''Riders of the Range'' is a 1949 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

Lesley Selander Lesley Selander (May 26, 1900 – December 5, 1979) was an American film director of Western (genre), Westerns and adventure film, adventure movies. His career as director, spanning 127 feature films and dozens of TV episodes, lasted from 1936 to ...

Plot

In the

Old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...

, Kansas Jones and his sidekick, Chito Rafferty, ride into Cedar Hill, Arizona looking for work. Entering a bar, they witness a poker game between card shark Clint Burrows and Harry Willis. Harry and his sister, Dusty, own a cattle ranch. Harry owes Burrows $3,000 in past gambling debts. Burrows suggests Harry give him the Willis' cattle herd in exchange for satisfaction of the gambling debt. Dusty, without knowledge of Harry's predicament, hires Kansas and Chito as cowhands. Chito is attracted to Dusty. Burrows hires the Ringo Kid for $1,000 to rustle the Willis herd with the help of Burrows' henchman, Trump Dixon. With Harry's collusion, Burrows promises Ringo it will be an easy job. To keep Kansas and Chito away from the herd, Harry instructs them to mend fences while he tends the cattle. Kansas becomes suspicious. Ringo and his gang attempt to rustle the cattle, under Harry's supervision, when Kansas and Chito arrive. The theft is thwarted and Ringo rides away. Harry feigns his knowledge of the theft; however, Dusty, who arrives, is also suspicious of Harry. Ringo, who was promised an easy theft, demands payment from Burrows. Ringo greedily takes $3,000 from Burrows rather than the $1,000 he was promised. Harry plans to leave the ranch for good, but Burrows intercepts and threatens him. A fight ensues during which Kansas and Chito intervene and escort Burrows off the ranch. Harry confesses his involvement with Burrows. Dusty agrees to pay Harry's debt and entrusts Kansas and Chito to deliver the $3,000 to Burrows. En route, Kansas and Chito recognize Ringo as one of the rustlers and give chase. A fight ensues during which Ringo loses the $3,000 he stole from Burrows. Chito also loses his "lucky peso." Searching for the peso, Kansas and Chito find Ringo's money, and they now hold two separate payments of $3,000 each. Searching for the money, Ringo later returns to the scene of the fight only to find Chito's peso. Kansas and Chito pay Burrows the $3,000 owed by Harry, but Ringo observes the payoff and concludes Burrows sent Kansas and Chito to rob him. After Kansas and Chito leave, Ringo kills Burrows and takes back the $3,000 (Harry's payoff). However, Trump Dixon believes Kansas killed Burrows and summons Sheriff Cole. The sheriff and his posse attempt to arrest Kansas at the Willis ranch, but Kansas and Chito ride away. Harry distrusts Kansas who was still holding $3,000 (actually Ringo's money), but Dusty is uncertain. Chito diverts the posse, while Kansas goes to the bar and forces Trump to disclose the location of Ringo's hideout. Dusty appears and Kansas tells her to find Chito while he and Trump find Ringo. The sheriff catches up with Chito and arrests him. Kansas and Trump find Ringo's hideout. Kansas' cover is blown and a gunfight ensues. Dusty finds the sheriff who is escorting Chito and uses a ruse to divert the sheriff to Ringo's hideout by telling him Kansas is there and she will guard Chito. The posse arrives and subdue Ringo's remaining gang. Ringo rides away with Kansas in pursuit. Chito arrives and helps Kansas subdue Ringo, finding the $3,000 (Harry's payoff) and Chito's lucky peso. Kansas and Chito leave the Willis ranch to collect the reward money from Ringo's arrest, and then move on. Kansas leaves Chito's lucky peso with Dusty.

Cast

Tim Holt Charles John "Tim" Holt III (February 5, 1919 – February 15, 1973) was an American actor. He was a popular Western star during the 1940s and early 1950s, appearing in forty-six B westerns released by RKO Pictures. In a career spanning mo ...

as Kansas Jones * Richard Martin as Chito Rafferty *

Jacqueline White Jacqueline Jane White (born November 23, 1922) is an American former actress, who had a brief career in Hollywood motion pictures during the 1940s and early-1950s working as a contract player at both studios MGM and RKO, and perhaps best remem ...

as "Dusty" Willis *

Reed Hadley Reed Hadley (born Reed Herring, June 25, 1911 – December 11, 1974) was an American film, television and radio actor. Early life Hadley was born in Petrolia, Texas, to Bert Herring, an oil well driller, and his wife Minnie. Hadley had one ...

as Clint Burrows *

Robert Barrat Robert Harriot Barrat (July 10, 1891 – January 7, 1970) was an American stage, motion picture, and television character actor. Early years Barratt was born on July 10, 1891, in New York City and was educated in the public schools there. He ...

as Sheriff Cole *

Robert Clarke Robert Irby Clarke (June 1, 1920 – June 11, 2005) was an American actor best known for his cult classic science fiction films of the 1950s. Early life Clarke was born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He decided at an early age that h ...

as Harry Willis *

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 s ...

as The Ringo Kid *

William Tannen William Tannen (November 17, 1911 – December 2, 1976) was an American actor originally from New York City, who was best known for his role of Deputy Hal Norton in fifty-six episodes from 1956 to 1958 of the ABC/Desilu western television seri ...

as Trump Dixon

Reception

The film reported a loss of $50,000, indicating the declining market for B Westerns with the spread of television.Richard Jewell & Vernon Harbin, ''The RKO Story.'' New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House, 1982. p240

References

External links

* {{Lesley Selander 1949 films 1949 Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films Films directed by Lesley Selander RKO Pictures films American black-and-white films 1940s American films