Buster Crabbe Series

THE BUSTER CRABBE WESTERN THEATER

The chapters listed were originally full-length “B” PD Westerns that were edited from negative materials to 26-minute episodes, with introductions by Buster Crabbe welcoming the audience to his theater, and occasionally passing on information about specific episodes. Much of the omitted footage consists of repetitive horseback chases, recognizably shot on the same location near Los Angeles. The Series episodes all have 1985 copyright notices and will be registered for copyright as they are released. The video player following contains a few clips from the series, introduced by Buster himself. Following the video player, there are complete catalog listings for each of the episodes in the series.

CHAPTER SYNOPSES, CASTS (Alphabetical Order)

BLAZING FRONTIER (1943)

Director:         Sam Newfield
Producer:       Sigmund Neufeld
Cinematog.:   Robert E. Cline
Film Editor:   Holbrook N. Todd
Writer:           Patricia Harper
Cast:                Buster Crabbe, Al St. John, Marjorie Manners, Milton Kibbee, I. Stanford Jolley,
                          Frank Hagney, Kermit Maynard, George Chesebro, Frank Ellis, Jimmy Aubrey,
                          Barney Beasley, Hank Bell, Budd Buster, Rube Dalroy, Art Dillard, Curley
                          Dresden, Kenne Duncan, Jack Evans, Morgan Flowers, Augie Gomez,
                          Herman Hack, Chick Hannon, Robert F. Hill, Ray Jones, Charles King,
                          Cactus Mack,    Frank McCarroll, Jack Montgomery, George Morrell,
                           Tex Palmer, Pascale Perry, Lew Porter, Wally West, Slim Whitaker,
                           Bill Wolfe

Synopsis:   “In the 19th and last of the PRC "Billy the Kid" series (first six with Bob Steele and last 13 with Buster Crabbe), a feud develops between the settlers and the railroad detectives in Red Rock Valley. Clem Barstow sends for Billy the Kid and Fuzzy Jones to help. Buster suspects that Ward Tragg, chief of the railroad detectives, and Luther Sharp, land agent for the Western Railroad Company, are defrauding the settlers without the knowledge or sanction of the company. Billy and the settlers rustle off cattle, which have been illegally confiscated by Tragg and his men, in order to raise money for Barstow to bid on a ranch which Sharp is illegally auctioning off. Billy discovers that the purchase price on the deed has been altered and Barstow writes the company to send a man to investigate. When Tragg learns about this, he makes plans to kidnap the railroad official.” Internet Movie Database

BORDER BUCKAROOS (1943)

Director:      Oliver Drake
Writer:             Oliver Drake
Producers:   Arthur Alexander, Alfred Stern
Cinematog.:   Ira H. Morgan
Editor:   Charles Henkel Jr.
Music:              Lee Zahler
Cast:                 Dave O'Brien, James Newill, Guy Wilkerson, Christine McIntyre, Eleanor Counts,
                           Jack Ingram, Ethan Laidlaw, Charles King, Michael Vallon, Kenne Duncan,
                           Roy Brent, Reed Howes, Bud Osborne, Slim Whitaker

Synopsis:   “With the owner of a ranch now dead, Melford takes aim at the two heirs. The will states they must arrive by a certain date or the property will revert to his Lawyer cohort. When his men try to stop their arrival the Texas Rangers appear just in time. Tex poses as a hired gunman and Jim as one of the heirs as they try to find out why Melford wants an apparently worthless ranch.” Internet Movie Database

BOSS OF RAWHIDE (1943)

Director:         Elmer Clifton
Writer:            Elmer Clifton
Producers:      Alfred Stern, Arthur Alexander
Cinematog.:   Robert E. Cline
Editor:            Charles Henkel Jr.
Cast:                Dave O'Brien, James Newill, Guy Wilkerson, Nell O'Day, Ed Cassidy, Jack Ingram,
Billy Bletcher, Charles King, George Chesebro, Robert F. Hill, Dan White, Lucille
                          Vance, Jimmy Aubrey, Fred Burns, Budd Buster, Tex Cooper, Curley Dresden,
                          Frank Ellis, Herman Hack, Karl Hackett, Bob Kortman, Bud Osborne, Rose
Plumer, Wally West, Slim Whitaker,

