones. With the exceptions of Jack Holt and Rory Calhoun, most of the supporting cast -- Fred Clark, Matt McHugh et. al. -- seem slightly out of place in western garb. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gordon MacRae, Julie London, (more)
- 1949
Lippert's Square Dance Jubilee was aimed squarely at the rural movie market. Don Barry and Wally Vernon play a pair of talent scouts, searching for authentic country-western performers to appear on Spade Cooley's TV show. Somehow, the duo finds time to rescue a lovely young rancher (Mary Beth Hughes) from cattle rustlers. The plot is serviceable but hardly necessary: the sole "raison d'etre" for Square Dance Jubilee was its parade of C&W talent. In addition to Spade Cooley, the musical roster includes Cowboy Copas, Ray Vaughan, Claude Casey, Johnny Downs, The Broome Brothers, Smiley and Kitty, the Elder Lovelies and the Tumbleweed Tumblers. Yee-hah! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Beth Hughes, Wally Vernon, (more)
Gene Autry's second 1949 release for Columbia was Riders of the Whistling Pines. As was customary for Autry, the title refers to one of the songs heard in the film, rather than the plotline at hand. The villains busy themselves destroying all the timber in a government forest preserve. When Autry steps in to stop the bad guys, they cook up a frame by accusing him of poisoning cattle. Jimmy Lloyd co-stars as an aviator who figures prominently in the action-packed finale. Autry's leading lady this time out is Patricia White, who later gained prominence on TV as Patricia Barry. At 72 minutes, Riders of the Whistling Pines was one of the longest of Autry's Columbia efforts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Autry, Patricia White, (more)
- 1948
Yet another comic book hero -- Tex Granger of Calling All Boys fame -- came to the serial screen courtesy of cheapskate producer Sam Katzman. To save a buck, Katzman cast a nonentity named Robert Kellard, who despite former serial exposure in King of the Royal Mounted (1940), Drums of Fu Manchu (1940) and the starring role in Perils of the Royal Mounted (1942) had singularly failed to persuade the small fry of his true hero credentials. But here he was again, this time playing the new owner of the daily newspaper in the small Western community of Three Buttes. The citizenry proves a tough crowd to please, however, what with the local marshal, Blaze Talbot (former singing cowboy Smith Ballew), being in cahoots with a gang of gold thieves headed by a loan shark (I. Stanford Jolley). To battle the forces of evil, Tex dons the ever-popular disguise of masked rider and becomes the avenging "Midnight Rider of the Plains." There is a dog and a young child (Buzz henry), who get in the way of things on occasion, not to mention a damsel-in-distress (Peggy Stewart) and the ever present rustic (big-nosed Britt Wood). Although four hack writers claimed the screenplay to be an original, Tex Granger "borrowed" its story from a 1926 William Boyd vehicle, The Last Frontier, which itself had been copied by RKO's serial department in 1932. Whatever the origins, the results were doleful and not even the usually so tolerable Miss Stewart, on loan from Republic Pictures, could do much with this dud. Leading man Robert Kellard gave up his screen career soon after. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1948
Black-garbed cowboy hero Lash LaRue considered this low-budget series entry one of his best films, "best," of course, being a relative term. This time around Marshal LaRue is assigned to bring law and order to a town run by greedy saloon owner Lance Taggert (Marshall Reed), who had the last visiting lawman hanged on a trumped-up charge. LaRue escapes an assassination attempt by Taggert's henchman, Colt Jackson (John Cason), and discovers that the saloon owner is after the valley's water rights which legally belong to rancher Danny Phillips (Jimmie Martin) and his sister, Mary (Suzi Crandall). Impersonating a territorial land representative killed by Jackson, Lash and his sidekick, Fuzzy Q. Jones (Al St. John), manage to unmask Taggert and bring peace and prosperity back to the valley. Mark of the Lash was produced by the husband-and-wife team of Ron Ormond and June Carr, who had gotten both LaRue and St. John on the cheap after the demise of their previous employer, PRC. Neither of the Ormonds knew the first thing about filmmaking, a fact that quickly became obvious to their unsuspecting audience. That their LaRue Westerns remained profitable can only be explained by the relatively cheap productions costs and St. John's enduring popularity. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1948
