''Jack McCall, Desperado'' is a 1953 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

Sidney Salkow Sidney Salkow (June 16, 1911 – October 18, 2000) was an American film director (more than 50 motion pictures), screenwriter, and television director. Salkow was educated at the City College of New York, Columbia University, and Harvard Law Sch ...

and starring George Montgomery. It portrays the historical shooting of

Wild Bill Hickok James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837August 2, 1876), better known as "Wild Bill" Hickok, was a folk hero of the American Old West known for his life on the frontier as a soldier, reconnaissance, scout, lawman, cattle rustler, gunslinger, gambler, s ...

Jack McCall John McCall () (1852/1853 – March 1, 1877), also known as "Crooked Nose" or "Broken Nose Jack", was the murderer of Old West legend Wild Bill Hickok. McCall shot Hickok from behind as he played poker at Nuttal & Mann's Saloon in Deadwood, ...

in 1876. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

Paul Palmentola Paul Palmentola (1888–1966) was an Italian-born American art director.Stephens p.233 He designed the film sets for more than two hundred productions during his career, much of his work during the 1930s and 1940s at low-budget studios such as M ...

Plot

Jack McCall is a Southerner who joins the Union during the civil war. When he encounters three Confederate soldiers posing as Yankees, including one named Spargo, Jack tells them the place where the headquarters is located. Soon after he is tried as a spy. Jack manages to escape, and returns home to tell his parents what really happened. He is followed by his cousin Bat McCall and sergeant Bill Hickok who arrive as Jack is leaving through the back door. When Jack's father reaches for a rifle Hickok shoots him, then Bat unwittingly shoots Jack's mother through an upstairs door. Hickok tells Bat that now he has now inherited the estate, and Hickok will share in the management. Jack escapes and tries to track down the Confederate soldiers who tricked him, but has still not found them when peace is declared. After the war Jack tries to prove his innocence and asks Spargo to testify. Spargo first agrees, but when Jack is captured again, Spargo decides to join Hickok and Bat. With the help of Rose Griffith, Jack manages to escape again and hopes to clear his name. Meanwhile, Hickok, Bat and Spargo have left for Kansas City. In search for gold, they plan to destroy the Sioux Indians. Jack, while still trying to clear his name, becomes aware of their plans and tries to stop them.

Cast

* George Montgomery as Jack McCall * Angela Stevens as Rose Griffith * Douglas Kennedy as 'Wild' Bill Hickok * James Seay as Bat McCall *

Eugene Iglesias Eugene Luis Francisco Iglesias Carrillo (3 December 1926 – 4 February 2023) was an American actor from Puerto Rico who was active mainly in 1950s and 1960s. In 1955, Iglesias appeared as Alfredo on the television western ''Cheyenne'' in the ...

as Grey Eagle * Willam Tannen as Spargo *

Jay Silverheels Jay Silverheels (born Harold Jay Smith; May 26, 1912 – March 5, 1980) was a First Nations in Canada, First Nations and Mohawk people, Mohawk actor and athlete, descended from three Iroquois nations. He was well known for his role as Tonto, the ...

as Red Cloud * John Hamilton as Col. Cornish *

Selmer Jackson Selmer Adolf Jackson (May 7, 1888 – March 30, 1971) was an American stage film and television actor. He appeared in nearly 400 films between 1921 and 1963. His name was sometimes spelled Selmar Jackson. Jackson was born in Lake Mills, Iowa ...

as Col. Brand

Production

In November 1951 Katzan announced the film as part of his slate for the upcoming year. In January 1952 Katzman announced that George Montgomery would make two films for the producer, this and '' The Pathfinder''. In April Douglas Kennedy was cast as Wild Bill Hickok."Pine-Thomas Will Film Story of Head Hunters; TV Beauty in Thriller". Schallert, Edwin. ''Los Angeles Times''. April 26, 1952: 9.

Historical accuracy

The real Jack McCall was born in 1852 or 1852 and was therefore too young to have been enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War.

References

Bibliography

* Douglas Brode. ''Shooting Stars of the Small Screen: Encyclopedia of TV Western Actors, 1946–Present''. University of Texas Press, 2010.

External links

* 1953 films 1950s historical films 1953 Western (genre) films 1950s English-language films American historical films American Western (genre) films Films directed by Sidney Salkow Films set in the 1870s Columbia Pictures films 1950s American films English-language Western (genre) films Films produced by Sam Katzman English-language historical films {{1950s-US-Western-film-stub