"Bob Steele Series ... Desert Patrol (1938) ... Republic"
J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 04/18/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Republic Pictures presents "DESERT PATROL" (6 June 1938) (56 mins/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- Bob Steele was an American actor --- He was born Robert Adrian Bradbury in 1907 in Portland, Oregon, into a vaudeville family --- Bob's career began to take off for good in 1927, when he was hired by production company Film Booking Offices of America (FBO) to star in a series of Westerns. Bob--who was rechristened Bob Steele at FBO--soon made a name for himself, and in the late 1920s, 1930s and 1940s starred in B-Westerns for almost every minor film studio, including Monogram, Supreme, Tiffany, Syndicate, Republic (including several films of the Three Mesquiteers series) and Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) (including the initial films of their "Billy the Kid" series)
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, that "new medium" television had many hours to fill and few dollars to fill them --- They re-discovered the B-Western, still a popular mainstay of Saturday afternoon matinees and many cowboy stars thrilled a new audience --- Taking advantage of this rebirth in popularity, publishers brought to the marketplace comic books featuring these western heroes of "Bob Steele" Westerns --- These bimonthly issues were copyrighted in February and April of 1950 by Fawcet Publications --- His career which included nearly 200 feature films, serials and TV appearances --- Steele in his twilight years at the age 59 when he got the part of the cantankerous "Trooper Duffy", in the western comedy series "F Troop" (1965), who at the drop of a hat would give his rendition of fighting "shoulder to shoulder with Davy Crockett at the Alamo" --- Steele retired from the screen in 1973 --- Bob's long career, spanning more than 50 years came to an end in 1988 when he passed away.
Under the production staff of:
Sam Newfield - Director
A.W. Hackel - Producer
Fred K. Myton - Screenwriter
Robert C. Cline - Cinematographer
Roy Claire - Editor
Our story line and plot, begins with a Ranger being tortured to death by Apache Joe --- He is sent back in pieces to Ranger headquarters --- Ranger Dave Austin (Bob Steele) is sent to break up the outlaw gang involved in smuggling, but most of all to revenge his friend's death --- Unfortunately one of the gang members happens to have a sister that Austin becomes struck on. So he is placed in a dilemma. He is undercover as a hired hand on the ranch of the gang member with the pretty sister. Hezi (Budd Buster), another hired hand, recognizes Austin but promises not to blow his cover --- A few names from B-Western classics Rex Lease, Ted Adams, Forrest Taylor, Budd Buster, Steve Clark and Jack Ingram.
the cast includes:
Bob Steele ... Dave Austin
Marion Weldon ... Jean Drury
Rex Lease ... Dan Drury - Jean's Brother
Ted Adams ... Apache Joe
Forrest Taylor ... Martin Rand
Budd Buster ... Hezi Watts
Steve Clark ... Texas Ranger Captain
Jack Ingram ... Chet
Julian Madison ... Ranger Tim Carson
SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIO:
1. Bob Steele (aka: Robert Adrian Bradbury) (Actor)
Date of Birth: 23 January 1907 - Portland, Oregon
Date of Death: 21 December 1988 - Burbank, California
If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure check out other western double features --- Ask Amazon.Com to carry the volumes as they are not available on Amazon as of yet --- you can order and pick up your copy now from VCI Entertainment
BOB STEELE WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURES:
1. Vol. 1 - Tombstone Terror/Lightnin' Crandall (VCI #7212) (DVD)
2. Vol. 2 - The Brand of Hate/Trusted Outlaw (VCI #7252) (DVD)
3. Vol. 3 - The Arizona Gunfighter/Last of the Warrens (VCI #7261) (DVD)
4. Vol. 4 - Gun Lords of Stirrup Basin'/The Feud Maker (VCI #7275) (DVD)
5. Vol. 5 - Border Phantom/A Demon For Trouble (VCI #7311) (DVD)
6. Vol. 6 - The Kid Ranger/Nevada Buckaroo (VCI #7336) (DVD)
7. Vol. 7 - The Red Rope/Paroled To Die (VCI #7338) (DVD)
8. Vol. 8 - Smokey Smith/Sundown Saunders (VCI #7340) (DVD)
9. Vol. 9 - Doomed At Sundown/The Law Rides (VCI #7344) (DVD)
10.Vol 10 - No Man's Range/Rider of the Law (VCI #7347) (DVD)
CLASSIC WESTERNS - BOB STEELE FOUR FEATURE:
11. Border Phantom, A Demon For Trouble, Trusted Outlaw, Brand of Hate (VCI #5521) (DVD)
Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for B-Westerns and Serials --- If you're into the memories of B-Westerns with high drama, this is the one you've been anxiously waiting for --- please stand up and take a bow --- all my heroes have been cowboys!
Total Time: 56 min on VHS/DVD ~ Republic Pictures ~ (9/28/2004)"