''Great Stagecoach Robbery'' is a 1945 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 i ...

film directed by

Howard Bretherton Howard Bretherton (13 February 1890, in Tacoma, Washington – 12 April 1969, in San Diego, California) was an American film director, film editor, and the father of film editor David Bretherton. Career He began his career as a propman and then ...

starring

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 Gor ...

in the role of

Red Ryder Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a seconda ...

and costarring as Little Beaver, actor ''(Bobby)''

Robert Blake Robert Blake may refer to: Sportspeople * Bob Blake (American football) (1885–1962), American football player * Robbie Blake (born 1976), English footballer * Bob Blake (ice hockey) (1914–2008), American ice hockey player * Rob Blake (born 19 ...

. It was the sixth of twenty-three Red Ryder feature films that would be produced by

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City a ...

. The picture was shot on the studio's back lot along with outdoor locations at

Iverson Ranch A movie ranch is a ranch that is at least partially dedicated for use as a set in the creation and production of motion pictures and television shows. These were developed in the United States in southern California, because of the climate. The ...

, 1 Iverson Lane, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Plot

In the 1890s town of Blue Springs, Jed Quinlan ''(

Don Costello Eldon Lawrence "Don" Costello (September 5, 1901 – October 24, 1945) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio. Background Costello was born in New Orleans on September 5, 1901. He was the son of James J. Costello and Mary E. Cos ...

)'', the schoolteacher, breaks up a fight between tomboy Boots Hollister ''(Sylvia Arslan)'' and Little Beaver ''(

)'', the Indian ward of Red Ryder's. Each child has taunted the other with names like “wildcat” and “Indian.” Quinlan “disciplines” both children and later when the children return to the schoolhouse accompanied by Boots’ older brother Billy ''(John James)'' and Little Beaver's

’s ''(

)'' aunt, The Duchess ''(

Alice Fleming Alice Fleming, (August 9, 1882 – December 6, 1952) was a character actress in many films who also enjoyed considerable success on Broadway. She is best remembered as the Duchess, Wild Bill Elliott’s aunt in the Republic Pictures' Red Ryder ...

)''. Elsewhere, Quinlan meets with Con Hollister's ''(

Francis McDonald Francis McDonald (August 22, 1891 – September 18, 1968) was an American actor whose career spanned 52 years. Early years Born on August 22, 1891, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, McDonald was the son of John Francis McDonald and Catherine Ash ...

)'' former cohort, Joe Slade ''(

Bud Geary Bud Geary (February 15, 1898 – February 22, 1946), was an American film actor. He appeared in 258 films between years 1920 and 1946. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and died in Hollywood, California, aged 48. Partial filmography * ...

)'', who reveals that Con was released weeks earlier. Quinlan, who poses as a teacher to cover his criminal activity, reckons that Con should arrive on the next day's stage, and that the upcoming shipment must be Con's old loot, which was never recovered. Con Hollister, released from prison and now reformed, plans to return the $150,000 loot taken in a stagecoach holdup five years previous. Quinlan and his henchman, Slade, entice the hot-tempered Billy into robbing the stage. However, Red prevents the theft and is pleasantly surprised to discover that Con, who is a passenger on the stage, has reformed will return the money to the bank. Boots is overjoyed to see her father when he arrives in Blue Springs, however, her brother is less so, particularly after Con declares that the Hollister family is going to make a clean start. So, when Con and Boots go to town to seek a loan to rebuild their ranch, Billy runs off to join Slade. No one in Blue Springs will provide Con a loan much less give him a second chance, even though Red does his best to vouch for him. Bitter at seeing his father treated so shabbily, Billy agrees to help Quinlan rob the bank. Red manages to break up the robbery but the gang gets away but not before Con Hollister recognizes his son as one of the bandits. Red shoots Slade and wounds Quinlan who escapes to Con's barn where he hides out, unbeknownst to the others. Con finds his horse and the saddlebags containing the stolen money but when Red arrives and sees the money, he suspect Con. Hollister manages to get away by locking Red in a closet before taking off to pursue his son, Billy, whom he saw robbing the bank. Little Beaver arrives at the ranch and frees Red who rides in pursuit of Con Hollister. Boots who was left behind, discovers the wounded Quinlan hiding the barn and when she realizes that he is one of the robbers, she is killed in cold blood with Quinlan using one of Red's pistols as the murder weapon. Afterwards, the bogus-teacher attempts to frame Red Ryder by claiming that he's the killer. Red figures out that Quinlan is the escaped robber and proves his guilt by comparing his wound to a bullet hole in the saddle bags, which he had been carrying over his shoulder. Red captures Quinlan, who is sentenced to hang following Billy's court testimony. Afterwards, Billy is paroled to his father's custody, and later both bid a grateful farewell to Red Ryder and Little Beaver.

