''The Ranger and the Lady'' is a 1940 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

Joseph Kane Jasper Joseph Inman Kane (March 19, 1894, San Diego – August 25, 1975, Santa Monica, California) was an American film director, film producer, film editor and screenwriter. He is best known for his extensive directorship and focus on Western fi ...

and starring

Roy Rogers Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998) was an American singer, actor, and television host. Following early work under his given name, first as co-founder of the Sons of the Pioneers and then acting, the rebra ...

, and

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 ...

Plot

Texas Ranger Captain Roy Colt (Roy Rogers) disapproves of the tactics of his superior, General Augustus LaRue (Henry Brandon), who is governing the Republic of Texas temporarily while Sam Houston (Davison Clark) is in Washington trying to get Texas admitted into the United States. LaRue is seeking to advance his own power, and he arbitrarily sets a tax on all wagons using the Santa Fe Trail (yes, check a map of the Republic of Texas before statehood), and orders Captain Colt and his Sergeant, Gabby Whittaker (George "Gabby" Hayes), to enforce this ruling. Colt, knowing that if he refuses he will be in no position to combat LaRue's outrageous plans, plays along. Among the first of the freighter wagon trains to be taxed is those belonging to Jane Tabor (Jacqueline Wells, before she became Julie Bishop) . When she and her old-time scout, Hank Purdy (Si Jenks), refuse to pay the tax, Colt places her under arrest and brings her before LaRue. But Jane charms LaRue into allowing her a monopoly of the freight lines using the Santa Fe Trail. Secretly, she is bent upon deposing LaRue, who was responsible for the death of her father. Colt misunderstands her motives, while she is equally contemptuous of his being a tool of LaRue. The other wagon train owners revolt and backed by Colt and Hank Purdy, who has deserted Jane because of her apparent bargain with LaRue, they use force to get the freight wagons through. Purdy is wounded and Jane comes to his aid. Through Gabby, Jane and Roy's misunderstanding are corrected, and they work together until LaRue's treachery is exposed and he is brought to justice.

Cast

as Texas Ranger Captain Roy Colt *

as Texas Ranger Sergeant Gabby Whittaker *

Julie Bishop Julie Isabel Bishop (born 17 July 1956) is an Australian former politician who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2018 and deputy leader of the Liberal Party from 2007 to 2018. She was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Curtin ...

as Jane Tabor (billed as Jacqueline Wells) * Harry Woods as Kincaid * Henry Brandon as General Augustus Larue *

Noble Johnson Noble Johnson (April 18, 1881 – January 9, 1978), later known as Mark Noble, was an American actor and film producer. He appeared in films such as ''The Mummy'' (1932), ''The Most Dangerous Game'' (1932), ''King Kong'' (1933) and ''Son of ...

as Henchman El Lobo * Si Jenks as Freighter Hank Purdy *

Ted Mapes Ted Mapes (November 25, 1901 – September 9, 1984) was an American character actor, who was also a prolific stuntman and body double. Born on November 25, 1901, in St. Edward, Nebraska, he moved to Los Angeles in his mid-20s, and entered the fi ...

as Henchman Kramer *

Yakima Canutt Enos Edward "Yakima" Canutt (November 29, 1895 – May 24, 1986) was an American champion rodeo rider, actor, stuntman, and action director. He developed many stunts for films and the techniques and technology to protect stuntmen in performing t ...

as Mack

Soundtrack

*Roy Rogers - "As Long as We're Dancing" (Written by Peter Tinturin) *Roy Rogers - "Chiquita" (Written by Peter Tinturin)

External links

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