Synopsis:   “In the 8th film of the 22-film series, Texas Rangers Tex Wyatt, Jim Steele and Panhandle Perkins are sent to the district of Rawhide to investigate the killings of several ranchers. Tex enters the town posing as a tramp while the other two Rangers join a troupe of itinerant minstrels. Tex, convinced that while they may find the killer, it will not prevent further harassment of the poorer ranchers, and he returns to the Ranger station and persuades his father, Texas Ranger Captain John Wyatt, to take a leave of absence and go to Rawhide and run for Land Commissioner. Tex and his father meet Henry Colby, the wealthiest landholder in the district, who has been advised by his ranch foreman, Frank Hade, and Sam Barrett, the boss of Rawhide, that the nesters are the cause of all the lawlessness. At a meeting, preceded by the dullest, most demeaning minstrel show ever filmed, Captain Wyatt is shot...” Internet Movie Database

BRAND OF THE DEVIL (1944)

Director:           Harry L. Fraser
Writer:              Elmer Clifton
Producers:       Arthur Alexander, Alfred Stern
Cinematog.:   Edward A. Kull
Editor:               Charles Henkel Jr.
Cast:                  Dave O'Brien, James Newill, Guy Wilkerson, Ellen Hall, Stanford Jolley,
                             Charles King, Reed Howes, Budd Buster, Karl Hackett, Kermit Maynard,
                             Ed Cassidy, Hank Bell, John L. Cason, Jess Cavin, Jack Evans, Art Fowler,
                              Rose Plumer, Jack Tornek, Wally West

Synopsis:   “Jolley is the leader of the Devil's Brand gang of rustlers. When Molly Dawson sends for the Texas Rangers, Tex, Jim, and Panhandle arrive pretending not to know each other. But eventually their identities become known and they are captured by the gang.” Internet Movie Database

CATTLE STAMPEDE (1943)

Director:           Sam Newfield
Writer:      Joseph O'Donnell
Producer:      Sigmund Neufeld
Cinematog.:   Robert E. Cline
Editor:               Holbrook N. Todd
Cast:                   Buster Crabbe, Al St. John, Frances Gladwin, Charles King, Ed Cassidy,
                             Hansel Warner, Ray Bennett, Frank Ellis, Steve Clark, Roy Brent, John Elliott,
   Budd Buster, Ted Adams, Hank Bell, Roy Bucko, Tex Cooper, Art Dillard, Curley
   Dresden, Herman Hack, Reed Howes, Ray Jones, Carl Mathews, Frank
                             McCarroll, George Morrell, Edward Peil Sr., Rose Plumer, Hal Price, Glenn
                             Strange, Wally West

Synopsis:   “Billy the Kid (Buster Crabbe) and Fuzzy Jones (Al St. John) are on their way out of Arizona being chased by some riders who hope to cash in on the reward money for their capture. They are warned in time by Ed Dawson (Hansel Warner), but Ed is wounded in the getaway. They get a doctor (John Elliott) to attend to Ed. The latter tells them there is a range war in progress across the border and that he is looking for men to help make a cattle drive to the rail junction. Agreeing to help, they head for the Dawson ranch and run across a Dawson man who has been killed from ambush. Mary Dawson (Frances Gladwin), Ed's sister, thinks they did it but they convince her of their innocence. The news of the killing causes ranch foreman Brandon (Charles King), secretly working for the rustlers, to try and get the rest of the Dawson hands to quit, but Billy intercedes and agrees to take the cattle through for Sam Dawson. “ Internet Movie Database

DEVIL RIDERS, THE (1943)

Director:           Sam Newfield
Writer:              Joseph O'Donnell
Producer:          Sigmund Neufeld
Cinematog.:   Robert E. Cline
Editor:               Robert O. Crandall
Cast:                  Buster Crabbe, Al St. John, Patti McCarty, Charles King, John Merton, Kermit
Maynard, Frank LaRue, Jack Ingram, George Chesebro, Ed Cassidy, Jimmy
                          Aubrey, Big Slicker Band, Hank Bell, Ralph Bucko, Roy Bucko,   Steve Clark, Art
                            Dillard, Bert Dillard, Curley Dresden, Frank Ellis, Al Ferguson, Augie Gomez,
                            Herman Hack, Chick Hannon, Ray Jones, Kansas Moehring, Artie Ortego, Bud
                            Osborne, Rose Plumer, Smokey Rogers, Wally West, Tex Williams

Review:   “Tired of trying to con the public into thinking Billy the kid was anything but a cold-blooded murderer, Producers Releasing Corperation brought stars Buster Crabbe and Al "Fuzzy" St. John back together for a new series featuring a new squeaky-clean hero, changing his name from Billy Bonney to Billy Carson and his clothes from black to white, with the exception of his hat. Though not a wanted (or framed) outlaw anymore the new Billy was pretty much the same as before.

       “The Devil Riders is typical but entertaining, with the usual amount of shootouts, horse chases and fistfights. There's also a good musical interlude with authentic 1940's western swing music.

