''Thunder Over the Prairie'' is a 1941 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

Lambert Hillyer Lambert Hillyer (July 8, 1893 – July 5, 1969) was an American film director and screenwriter. He is best known today for his many western features, his horror films ''The Invisible Ray (1936 film), The Invisible Ray'' and ''Dracula's Daugh ...

and written by

Betty Burbridge Elizabeth Burbridge (December 7, 1895 – September 19, 1987) was an American screenwriter and actress, best known for her Western screenplays. Biography Elizabeth Burbridge was born in San Diego, California, on December 7, 1895, the granddaugh ...

. It is based on the 1935 novel ''The Medico Rides'' by James L. Rubel. The film stars

Charles Starrett Charles Robert Starrett (March 28, 1903 – March 22, 1986) was an American actor, best known for his starring role in the ''Durango Kid'' westerns. Starrett still holds the record for starring in the longest series of theatrical features: ...

Cliff Edwards Clifton Avon "Cliff" Edwards (June 14, 1895 – July 17, 1971), nicknamed "Ukulele Ike", was an American pop singer, musician and actor. He enjoyed considerable popularity in the 1920s and early 1930s, specializing in jazzy renditions of pop sta ...

, Eileen O'Hearn, Stanley Brown, Danny Mummert and David Sharpe. The film was released on July 30, 1941, by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

. It is a sequel to ''

The Medico of Painted Springs ''The Medico of Painted Springs'' (also known as ''Doctor's Alibi'') is a 1941 American Western film produced by Columbia Pictures. Based on the novel of the same name by James Lyon Rubel, the film stars Charles Starrett, Terry Walker, Ben Ta ...

'', released a month earlier. The third "Medico" film, '' Prairie Stranger'', debuted in September.

Plot

Cast

as Dr. Steven Monroe *

as 'Bones' Malloy *Eileen O'Hearn as Nora Mandan *Stanley Brown as Roy Mandan *Danny Mummert as Timmy Wheeler * David Sharpe as Clay Mandan *Ray Bennett as 'Ace' Hartley *Joe McGuinn as Hartley *

Donald Curtis Donald Curtis (born Curtis D. Rudolf; February 27, 1915 – May 22, 1997) was an American actor who had roles in dozens of films and television series. Biography Curtis was born in Spokane, Washington, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl W. Rudol ...

as Taylor * Ted Adams as Dave Wheeler *

Jack Rockwell Jack Rockwell Trowbridge (October 6, 1890 – November 10, 1947) was an American film actor who was born in Mexico. He appeared in over 250 movies, mostly Westerns, between 1927 and 1947. Rockwell's older brother was character actor Charles ...

as Henry Clayton *

Budd Buster Budd Leland Buster (June 14, 1891 – December 22, 1965), was an American actor known for B western films. He was sometimes credited as Bud Buster, and as George Selk in his later work. Early life Buster was born either Budd Leland Buster or ...

as Judge Merriwether *

Horace B. Carpenter Horace B. Carpenter (January 31, 1875 – May 21, 1945) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He appeared in more than 330 films between 1914 and 1945. He also directed 15 films between 1925 and 1934. Born in Grand Rapids, ...

as Bailiff *Cal Shrum as Band Leader

References

Bibliography

* Fetrow, Alan G. ''Feature Films, 1940-1949: a United States Filmography''. McFarland, 1994.

External links

* {{Lambert Hillyer 1941 films American Western (genre) films 1941 Western (genre) films Columbia Pictures films Films directed by Lambert Hillyer American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films English-language Western (genre) films