''Death Valley Manhunt'' is a 1943 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 John English and written by

Norman S. Hall Norman S. Hall (July 21, 189512 December 1964) was an American screenwriter from the 1930s to the 1960s. Hall was born in New Milford, Connecticut and died in Los Angeles, California. Selected filmography * ''Outlaws of Pine Ridge'' (1942) * ...

and

Anthony Coldeway Anthony W. Coldeway (August 1, 1887 – January 29, 1963) was an American screenwriter who had an extensive career from 1910 through 1954. Although most of his work was on films, he did some writing for television and also was the director of a ...

. The film stars

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 Gor ...

George "Gabby" Hayes George Francis "Gabby" Hayes (7 May 1885 – 9 February 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 film series as the bewhiskered, c ...

Anne Jeffreys Anne Jeffreys (born Annie Jeffreys Carmichael; January 26, 1923 – September 27, 2017) was an American actress and singer. She was noted as the female lead in the 1950s TV series '' Topper''. Career Jeffreys was born Annie Jeffreys Carmichae ...

Weldon Heyburn Weldon Heyburn (born Weldon Heyburn Franks; September 19, 1903 – May 18, 1951) was an American character actor. Early years The son of Marie Pierce and United States Army Col. Wyatt G. Franks, Heyburn was most likely born in Washington, ...

Herbert Heyes Herbert Harrison Heyes (August 3, 1889 – May 31, 1958) was an American film actor. He appeared in nearly 100 films between 1915 and 1956, including the famed 1947 film ''Miracle on 34th Street'', in which he played an ahistorical "Mr. Gimbel, ...

and Davison Clark. The film was released on November 24, 1943, by

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City an ...

Plot

Marshall Wild Bill Elliot pursues a retirement of ranching after enjoying a successful career. Elliot's friend, Gabby Hayes tries to get him to go to

Death Valley Death Valley is a desert valley in Eastern California, in the northern Mojave Desert, bordering the Great Basin Desert. During summer, it is the Highest temperature recorded on Earth, hottest place on Earth. Death Valley's Badwater Basin is the ...

, where Hayes owns land used for oil drilling. Elliot declines the offer but Hayes travels to the area with his dog, Teabone. Whilst in the nearby town, Hayes speaks with his friend and fellow oil driller Tex Benson, who warns him not to come into contact with a certain Richard Quinn, the field manager of another oil extraction company who has secret attempts to sabotage smaller oil companies. Following an attack on his well by Quinn's henchmen, Benson proceeds to steal equipment from Quinn's own well. Quinn then takes Benson to court where Judge Jim Hobart (who reluctantly works for Quinn) issues an arrest warrant for Benson. Marshall Hugh Ward is sent to arrest Benson, but ends up being killed accidentally. Quinn claims the death was a murder by Benson and has him imprisoned by Hobart.

Cast

as Marshal Wild Bill Elliott *

as Gabby Hayes *

as Nicky Hobart *

as Richard Quinn *

as Judge Jim Hobart *Davison Clark as Tex Benson *

Pierce Lyden Pierce W. Lyden (January 8, 1908 – October 10, 1998) was an American actor best known for his work in television and film Westerns. Early life Lyden was born in a sod house on a ranch near Hildreth, Nebraska on January 8, 1908. The son of a hor ...

as Clayton *Charles Murray Jr. as Danny *

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. Selected filmography * ''The Stolen Ranch'' (1926) * ''Dames Ahoy!' ...

as Marshal Hugh Ward * Eddie Phillips as Deputy Marshal Blaine *

Bud Geary Bud Geary (February 15, 1898 – February 22, 1946), was an American film actor. He appeared in 258 films between years 1920 and 1946. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and died in Hollywood, California, aged 48. Partial filmography ...

as Henchman Sid Roberts *Al Taylor as Deputy Marshal Lawson

References

External links

* 1943 films American Western (genre) films 1943 Western (genre) films Republic Pictures films Films directed by John English American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films {{1940s-Western-film-stub