''Frontier Marshal'' is a 1939 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

Allan Dwan Allan Dwan (born Joseph Aloysius Dwan; April 3, 1885 – December 28, 1981) was a pioneering Canadian-born American motion picture director, producer, and screenwriter. Early life Born Joseph Aloysius Dwan in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Dwan, wa ...

and starring

Randolph Scott George Randolph Scott (January 23, 1898 – March 2, 1987) was an American film actor whose career spanned the years from 1928 to 1962. As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in a variety of ...

Wyatt Earp Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American lawman and gambler in the American West, including Dodge City, Deadwood, and Tombstone. Earp took part in the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, during which la ...

. The film is the second produced by

Sol M. Wurtzel Solomon Max Wurtzel (September 12, 1890 – April 9, 1958) was an American film producer. Life and career Born in New York City, the second of five brothers; his parents were both Polish Jews from the village of Ulanow (Surname ''Wurtzel'' i ...

based on

Stuart N. Lake Stuart Nathaniel Lake (September 23, 1889 in Rome, New York – January 27, 1964 in San Diego, California) was an American writer, professional wrestling promoter, and press aide who focused on the American Old West. Professional career Lake w ...

's biography of Earp '' Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal'' (later found to be largely fictionalized). An earlier version was Wurtzel's '' Frontier Marshal'', filmed in 1934. The film was remade by

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

in 1946 as ''

My Darling Clementine ''My Darling Clementine'' is a 1946 American Western film directed by John Ford and starring Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp during the period leading up to the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The ensemble cast also features Victor Mature (as Doc Hol ...

'', including whole scenes reshot from the 1939 film. ''Frontier Marshal'' costars

Nancy Kelly Nancy Kelly (March 25, 1921 – January 2, 1995) was an American actress in film, theater and television. A child actress and model, she was a repertory cast member of CBS Radio's ''The March of Time'' and appeared in several films in the late 1 ...

Cesar Romero Cesar Julio Romero Jr. (February 15, 1907 – January 1, 1994) was an American actor and activist. He was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years. His wide range of screen roles included Latin lovers, historical figures in c ...

as " Doc Halliday" (the name was changed for the film from the original "Holliday" because of fear of a lawsuit from Holliday's family),

John Carradine John Carradine ( ; born Richmond Reed Carradine; February 5, 1906 – November 27, 1988) was an American actor, considered one of the greatest character actors in American cinema. He was a member of Cecil B. DeMille's stock company and later ...

and

Lon Chaney, Jr. Creighton Tull Chaney (February10, 1906 – July12, 1973), known by his stage name Lon Chaney Jr., was an American actor known for playing Larry Talbot in the film '' The Wolf Man'' (1941) and its various crossovers, Count Alucard (Dra ...

Ward Bond Wardell Edwin Bond (April 9, 1903 – November 5, 1960) was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 200 films and starred in the NBC television series ''Wagon Train'' from 1957 to 1960. Among his best-remembered roles are Be ...

appears as the town marshal; Bond was also in the 1934 version, and later appears as

Morgan Earp Morgan Seth Earp (April 24, 1851 – March 18, 1882) was an American sheriff and Marshal, lawman. He served as Tombstone, Arizona, Tombstone, Arizona Territory, Arizona's Special Policeman when he helped his brothers Virgil Earp, Virgil and Wy ...

in Ford's film. Eddie Foy, Jr. plays the large supporting role of his father, entertainer

Eddie Foy Edwin Fitzgerald (March 9, 1856 – February 16, 1928Cullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence; and McNeilly, Donald. ''Vaudeville, Old and New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America''. Routledge Press, September 2006, . pp. 406–410), ...

, in this as well as three other feature films.

Plot

Tombstone, Arizona Tombstone is a historic city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States, founded in 1877 by prospector Ed Schieffelin in what was then Pima County, Arizona Territory. It became one of the last boomtowns in the American frontier. The town gr ...

