5.0 out of 5 stars
"Ken Maynard Series ... Lightning Strikes West (1940) ... Poverty Row", September 25, 2006
This review is from: Lightning Strikes West (DVD)
Poverty Row Pictures presents "LIGHTNING STRIKES WEST" (1 June 1940) (57 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:
Harry L. Fraser - Director
Arthur Alexander - Producer
Max Alexander - Producer
Monroe Talbot - Screen Story
Elmer Dyer - Cinematographer
Lew Porter - Composer (Music Score)
Charles Henkle, Jr. - Editor
Our story line and plot, When Butch Taggart (Michael Vallon) escapes prison, the Marshal (William Gould) sends Lightning Morgan (Ken Maynard) to find him and his hidden gold --- He finds the map to the gold on Taggart's boot --- Joe Laikon (Charles King) and his men are also after the gold and they overpower Morgan, get the map, and head for the treasure --- But Morgan and Tod Grant (Bob Terry) are soon on their trail --- Ken Maynard left films for a couple of years to concentrate on personal appearances --- Good to see my favorite badman in the saddle again Charles King who always gives us his worst to the hero.
the cast includes:
Ken Maynard ... Lightning Ken Morgan
Tarzan ... Ken's Horse
Claire Rochelle ... Mae Grant
Bob Terry ... Tad Grant (as Robert Terry)
Michael Vallon ... Butch Taggart
Charles King ... Henchman Joe Larkin
Reed Howes ... Henchman Frank
Dick Dickinson ... Henchman Mack
George Chesebro ... 2nd Sheriff
John Elliott ... Dr. Jenkins
William Gould ... Marshal Jim Correy (as Wm. Gould)
Jack Evans ... Barfly
Oscar Gahan ... Posse rider
Chick Hannon ... Posse rider
Carl Mathews ... Posse rider
Tex Palmer ... Posse rider
Ralph Peters ... Bartender Eddie
Wally West ... Posse rider
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: 57 min on VHS/DVD ~ Poverty Row Pictures ~ (2/28/2006)
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