''Crossroad Avenger'' is a 1953

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 intended to serve as a

television pilot A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distr ...

. It was directed by

Ed Wood Edward Davis Wood Jr. (October 10, 1924 – December 10, 1978) was an American filmmaker, actor, and pulp novel author. In the 1950s, Wood directed several low-budget science fiction, crime and horror films that later became cult cla ...

(who also wrote the script) and served as a star vehicle for Tom Keene. Keene had become known as a star of B movie Westerns in the 1930s and 1940s, but was experiencing a downturn in his career in the 1950s.Craig (2009), p. 16-20 Wood served as both writer and director. He also had a small acting role as a

Pony Express The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders. It operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861, between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pi ...

rider.Hayes (2001), p. 125 The film lasts 25 minutes. The series failed to find a buyer. It was eventually combined with another Western starring Keene into a longer film called ''The Adventures of the Tucson Kid'' and was syndicated to television as a movie c. 1954.Craig (2009), p. 16-20

Plot

Keene plays the "Tucson Kid", an

insurance investigator An insurance investigator examines insurance claims that are suspicious or otherwise in doubt. Investigators in this field have differing specialties and backgrounds. Some insurance companies have their own in-house investigation teams while other ...

who travels to any town where a suspicious insurance claim has appeared.Craig (2009), p. 16-20 The career description would allow the proposed series to adopt an anthology format, with a different location and storyline in each episode.Craig (2009), p. 16-20 The other hero of the story is a sheriff's deputy called Ed (

Tom Tyler Tom Tyler (born Vincent Markowski; August 9, 1903 – May 1, 1954) was an American actor known for his leading roles in low-budget Western films in the silent and sound eras, and for his portrayal of superhero Captain Marvel in the 1941 ...

). Both are middle aged men.Craig (2009), p. 16-20 The film is set in a small town by the name of Crossroads. The Tucson Kid, under the alias Duke Smith, is here to investigate the burning of a saloon and the reason the owner demands payment in cash by the insurance company. Said owner is local businessman Bart Miller (

Lyle Talbot Lyle Florenz Talbot (born Lisle Henderson, also credited Lysle Talbot; February 8, 1902 – March 2, 1996) was an American stage, screen and television actor. His career in films spanned three decades, from 1931 to 1960, and he performed on ...

), who recently arranged the murder of Jim Hawks (the co-owner of the saloon) and the destruction of the saloon in an act of arson. The murdered man was also the local sheriff. Miller employs a criminal gang consisting of Dance (Don Nagle), Lefty (

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, bu ...

), and Max (

Bud Osborne Leonard Miles "Bud" Osborne (July 20, 1884 – February 2, 1964) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 600 films and television programs between 1912 and 1963. Biography Osborne was born Miles Osborne in Knox County, Texas ...

).Craig (2009), p. 16-20 The gang intends to frame someone for the recent murder and by chance they choose the Tucson Kid. A lynch mob soon gathers, but the prisoner is rescued by "desert rat" Zeke ( Harvey B. Dunn). Ed arranges for "Duke Smith" to remain in Zeke's custody.Craig (2009), p. 16-20 Zeke soon reveals to his guest that Hawks was locked up in the saloon and supposed to die in the fire. He rescued the man from the flames, only to see him murdered shortly afterwards. He suspects Bart Miller was the murderer.Craig (2009), p. 16-20 Elsewhere, the gang conspires to murder Zeke and frame "Duke" for the murder.Craig (2009), p. 16-20 In the resulting gunfight, Zeke is killed and Lefty is wounded. The Tucson Kid buries the man in a makeshift grave.Craig (2009), p. 16-20 The gang exhumes the body and alerts Ed, who insists that the body should be left to rest in peace. He also insists on a fair trial for "Duke". At this point "Duke" reveals the findings of his recent investigation. The partnership of Hawks and Miller extended to a new

drilling rig A drilling rig is an integrated system that drills wells, such as oil or water wells, or holes for piling and other construction purposes, into the earth's subsurface. Drilling rigs can be massive structures housing equipment used to drill wa ...

, and the two had found oil. But Hawks was entitled to a

lion's share The lion's share is an idiomatic expression which now refers to the major share of something. The phrase derives from the plot of a number of fables ascribed to Aesop and is used here as their generic title. There are two main types of story, wh ...

of the profits, which was the motive of his murder.Craig (2009), p. 16-20 Realizing that "Duke" and Ed now know the truth, Miller orders his gang to attack. All the villains are killed, including Miller whose death is the result of a

friendly fire In military terminology, friendly fire or fratricide is an attack by belligerent or neutral forces on friendly troops while attempting to attack enemy/hostile targets. Examples include misidentifying the target as hostile, cross-fire while en ...

incident. Ed thanks the Tucson Kid for his help, and the investigator rides out of town. Ending the film.Craig (2009), p. 16-20

Sources

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References

External links

* {{Ed Wood 1953 films 1953 Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films American television films Films directed by Ed Wood Films with screenplays by Ed Wood Films produced by Ed Wood Television pilots not picked up as a series 1950s American films