''The Shadow Riders'' is a 1982 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 ...

television film directed by

Andrew V. McLaglen Andrew Victor McLaglen (July 28, 1920 – August 30, 2014) was a British-born American film and television director, known for Westerns and adventure films, often starring John Wayne or James Stewart. According to one obituary "His career ...

and starring

Tom Selleck Thomas William Selleck (; born January 29, 1945) is an American actor. His breakout role was playing private investigator Thomas Magnum in the television series ''Magnum, P.I.'' (1980–1988), for which he received five Emmy Award nominations f ...

Sam Elliott Samuel Pack Elliott (born August 9, 1944) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Board of Review Award, and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Aw ...

Dominique Dunne Dominique Ellen Dunne (November 23, 1959 – November 4, 1982) was an American actress. Born and raised in Santa Monica, California, Dunne studied acting at Milton Katselas' Workshop, where she appeared in stage productions. She made her ...

, and

Katharine Ross Katharine Juliet Ross (born January 29, 1940) is an American film, stage, and television actress. Her accolades include one Academy Award nomination, one BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards. A native of Los Angeles, Ross spent most of he ...

. Based on the 1982 novel of the same name by

Louis L'Amour Louis Dearborn L'Amour (; né LaMoore; March 22, 1908 – June 10, 1988) was an American novelist and short story writer. His books consisted primarily of Western novels (though he called his work "frontier stories"); however, he also wrote hi ...

, the film is about two brothers who meet up after fighting on opposite sides of the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

and return home only to find their siblings kidnapped by ruthless raiders. Together they set out on an adventure to rescue their family. The film reunites actors Selleck, Elliot, and

Jeff Osterhage Jeff Osterhage (born March 12, 1953) is an American film and television actor from Columbus, Indiana. He graduated from North Farmington High School, Farmington Hills, Michigan, and Western Michigan University with a BBA Degree (1976). Osterhage ...

, who also starred in the 1979 film ''

The Sacketts ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

''. ''The Shadow Riders'' first aired in the United States on Tuesday, September 28, 1982.

Plot

At the end of the Civil War,

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

soldier Dal Traven (

) is about to be executed by a firing squad when he is rescued by a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

force led by Major Ashbury. Ashbury plans on continuing to fight the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

and invites Dal to join his group. Dal declines, deciding to go back to his home in Texas instead. On his way there he meets his brother Mac (

) who served as a Union officer. Despite serving on different sides the brothers bear no ill will toward each other. Dal and Mac arrive home to find that their home has been looted and their two sisters, their brother Jesse (

), and Dal's girlfriend Kate ( Katherine Ross) have been kidnapped. It is Ashbury who looted their home (along with many other homesteads). Ashbury has made camp by the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...

, where he is waiting to meet a smuggler by the name of Holiday Hammond. He plans to trade the goods, livestock, and prisoners he has stolen for guns to fight the Union. Jesse and Kate attempt an escape, but it does not go according to plan. Desperate, Jesse swims into the Gulf, but is shot and presumed dead. Hammond arrives by boat and takes all of the prisoners, except Kate, to Mexico to be sold. Ashbury accompanies him. Dal and Mac track the Confederates and come across their wounded brother. The three of them attack the Confederate camp and rescue Kate. Kate informs the brothers that their sisters have been taken to Mexico. However, none of them have the local knowledge needed to navigate Mexico. Dal and Mac break their uncle Jack (

Ben Johnson Ben, Benjamin or Benny Johnson may refer to: In sports Association football *Ben Johnson (footballer, born 2000), English footballer * Ben Johnson (soccer) (born 1977), American soccer player Other codes of football *Ben Johnson (Australian footb ...

) out of jail to guide them. Meanwhile in Mexico, Ashbury confronts Hammond. Hammond has continually deflected Ashbury's questions about the guns promised to him. Hammond reveals that he never had any intention of selling any guns and imprisons Ashbury. Jack successfully leads the group to Hammond's hide out and a battle commences. During the battle Ashbury escapes, but is caught by Dal. Dal prepares to shoot Ashbury for kidnapping his sisters, but spares him as Ashbury had earlier saved his life. Hammond takes the Traven sisters and attempts to escape by train, but Dal and Mac pursue him on horseback, eventually catching the train. The brothers save their sisters and capture Hammond, but just as the Travens are reunited, the Texan sheriff who put Jack in jail arrives to arrest him again. However, the Travens convince the sheriff to trade Jack for Hammond (the most wanted man in Texas). With the rest of the prisoners freed, all five Traven siblings, Kate, and Jack begin the trip back to Texas.