, the sheriff is unwilling to stop Indian Charlie from shooting up the saloon owned by Ben Carter, so new arrival

does. Earp is beaten by some of Carter's hired men for taking the law into his own hands. Dance hall girl Jerry is upset with Earp, so when her sweetheart Doc Halliday gets to town, a showdown seems imminent. Earp and Doc instead become friends. Earp takes over as the lawman in town and also tries to convince Doc's former sweetheart Sarah Allen that their relationship can still work out. The two men work together after visiting entertainer

is kidnapped, and also when Jerry joins forces with Carter to plan the robbery of a gold shipment. Doc is forced to perform surgery to save a life, then is shot in the back by Carter. Earp avenges his friend's death and Jerry leaves.

Cast

as Sarah Allen *

as Doc Halliday *

Binnie Barnes Gertrude Maud Barnes (25 March 1903 – 27 July 1998), known professionally as Binnie Barnes, was an English actress whose career in films spanned from 1923 to 1973. Early life Barnes was born in Islington, London, the daughter of Rosa Enoy ...

as Jerry *

as Ben Carter *

Edward Norris Septimus Edward Norris (March 10, 1911 – December 18, 2002) was an American film actor. Early years Norris was born in 1911, the son of a prominent Philadelphia gynecologist, who was described in a newspaper article as "a famous surgeon and ...

as Dan Blackmore *

Eddie Foy Jr. Edwin Fitzgerald Jr. (February 4, 1905 – July 15, 1983), known professionally as Eddie Foy Jr., was an American stage, film, and television actor. Early life Edwin Fitzgerald Jr. was born on February 4, 1905, in New Rochelle, New York, the ...

as Town Marshal * Lon Chaney Jr. as Pringle *

Chris-Pin Martin Chris-Pin Martin (born Ysabel Ponciana Chris-Pin Martin Paiz, November 19, 1893 – June 27, 1953) was an American character actor whose specialty lay in portraying comical Mexicans, particularly sidekicks in ''The Cisco Kid'' film series. H ...

as Pete *

Joe Sawyer Joe Sawyer (born Joseph Sauers, August 29, 1906 – April 21, 1982) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1927 and 1962, and was sometimes billed under his birth name. Early life Sawyer was born August 29, 1 ...

as Curley Bill *

Dell Henderson George Delbert "Dell" Henderson (July 5, 1877 – December 2, 1956) was a Canadian-American actor, director, and writer. He began his long and prolific film career in the early days of silent film. Biography Born in the Southwestern Ontario cit ...

as Dave Hall *

Harry Hayden Harry may refer to: TV shows * ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin * ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons * ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...

as Mayor Henderson * Ventura Ybarra as Pablo * Charles Stevens as Indian Charlie *

Tom Tyler Tom Tyler (born Vincent Markowski; August 9, 1903 – May 1, 1954) was an American actor known for his leading roles in low-budget Western films in the silent and sound eras, and for his portrayal of superhero Captain Marvel in the 1941 ...

as Buck Newton (uncredited)

Origins

The film was based on Stuart Lake's book '' Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal'', published two years after Earp's death in 1929. Prior to his death, Earp and his wife Josephine ("Sadie") went to great lengths to keep Josephine's name out of the book, and she threatened litigation to prevent her name from being used in the film. In 1934, she had successfully forced the producers to excise her husband's name from the first film. In 1939, she sued

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...

for $50,000 to prevent it from producing the remake of ''Frontier Marshal''. After agreeing to remove Wyatt Earp's name from the title and settling with Josephine Earp for $5,000, Fox released the film as ''Frontier Marshal''. In Los Angeles, Josephine Earp befriended many celebrities, including Cecil B. DeMille and

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, a ...

. She received part of the money earned by sales of Lake's book about her husband as well as royalties from the film.

References

External links

* * * * {{Allan Dwan 1939 films 1939 Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films American black-and-white films Films directed by Allan Dwan Films scored by David Raksin 20th Century Fox films Cultural depictions of Wyatt Earp Cultural depictions of Doc Holliday Films scored by Samuel Kaylin Films set in Tombstone, Arizona 1930s English-language films 1930s American films