''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 i ...

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 Schoo ...

and starring

George Montgomery George Montgomery may refer to: * George Montgomery (actor) (1916–2000), American actor *George Leslie Montgomery (c. 1727–1787), Irish Member of Parliament *George Montgomery (set decorator) (1899–1951), American set decorator * George Thoma ...

. 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, scout, lawman, gambler, showman, and actor, and for his involvemen ...

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, Dak ...

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

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, one of which is named Spargo, Jack tells them the place where the headquarters is located. Soon after he is tried as a spy. When Jack manages to escape, his cousin Bat McCall and Wild Bill Hickok kill his parents and plan to get hold of the McCall plantation and money. 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

as Jack McCall * Angela Stevens as Rose Griffith * Douglas Kennedy as 'Wild' Bill Hickok *

James Seay James Seay (September 9, 1914 – October 10, 1992) was an American character actor who often played minor supporting roles as government officials. Early years Seay demonstrated an interest in acting at an early age, as he and his mothe ...

as Bat McCall *

Eugene Iglesias Eugene Luis Francisco Iglesias Carrillo (born 3 December 1926) is an American actor from Puerto Rico who was active mainly in 1950s and 1960s. In 1955 Iglesias appeared as Alfredo on the TV western ''Cheyenne'' in the episode "Border Showdown." ...

as Grey Eagle * Willam Tannen as Spargo *

Jay Silverheels Jay Silverheels (born Harold Jay Smith; May 26, 1912 – March 5, 1980) was an Indigenous Canadian actor and athlete. He was well known for his role as Tonto, the Native American companion of the Lone Ranger in the American Western televisio ...

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 a ...

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 26 Apr 1952: 9.

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 {{1950s-Western-film-stub