Dead Man's Gold, starring the black clad, whip wielding Lash LaRue and his sidekick, Fuzzy (Al St. John), is the kind of cheesy low-budget production in which legendary lawman Wyatt Earp's name is misspelled "Erpt" in a foreword. Arriving at their friend Jim Thornton's ranch in Gold Valley, Lash and Fuzzy learn from Thornton's niece, June (Peggy Stewart), that her father has gone missing for three days. Lash finds some gold nuggets and realizes that the land may be valuable and a target of claim jumpers terrorizing the valley. As it turns out, Thornton has been murdered by the town's crooked mayor (Lane Bradford), who is in league with the Thornton foreman (Terry Frost). Lash and Fuzzy "persuade" the foreman to turn state's evidence and the mayor is brought to justice. Dead Man's Gulch was one of ten ultra-cheap Westerns produced by Ron Ormond, his wife, former vaudevillian June Carr, and Ira Webb. The budgets were so tight that stunt doubles were eliminated. Years later, LaRue and frequent adversary Terry Frost wondered how they ever survived the quite realistic-looking fight scenes. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1947
A mysterious crook by the name of "The Poet" is robbing Wells Fargo stages and creating havoc in the Old West. The sheriff is having no luck discovering the desperado's identity; when he comes across James Wylie (Dennis Morgan), a gambler who is running from the law in Carson City, he blackmails him into going undercover and tracking the outlaw down. Wylie takes the next coach out, joined by two tantalizing women, Ann (Jane Wyman) and Emily (Janis Paige). Emily is just a saloon singer (which affords her the chance to croon "I'm So in Love" and "Going Back to Old Cheyenne"), but it turns out that Ann is more unusual -- she's the wife of The Poet. The two team up to track him down (encountering The Sundance Kid and his gang along the way) -- and discover that they make a pretty good team. A popular TV series of the same name was loosely based upon the movie; starring Clint Walker, it ran for 7 years starting in 1955. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Alvin, Bruce Bennett, (more)
- 1947
Saddle Pals hits a new low for Gene Autry's postwar Republic westerns, containing literally no action at all. Autry is drawn into the plot when he's given power of attorney in a property settlement involving his old pal (Sterling Holloway) and a gang of land swindlers. The pal then goes on an extended vacation, leaving Autry to sort things out. Though he doesn't display the business acumen that would eventually transform him into a real-life billionaire, Autry does manage to figure out that the swindlers are up to something dishonest. One of the more curious aspects of the film is the casting of traditional comedy-relief actor Sterling Holloway as the plot catalyst; he looks almost as uncomfortable as Autry. Fortunately, Autry's movie career would take an upswing the following year when he switched his base of operations from Republic to Columbia. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lynne Roberts, Sterling Holloway, (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
Filmed (in 16 mm) at Big Bear Lake, CA, and directed by stuntmen Richard Talmadge and Harvey Parry, this minor comedy-drama featured hayseed second banana Britt Wood and newcomer John Day (aka John Daheim) as a couple of travelers stranded at a mountain resort. After rescuing a group of girls from a runaway carriage, Steve (Day) and Speedy (Wood) are hired as drivers by Tom Barton (Edward Kane), the owner of the Grey Mountain Lodge. The place, however, is soon overrun by a gang of payroll robbers, the leader of whom, Gerald (Eddie Parker), is Tom's nephew. The police are called when a necklace is reported stolen during a party and Officer Kelsey (Fred Kelsey) suspects Tom to be the culprit. The real thief, of course, is Gerald, who attempts to flee in the gang's airplane. Happily, Steve and Speedy are in hot pursuit in the lodge's food delivery truck and the gang is rounded up. Detour to Danger was the third and final of three low-budget films produced by Jack Seaman and Richard Talmadge and released on states' rights. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Day, Nancy Brinckman, (more)