       “The plot involves a new stage line passing through outlaw territory. Billy, the proprietor of the local Pony Express and the stage owner are friendly rivals for a mail contract. The outlaws try to kill the coach line by attempting to start a feud between the two competitors but ending up with Billy and pals fighting back against them.” Internet Movie Database

DRIFTER, THE (1943)

Director:               Sam Newfield
Writer:                  Patricia Harper
Producer:             Sigmund Neufeld
Cinematog.:         Robert E. Cline
Editor:                   Holbrook N. Todd
Cast:                       Buster Crabbe, Falcon the Horse, Al St. John, Carol Parker, Jack Ingram,
                                 Jimmy Aubrey, Slim Whitaker, Ray Bennett, Kermit Maynard, Roy Brent,
                                 George Chesebro, Foxy Callahan, Herman Hack, Robert F. Hill, Wally West

Synopsis:   “Billy Carson discovers that "Drifter" Davis, an exact double, has been impersonating him in order to cover up a series of bank robberies. When the sheriff jails Davis, believing him to be Carson, Billy sees the chance to turn the tables and clear his name. He impersonates Davis and takes his place as a sharpshooter with the Sally Dawson Medicine Show that is traveling though the area. Just about the time that Billy gets a lead that ties up Dirk Trent, the show's publicity man, with the bank robberies, Billy's pal, Fuzzy Jones, causes complications by helping Davis escape from jail, thinking he is the real Billy Carson.” Internet Movie Database

FIGHTING VALLEY (1943)

Director:             Oliver Drake
Writer:      Oliver Drake
Producers:         Arthur Alexander, Alfred Stern
Cinematog.:       Ira H. Morgan
Editor:                 Charles Henkel Jr.
Cast:                    Dave O'Brien, James Newill, Guy Wilkerson, Patti McCarty, John Merton,
                               Robert Bice, Stanley Price, Mary MacLaren, John Elliott, Charles King,
                               Jimmy Aubrey, Roy Brent, Budd Buster, Jess Cavin, Curley Dresden,
                                Carl Mathews, George Morrell, Hal Price, Wally West, Don Weston,
                                Dan White, Tex Williams

Synopsis:   “The Independent Smelting Company is being forced out of business through ore shipments being hijacked while on the way from the various mines. Ma Donovan, owner of the Elkhorn Mine, asks for help from Texas Rangers Tex Wyatt, Jim Steele and Panhandle Perkins. They learn from Frank Burke, manager of the smelter, that if he cannot get ore he will be forced to close, and the miners will have to do business with the Rio Grande Corporation owned by Dan Wakely. Joan Manning, owner of the smelter, arrives from the east, with her fiancée Paul Jackson and, acting on his advice, intends to sell the smelter to Wakely's company. At a meeting, with the Rangers present, Joan instructs Paul to prepare an inventory of the plant for the sale, and he remarks that it is practically bankrupt. Tex suggests that the miners use the remark by Jackson to declare it bankrupt and appoint a receiver. They do so and make Tex the receiver...” Internet Movie Database

FUGITIVE OF THE PLAINS (1943)

Director:                 Sam Newfield
Writer:                     George Wallace Sayre
Producer:                Sigmund Neufeld
Music:                    Leo Erdody
Cinematog.:           Jack Greenhalgh
Editor:                     Holbrook N. Todd
Cast:                        Buster Crabbe, Al St. John, Maxine Leslie, Jack Ingram, Kermit Maynard,
                                   Karl Hackett, Hal Price, George Chesebro, Frank Ellis, John Merton,
                                  Jimmy Aubrey, Hank Bell, Budd Buster, Art Dillard, Curley Dresden,
                                  Tex Harper, Kansas Moehring, Artie Ortego, Carl Sepulveda

Synopsis:   “Billy the Kid learns that someone in Red Rock is impersonating him, causing a warrant to be issued for his arrest. On the way there he and Fuzzy Jones witness a hold-up by a gang of outlaws led by Kate Shelly and Billy decides to join the gang in order to clear his name. Kate sends Billy to rob the stagecoach and then has the sheriff tipped off so that Billy will be caught. Billy captures two of Kate's gang and learns about the tip-off, and tells Kate he couldn't pull off the robbery because the sheriff had been informed. Kate gives Billy the assignment of helping her rob the Red Rock Bank and, this time, Billy tells the Sheriff but he also warns Kate not to go through with the robbery because he knows she will be caught. But Kate, suspicious of Billy, has him imprisoned and rides on over to Red Rock to rob the bank. Kate is wounded in the hold-up and flees with the Sheriff in hot pursuit...” Internet Movie Database

