Search - Red Ryder Double Feature, Vol. 6 on DVD

"Elliott & Blake made a great team ~ Red Ryder & L'il Beaver

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 09/23/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This sixth volume in the Red Ryder Double Feature gives the assignments to the great B-Western film director R.G. Springsteen and the screen writing task is from Earle Snell, another veteran from the Republic Pictures staff ~ both features are just under an hour, but what an hour each one brings to the big screen...hold on to your hats (cowboy hats, that is) and we'll travel down that dusty trail together.

First up is "Conquest of Cheyenne" (1946/B&W/54 mins), featuring William Elliott as Red Ryder, Bobby Blake as Little Beaver and Alice Fleming as the Duchess (Reds Aunt), Peggy Stewart as Cheyenne Jackon, Jay Kirby as Tom Dean (Wildcatter), Milton Kibbee as Tuttle the town banker, Tom London, Emmett Lynn, Jack Kirk, Jack Rockwell and Kenne Duncan ~ this was the 16th film in the series with another plot of oil on a ranch...looks like some slick villiany is afoot to drive the good people off their range and the villains who want it for themselves ~ this story originated from Bert Horswell and Joseph F. Poland that was chuck full of action, adventure and plenty of fights for the ace stuntmen ~ looks like it's time for Red Ryder (Elliott) and his horse Thunder to go into action.

Second on this double bill is "Sun Valley Cyclone" (1946/B&W/54 mins), again Elliott, Blake and Fleming star, with a gang of horse thieves is the plot, involving some very savory characters, such as Tom London, Roy Barcroft (King of the Badmen) was so good at being Bad! ~ on the same bill is Ed Cassidy as Teddy Roosevelt who with his Rough Riders is looking for some good mounts ~ it's up to Red Ryder and Little Beaver to see they all meet with his approval ~ director R.G. Springsteen takes this story of how Red was given Thunder by Teddy Roosevelt in an even swap, during which Thunder is branded as a killer horse ~ watch the stuntwork of Republic's best in the business.

There is no doubt in anyone's mind that Gordon Elliott (1903-1965) from Pattonsburg, Mo, later known at William "Wild Bill" Elliott (the Peaceable Man) was the best Red Ryder on the big screen ~ he got the name of "Wild Bill" after starring in a Columbia serial "The Great Adventurers of Wild Bill Hickok" back in 1938, went on to make a multitude of westerns during the '40s and '50s ~ it was then Republic Studios was looking for a star to be featured in Fred Harman's Red Ryder comic strip series coming alive and on the big screen ~ it's no small wonder that William Elliott's name was at the top of the list ~ working with the top directors of the day Howard P. Bretherton, Spencer Gordon Bennett, Joseph Kane, Wallace A. Grissell, Leslie Selander and R.G. Springsteen all under Republic Pictures banner.

RED RYDER SERIES:
1. Marshal of Reno (1944)
2. The San Antonio Kid (1944)
3. Vigilantes of Dodge City (1944)
4. Sheriff of Las Vegas (1944)
5. Great Stagecoach Robbery (1945)
6. The Lone Texas Ranger (1945)
7. Marshal of Laredo (1945)
8. Sheriff of Redwood Valley (1946)
9. Sun Valley Cyclone (1946)
10.Stagecoach to Denver (1946)
11.Vigilantes of Boomtown (1947)
12.Homesteaders of Paradise Valley (1947)
13.Rustlers of Devil's Canyon (1947)
14.Marshal of Cripple Creek (1947)
15.Ride, Ryder, Ride! (1949)
16.Roll, Thunder, Roll! (1949)
17.The Fighting Redhead (1949)
18.Cowboy and the Prizefighter (1949)

If you enjoyed this why not get the other five volumes ~ the Red Ryder Double Feature Series is a must have for all of us who grew up riding the trails with Fred Harman's newspaper comic strip character which was popular during 1936 to 1964 ~ during that time I discovered Dell Comics and the stories and artwork of Harman's character hero Red Ryder...now on DVD we can relive those early days when Red Ryder, Little Beaver and the Duchess made the west a safe place live ~ B-Westerns reigned for all the little cowboys and girls who made a trip to the local theater to watch their favorite hero Red Ryder --- Western Classics, all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 110 mins ~ VCI/Entertainment 8406 ~ (6/29/2004)"