0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Buster Crabbe B-Western Series ... Devil Riders (1943) ... PRC", January 28, 2008
This review is from: Devil Riders [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Producers Releasing Corporation presents "DEVIL RIDERS" (5 November 1943) (56 mins/B&W) (Dolby digitally remastered) --- American actor Buster Crabbe graduated from the University of Southern California and won the 400 meter freestyle in which he medaled in the 1932 Olympics, went to work for Paramount in "King of the Jungle" (1933), next role was "Tarzan the Fearless (1933), Crabbe returned to Paramount Pictures was featured in Zane Grey Westerns which were well received, then came the roles that made him a household word "Flash Gordon" and "Buck Rogers" at Universal Picture Serials (1936-1940), meanwhile PRC Studios was looking for a leading hero "Billy the Kid" and "Billy Carson" in the 1940's B-Western series and ran its course for six years, later made several televison appearances and appeared in a series "Captain Gallant and the Foreign Legion" (1955-1957) --- relive those thrilling days when Buster Crabbe took us down the dusty trails with hard riding and straight shooting hitting the bull's eye with excitement every time --- the Buster Crabbe series of B-Westerns were a staple of Saturday matinees in the 1930s and 1940s --- don't miss any of the Buster Crabbe features loaded with action that will leave you wanting more of his B-Western adventures.
Under Sam Newfield (Director), Sigmund Neufeld (Producer), Joseph O'Donnell (Screenwriter), Robert C. Cline (Cinematographer), Robert O. Crandall (Editor) - - - - Our story line and plot, Government land is up for grabs with a crooked lawyer and his outlaw gang from under a stagecoach line --- This is where Buster Crabbe and Fuzzy St. John arrive on the scene --- Someone is trying to frame Crabbe for a murder he didn't commit --- Also watch for two veteran badmen Charles King and John Merton who always look like they need a shave - - - - - B-Western footnote, actor Al St. John, silent film comic who appeared in dozens of Mack Sennett's early Keystone comedies and would eventually create and star in his own vehicles for other studios --- With the advent of sound, he became a character actor in westerns and later the bewhiskered sidekick, also known as Fuzzy Q. Jones in some popular series Fred Scott (Spectrum Pictures/1937-38), Bob Steele/Billy the Kid (PRC Pictures/1940-41), Don "Red" Barry (Republic Pictures/1940-42), Lone Rider wth George Houston (PRC Pictures/1941-42), Lone Rider with Robert Livingston (PRC Pictures/1942-43), Buster Crabbe/Billy the Kid (PRC Pictures/1941-43), Buster Crabbe/Billy Carson (PRC Pictures/1943-46), Lash LaRue (PRC Pictures/1947-52) --- St. John retired from film making in the early '50s, passed away in 1963 from a heart attack while working with the Tommy Scott Wild West show.
Check out this and more in a new book "Those Great Cowboy Sidekicks" by David Rothel, available from Amazon and Empire Publishing --- pick up your copy today ----- second B-Western footnote, actor Charles King was among the top five "Best of the Badmen" (according to a new book by Boyd Magers, Bob Nareau and Bobby Copeland) --- King was a big man, but as agile as a cat during his fight scenes with Johnny Mack Brown, Buster Crabbe, Tex Ritter, The Rough Riders and Bob Steele...King appeared in 400 films and 350 were in sound including many cliffhangers --- King was the heavy we loved to hate --- check out this and more in a new book "Best of the Badmen" by Boyd Magers, Bob Nareau and Bobby Copeland, available from Amazon and Empire Publishing --- pick up your copy today --- another great B-Western for Buster Crabbe under the PRC Picture banner, proves to be one of his most exciting performances.
the cast includes
Buster Crabbe ... Billy Carson
Al St. John ... Fuzzy Q. Jones (as Al 'Fuzzy' St. John)
Patti McCarty ... Sally Farrell
Charles King ... Del Stone
John Merton ... Jim Higgins
Kermit Maynard ... Henchman Red
Frank LaRue ... Tom Farrell
Jack Ingram ... Henchman Turner
George Chesebro ... Curley
Ed Cassidy ... Doc
Big Slicker Band ... Musicians
Hank Bell ... Jed Clark
Ralph Bucko ... Townsman
Roy Bucko ... Townsman
Steve Clark ... Sheriff
Art Dillard ... Henchman
Bert Dillard ... Henchman
Frank Ellis ... Henchman
Al Ferguson ... Stage employee
Artie Ortego ... Townsman
Bud Osborne ... Steve Lacey
Wally West ... Rider
Tex Williams ... Musician, Big Slicker Band
SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. Buster Crabbe (aka: Clarence Linden Crabbe II)
Birth Date: 2/17/1907 - Oakland California
Died: 4/23/1983 - Scottsdale, Arizona
2. Al "Fuzzy" St. John (aka: Alfred St. John)
Birth Date: 9/10/1893 - Santa Ana, CA
Died: 1/21/1963 - Lyons, Georgia
3. Charles King
Birth Date: 2/21/1895 - Hillsboro, Texas
Died: 5/07/1957 - Hollywood, California (cirrhosis of liver)
Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for Film Noir, B-Westerns and Serials --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s and B-Westerns ... order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on DVD and VHS --- stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Amazon where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns --- all my heroes have been cowboys!
Total Time: 56 min on DVD/VHS ~ United American Video ~ (6/15/1989)
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