Cast

as Red Ryder *

as Little Beaver *

as The Duchess (Red's Aunt) *

as Jed Quinlan *

as Con Hollister *John James as Billy Hollister *Sylvia Arsla] as Boots Hollister *

as Joe Slade *Leon Tyler as Tattletale *Freddie Chapman as Freddie *

Hank Bell Hank Bell (January 21, 1892 – February 4, 1950) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 370 films between 1920 and 1950. He was born in Los Angeles, California, and died in Hollywood, California Hollywood is a neighborho ...

as Stage Driver (uncredited) *Lucille Byron as Dancer (uncredited) * Horace B. Carpenter as Townsman (uncredited) *

Grace Cunard Grace Cunard (born Harriet Mildred Jeffries; April 8, 1893 – January 19, 1967) was an American actress, screenwriter and film director. During the silent era, she starred in over 100 films, wrote or co-wrote at least 44 of those production ...

as Mrs. Goodbody (uncredited) *Bobby Dillon as Goodbody Boy (uncredited) *Dickie Dillon as Goodbody Boy (uncredited) * Fred Graham as Bank Brawler (uncredited) *Fred Howard as Henchman (uncredited) *

Tom London Tom London (born Leonard T. Clapman; August 24, 1889 – December 5, 1963) was an American actor who played frequently in B-Westerns. According to ''The Guinness Book of Movie Records'', London is credited with appearing in the most films in ...

as Townsman (uncredited) *Patsy May as Goodbody Girl (uncredited) *Dorothy Stevens as Dancer (uncredited) *

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 Stage Guard (uncredited) *Henry Wills as Henchman Jake (uncredited) *Chris Wren as Young Boy (uncredited) *Raymond ZeBrack as Doubtful-Unlikely Listing (uncredited)

Production

''Great Stagecoach Robbery'' (1945) was based on the characters created in

Fred Harman Fred Charles Harman II (February 9, 1902 - January 2, 1982) was an American cartoonist, best known for his popular ''Red Ryder'' comic strip, which he drew for 25 years, reaching 40 million readers through 750 newspapers. Harman sometimes used th ...

’s comic strip,

. Even though most of the scene occurred off camera, the killing of the young child, 'Boots' Hollister was one of the darkest and most chilling scenes, even seen in a Republic Pictures’ western that was primarily intended for a young Saturday matinée theatre goer. The film was premiered in Los Angeles on October 26, 1945 and then opened February 15, 1945. The film was later re-released on February 7, 1949.''Great Stagecoach Robbery (1945) Release Information'' IMDb
/ref>

Stunts

* Post Park * Cliff Parkinson * Tom Steele *

Dale Van Sickel Dale Harris Van Sickel (November 29, 1907 – January 25, 1977) was an American college football, basketball and baseball player during the 1920s, who later became a Hollywood motion picture actor and stunt performer for over forty years. Va ...

References

External links

Great Stagecoach Robbery ''(1945)'', IMDbGreat Stagecoach Robbery ''(1945)''

Turner Classic Movies Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie-oriented pay-TV network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasting campus in the Midtown business district of ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Great Stagecoach Robbery 1945 films 1945 Western (genre) films Films set in the 1890s American black-and-white films Republic Pictures films American Western (genre) films Films based on American comics Films based on comic strips Films directed by Lesley Selander 1940s English-language films 1940s American films Red Ryder films