Search - RED RYDER DOUBLE FEATURE Vol 1: San Antonio Kid & Cheyenne Wildcat on DVD

"Red Ryder B-Western Series ... Wild Bill Elliott as Red Ryd

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 09/12/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is no doubt in anyone's mind that Gordon Elliott (6/15/1903 - 11/26/1965) 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.

First up is "The San Antonio Kid" (1944-B&W-59 mins), featuring William Elliott as Red Ryder, Bobby Blake as Little Beaver, Alice Fleming as the Duchess (Reds Aunt), Duncan Renaldo (later to become The Cisco Kid, Robin Hood of the Old West) as Johnny Bennett (the San Antonio Kid), Glenn Strange as Ace Hanlon, LeRoy Mason as Walter Garfield, Linda Stirling (of Republic Serial fame) as Ann Taylor and Jack Kirk as Ben Taylor...with a cattle car full of Republics ace stuntmen Yakima Canutt (king of the stunt department), Henry Wills and Tom Steele (Ryder's stunt double) ~ plenty of action to go around ~ oil is discovered and it looks like some slick villainy is afoot to drive the Taylor's and neighboring ranchers off their land ~ time for Red and his horse Thunder to go into action.

Second on this double bill is "Cheyenne Wildcat" (1944-B&W-54 mins), again Elliott, Blake and Fleming star in a bank fraud 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 Peggy Stewart as the daughter of an honest deceased banker who was shot on the stage for mysterious reasons ~ it's up to Red Ryder and Little Beaver to see beyond such treachery ~ director Leslie Selander takes several turns in this delightful story, all of which involve the stuntwork of Republic's best in the business.

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 volume the next twelve volumes will have you roped and hogtide ~ 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 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: 113 mins ~ VCI/Entertainment 8330 ~ (06/25/2002)"