Riders of Death Valley (1941)

Riders of Death Valley

The Saturday matinee crowd got two cowboy stars for the price of one in this lavishly budgeted western serial starring former singing cowboy Dick Foran and Buck Jones. The latter contributed deadpan humor to the proceedings, making Jones perhaps the highest paid B-western comedy relief in history. The two heroes defend the Death Valley borax miners from an outlaw gang headed by Wolf Reade. An extraordinarily strong cast -- for a serial, at least -- supported the stars, headed by Charles Bickford as Reade, Leo Carillo, Lon Chaney, Jr., and silent screen star Monte Blue. Leading lady Jeanne Kelly later changed her name to Jean Brooks and starred in the atmospheric RKO thriller The Seventh Victim (1943). Universal claimed to have spent $1 million on this serial and made sure to get their money's worth by endlessly recycling the action footage in serials and B-westerns for years to come.

Riders of Death Valley

Casting arrow_drop_down

Dick Foran
Dick Foran
as Jim Benton
Leo Carrillo
Leo Carrillo
as Pancho Lopez
Buck Jones
Buck Jones
as Tombstone
Charles Bickford
Charles Bickford
as Wolf Reade
Guinn "Big Boy" Williams
Guinn "Big Boy" Williams
as Borax Bill
Lon Chaney Jr.
Lon Chaney Jr.
as Henchman Butch
Noah Beery Jr.
Noah Beery Jr.
as Smokey
Jean Brooks
Jean Brooks
as Mary Morgan (as Jeanne Kelly)
James Blaine
James Blaine
as Joseph Kirby
Monte Blue
Monte Blue
as Rance Davis
Glenn Strange
Glenn Strange
as Tex, a Benton Rider
Roy Barcroft
Roy Barcroft
as Henchman Dirk
Jack Rockwell
Jack Rockwell
as Henchman Trigger
Ethan Laidlaw
Ethan Laidlaw
as Henchman Rusty
Richard Alexander
Richard Alexander
as Henchman Pete Grump
Frank Austin
Frank Austin
as Chuckawalla Charlie Morgan [Ch. 1]
Charles Thomas
Charles Thomas
as Rimrock [Ch. 4]
William Hall
William Hall
as Dan Gordon [Chs. 1, 8-10]
James Guilfoyle
James Guilfoyle
as Judge Knox [Chs. 2, 13-14]
Ernie Adams
Ernie Adams
as Cactus Pete, Prospector [Ch.14]
Ted Adams
Ted Adams
as Hank
Frank Brownlee
Frank Brownlee
as Slim
Bob Burns
Bob Burns
as Miner in Saloon
Rod Cameron
Rod Cameron
as Rider
Jack Rube Clifford
Jack Rube Clifford
as Lafe Hogan
Edmund Cobb
Edmund Cobb
as Salty
Art Dillard
Art Dillard
as Miner
Jim Farley
Jim Farley
as Graham
Chick Hannan
Chick Hannan
as Miner
Jerome Harte
Jerome Harte
as Richards
Al Haskell
Al Haskell
as Barfly
Jimmie Lucas
Jimmie Lucas
as Saloon Waiter
Frank McCarroll
Frank McCarroll
as Lyncher
Ivor McFadden
Ivor McFadden
as Bragg
Leo J. McMahon
Leo J. McMahon
as Barfly
Jay Michael
Jay Michael
as Cashier
Art Miles
Art Miles
as Green
Bud Osborne
Bud Osborne
as Stagecoach Driver
William Pagan
William Pagan
as Marshal
Tex Palmer
Tex Palmer
as Wagon Driver
Ed Payson
Ed Payson
as Buck Hansen
Gil Perkins
Gil Perkins
as Fighter
Jack Perrin
Jack Perrin
as Stage Guard
Alonzo Price
Alonzo Price
as Mr. Wilson
Ruth Rickaby
Ruth Rickaby
as Kate
Don Rowan
Don Rowan
as Blake
Dick Rush
Dick Rush
as Saloon Waiter
Silver
Silver
as Tombstone's Horse
Smoke
Smoke
as Jim's Horse
Richard Travis
Richard Travis
as Joe Miller
Slim Whitaker
Slim Whitaker
as Stable Owner
Ken Nolan
Ken Nolan
as Cashier

Crew arrow_drop_down

Ray Taylor
Ray Taylor
Director
Jack O'Donnell
Jack O'Donnell
Screenplay
Leroy Johnson
Leroy Johnson
Stunts
George H. Plympton
George H. Plympton
Screenplay
Duke York
Duke York
Stunts
Charles Previn
Charles Previn
Music Director
Alvin Todd
Alvin Todd
Editor
John P. Fulton
John P. Fulton
Visual Effects
Basil Dickey
Basil Dickey
Screenplay
Ken Terrell
Ken Terrell
Stunts
Joseph Gluck
Joseph Gluck
Editor
Ford Beebe
Ford Beebe
Director
Jack Casey
Jack Casey
Stunts
Jacques Jaccard
Jacques Jaccard
Dialogue
Saul A. Goodkind
Saul A. Goodkind
Supervising Film Editor
Sherman L. Lowe
Sherman L. Lowe
Screenplay
Oliver Drake
Oliver Drake
Story
Louis Sackin
Louis Sackin
Editor
Ralph M. DeLacy
Ralph M. DeLacy
Art Direction
Cliff Lyons
Cliff Lyons
Stunts
Cleo E. Baker
Cleo E. Baker
Visual Effects
Frank McCarroll
Frank McCarroll
Stunts
Leo J. McMahon
Leo J. McMahon
Stunts
Gil Perkins
Gil Perkins
Stunts
Henry MacRae
Henry MacRae
Associate Producer
Heinz Roemheld
Heinz Roemheld
Original Music Composer
Karl Hajos
Karl Hajos
Original Music Composer
Jerome Ash
Jerome Ash
Director of Photography
W. Franke Harling
W. Franke Harling
Original Music Composer
Charles Previn
Charles Previn
Original Music Composer
Ralph Freed
Ralph Freed
Original Music Composer
Frank Skinner
Frank Skinner
Original Music Composer
William A. Sickner
William A. Sickner
Director of Photography
Art Dillard
Art Dillard
Stunts

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