''Johnny Concho'' is a 1956 American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film directed by Don McGuire starring Frank Sinatra, Keenan Wynn, William Conrad and Phyllis Kirk. This was Sinatra's first serious

and the role allowed him to play against type in his portrayal of a person of low repute. The film was unsuccessful for Sinatra, ending a string of 8 hit films (5 in the past 13 months) going back to 1953's '' From Here to Eternity''.

Plot

The mean and boastful Johnny Concho is also a coward, but the people of Cripple Creek, Arizona, let him have his way. They know that Johnny's brother, who doesn't live in town, is the notorious gunfighter Red Concho, someone they truly fear. Mary Dark, daughter of the general store's owner, is in love with Johnny, but isn't yet aware of the kind of man he really is. Johnny has everyone so cowed that, in a card game, he needn't even show his hand to claim the pot. That lasts until the day a man named Tallman comes to town. Tallman calls the bluff of Johnny at the poker table. Johnny wants the sheriff, Henderson, to take care of this, but Tallman stuns everyone by announcing that he recently stood up to Red Concho in another town and killed him. Exposed for the yellow-belly he is, Johnny rides off. Mary still loves him and follows, but wherever Johnny goes, word reaches that he is not a man to be trusted or feared. Tallman, meanwhile, has taken over Johnny's role in Cripple Creek, appointing himself as the law and demanding to be paid a percentage from every business in town. Mary still wants to marry Johnny, but at the wedding his cowardice comes out once more. A man who knew his brother informs him that Red was actually just like Johnny, a blowhard with no guts. Johnny pulls himself together and returns to Cripple Creek to face Tallman in the street. Tallman wounds him, but the townspeople are impressed by Johnny's bravery and willing to help. Mary's father shoots Tallman and kills him. Johnny prepares to leave town, knowing he's not wanted here, but Mary and the others invite him to stay.

Cast

* Frank Sinatra as Johnny Concho / Johnny Collins * Keenan Wynn as Barney Clark * William Conrad as Tallman * Phyllis Kirk as Mary Dark *

Wallace Ford Wallace Ford (born Samuel Grundy Jones; 12 February 1898 – 11 June 1966) was an English-born naturalized American vaudevillian, stage performer and screen actor. Usually playing wise-cracking characters, he combined a tough but friendly-face ...

as Albert Dark * Dorothy Adams as Sarah Dark * Christopher Dark as Walker * Howard Petrie as Joe Helguson, Blacksmith *

Harry Bartell Harry Alfred Bartell (November 29, 1913 – February 26, 2004)Aaker, Everett (2006). ''Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . p. 34. was an American actor and announcer in radio, television and film. Wit ...

as Sam Green *

Dan Riss Frederic Daniel Riss (March 22, 1910 – August 28, 1970) was an American actor who had a career from 1949 to 1965. Filmography References External links * 1910 births 1970 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male f ...

as Judge Earl Tyler *

Willis Bouchey Willis Ben Bouchey (May 24, 1907 – September 27, 1977) was an American character actor who appeared in almost 150 films and television shows. He was born in Vernon, Michigan, but raised by his mother and stepfather in Washington state. ...

as Sheriff Henderson *

Robert Osterloh Robert Osterloh (May 31, 1918 – April 16, 2001) was an American actor. His career spanned 20 years, appearing in films such as '' The Dark Past'' (1948), '' The Wild One'' (1953), '' I Bury the Living'' (1958) and '' Young Dillinger'' (1965). ...

as Duke Lang *

Jean Byron Jean Byron (born Imogene Audette Burkhart; December 10, 1925February 3, 2006) was an American film, television, and stage actress. She is best known for the role of Natalie Lane, Patty Lane's mother in ''The Patty Duke Show''. She was also know ...

as Pearl Lang *

Leo Gordon Leo Vincent Gordon (December 2, 1922 – December 26, 2000) was an American character actor and screenwriter. During more than 40 years in film and television he was most frequently cast as a supporting actor playing brutish bad guys but oc ...

as Mason * Claude Akins as Lem * John Qualen as Jake * Budd Knapp as Pearson (as Wilfred Knapp) * Ben Wright as Benson * Joe Bassett as Harry, Bartender *

Strother Martin Strother Douglas Martin Jr. (March 26, 1919 – August 1, 1980) was an American character actor who often appeared in support of John Wayne and Paul Newman and in Western films directed by John Ford and Sam Peckinpah. Among Martin's memorable p ...

as Townsman

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnny Concho (1956 film) 1956 films 1956 Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films Films produced by Frank Sinatra Films scored by Nelson Riddle United Artists films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films American black-and-white films