- 1945
Charles Starrett, who originated the character of the Durango Kid in the 1940 Heroes of the Range, embarked on a lengthy seven-year Western series with this aptly titled horse opera. Starrett plays Bill Blayden, a newcomer to Silver City, TX, searching for the villain who framed his father years before. En route, Blayden is the victim of a stagecoach holdup along with Paradise Flo (Jean Stevens), who may or may not know more about the holdup than she lets on. In Silver City, Bill sides with Buckskin Liz Armstrong (Betty Roadman) and her drivers (Britt Wood) and Tex Harding) against the town's crooked boss, saloon owner Leland Kirby (John Calvert). The latter is in cahoots with Tom Wagner (Hal Price), who is attempting to take over Buckskin's stage route by illegal means. Donning the disguise of the Durango Kid, Blayden gets the goods on both Kirby and Wagner and, along the way, learns the identity of the man who framed his father. Young sidekick Tex Harding performs "Old Pinto (and His Cowboy Pal)," while a jolly group known as The Jesters takes care of such humorous ditties as "When They Fiddle Out the Polka" and "He Holds the Lantern (While His Mother Cuts the Wood)". Starrett would play the character of the Durango Kid for the remainder of his career -- a total of 63 films. Strangely, he was awarded a new alias in each film. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1942
Slightly more elaborate than most Charles Starrett westerns, Down Rio Grande Way is set in the mid-19th century, when the Republic of Texas was poised to join the Union. Starrett plays Texas Ranger Steve Martin (!), who is dispatched to a "renegade" Texas country that refuses to become part of the good old USA. He discovers that the crux of the problem is a local tax collector (Norman Willis) who, with the help of a crooked newspaper editor (Davision Clark), is systematically robbing the citizens of their hard-earned cash, all the while fomenting anti-American sentiments. Britt Wood takes over from Cliff Edwards as Starrett's comical sidekick, while band singer Rose Ann Stevens makes an impressive acting debut as the heroine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Starrett, Russell Hayden, (more)
- 1941
Border Vigilantes was the 34th entry in the "Hopalong Cassidy" western series, with 32 more still on the way. William Boyd stars once more as black-clad champion of justice Hopalong Cassidy, while Andy Clyde and Russell Hayden tag along as California Carson and Lucky Jenkins. This time our heroes ride into a town bedevilled by outlaw raids, despite the existence of a local vigilante committee. Sensing that something's wrong with this set-up, Hoppy does a bit of digging and discovers that the outlaw chieftan is actually the head of the vigilantes (talk about conflict of interests!) The strong supporting cast includes Frances Gifford, Victor Jory, Morris Ankrum, and former cowboy stars Tom Tyler and Hal Taliaferro (aka Wally Wales). With Border Vigilantes, the series' assistant director Derwin Abrahams was promoted to the director's chair, with splendid results. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William "Hopalong" Boyd, Andy Clyde, (more)
- 1941
Producer Harry Sherman once again brought the "Hopalong Cassidy" unit to picturesque Lone Pine, CA, and the result was yet another tidy little sagebrush oater about the search for a missing gold mine. California Carlson (Andy Clyde) learns that his only remaining relative, Ben Pendleton (Britt Wood), may have struck gold just prior to being murdered in his isolated cabin. But when California and his two friends, Hoppy (William Boyd) and Lucky (Russell Hayden), arrive to learn more about the claim, they find the place already occupied by Trudy (Eleanor Stewart), Ben's niece. The old prospector's murderer, gambler Ace Gibson (Morris Ankrum), befriends Trudy and persuades her that the newcomers are outlaws out to jump the claim. Of course, the smooth-talking heavy has no idea who he is up against and is soundly beaten in a final confrontation with Hoppy. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William "Hopalong" Boyd, Russell Hayden, (more)