FUZZY SETTLES DOWN (1944)

Director:                  Sam Newfield
Writer:   Louise Rousseau
Producer:                Sigmund Neufeld
Cinematog.:            Jack Greenhalgh
Editor:                     Holbrook N. Todd
Cast:                         Buster Crabbe, Falcon (Billy's Horse), Al St. John, Patti McCarty, Charles
                                   King, John Merton, Frank McCarroll, Hal Price, John Elliott, Ed Cassidy,
   Robert F. Hill, Jimmy Aubrey, Silver Tip Baker, Holly Bane, Hank
                                   Bell, Horace B. Carpenter, John L. Cason, Steve Clark, Ben Corbett, Bert
                                   Dillard, Morgan Flowers, Herman Hack, Chick Hannon, Jack Hendricks, Ray
Jones, Ted Mapes, George Morrell, Artie Ortego, Tex Palmer, Edward Peil Sr.,
                                   Jack Tornek, Wally West, Dan White

Review:   “Of all of the B Western sidekicks, Smiley Burnette was the only one to get top billing in a B Western. Fuzzy Settles Down should have had Al St. John with top billing in the credits. As Fuzzy Q. Jones, St. John is the title character and he has the most screen time. Buster Crabbe, as Billy Carson, is a strong hero, but he really is like a "reverse sidekick" for most of the movie. It is strange, but in the way that sidekicks usually said things to build up the image of the hero, Billy Carson's words and actions work to strengthen Fuzzy's character.

       “Fuzzy earns reward money (with Billy's help) for catching two bank robbers. He is determined to use that money to settle down somewhere. When Fuzzy and Billy happen to ride into a town where the local newspaper is up for auction, Fuzzy decides to buy it. They use the newspaper to help rid the town of local bandits. Billy Carson moves the plot along at all the right times, but it is only at the climax of the movie that he does anything significant.

       “Al St. John was usually a better actor than the lead actors he supported, and the people at PRC must have been aware of it. He absolutely knew how to entertain and draw attention to himself while on screen. This movie is his showcase. If you are a fan of Fuzzy Q. Jones, this movie spotlights his character more than usual.”    Internet Movie Database

GUNS OF THE LAW (1944)

Director:                      Elmer Clifton
Writer:                         Elmer Clifton
Producer:                    Arthur Alexander
Cinematog.:                Edward A. Kull
Editor:                          Charles Henkel Jr.
Cast:                             Dave O'Brien, James Newill, Guy Wilkerson, Jennifer Holt, Budd Buster,
                                        Charles King, Jack Ingram, Bob Kortman, Robert Barron, Frank
                                       McCarroll, Bud Osborne, Slim Whitaker, Dan White

Synopsis:   “The 11th in the series of 14 "Texas Rangers" westerns from P.R.C. that starred Dave O'Brien and Jim Newill, before Newill was replaced by Tex Ritter in the concluding eight films of a very bad 22-films series: Lillian Wilkins and her old Civil War Veteran Uncle Jed Wilkins own a ranch through which a pipeline will be laid. They are unaware of this but Dan Tyndall, Joe Hyslop and Tom Binns are aware of the possibilities for a quick profit and set out to prove through crooked-surveyor Sam Brisco that the land has been improperly surveyed and not rightfully the possession of the Wilkins. They go to family friend and attorney Kendall Lowther for advice and this is not a good move as Lowther is actually the brains behind the scheme to beat them out of their property. But Texas Rangers Tex Wyatt and Jim Steele show up to take a hand on the side of the Wilkins. That also means that Panhandle Perkins...” Internet Movie Database

GUNSMOKE MESA (1944)

Director:                       Harry L. Fraser
Writer:                          Elmer Clifton
Producer:                      Arthur Alexander
Cinematog.:      Ira H. Morgan
Editor:                            Charles Henkel Jr.
Cast:                               James Newill, Dave O'Brien, Guy Wilkerson, Patti McCarty, Jack Ingram,
                                         Kermit Maynard, Robert Barron, Richard Alexander, Michael Vallon,
                                         Roy Brent, Jack Rockwell, Budd Buster, Rose Plumer, Don Weston,
                                         Tom Andrews

Synopsis:   “Black's men kill a couple but fail to find their baby that will make Black a fortune. The Texas Rangers arrive to find the murdered couple and the baby and soon find themselves accused of the murder. As the other two Rangers investigate, Panhandle turns on a gramophone recorder to try and record the baby. Just then Black and his men arrive making him a prisoner and what they say will later prove to be the evidence needed to convict them.” Internet Movie Database

MYSTERIOUS RIDER, THE (a/k/a PANHANDLE TRAIL) (1943)

