| The Durango Kid | |
|---|---|
 Newspaper advertisement | |
| Directed by | Lambert Hillyer |
| Screenplay by | Paul Franklin |
| Produced by | Jack Fier |
| Starring |
Charles Starrett Luana Walters Kenneth MacDonald |
| Cinematography | John Stumar |
| Edited by | Richard Fantl |
| Music by |
Bob Nolan Tim Spencer |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures Corporation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 61 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Durango Kid is a 1940 American Western directed by Lambert Hillyer, starring Charles Starrett, Luana Walters and Kenneth McDonald. [1] This is the first of 65 [2] Durango Kid movies Starrett made at Columbia Pictures. [3]
Plot
Bill Lowry returns home to his family ranch, to find that ruthless businessman Mace Ballard is trying to force the townspeople into selling their land. Opposing Ballard is Lowry's father, who leaves for the marshal's office to press charges. On his way there, an armed sniper -- Ballard -- kills him. This prompts Bill to masquerade as The Durango Kid, fabled vigilante who fights for justice. While Durango harasses Ballard and terrorizes Ballard's gunmen, Bill becomes the marshal's special deputy, investigating Ballard's activities legally. Ballard is charged with murder but escapes, firing at the law. He is killed in the ensuing gunplay.
Cast
- Charles Starrett as Bill Lowry / The Durango Kid
- Luana Walters as Nancy Winslow
- Kenneth MacDonald as Mace Ballard
- Francis Walker as Henchman Steve
- Forrest Taylor as Ben Winslow
- Melvin Lang as Marshal Dan Trayboe
- Bob Nolan as Bob, member of Sons of the Pioneers
- Pat Brady as Pat, member of Sons of the Pioneers
- Lloyd Perryman, Karl Farr, Hugh Farr, members of Sons of the Pioneers
- Frank LaRue as Sam Lowry
Notes
The Durango Kid was just another of Columbia's B-western features in its popular Charles Starrett series, with no special distinction except for its standard hero-vs.-villain plotline. In 1945 the studio produced a sequel, The Return of the Durango Kid, which caught on with moviegoers and became a series. Starrett went on to portray The Durango Kid full-time until his retirement in 1952. [4]
References
-
^
"Five Players Join 'Durango Kid' Cast". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Brooklyn. June 18, 1940. p. 7. Retrieved June 7, 2016 – via
Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Charles Starrett - IMDb". Retrieved October 4, 2016.
- ^ Boggs, Johnny D. (2013). Billy the Kid on Film, 1911-2012. McFarland. p. 74. ISBN 9781476603353.
- ^ Variety, "Starrett Rides Away from Col and Durango", April 9, 1952, p. 29.
External links
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