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4.0 out of 5 stars
"Ken Maynard Series ... Fargo Express (1933) ... Poverty Row", September 26, 2006
This review is from: Fargo Express (DVD)
Poverty Row Pictures presents "FARGO EXPRESS" (20 November 1933) (61 mins/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- . Ken Maynard was an American motion picture stuntman and actor --- Born Kenneth Olin Maynard in Vevay, Indiana, he was an accomplished horseman --- As a young man, he performed in rodeos and was a trick rider with Buffalo Bill 's Wild West Show and a circus rider with Ringling Brothers --- During World War I, he served in the United States Army.
He first appeared in silent motion pictures in 1923 and in addition to acting also did stunt work --- Maynard became one of the first singing cowboys with Columbia Records --- Also one of the first to make a star out of his white stallion named "Tarzan", a half-Arabian, half-American Saddle horse. Maynard bought him in the mid-1920's --- With his white cowboy hat, fancy shirt, and pair of six-shooters, from the 1920s to the mid-1940s --- Maynard appeared in more than 90 films --- However, his alcoholism severely impacted his life and his career ended in 1944. He owned a small circus operation featuring rodeo riders but eventually lost it to creditors.
The significant amount of money he had earned vanished and he lived a desolate life in a rundown mobile home --- During these years, Maynard was supported by an unknown admirer - long thought to be Gene Autry --- More than 25 years after his last starring role, Maynard returned to two small parts in films in 1970 and 1972 --- Ken Maynard died penniless in 1973 at the Motion Picture Home in Woodland Hills, California. He was interred at Forest Lawn Cypress Cemetery in Cypress, California. Maynard's funeral is described in detail in James Horwitz's book They Went Thataway --- His brother, Kermit Maynard, was also an actor and stuntman
For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Ken Maynard has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6751 Hollywood Blvd -- (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Under the production staff of:
Phil Rosen - Director
Jack Natteford - Story
Earle Snell - Screenwriter
Phil Goldstone - Producer
Arthur Reed - Cinematographer
Martin G. Cohn - Film Editor
Our story line and plot, Marshals Blackie Weed (Ken Maynard) and Joe Kearney (Lafe McKee) posing as two-gun men, hire on at Markham's ranch --- They are after Tulliver (Tom London) and his gang of rustlers --- But unknown to the two, Tulliver has planted Thorn (Charles King) on the ranch and he kills the foreman Riggs (Walter Perry) and puts the blame on Blackie --- The Two Gun Man is one of the finest westerns produced by low-budget Tiffany Productions. Starring Ken Maynard, the man best known as the cowboy who taught John Wayne how to do his own stunts, The Two Gun Man features plenty of frontier action, from barroom brawls to desert gunfights --- Ken Maynard had been a major star in the 1920's famous for his trick riding and daring subnetwork. Unfortunately he had a few too many personal demons and his career steadily declined during the 1930s. This film is from his final solo starring series. He would re-surface briefly over weight and as nasty as ever in the 40s in Monogram's "Trail Blazer" with Hoot Gibson and Bob Steele --- After that he basically "retired" from the screen.
the cast includes:
Ken Maynard ... 'Blackie' Weed
Tarzan ... Tarzan, Blackie's Horse
Lucille Powers ... Jo Ann Markham
Charles King ... Thorne
Nita Martan ... Kitty
Murdock MacQuarrie ... Rancher Markham
Lafe McKee ... Joe Kearney
Tom London ... Lem Tolliver
Walter Perry ... Ranch Foreman Riggs
Ethan Allen ... Sheriff
Ralph Bucko ... Cowboy in saloon
Roy Bucko ... Henchman
Bob Card ... Rancher Brown
Jim Corey ... Henchman Jim
Frank Ellis ... Saloon Gunman
William Jackie ... Monty, Markham Cowhand
Bud McClure ... Markham Cowhand Bud
Bob Reeves ... Cowhand
Jack Rockwell ... Outlaw
Tom Smith ... Fight Spectator
Will Stanton ... Kettle-Belly
Blackjack Ward ... Henchman Jake
SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIO:
1. Ken Maynard (aka: Kenneth Olin Maynard)
Date of Birth: 21 July 1895 - Vevay, Indiana
Date of Death: 23 March 1973 - Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California
If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure check out other western double features --- Ask Amazon.Com to carry the volumes as they are not available on Amazon as of yet --- you can order and pick up your copy now from VCI Entertainment
KEN MAYNARD WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURE
Vol 1: Phantom Thunderbolt & Lightning Strikes West (VCI #7240) (DVD)
Vol 2: Dynamite Ranch & Death Rides the Range (VCI #7295) (DVD)
Vol 3: Drum Taps & Two Gun Man (VCI #7300) (DVD)
Vol 4: Fargo Express & Harmony Trail (VCI #7284) (DVD)
Vol 5: Western Courage & Whistlin' Dan (VCI #7307) (DVD)
Vol 6: In Old Santa Fe & Come On Tarzan (VCI #7346) (DVD)
Vol 7: Boots of Destiny & Flamin' Lead (VCI #7348) (DVD)
Vol 8: Six Shootin' Sheriff & Trailin' Trouble (VCI #7350) (DVD)
Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guidelines 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), Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") and Trevor Scott (Down Under DVD Com) 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 '30s & '40s and B-Westerns --- order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on DVD --- stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with musical adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Amazon or VCI where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns --- all my heroes have been cowboys!
Total Time: 61 min on VHS/DVD ~ Poverty Row Pictures ~ (12/27/2005)
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