Director:                      Sam Newfield (as Sherman Scott)
Writer:                         Sam Robins
Producer:                     Sigmund Neufeld
Cinematog.:                Jack Greenhalgh
Editor:                          Holbrook N. Todd
Cast:          Buster Crabbe, Al St. John, Caroline Burke, John Merton, Edwin Brian,
   Jack Ingram, Slim Whitaker, Kermit Maynard, Ted Adams, Jimmy Aubrey,
                                       Art Dillard, Bert Dillard, Frank Ellis, Augie Gomez, Karl Hackett, Joe
                                       Phillips

Synopsis:   “Escaping from the Marshal, Billy and Fuzzy ride to Laramy only to find it a ghost town. Sykes and his gang have driven people away while they look for the gold mine of a man they have killed. Billy hopes to straighten things out, but is in more trouble when his true identity becomes known.” Internet Movie Database

OUTLAW ROUNDUP (1944)

Director:                       Harry L. Fraser
Writer:                          Elmer Clifton
Producer:                     Alfred Stern
Cinematog.:   Ira H. Morgan
Editor:                           Charles Henkel Jr.
Cast:                              James Newill, Dave O'Brien, Guy Wilkerson, Helen Chapman, Jack Ingram,
                                        I. Stanford Jolley, Charles King, Reed Howes, Bud Osborne, Frank Ellis,
                                        Budd Buster, Jimmy Aubrey, Jess Cavin, Aleth Hansen, Frank McCarroll,
                                        George Morrell, Cal Shrum, Jack Tornek, Dan White

Synopsis:   “Before he was sent to prison, Spade Norton buried the $200,000 he took from a robbery. Tex arrives posing as Norton and gets into the local outlaw gang. But unknown to Tex, Norton had broken out and now appears to expose him as a fake. As the outlaws head out to retrieve the money and finish off Tex, he leaves a clue for his two Ranger partners.” Internet Movie Database

PINTO BANDIT, THE (1944)

Director:                       Elmer Clifton
Writer:                           Elmer Clifton
Producer: Alfred Stern
Cinematog.:   Edward A. Kull
Editor:                           Charles Henkel Jr.
Cast:                              Dave O'Brien, James Newill, Guy Wilkerson, Mady Lawrence, James
                                        Martin, Jack Ingram, Ed Cassidy, Budd Buster, Karl Hackett, Bob
                                        Kortman, Charles King, Jimmy Aubrey, Herman Hack, Jack Hendricks,
                                        Ben Johnson, Carl Mathews, Kermit Maynard, Don Weston

Review:   “A mostly routine Western about the Texas Rangers, "The Pinto Bandit" is mostly worth watching for one fast-paced action sequence. The story itself is mildly interesting. Someone is using violence to interfere with a mail line, and the Rangers have only two clues - a Pinto horse and a bullet size. Most of the characters are not very interesting, although the story itself brings a couple of mild surprises. The best part comes when there is a big race to settle some of the issues involved with the mail line - the race ties together the rest of the plot, and has a couple of exciting moments. Except for that, the movie is not particularly memorable.” Internet Movie Database

RANGERS TAKE OVER, THE (1943)

Director:                      Albert Herman
Writer:                         Elmer Clifton
Producers:                  Arthur Alexander, Alfred Stern
Cinematog.:                Robert E. Cline
Editor:                          Charles Henkel Jr.
Cast:                            Dave O'Brien, James Newill, Guy Wilkerson, Iris Meredith, Forrest Taylor,
                                       I. Stanford Jolley, Charles King, Carl Mathews, Harry Harvey, Lynton
                                       Brent, Bud Osborne, Cal Shrum, Cal Shrum's Rhythm Rangers, Jimmy
                                       Aubrey, Hank Bell, Jess Cavin, Rusty Cline, Rube Dalroy, Art Dillard, Art
   Fowler, Robert Hoag, George Morrell, Jack Tornek, Art Wenzel, Don
                                       Weston, Slim Whitaker

Synopsis:   “Texas Ranger Sergeant Jim Steele (Jim Newill) spots Pete Dawson (Bud Osborne) taking horses over the Mexico-Texas border, but Dawson has an alibi. A new group of recruits arrives at the Ranger station, among them, Tex Wyatt (Dave O'Brien), the son of Ranger Captain John Wyatt (Forrest Taylor), whom he hasn't seen for many years. Captain Wyatt tells Tex that, in the Rangers, he is there strictly on his own merit and there will be no favors played. He assigns Tex to pick up Dawson's trail, but orders that no arrest be made without proof. Jim, Tex and Ranger Panhandle Perkins (Guy Wilkerson) find Dawson and his men at the Oasis Trading Post where, forgetting his orders, Tex tries to arrest him. A fight ensues until Jean Lorin (Iris Meredith), the Post owner, covers the fighters with a gun and demands they stop. Dawson escapes and Captain Wyatt dismisses Tex from the Ranger Service for disobeying orders...” Internet Movie Database

