''The Lone Defender'' is a 1930 American

Pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines, popularly known ...

Mascot A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as fi ...

serial film A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, gene ...

starring

Rin Tin Tin Rin Tin Tin or Rin-Tin-Tin (September 1918 – August 10, 1932) was a male German Shepherd born in Flirey, France, who became an international star in motion pictures. He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American soldier, L ...

. It was Mascot's first all-sound serial (the second to have any sound at all, after the partial sound in '' The King of the Kongo''). It was Rin Tin Tin's first serial at Mascot, after being dropped by

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

when they decided animal pictures would not work with "Talkies". He also starred in the later serial ''

The Lightning Warrior ''The Lightning Warrior'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code Mascot movie serial starring Rin Tin Tin in his last role. It is regarded as one of the better Mascot serials. A number of the production's outdoor action sequences were filmed on the rocky ...

'', which was his last appearance (he died in 1932). The plot revolves around Rin Tin Tin as "Rinty" and a secret gold mine fought over by the criminal "The Cactus Kid" and the legitimate owners. Material from this serial was edited into a feature film version and released under the same name in 1934.

Plot

Prospector ''Juan Valdez'' is murdered by ''The Cactus Kid'' and his gang in an attempt to discover the location of his gold mine. Valdez's dog ''Rinty'' witnesses the murder and can also lead the gang to the mine, making him the villain's target throughout the serial. In addition Rinty must help Valdez's daughter ''Dolores'' legitimately find and claim the mine while being blamed for being the wolf that has been attacking local livestock. The mysterious figure of ''Ramon'' is constantly on hand, overhearing pieces of the villain's conversations. He appears to be another bandit but his actions seem to contradict that. It is revealed in the finale of the serial that Ramon is in fact "Marco Roberto", an agent of the Justice Department.

Cast

as "Rinty", Juan Valdez's dog * Josef Swickard as Juan Valdez, Prospector who owns a secret gold mine *

June Marlowe June Marlowe (born Gisela Valaria Goetten, November 6, 1903 – March 10, 1984) was an American film actress who began her career during the silent film era. She was best known for her performance of "Miss Crabtree" in the ''Our Gang'' sho ...

as Dolores Valdez, Juan Valdez's daughter * Walter Miller as Marco Roberto, Justice Department Agent posing as the "Mysterious Figure", Ramon *

Buzz Barton Buzz Barton (1913–1980) was an American film actor.Munden p.37 He is predominantly known for his roles as a child actor in a number of silent westerns made by the FBO studios during the 1920s. Following the introduction of sound, he mainly pla ...

as Buzz, Ramon's sidekick *

Lee Shumway Lee Shumway (March 4, 1884 – January 4, 1959), born Leonard Charles Shumway, was an American actor. He appeared in more than 400 films between 1909 and 1953. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and died in Los Angeles, California. Select ...

as Amos Harkey, the villainous cantina owner * Julia Bejarano as Maria, the Dueña * Lafe McKee as Sheriff Billings *Arthur Morrison as Limpy *

Frank Lanning Frank Lanning (August 14, 1872 – June 17, 1945) was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 84 films between 1910 and 1934. He was born in Marion, Iowa and died in Los Angeles, California. Lanning's film debut came in ''The Me ...

as Burke, Prospector and Juan Valdez's partner *

Bob Kortman Robert F. Kortman (December 24, 1887 – March 13, 1967) was an American film actor mostly associated with westerns, though he also appeared in a number of Laurel and Hardy comedies. He appeared in more than 260 films between 1914 and 1952. ...

as Jenkins, one of the Cactus Kid's Henchmen * Victor Metzetti as Red, one of the Cactus Kid's Henchmen * Otto Metzetti as Red's Partner

Production

Stunts

* Joe Bonomo *

Kermit Maynard Kermit Maynard (September 20, 1897 – January 16, 1971) was an American actor and stuntman. Early years Born in Vevay, Indiana, he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Maynard and a lookalike younger brother of actor Ken Maynard; they were f ...

* Arthur Metzetti * Victor Metzetti

Chapter titles

# Mystery of the Desert # The Fugitive # Jaws of Peril # Trapped # Circle of Death # Surrounded by the Law # The Ghost Speaks # The Brink of Destruction # The Avalanche # Fury of the Desert # Cornered # Vindicated _Source:

References

External links

* *
The Lone Defender article on a June Marlowe fansite
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lone Defender, The 1930 films 1930 Western (genre) films American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films Films about dogs Mascot Pictures film serials Films directed by Richard Thorpe American Western (genre) films Films produced by Nat Levine Rin Tin Tin Films with screenplays by Harry L. Fraser 1930s American films