3.0 out of 5 stars
"Ken Maynard Series ... Law Rides Again (1943) ... Poverty Row", February 26, 2009
This review is from: Law Rides Again (DVD)
Monogram Pictures presents "LAW RIDES AGAIN" (6 August 1943) (59 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:
Alan James - Director
Robert Emmett Tansey - Story
Frances Kavanaugh - Screenwriter
Robert Emmett Tansey - Producer
Marcel Le Picard - Cinematographer
Carl Pierson - Film Editor
Special footnote, this Alpha Video copy is not up to our standards in quality and content. Only hope VCI Entertainment will find a copy that is noteworthy for our collections and release it to the fans of B-Westerns.
Our story line and plot, The Indians are on the warpath and Ken Maynard and Hoot Gibson have been sent to investigate --- They catch an outlaw and he leads them to the Indian Agent Hampton (Kenneth Harlan) --- When Ken searches Hampton's office he finds evidence that Hampton has been cheating the Indians --- Hampton learns his racket has been exposed and musters his men --- Finding themselves greatly outnumbered, Hoot sends for the soldiers --- Jam packed with action and hard riding, even though the two stars are getting long in the tooth --- The second entry in Monogram's low-budget "Trail Blazers" B-Western series --- The Law Rides Again's only novelty was stunt-rider Betty Miles) playing a female stage driver --- Chief Thundercloud, here playing the Indian chief, would later replace the increasingly difficult Ken Maynard in the final two "Trail Blazers" entries, Outlaw Trail and Sonora Stagecoach (both 1944) --- 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 ... U.S. Marshal Ken Maynard
Hoot Gibson ... U.S. Marshal Hoot Gibson
Jack La Rue ... Duke Dillon
Betty Miles ... Betty Conway
Emmett Lynn ... Eagle-Eye the Scout
Kenneth Harlan ... John Hampton, Indian Agent (as Ken Harlan)
Chief Thundercloud ... Thundercloud
Chief Many Treaties ... Chief Barking Fox
Bryant Washburn ... Commissioner Lee
Fred Hoose ... Hank, Stage driver
Kenne Duncan ... Sheriff Jeff (as Ken Duncan)
Roy Brent ... Marshal with Dillon
John Bridges ... Jess, Hotel Thug
John Merton ... Henchman Spike
Hank Bell ... Tex, Hampton Henchman
Charles Murray Jr. ... Henchman
Steve Clark ... Pete Conway, Betty's Father
Budd Buster ... Commissioner's aide
Wally West ... Deputy Wally
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: 59 min on VHS/DVD ~ Monogram Pictures ~ (03/29/2005)
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