RENEGADE, THE (a/k/a CODE OF THE PLAINS) (1943)

Director:                      Sam Newfield
Writers:                       Milton Raison (as George Milton), George Wallace Sayre (as George Milton)
Producer:                     Sigmund Neufeld
Editor:      Holbrook N. Todd
Cast:                              Buster Crabbe, Al St. John, Lois Ranson, Karl Hackett, Ray Bennett, Frank
                                       Hagney, Jack Rockwell, Tom London, George Chesebro, Jimmy Aubrey,
                                        Art Dillard, Jack Evans, Herman Hack, Chick Hannon, Silver Harr,
                                        Jack Montgomery, Milburn Morante, Jack Tornek, Wally West, Dan White

Synopsis:   “ This 18th entry, of 19, in PRC's "Billy the Kid" series (first six starring Bob Steele and the last 13 with Buster Crabbe) finds town banker John Martin (Karl Hackett) calling on Billy (Buster Crabbe) and Fuzzy (Al St. John) for help in capturing the men that robbed his bank. Billy figures that sooner or later some of the money will be put in circulation and, through the serial numbers, the outlaws can be identified. The gang is led by town Mayor Dave Hill (Ray Bennett) who wants to wipe out the bank and the rancher's money source so that he can take over their lands that are on, unknown to them, rich oil deposits. Billy suspects the Mayor, but before he and Fuzzy break into the Mayor's office and find the stolen money, John Martin is framed and accused of robbing his own bank.” Internet Movie Database

RETURN OF THE RANGERS (1943)

Director:                       Elmer Clifton
Writer:                          Elmer Clifton
Producers:                   Arthur Alexander, Alfred Stern
Music:                           Lee Zahler
Cinematog.:                Robert E. Cline
Editor:                          Charles Henkel Jr.
Cast:                              Dave O'Brien, James Newill, Guy Wilkerson, Nell O'Day, Glenn Strange,
                                        Emmett Lynn, I. Stanford Jolley, Robert Barron, Henry Hall, Harry
                                        Harvey, Richard Alexander, Hank Bell, Horace B. Carpenter, Steve Clark,
                                        Tex Cooper, Curley Dresden, Art Fowler, Herman Hack, Charles King,
                                        Rose Plumer, Art Wenzel, Wally West

Synopsis:   “Texas Rangers Tex Wyatt "Dave O'Brien (I)' ), Jim Steele (James Newill) and Panhandle Perkins Guy Wilkerson) are on their way to Custer and, as they ride through the hills, waiting for Jim to finish his song, they save the life of Anne Miller (Nell O'Day), who is being pursued by rustlers. Not disclosing their identities as Rangers, Jim accepts a job offer on the Miller ranch, while Tex and Panhandle ride on to Custer. Jim and Anne come upon Frank Martin (Glenn Strange), the manager of the Custer Land and Cattle Company, trying to evict a number of old people from their homes. The oldsters are pioneers of the county who had been promised homes for the balance of their lives by the recently-deceased ranch owner. Anne is managing the ranch, pending the arrival of Philip Dobbs (Harry Harvey), the trustee of the estate. Tex, on the way to town, witnesses the hold-up of a buckboard carrying three people; Philip Dobbs...” Internet Movie Database

RUSTLERS’ HIDEOUT (1944)

Director:                       Sam Newfield
Writer:                          Joseph O'Donnell
Producer:      Sigmund Neufeld
Cinematog.:      Jack Greenhalgh
Editor:                           Holbrook N. Todd
Cast:                               Buster Crabbe, Al St. John, Patti McCarty, Charles King, John Merton,
                                         Terry Frost, Hal Price, Lane Chandler, Al Ferguson, Frank McCarroll, Ed
   Cassidy, Falcon (Billy's Horse), Bob Burns, John L. Cason, Steve Clark,
                                         Bud Osborne, Edward Peil Sr., Wally West

Synopsis:   “Bringing a herd of cattle to Dave Crockett, Billy halts before going through the pass where many herds have been rustled. He is right as there are two men after Crockett's ranch and packing plant which will be theirs if Crockett fails to pay off his note. When their attempt to get Crockett's son in financial trouble is broken up by Billy and their men fail to rustle the herd, they then poison the water hole.” Internet Movie Database

SPOOK TOWN (1944)

