Eric Norden Movies
- 1971
Blood Legacy was also released as Legacy of Blood (as was a like-titled, though dissimilar, 1978 film). Looking older than dirt, John Carradine plays a crotchety millionaire who wills his fortune to his estranged children. There is, of course, a proviso. The kids, all grown up and none too savory, must spend a week in Carradine's estate. Naturally, this leads to a lot of petty spitefulness...which in turn leads to murder. Jeff Morrow and Faith Domergue, who in happier times co-starred in This Island Earth, show up as two of the heirs, as do 1950s favorites Merry Anders and Dick Davalos (James Dean's brother in East of Eden). Rudolfo Acosta is top-billed as a local sheriff who must contend with seven days' worth of carnage. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
After delivering a herd of cattle to the town of Sand Dust, Joe and Hoss Cartwright, together with ranchhand Candy and local girl Valerie Townsend (Davey Davidson), are eyewitness to a fatal shooting. When the brothers of accused killer Billy Slader (Michael Blodgett) threaten to permanently silence all four witnesses, Sheriff Dunkel (Robert McQueeney) puts them under protective custody, leading to several unexpected plot complications. Frederick Down and Bill Fletcher are cast as the homicidal Slader siblings, while Russ Conway is seen as Judge Wheeler. Written by Eric Norden, "False Witness" first aired October 22, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, (more)
- 1963
Written by Eric Norden and Frank Arno, "Little Man-Ten Feet Tall" focuses on the relationship between Ponderosa ranchhand Nick Biancci (Ross Martin) and Nick's impressionable young son Mario (Michael Davis. Though Mario is prepared to fulfill Nick's dreams by becoming a concert guitarist, he changes his mind when he sees his father being intimidated by his fellow ranchhands. Thoroughly disillusioned, Mario latches onto a new "role model"-Hoss Cartwright. Denver Pyle appears as the Sheriff, while other roles are filled by James Anderson, Lane Bradford and Bern Hoffman. "Little Man-Ten Feet Tall" was originally telecast on May 26, 1963, as the final episode of Bonanza's fourth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1960
A Matter of Morals is the usual boiling pot of intrigue and double-dealings that reveals how once an imaginary line is crossed, morality can slide inexorably downhill. Alan Kennebeck (Patrick O'Neal) sets off in relative innocence to supervise his bank's million-dollar loan to a Swedish manufacturer. Since the boss is gone at the moment, Alan deals with the sleazy manager Erik Waldeman (Mogens Wieth), who happens to be embezzling money from the company. Unfortunately, Alan falls in love with Erik's sister-in-law Anita Anderson (Maj-Britt Nilsson), and with the help of Erik, his slide into moral degeneracy begins. Alan will do anything, anything at all to win Anita's love. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick O'Neal, Maj-Britt Nilsson, (more)
- 1959
A routine swashbuckler set during the 18th century when pirates still roamed the Spanish main, this adventure film stars popular Mexican idol Pedro Armendariz as the appropriately named Captain Tiburon (Capt. Shark). Tiburon and his first mate Taursus (Rodolfo Hoyos) bury two treasure chests on a remote island, and then Taursus betrays the Captain by shooting him and leaving him for dead, with plans to come back later and pick up the loot. The Captain is saved by the only other inhabitant of the island, a young boy named Frank (Terry Rangno, with Robert Palmer as the adult Frank). As time goes by, the two have several adventures, including a battle with an invading war party about to sacrifice a comely maiden. She of course, is saved. But the adventure is not over because Taursus will one day return for the treasure chests. This film was paired with The Sad Horse in double-billing on its release. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pedro Armendáriz, Terry Rangno, (more)
- 1958
A brave cowboy/ex-con hits the dusty trail as the leader of a major cattle drive in this western. He is offered the job by the very townspeople his gang terrorized a few years before. They are also the same people who put him in the slammer, and even though he accepts the task, he secretly plots his revenge. He gets it by proving himself courageous and honest. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joel McCrea, Gloria Talbott, (more)
- 1957
Copper Sky was directed by Charles Marquis Warren, one of the prime movers of TV's Gunsmoke. The scene is a small western town that has been decimated by an Apache raid. The only survivor is drifter Jeff Morrow, who was locked up in jail at the time of the massacre. Before long, Boston schoolmarm Coleen Gray arrives in town, only to discover that there's no one left alive for her to teach. Releasing Morrow, Gray joins him in an arduous journey to the nearest white settlement--clear across the desert. Given the fact that Morrow is a heavy drinker with a bad attitude andGray is straight-laced and remonstrative, it doesn't take a film historian to figure out that Copper Sky is yet another variation on The African Queen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Morrow, Coleen Gray, (more)
- 1957
In this western, the town sheriff must look into a scandal involving his friend who is reportedly having an affair with a Native American girl while his wife is on a trip. The friend is enraged at the accusations and kills the town attorney. He is then lynched by the angry town folk. The sheriff is perplexed by the brouhaha and begins investigating. Soon he discovers that the whole mess of rumors were started by a saloon owner and a wicked gunman who were conspiring to steel the dead man's valuable land. The sheriff then engages in a showdown with the two villains. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Forrest Tucker, Mara Corday, (more)
- 1957
Ride a Violent Mile is an economically produced western with a Civil War background. Penny Edwards stars as Susan, a Union spy who poses as a dance-hall girl in a Confederate-friendly frontier town. Susan hopes to prevent the Mexican government from casting its lot with the South, and to do that she must halt a Confederate cattle drive. Enlisting the aid of boyfriend Jeff (John Agar), our heroine does her best to scare off the cattle. The heavy of the piece is sheriff Marshal Thorne (John Pickard), who turns out to be a secret operative for the Johnny Rebs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Agar, Penny Edwards, (more)
- 1957
Keith Larsen stars as the Apache Kid, an Indian scout. He is willing to cooperate with the US cavalry until his brother is killed by another Native American. The Apache Kid is permitted to seek revenge under tribal law, but white law does not recognize this ruling; as a result the Kid is branded a renegade. A fellow cavalry scout (Jim Davis) is ordered to stop the Kid, but decides instead to let him go and seek out justice in his own way. Supposedly based on fact, Apache Warrior was directed by Elmo Williams, who in 1952 was film editor for the landmark western High Noon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Keith Larsen, Jim Davis, (more)
- 1956
Stagecoach to Fury was one of several "pocket westerns" released through 20th Century-Fox's Regal Films subsidiary. The titular coach is robbed by Mexican bandits, who hold the passengers prisoner at a relay station. As both captors and captives nervously await the arrival of a gold shipment, the true natures of the passengers are slowly revealed. Realizing that he and his fellow passengers will be killed the moment the bandits get their hands on the gold, the cavalry captain (Forrest Tucker) tries to organize a united front against the villains. Director William Claxton was later a primary director of the TV series Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Forrest Tucker, Mari Blanchard, (more)
- 1950
Don Barry stars as Texas Ranger Bob Standish, sworn to avenge his brother's death in Border Rangers. To achieve his goal, Standish goes undercover, joining the bandit gang. In this guise, he hopes to trap outlaw Mugo (Robert Lowery), his brother's murderer, unawares. Most Lippert Studio productions include Sid Melton as comedy relief. But Melton must have been out of town, since the comic sequences in Border Rangers are handled by veteran vaudevillian Wally Vernon. As an added fillip, child actor Paul Jordan provides a few heart-tugging moments. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Lowery, Wally Vernon, (more)