- 1940
A lesser entry in the long-running Hopalong Cassidy Western series, Stagecoach War features veteran character actor J. Farrell McDonald as Jeff Chapman, a stage-line owner about to lose a lucrative Wells Fargo contract after his driver is shot in a holdup. The crime opens a door for Neal Holt (Harvey Stephens), who is not only a rival stage-line operator, but also the former boyfriend of Jeff's daughter, Shirley (Julie Carter). Hoppy (William Boyd), meanwhile, discovers that Neal's foreman, Twister Maxwell (Frank Lackteen), knows more about the holdup that he cares to admit and when Holt begins to question the merit of Jeff's equipment, Hoppy enters a race for the contract with Lucky Jenkins (Russell Hayden) driving Jeff's Bar 20 mustangs against Neal's team. Lucky, however, is forced to throw the race to avoid harming Shirley, and, dejected, joins Smiley (Rad Robinson) and his gang of highwaymen. But does Lucky stay "bad" for good? As a nod to the popularity of musical-Westerns, producer Harry Sherman corralled baritone Rad Robinson, Eddie Dean, and the King's Men, who perform Phil Ohman and Foster Carling's "Lope-Along Road," "Westward Ho," and "Hold Your Horses." Surprisingly, the musical specialty acts all appeared as villains. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William "Hopalong" Boyd, Russell Hayden, (more)
- 1940
Eschewing action in favor of humor, this Hopalong Cassidy series entry has the usually black-clad hero (William Boyd) changing into dude apparel in order to investigate what ails the town of Del Oro, NM. Aligning himself with the ramshackle medicine show of Doc Rufus Bates (Earl Hodgins), proprietor, Hoppy quickly learns that everyone's favorite old lady, Ma Burton (Marjorie Rambeau), is in reality the ruthless leader of a gang of mine robbers. Convincing Ma that he is a former convict, Hoppy enlists the gang in a scheme to rob the Gardner silver mine but the plan goes awry when Ma overhears Hoppy's rookie sidekick, Lucky Jenkins (Russell Hayden), spill the beans to Paula (Bernadene Hayes), Doc's daughter. After escaping a fire at the mine, Hoppy and Lucky manage to bring both Ma and her henchmen to justice. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William "Hopalong" Boyd, Russell Hayden, (more)
- 1940
Hidden Gold was the 29th installment in the "Hopalong Cassidy" western series. It perhaps goes without saying that "Hoppy" is played by William Boyd, while his sidekick Lucky Jenkins is essayed by Russell Hayden. The eponymous hidden gold is being covertly mined from an equally hidden mine by a gang of outlaws, who take time out to stage a series of stagecoach holdups. Hoppy and Lucky arrive in town to put an end to the robberies, but first they have to determine the identity of the outlaw leader. After five reels' worth of "cat and mouse", the action is laid on thick and heavy in reel six. Future singing cowboy star Eddie Dean shows up in a very minor role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William "Hopalong" Boyd, Russell Hayden, (more)
- 1940
Paramount's "Zane Grey" series continued rolling into the 1940s with Knights of the Range. Taking a break from the studio's Hopalong Cassidy pictures, Russell Hayden stars as Renn Frayne, a college-educated youth who finds more than he bargained for when he heads westward. After a terrifying run-in with an outlaw gang run by a bloke named Gamecock (Morris Ankrum), Frayne aligns himself with heroine Holly Ripple (Jean Parker), whose father's cattle ranch is in danger of falling into the hands of the villains. Victor Jory manages to play on both sides of the fence as wily gambler Malcolm Lascallie. Knights of the Range was directed by Lesley Selander, who like star Hayden was an alumnus of the Hopalong Cassidy unit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Russell Hayden, Victor Jory, (more)