Director:                     Elmer Clifton
Writer:                        Elmer Clifton
Producer:                   Arthur Alexander
Music:   Lee Zahler
Cinematog.:               Robert E. Cline
Editor:                        Charles Henkel Jr.
Cast:                            Dave O'Brien, James Newill, Guy Wilkerson, Mady Lawrence, Dick Curtis,
                                      Harry Harvey, Ed Cassidy, Charles King, Robert Barron, Richard
                                     Alexander, John L. Cason, Bert Dillard, John Elliott, Chick Hannon, Kermit
                                     Maynard, Jack Tornek

Synopsis:   “[Dry] Gulch Trading Post owner Kurt Fabian advances money on mortgages to the local settlers to finance an irrigation program. Three Texas Rangers, Tex Wyatt, Jim Steele and Panhandle Perkins transport the money in a strong box which they place in the Wells Fargo safe as agent Sam Benson assures them that he is the only one who knows the safe combination. Fabian conspires with Bill Gunner, Breed Crocker and Trigger Booth to steal the money and they fail, but Fabian gets it on his own. Benson is arrested, and a committee of citizens, led by Oscar Perrin accuse Captain Wyatt and the Rangers of carelessness and request the resignation of the Captain if the money is not recovered. Fabian owns the abandoned ghost town of "Mystic", and Gunner, Crocker and Booth take him there to force him to tell where he has hidden the money, They shoot at his feet to intimidate him and he dies from fright and shock...” Internet Movie Database

THUNDERING GUN SLINGERS (1944)

Director:                    Sam Newfield
Writer:                        Fred Myton
Producer:                   Sigmund Neufeld
Cinematog.:              Robert E. Cline
Editor:                        Holbrook N. Todd
Cast:                            Buster Crabbe, Al St. John, Frances Gladwin, Charles King, Jack Ingram,
                                      Karl Hackett, Kermit Maynard, Budd Buster, George Chesebro, Jimmy
                                     Aubrey, Hank Bell, Ralph Bucko, Roy Bucko, Bert Dillard, Augie Gomez,
                                     Herman Hack, Jack Hendricks, Reed Howes, Cactus Mack, Jack
                                     Montgomery, George Morrell, Wally West

Synopsis:   “When Billy Carson's uncle is lynched as a supposed rustler, Billy arrives looking for the murderers. He finds that Steve Kirby holds a forged note on his Uncle's ranch. When Kirby sees that Billy means trouble for him, he has him framed for murder. Then just as he is inciting the mob to lynch him, Billy's new friend Doc Jones is trying to break him out of jail.” Internet Movie Database

TRAIL OF TERROR (1943)

Director:                    Oliver Drake
Writer:                       Oliver Drake
Producers:   Arthur Alexander, Alfred Stern
Cinematog.:    Ira H. Morgan
Editor:                        Charles Henkel Jr.
Cast:                            Dave O'Brien, James Newill, Guy Wilkerson, Patricia Knox, Jack Ingram,
I. Stanford Jolley, Budd Buster, Robert F. Hill, Frank Ellis, Kenne Duncan,
                                      Jimmy Aubrey, Artie Ortego, Rose Plumer, Tom Smith, Wally West, Slim
                                     Whitaker, Dan White

Synopsis:   “Belle Blaine, owner of the Crystal Palace Saloon at the Cold Springs outpost, makes plans with Nevada Simmons to rob the stagecoach. Curly Wyatt, the stage driver and infatuated with Belle, agrees to take part. In a fight at the Red Rock relay station, the station attendant, Al, is wounded but recognizes Curly among the outlaws. Texas Rangers Dave Wyatt, Jim Steele and Panhandle Perkins are on their way to Red Rock, where Dave tells the other two he expects to see his twin, Curly, whom he hasn't seen in years. At the station, Al mistakes Dave for Curly and accuses him of being in on the robbery. Meanwhile, Curly has had a change of heart, and, after taking the robbery loot away from gang-member Hank, is hiding out in a cabin and sends for Dave, with the intention of returning the money. The gang arrives after Dave, and Curly is killed in a shootout. When the gang enters the cabin, Dave poses as Curly and makes them believe it was his twin that made off with the loot...” Internet Movie Database

VALLEY OF VENGEANCE, THE (1944)

