''Pony Express Rider'' is a 1976 American

Western film The Western is a film genre defined by the American Film Institute as films which are "set in the American West that mbodythe spirit, the struggle, and the demise of the new frontier." Generally set in the American frontier between the Calif ...

directed by

Robert Totten Robert Charles Totten (February 5, 1937 – January 27, 1995) was an American television director, writer, and actor, best known for directing many ''Gunsmoke'' episodes between 1966 and 1971. Career In addition to directing, Totten also co ...

and starring

Henry Wilcoxon Henry Wilcoxon (born Harry Frederick Wilcoxon; 8 September 1905 – 6 March 1984) was a British-American actor and film producer, born in the British West Indies. He was known as an actor in many of director Cecil B. DeMille's films, also ser ...

Maureen McCormick Maureen Denise McCormick (born August 5, 1956) is an American actress, best known for her role as Characters of The Brady Bunch#Marcia Brady, Marcia Brady on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television sitcom ''The Brady Bunch'' (1969–1 ...

and

Joan Caulfield Beatrice Joan Caulfield (June 1, 1922 – June 18, 1991) was an American actress and model. After being discovered by Broadway producers, she began a stage career in 1943 that eventually led to signing as an actress with Paramount Pictures. Ear ...

. In 1860 young Jimmie Richardson joins the Pony Express to help find the man he believes killed his father.

Plot

The year is 1860. The United States is inexorably heading towards

civil war A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

Gold fever A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Gr ...

excites prospectors with wild dreams.

Pioneer Pioneer commonly refers to a person who is among the first at something that is new to a community. A pioneer as a settler is among the first settling at a place that is new to the settler community. A historic example are American pioneers, perso ...

s are pushing the western frontier further. Against these events, is the story of two rugged frontiersmen. They are friends - Trevor Kingman is a rancher who lusts for power and Jed Richardson is a modest man who hopes to carve decency into the western wilds. Kingman's pursuit of political fame and fortune eventually splits the friends. The only link between them is the love that developed between Richardson's son, Jimmy D., and Kingman's daughter, Rose of Sharon. When a feud develops between the two families, Bovey (Kingman's son) - in a moment of anger - murders Jed. Jimmy D., despite his love for Rose, decides to avenge his father's death. He sets out after Bovey, racing through the wilderness plains across Native American-held country. By a chanceful opportunity Jimmy D. joins the

Pony Express The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company. During its 18 months of opera ...

mail rider service. It is through the Pony Express that he is able to ride across hostile territory in his vengeance mission. Eventually, in uncharted territory, Jimmy D. gets his revenge.

Gibraltar Chronicle The ''Gibraltar Chronicle'' is a national newspaper published in Gibraltar since 1801. It became a daily in 1821. It is Gibraltar's oldest established daily newspaper and the world's second-oldest English language newspaper to have been in pri ...

Television & Radio Guide; Dated 08/12/1984; Page 3

Cast

* Stewart Petersen as Jimmie D. Richardson *

as Trevor Kingman *

Buck Taylor Buck Taylor (born Walter Clarence Taylor III,Yoggy, Gary A. (1995). Riding the Video Range: The Rise and Fall of the Western on Television'. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 123. . May 13, 1938) is an American actor and artist, best k ...

as Bovey Kingman *

as Rose of Sharon *

Ken Curtis Ken Curtis (born Curtis Wain Gates; July 2, 1916 – April 28, 1991) was an American actor and singer best known for his role as Festus Haggen on the Western television series ''Gunsmoke''. Early years Born the youngest of three boys in ...

as Jed Richardson *

as Charlotte *

Slim Pickens Louis Burton Lindley Jr. (June 29, 1919 – December 8, 1983), better known by his stage name Slim Pickens, was an American actor and rodeo performer. Starting off in the rodeo, Pickens took up acting, and appeared in dozens of movies and TV sho ...

as Bob Jay *

Dub Taylor Walter Clarence "Dub" Taylor Jr. (February 26, 1907 – October 3, 1994)Dub Taylor, 87, Actor in Westerns, The New York Times, October 5, 1994, Section B, Page 12 was an American character actor who from the 1940s into the 1990s worked extensiv ...

as Boomer Riley * Ace Reid as Bullfrog Fry *

Jack Elam William Scott "Jack" Elam (November 13, 1920 – October 20, 2003) was an American film and television actor best known for his numerous roles as villains in Western films and, later in his career, comedies (sometimes spoofing his villaino ...

as Crazy Charlie * Larry D. Mann as Blackmore * James Almanzar as Puddin * Bea Morris as Marquette Richardson * Tom Waters as Button Forehand *

Cliff Brand In geography and geology, a cliff or rock face is an area of rock which has a general angle defined by the vertical, or nearly vertical. Cliffs are formed by the processes of weathering and erosion, with the effect of gravity. Cliffs are comm ...

as Capt. Billings * Bleu McKenzie as Yankee Bill * George Roland II as Mr. Price * Scott Petersen as David Richardson * Harold Lee Thompson as Buddy Rhodes * Delmer Buddy Totten as Bobby Charles Richardson * Donna Jamison as Glee Ann *

Dennis Lehane Dennis Lehane (born August 4, 1965) is an American author and screenwriter. He has published more than a dozen novels; the first several were a series of mysteries featuring recurring characters, including '' A Drink Before the War''. Four of hi ...

as Cpl. Ross *

Bill Conklin Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak Plac ...

as Smiles

References

Bibliography

* Monaco, James. ''The Encyclopedia of Film''. Perigee Books, 1991.

External links

* 1976 films 1976 Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films Films directed by Robert Totten Films set in the 19th century Films set in Texas 1970s historical films American historical films 1970s English-language films 1970s American films English-language Western (genre) films English-language historical films {{1970s-US-film-stub