Cast

as Mac Traven *

as Dal Traven *

as Sissy Traven *

as Kate Connery / Sister Katherine *

as Uncle 'Black Jack' Traven * Scanlon Gail as Yankee Officer *

Geoffrey Lewis Geoffrey Lewis may refer to: * Geoffrey Lewis (actor) (1935–2015), American character actor * Geoffrey Lewis (scholar) (1920–2008), British professor of Turkish * Geoffrey Lewis (philatelist), Australian philatelist * Geoffrey W. Lewis (died ...

as Major Cooper Ashbury, Comanchero Leader *

as Jesse Traven *

Gene Evans Eugene Barton Evans (July 11, 1922 – April 1, 1998) was an American actor who appeared in numerous television series, television films, and feature films between 1947 and 1989. Background Evans was born in Holbrook, Arizona and raised i ...

as Colonel Holiday Hammond, Gunrunner *

R. G. Armstrong Robert Golden Armstrong Jr. (April 7, 1917 – July 27, 2012) was an American character actor and playwright. A veteran performer who appeared in dozens of Westerns during his 40-year career, he may be best remembered for his work with director ...

as Sheriff Miles Gillette *

Marshall R. Teague Marshall R Teague (born April 16, 1953) is an American film and television actor known for his balance of starring roles with powerful supporting characters, allowing him to build a varied and pivotal body of work. He was born in Knoxville, Tenne ...

as Lieutenant Butler * Ben Fuhrman as Devol *

Jane Greer Jane Greer (born Bettejane Greer; September 9, 1924 – August 24, 2001) was an American film and television actress best known for her role as ''femme fatale'' Kathie Moffat in the 1947 film noir ''Out of the Past''. In 2009, ''The Guardian'' n ...

as Ma Traven *

Harry Carey, Jr. Henry George Carey Jr. (May 16, 1921 – December 27, 2012) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 90 films, including several John Ford Westerns, as well as numerous television series. Early life Carey was born on a ranch near ...

as Pa Traven * Natalie May as Heather Traven *

Jeannetta Arnette Jeannetta Arnette is an American actress. She became known for her television role as Miss Meara on the situation comedy ''Head of the Class''. She has also appeared in numerous films, including 1992's ''Ladybugs'' and 1999's '' Boys Don't Cry'' ...

as Southern Belle * Owen Orr as Frank King, Kate's Fiancee * Kristina David as Renfro Damsel * Joe Capone as Sergeant Ballock * Robert B. Craig as Laird

Production

Filming locations

Columbia State Historic Park Columbia State Historic Park, also known as Columbia Historic District, is a state park unit and National Historic Landmark District preserving historic downtown Columbia, California, United States. It includes almost 30 buildings built during t ...

, 22708 Broadway,

Columbia, California Columbia is a census-designated place (CDP) located in the Sierra Nevada foothills in Tuolumne County, California, United States. It was founded as a boomtown in 1850 when gold was found during the California Gold Rush, and was known as the "Ge ...

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park Railtown 1897 State Historic Park, and its operating entity, the Sierra Railway, is known as "The Movie Railroad." Both entities are a heritage railway and are a unit of the California State Park System. Railtown 1897 is located in Jamestown, C ...

Jamestown, California Jamestown is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tuolumne County, California, United States. The population was 3,433 at the 2010 census, up from 3,017 at the 2000 census. Formerly a California Gold Rush town, Jamestown is now a California Hist ...

(Train scenes) *

Santa Cruz, California Santa Cruz (Spanish for "Holy Cross") is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, in Northern California. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 62,956. Situated on the northern edge of Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz is a pop ...

Sonora, California Sonora is the county seat of Tuolumne County, California. Founded during the California Gold Rush by Mexican miners from Sonora (after which the city is named), the city population was 5,226 during the 2020 Census, an increase of 221 from the ...

Brookings, Oregon Brookings is a city in Curry County, Oregon, United States. It was named after John E. Brookings, president of the Brookings Lumber and Box Company, which founded the city in 1908. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,744. History F ...

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Shadow Riders, The 1982 television films Western (genre) television films American Civil War films American television films CBS network films Films based on works by Louis L'Amour Films based on American novels Films based on Western (genre) novels Films directed by Andrew McLaglen Films set in Texas 1980s American films