Director:                     Sam Newfield
Writer:                        Joseph O'Donnell
Producer:                   Sigmund Neufeld
Cinematog.:               Jack Greenhalgh
Editor:   Holbrook N. Todd
Cast:       Buster Crabbe, Falcon (Billy's Horse), Al St. John, Evelyn Finley, Donald
                                      Mayo, David Polonsky, Glenn Strange, Charles King, John Merton, Lynton
                                      Brent, Jack Ingram, Bud Osborne, Nora Bush, Steve Clark, Gene Alsace,
                                     Jimmy Aubrey, Hank Bell, Roy Bucko, Budd Buster, John L. Cason, Ed
   Cassidy, Jess Cavin, Tex Cooper, Ben Corbett, Bert Dillard, Curley Dresden,
                                     John Elliott, Morgan Flowers, Augie Gomez, Herman Hack, Jack Hendricks,
                                     Jack Kenny, Eddie Laughton, Cactus Mack, Carl Mathews, Merrill
                                     McCormick, George Morrell, Artie Ortego, Pascale Perry, Lew Porter, Jack
   Tornek, Wally West, Dan White

Synopsis:   “By the numbers-type summary, for those who don't care who played what, finds this one opening with the shooting of two prominent town-officials by Billy Casrson, who as a youth witnessed a band of outlaws, led by the prominent citizens, massacre his and Fuzzy's parents who were members of a wagon train heading west. In retrospect, Billy tells his story to the Marshal about how the members of the covered-wagon trek, trusted an attorney who stole their money and then bought his gang to wipe them out and gain their promised lands, to make a fortune for himself and his henchmen.” Internet Movie Database

WESTERN CYCLONE (1943)

Director:                     Sam Newfield
Writer:                        Patricia Harper
Producer:                    Sigmund Neufeld
Music:                          Leo Erdody
Cinematog.:                Robert E. Cline
Editor:                         Holbrook N. Todd
Cast:                            Buster Crabbe, Al St. John, Marjorie Manners, Karl Hackett, Milton Kibbee,
                                       Glenn Strange, Charles King, Hal Price, Kermit Maynard, Jack Ingram,
                                       Jimmy Aubrey, Barney Beasley, Hank Bell, Lane Bradford, Steve Clark,
                                       Victor Cox, Rube Dalroy, Art Dillard, Bert Dillard, Frank Ellis, Jack Evans,
                                       Morgan Flowers, Lou Fulton, Herman Hack, Al Haskell, George Hazel,
                                       Robert F. Hill, Frank McCarroll, Milburn Morante, Lew Morphy, George
                                      Morrell, Charles Murray Jr., Artie Ortego, Jack Tornek, Wally West

Synopsis:   “Randall is trying to get the Governor impeached so he can take over control of the state. Knowing the Governor and Billy are good friends, he has Billy framed for murder. Fuzzy finds the shell and Billy sees it has a peculiar mark. Now they have to find the owner of that gun.” Internet Movie Database

WEST OF TEXAS (1943)

Director:   Oliver Drake
Writer:                          Oliver Drake
Producers:                   Arthur Alexander, Alfred Stern
Cinematog.:   Ira H. Morgan
Editor:                           Charles Henkel Jr.
Cast:                             Dave O'Brien, James Newill, Guy Wilkerson, Frances Gladwin, Henry Hall,
                                        Marilyn Hare, Robert Barron, Jack Ingram, Jack Rockwell, Tom London,
                                        Art Fowler, Hank Bell, Roy Butler, Victor Cox, Rube Dalroy, Curley
                                        Dresden, Jack Evans, Herman Hack, Chick Hannon, Carl Mathews,
George Morrell, Matty Roubert, Jack Tornek, Wally West

Synopsis:   “Texas Rangers Tex and Jim head to New Mexico to bring in Yeager and his men who are fighting the new railroad. The real crooks however are Calloway and his lawyer Conlon who have been forging deeds and rustling cattle. When Tex sets a trap to bring in Yeager, Jim refuses and the two Rangers find themselves on opposite sides.” Internet Movie Database

WILD HORSE RUSTLERS (1943)

Director:                       Sam Newfield
Writer:                          Joseph O'Donnell
Producer:                     Sigmund Neufeld
Music:   Leo Erdody
Editor:   Holbrook N. Todd
Cast:          Robert Livingston, Al St. John, Lane Chandler, Linda Leighton, Frank Ellis,
                                        Stanley Price, Karl Hackett, Jimmy Aubrey, Robert F. Hill, Ben Corbett,
                                        Curley Dresden, Silver Harr, Milton Kibbee, Bud McClure, Kansas
                                        Moehring, Artie Ortego

Synopsis:   “The setting is WWII and Hans Beckman has arrived from Germany with a mission of destroying horses before they can be sold to the government. He kidnaps and replaces his twin brother as ranch foreman, but Tom Cameron suspects something is wrong and with sidekick Fuzzy sets out to learn the truth.” Internet Movie Database

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Buster Crabbe Series