''Cattle Town'' is a 1952 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 Noel M. Smith and written by Thomas W. Blackburn. The film stars

Dennis Morgan Dennis Morgan (born Earl Stanley Morner; December 20, 1908 – September 7, 1994) was an American actor-singer. He used the acting pseudonym Richard Stanley before adopting the name under which he gained his greatest fame. According to one ob ...

Philip Carey Philip Carey (born Eugene Joseph Carey, July 15, 1925February 6, 2009) was an American actor, well-known for playing the role of Asa Buchanan on the soap opera ''One Life to Live'' for nearly three decades. Early life and education On July 15 ...

Amanda Blake Amanda Blake (born Beverly Louise Neill; February 20, 1929 – August 16, 1989) was an American actress best known for the role of the red-haired saloon proprietress "Miss Kitty Russell" on the Western television series ''Gunsmoke''. Along with ...

Rita Moreno Rita Moreno (born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano; December 11, 1931) is an American actress, dancer, and singer. With a career spanning eight decades she is known for her roles on stage and screen, and is one of the last remaining stars from t ...

Paul Picerni Horacio Paul Picerni (December 1, 1922 – January 12, 2011) was an American actor in film and television, perhaps best known today in the role of Federal Agent Lee Hobson, second-in-command to Robert Stack's Eliot Ness, in the ABC hit televisi ...

and

Ray Teal Ray Elgin Teal (January 12, 1902The book ''Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory'' gives Teal's birth date as January 12, 1908. – April 2, 1976) was an American actor. His most famous role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee on the televis ...

. The film was released by

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

on September 6, 1952.

Plot

Mike McGann is sent by a government official in

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

to help rich rancher Judd Hastings get squatters off his land. When he arrives, he realizes Hastings is actually running everyone out of the region and illegally seizing their cattle. After coming to rancher Ben Curran's rescue, Mike vows to help others get their property back. Marian Hastings begins to realize that her father is in the wrong, particularly after learning he plans a stampede to disrupt Mike and the others. Marian, thrown from her horse and knocked unconscious, is in grave danger. Hastings tries to save his daughter and is killed. She and Mike decide to run the Hastings ranch together.

Production

Studio chief

Jack L. Warner Jack Leonard Warner (born Jacob Warner; August 2, 1892 – September 9, 1978) was a Canadian-born American film executive, who was the president and driving force behind the Warner Bros., Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. Warner's ca ...

wanted to terminate star Dennis Morgan's expensive contract. Morgan had been starring in elaborate musicals and comedies, and Warner now cast Morgan in an inexpensive western to be produced by

Bryan Foy Bryan Foy (December 8, 1896 – April 20, 1977) was an American film producer and film director, director. He produced more than 200 films between 1924 and 1963. He also directed 41 films between 1923 and 1934. He headed the B picture unit a ...

, an old hand at low-budget Warner productions. Warner also brought back Noel Smith, a fast-and-cheap director from the silent-film days, remembered as a specialist in reckless and dangerous action scenes. Warner was certain that Morgan would refuse the assignment and break the contract, but Morgan reported for work as scheduled and made the film for Smith.

Reception

''Cattle Town'' was never intended to be an important picture and critical comment reflected that. ''Motion Picture Daily'' gave it good marks anyway: "A husky western that develops along formula lines but contains an ample amount of fighting and some vocalizing by Dennis Morgan, this picture stacks up fairly well for its type." ''The Exhibitor'' was less indulgent: "A routine western in every sense, this doesn't have much that hasn't been seen before. This is formula on a low budget." Least enthusiastic was ''Film Bulletin'': "This Bryan Foy western for Warners has little to recommend it. Made on a minor league budget, it gives little indication that it is a product of a major studio. A fair amount of action will get it by in theaters where westerns are in demand, but elsewhere ''Cattle Town'' rates only the lower slot on dual bills. It's definitely not for better class houses. Exhibitor comment was mixed. "A good western type picture, well balanced with action, comedy, and music. Did a fair weekend business." "Did poor business on this one." One report echoed Jack Warner's original intention to drive Morgan out of pictures with a hack movie: "Poor western. Dennis Morgan is just about washed up. The story, acting, and direction are all second rate, and the action fans will be disappointed, as there isn't very much action. Morgan bursts into song at the drop of a gun, and makes the story more ridiculous."Mel Edelstein, Lybba Theatre, Hibbing, Minnesota.

Cast

as Mike McGann *

as Ben Curran *

as Marian Hastings *

as Queli *

as Pepe *

as Judd Hastings *

Jay Novello Jay Novello (born Michael Romano, August 22, 1904 – September 2, 1982) was an American radio, film, and television character actor. Radio career Novello began his 47-year acting career in the 1930s, performing as a character on radio. ...

as Felipe Rojas *

George O'Hanlon George O'Hanlon (November 23, 1912 – February 11, 1989) was an American actor, comedian and writer. He was best known for his role as Joe McDoakes in the Warner Bros.' live-action ''Joe McDoakes'' short subjects from 1942 to 1956 and as the voic ...

as Shiloh *

Robert J. Wilke Robert Joseph Wilke (May 18, 1914 – March 28, 1989) was an American film and television actor noted primarily for his roles as villains, mostly in Westerns. Early years Wilke was a native of Cincinnati. Before going into acting, he h ...

as Keeno *

Sheb Wooley Shelby Fredrick Wooley (April 10, 1921 – September 16, 2003) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He recorded a series of novelty songs, including the 1958 hit rock-and-roll comedy single "The Purple People Eater", and under the name ...

as Miller * Charles Meredith as Texas Governor *

Merv Griffin Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway theatre, Broadway. From 1962 to 1986, G ...

as Joe

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0044490, Cattle Town 1952 films Warner Bros. films American Western (genre) films 1952 Western (genre) films Films directed by Noel M. Smith Films scored by William Lava American black-and-white films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films English-language Western (genre) films