''Tucson Raiders'' is a 1944 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

Spencer Gordon Bennet Spencer Gordon Bennet (January 5, 1893 – October 8, 1987) was an American film producer and director. Known as the "King of Serial Directors", he directed more film serials than any other director. Biography Born in Brooklyn, New York, Benne ...

and 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 G ...

in the role of

Red Ryder ''Red Ryder'' is a Western comic strip created by Stephen Slesinger and artist Fred Harman which served as the basis for a wide array of character merchandising. Syndicated by Newspaper Enterprise Association, the strip ran from Sunday, Novem ...

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

. 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. Movi ...

, 1 Iverson Lane, Chatsworth,

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

Plot

''Tucson Raiders'' is set in 1895’s Painted Valley, Colorado.

, makes his first appearance as Red Ryder and

Robert Blake Robert Blake (or variants) may refer to: Sports * 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 ...

’s first as Little Beaver, Red discovers that he has been framed for murder. His little Indian pal, Little Beaver, manages to foil the corrupt Sheriff Kirk’s (Ed Cassidy) plan to kill Red as he escapes from jail. Hannah Rogers (

Ruth Lee Ruth Lee (September 14, 1895 – August 3, 1975) was an American stage and film actress. She was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and she graduated from a dramatic school there. Lee acted in stock theater with the National Theatre in Washingt ...

) in the pay of Governor York (

Stanley Andrews Stanley Martin Andrews (born Andrzejewski; August 28, 1891 – June 23, 1969) was an American actor perhaps best known as the voice of Daddy Warbucks on the radio program ''Little Orphan Annie'' and later as "The Old Ranger", the first host of ...

), a dishonest politician, tries to trick Red in escaping jail. However, her scheme fails and Red Ryder shoots his way out. He manages to intercept a payroll robbery but finds that Little Beaver has been captured by the outlaws. ''The "red headed"'' cowboy exposes Hannah’s plot, saves Little Beaver and brings an end to Governor York’s gang.

Cast

as Red Ryder *

as Little Beaver *

Alice Fleming Alice Fleming (August 9, 1882 – December 6, 1952) was am American 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 ...

as The Duchess (Red's Aunt) *

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 ...

as Gabby Hopkins *

as Hannah Rogers * Peggy Stewart as Beth Rogers *

LeRoy Mason LeRoy Franklin Mason (July 2, 1903 – October 13, 1947) was an American film actor who worked primarily in Westerns in both the silent and sound film eras. Mason was born in Larimore, North Dakota, on July 2, 1903. Career 1920s Mason's fi ...

as Jeff Stark *

as Governor York *John Whitney as Tom Hamilton *

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 Deputy One Eye *

Karl Hackett Carl Ellsworth Germain (September 5, 1893 – October 24, 1948), known professionally as Karl Hackett, was an American actor. He served in the U.S. army during World War I. He was married to Ruby Burnette Moore. On October 24, 1948, Hackett ...

as Reverend George Allen * Tom Steele as Deputy Logan *

Marshall Reed Marshall Jewel Reed (May 28, 1917 – April 15, 1980) was an American actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1943 and 1978. He was born in Englewood, Colorado. Early years Reed's parents were Walter George Reed and Ruth Dustin. By a ...

as Deputy *

Tom Chatterton Tom Chatterton (February 12, 1881 – August 17, 1952) was an American actor and director. Born in Geneva, New York, Chatterton was active in sports as a youth. He gained early acting experience with Ben Horning's stock theater company in Syracu ...

as Judge James Wayne *Ed Cassidy as Sheriff Kirk (as Edward Cassidy) *Foxy Callahan as Stagecoach Guard (uncredited) *Tommy Coats as Saloon Henchman (uncredited) *

Kenne Duncan Kenne Duncan (February 17, 1903 – February 5, 1972) was a Canadian-born American B-movie character actor. Hyped professionally as "The Meanest Man in the Movies," the vast majority of his over 250 appearances on camera were Westerns, but ...

as Henchman (voice) (uncredited) * Fred Graham as Henchman (uncredited) *

Neal Hart Neal Hart (April 7, 1879 – April 2, 1949) was an American actor and film director, director of the silent film era. Biography Hart was born in Staten Island, New York. Before he began working in films, he was a city marshal, cowboy, and ...

as Barfly (uncredited) *Edward Howard as Deputy Logan (uncredited) *

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 Brawler (voice) (uncredited) *Bert LeBaron as Rancher (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 Matthews (voice) (uncredited) *Frank McCarroll as Henchman (uncredited) *Post Park as Sam - 1st Stagecoach driver (uncredited) *Frank Pershing as Townsman (uncredited) * Charles Sullivan as Bartender (uncredited) *

Ken Terrell Kenneth Jones Terrell (April 29, 1904 – March 8, 1966) was an American western and action film actor and stuntman best known for playing Joe Marcelli in the 1956 film ''Indestructible Man'' and Jess in the 1958 film '' Attack of the 50 Fo ...

as Saloon Henchman (uncredited) *

Ted Wells Theodore Von Wells, Jr. (born April 28, 1950) is an American trial lawyer and defense attorney. He is a partner at the New York law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, where he is co-chair of its litigation department. For his pract ...

as Barfly (uncredited) *Bud Wolfe as Henchman (uncredited)

Production

''Tucson Raiders'' was based on

Fred Harman Fred Harman (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 the pseudo ...

’s comic strip,

. It was the first of Republic's

feature series and the first to star

as Red Ryder and

as Little Beaver. When Eliott was promoted up to the more adult features and replaced by

Alan Lane Alan Lane (born 1938/1939) is an Australian tennis player who competed on the world tour from 1959 to 1964. Lane, who grew up in Adelaide, made the singles fourth round of the 1963 French Championships and won several international tournaments ...

, Blake continued on in the role for the remaining 22 films.Corneau, Ernest N., ''Allan "Rocky" Lane'', The Hall of Fame of

film Stars. The Christopher Publishing House, North Quincy, Massachusetts, 1969, p. 219,

Stunts

Yakima Canutt Enos Edward "Yakima" Canutt (November 29, 1895 – May 24, 1986) was an American champion rodeo rider, actor, stuntman, and action director. He developed many stunts for films and the techniques and technology to protect stuntmen performing them ...

* Tom Steele *

* Fred Graham * Foxy Callahan * Tommy Coats * Bert LeBaron *

Carey Loftin William Carey Loftin (January 31, 1914 – March 4, 1997, a.k.a. Cary Loftin, Carry Loftin, Carey Lofton, Gary Loftin, William Carey Loftin) was an American professional stunt double, stuntman, stunt coordinator and actor in the U.S. film ind ...

* Frank McCarrol * Ken Terrel *

* Joe Yrigoyen

References

External links

''Tucson Raiders'', IMDb''Tucson Raiders'', Turner Classic Movies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tucson Raiders 1944 films 1944 Western (genre) films Films set in 1895 Films set in Colorado American black-and-white films Republic Pictures films American Western (genre) films Films based on comic strips Films based on American comics Films directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet 1940s English-language films 1940s American films Red Ryder films