Scott Brady Movies

Scott Brady plays a decidedly mature Billy the Kid in this Columbia western programmer. According to this acount, Billy was just a mixed-up kid who was forced against his will to become a gunslinger. Billy's friendship with sheriff Pat Garrett (James Griffith), which has always been a matter of historical speculation, is deepened in the film, with Garrett reluctantly tracking Billy down after the latter has tried to avenge the death of kindly rancher John H. Tunstall (Paul Cavanaugh). British leading lady Betta St. John is cast as Billy's love interest (and the unwitting cause of his ultimate downfall) while Alan Hale Jr. is far removed from his Gilligan's Island role as The Skipper, cast here as a scowling heavy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The much-maligned Vera Ralston turns in an acceptable performance as star of Republic's A Perilous Journey. Though seemingly inspired by MGM's Westward the Women, the film was actually based on The Golden Tide, a novel by Vingie Roe. In the year 1850, a group of 49 young women charter a full-rigger to sail for California to offer themselves as wives to the gold prospectors. As indicated by the title, the journey is indeed fraught with peril (not to mention a few geographical inaccuracies). Vera Ralston plays Francie Landreaux, who has undertaken the voyage in search of her no-good gambler husband. Instead, she finds romance in the arms of rough-and-ready Shard Benton (Scott Brady). A Perilous Journey is pepped up by several song numbers, written by Victor Young and Edward Heyman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally filmed at Republic in 1948, Montana Belle was purchased by producer Howard R. Hughes, who'd loaned the services of the film's star, Jane Russell. After laying on the shelf for three years, Montana Belle was finally released by Hughes' RKO Radio Pictures in October of 1952. Russell plays notorious western outlaw Belle Starr, who after being saved by the Dalton Gang from the hangman's noose, falls in love with Bob Dalton (Scott Brady). This doesn't stop Belle and Dalton from trying to stab one another in the back for the next 8 reels. It is gambler Tom Bradfield (George Brent) who finally offers Belle a new start in life--and, incidentally, a new romance. The film's high point of imbecility arrives when Jane Russell disguises herself as a man. In other words, Montana Belle is lots of fun so long as no one takes it too seriously (it is clear that the people who made the film didn't!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Bloodhounds of Broadway was one of many Damon Runyon adaptations filmed in the wake of the 1950 Broadway hit Guys and Dolls. Manhattan bookie Scott Brady skips town to avoid a crime investigation. He meets hillbilly Mitzi Gaynor and vows to get the talented young miss into show business. Thanks to her positive influence, the bookie agrees to face the investigating committee, but changes his mind and plans to skip the country. The broken-hearted Gaynor is gratified when Brady changes his mind again, confesses his crimes (none of them homicidal) and serves a year in jail. When he returns to civilian life, Gaynor is headlining at a posh nightclub, whose employees are all former crooks and gangsters--including Charles Bronson as a waiter! Bloodhound of Broadway was remade (sort of) under the same title in 1989, this time as a PBS American Playhouse special (subsequently given theatrical release) starring Matt Dillon and Madonna. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The innate dignity of leading-man Jeff Chandler lends credibility to the swashbuckling proceedings of Yankee Buccaneer. Set during the early 19th century, the film casts Chandler as David Porter, commander of a U.S. frigate sent to the Caribbean to quell the activities of pirates and privateers. Disguising his vessel as a pirate ship, Porter is able to drift into dangerous waters with little or no resistance. The trick, of course, is to complete his mission and return to safety. Complicating matters is Scott Brady as Porter's reckless, irresponsible second-in-command -- Lieutenant David Farragut. Joseph Calleila co-stars as Count Del Prado, the Spanish governor of the West Indies who is secretly orchestrating the pirate activities. The requisite damsel-in-distress is played by Suzan Ball, a promising Universal contractee who died only three years later at the age of 24. Yankee Buccaneer was hastily filmed on sets originally constructed for Against All Flags (1952) while the star of the latter film, Errol Flynn, was recuperating from an injury. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Having previously played Billy the Kid, Audie Murphy assumes the role of Jesse James in Kansas Raiders. The plot finds Jesse and his brother Frank (Richard Long), together with the Younger Brothers (James Best, John Kellogg and Tony Curtis -- yes, Tony Curtis) joining Quantrill's Raiders. Idolizing Quantrill (Brian Donlevy), Jesse believes that his hero's mission -- to save the Confederacy by sacking Kansas -- is just. Only when it is too late does Jesse discover that Quantrell is little more than a bloodthirsty mercenary. The James and Younger Brothers are depicted as innocent dupes of a madman, which isn't surprising considering how often Hollywood has whitewashed Jesse and Frank in other films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The title tells all--or at least most--in I Was a Shoplifter. The title character, played by Mona Freeman, is Faye Burton, a well-off socialite suffering from kleptomania. Faye falls into the hands of a professional shoplifting ring headed by Herb Claxton (Charles Drake) and Ina Perdue (Andrea King), who want to exploit her high-society connections. It's up to undercover agent Jeff Andrews (Scott Brady) to save Faye from the villains--and from herself. Cast as a brutish henchman is one Anthony Curtis, who grew up to become you-know-who. Featured in a role so small that it wasn't listed in the studio's official credits is still another star in the making: Rock Hudson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

For some reason, whenever Universal used the word "Gal" in a film's title, Yvonne de Carlo usually headed the cast. In Gal Who Took the West, de Carlo plays Lillian Marlowe, an New York songstress who heads Thataway. She becomes the romantic bone of contention between the feuding O'Hara cousins, Grant (John Russell) and Lee (Scott Brady). The hostilities boil over into an all-out range war, and federal troops are summoned. Can Lillian succeed where other, better-armed negotiators have failed. The lighthearted nature of Gal Who Took the West is underlined by staging the film in flashback, as related by a pair of toothless old codgers (Clem Bevans and Houseley Stevenson). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The "He" of the title is Richard Basehart, a clever but psychopathic burglar (based on real-life criminal Erwin Walker) Basehart stays one step ahead of the law by listening in to the police band on his radio. To avoid detection, he changes his M.O. on each crime, making it seem that the string of burglaries is the work of several thieves. But Basehart trips himself up when he kills a cop. His own personal Waterloo occurs in the Los Angeles sewer system--a stylish predecessor to the similar (and more widely praised) climax in Sir Carol Reed's The Third Man. Though the direction is credited to Hollywood old-timer Alfred Werker, most of He Walked By Night is the handiwork of an uncredited Anthony Mann. Featured in the film's cast is Jack Webb in the small role of a police lab technician. Impressed by first-hand experience with police procedure and by the semi-documentary quality of He Walked By Night Webb expanded on these elements for his own radio and TV project, Dragnet. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This boxing drama focuses on the manager rather than the fighter. The story begins as a corrupt manager fakes the death of his fighter's sparring partner after he refuses to take a dive knowing that it will push him over the edge and destroy his career as he accidently killed a man while boxing in the military. Fortunately, the boxer has a devoted, supportive girlfriend who investigates the "death" and brings the dead partner to ringside at the crucial moment. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide