''Death Valley Manhunt'' is a 1943 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 John English and written by Norman S. Hall and

Anthony Coldeway Anthony W. Coldeway (August 1, 1887 – January 29, 1963) was an American screenwriter who had an extensive career from 1910 through 1954. Although most of his work was on films, he did some writing for television and also was the director of a s ...

. The film stars

Wild Bill Elliott Wild Bill Elliott (born Gordon Nance, October 16, 1904 – November 26, 1965) was an American film actor. He specialized in playing the rugged heroes of B Westerns, particularly the Red Ryder series of films. Early life Elliott was born G ...

George "Gabby" Hayes George Francis "Gabby" Hayes (May 7, 1885 – February 9, 1969) was an American actor. He began as something of a leading man and a character player, but he was best known for his numerous appearances in B-Western (genre), Western film series as ...

, Anne Jeffreys, Weldon Heyburn,

Herbert Heyes Herbert Harrison Heyes (August 3, 1889 – May 31, 1958) was an American film actor. He appeared in nearly 100 films between 1915 and 1956, including the famed 1947 film '' Miracle on 34th Street'', in which he played an ahistorical "Mr. Gimbel ...

and Davison Clark. The film was released on November 24, 1943, by

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures is currently an acquisition-only label owned by Paramount Pictures. Its history dates back to Republic Pictures Corporation, an American film studio that originally operated from 1935 to 1967, based in Los Angeles, California ...

Plot

Marshall Wild Bill Elliot pursues a retirement of ranching after enjoying a successful career. Elliot's friend, Gabby Hayes tries to get him to go to

Death Valley Death Valley is a desert valley in Eastern California, in the northern Mojave Desert, bordering the Great Basin Desert. It is thought to be the Highest temperature recorded on Earth, hottest place on Earth during summer. Death Valley's Badwat ...

, where Hayes owns land used for oil drilling. Elliot declines the offer but Hayes travels to the area with his dog, Teabone. Whilst in the nearby town, Hayes speaks with his friend and fellow oil driller Tex Benson, who warns him not to come into contact with a certain Richard Quinn, the field manager of another oil extraction company who has secret attempts to sabotage smaller oil companies. Following an attack on his well by Quinn's henchmen, Benson proceeds to steal equipment from Quinn's own well. Quinn then takes Benson to court where Judge Jim Hobart (who reluctantly works for Quinn) issues an arrest warrant for Benson. Marshall Hugh Ward is sent to arrest Benson, but ends up being killed accidentally. Quinn claims the death was a murder by Benson and has him imprisoned by Hobart.

Cast

as Marshal Wild Bill Elliott *

as Gabby Hayes * Anne Jeffreys as Nicky Hobart * Weldon Heyburn as Richard Quinn *

as Judge Jim Hobart *Davison Clark as Tex Benson *

Pierce Lyden Pierce W. Lyden (January 8, 1908 – October 10, 1998) was an American actor best known for his work in television and film Westerns. Early life Lyden was born in a sod house on a ranch near Hildreth, Nebraska on January 8, 1908. The son of a hor ...

as Clayton *Charles Murray Jr. as Danny *

Jack Kirk Jack Kirk (February 19, 1895 – September 13, 1948) was an American film actor from Missoula, Montana who had roles in over 300 films, mostly B-westerns, from 1926 and 1954. He is interred in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles ...

as Marshal Hugh Ward * Eddie Phillips as Deputy Marshal Blaine *

Bud Geary Bud Geary (born Sigsbee Maine Geary;Freese, Gene Scott (2014). Hollywood Stunt Performers, 1910s—1970s: A Biographical Dictionary'. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 103. ."California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994", Famil ...

as Henchman Sid Roberts *Al Taylor as Deputy Marshal Lawson

References

External links

* 1943 films American Western (genre) films 1943 Western (genre) films Republic Pictures films Films directed by John English Films set in Inyo County, California American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films Films scored by Mort Glickman English-language Western (genre) films {{1940s-US-Western-film-stub