Customer Reviews

Raiders of the Border [VHS]

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Monogram presents "RAIDERS OF THE BORDER" (31 January 1944) (55 mins/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- Johnny Mack Brown was an All-American college football player and film actor --- Born and raised in Dothan, Alabama, Brown was a star of the high school football team, earning a football scholarship to the University of Alabama --- Playing the halfback position on his university's Crimson Tide football team, Brown helped his team to become the 1926 NCAA Division I-A national football champions --- In that year's Rose Bowl Game, he earned Most Valuable Player honors after scoring two of his team's three touchdowns in an upset win over the heavily favored Washington Huskies.

His good looks and powerful physique saw him portrayed on Wheaties cereal boxes and in 1927, brought an offer for motion picture screen tests that resulted in a long and successful career in Hollywood --- He appeared in minor roles until 1930 when he was cast as the star in a western movie entitled "Billy the Kid" and directed by King Vidor, the film also features Wallace Beery as Pat Garrett.

Brown went on to make several top-flight movies under the name John Mack Brown, including The Secret Six (1931) with Wallace Beery, as well as the legendary Lost Generation celebration of alcohol, "The Last Flight" (1931), and was being groomed by MGM as a leading man until being replaced on a film in 1931, with all his scenes reshot with Clark Gable in his place --- Rechristened Johnny Mack Brown, "Fighting Kit Carson" (1933) he returned to making exclusively westerns and eventually became one of the screen's top B-movie cowboy stars, making 127 western films during his career, including "Ride 'Em Cowboy" (1942) with Abbott and Costello --- Brown also starred in four serials for Universal Studios (Rustlers of Red Dog (1935), Wild West Days (1937), Flaming Frontiers (1938) and The Oregon Trail (1939) and was a hero to millions of young children at movie theaters and on their television screens --- Altogether, Brown appeared in over 160 movies between 1927 and 1966, as well as a smattering of television shows, in a career spanning almost forty years --- In recognition of his contribution to the motion picture industry, Brown was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6101 Hollywood Blvd --- In 1969, Brown was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Under the production staff of:
J.P. McCarthy - Director
Scott R. Dunlap - Producer
Jess Bowers - Screenwriter
Harry Neumann - Cinematographer
Victor Gussev - Songwriter
Edward Kay - Musical Direction/Supervision
Lev Knipper - Songwriter
Harold J. Rome - Songwriter
Carl Pierson - Editor
Johnston McCulley - Short Story Author

Our story line and plot, Working undercover, Marshals Nevada Jack McKenzie (Johnny Mack Brown) and Sandy Hopkins (Raymond Hatton) are looking for jewel smugglers along the border --- Posing as a nearly deaf man, Sandy gets a job as the wagon driver that picks up pottery --- When he breaks a piece of pottery the jewels hidden inside are revealed --- The film was adapted from a short story by Johnston McCulley, of "Zorro" fame --- Check out Jay Silverheels as the Native American at the Trading Post --- Johnny Mack and Raymond Hatton return to the screen as saddle pals Nevada and Sandy in Monogram's popular B-Western series.

the cast includes:
Johnny Mack Brown ... Nevada Jack McKenzie
Raymond Hatton ... Sandy Hopkins
Craig Woods ... Joe
Ellen Hall ... Bonita Bayne
Ray Bennett ... Harsh (as Raphael Bennett)
Edmund Cobb ... McGee
Ernie Adams ... Whiskey Wiley
Richard Alexander ... Henchman Steve Rollins (as Dick Alexander)
Lynton Brent ... Henchman Davis
Stanley Price ... Blackie
Ben Corbett
Herman Hack ... Henchman
Kermit Maynard ... Henchman
Jay Silverheels ... Indian at Trading Post

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIO:
1. Johnny Mack Brown
Date of Birth: 1 September 1904 - Dothan, Alabama
Date of Death: 14 November 1974 - Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California

2. Raymond Hatton (aka: Raymond William Hatton)
Date of Birth: 7 July 1887 - Red Oak, Iowa
Date of Death: 21 October 1971 - Palmdale, California

If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure check out other western double features by Johnny Mack Brown:

JOHNNY MACK BROWN WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURES:
1. Raiders of San Joaquin/Law of the Range (VCI #7226)
2. Pony Post/Ragtime Cowboy Joe (VCI #7238)
3. Brand A Coward/Rogue of the Range (VCI #7244)
4. Guns in the Dark/Partner of the Trail (VCI #7260)
5. Bar Z Bad Men/Between Men (VCI #7282)
6. Bad Man from Red Butte/Rawhide Rangers (VCI #8348)
7. Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie & Lone Star Trail (VCI #7308)
8. Crooked Trail & Boot Hill Brigade (VCI #7309)
9. Arizona Cyclone & Man From Montana (VCI #7325)
10.A Lawman Is Born & The Gambling Terror (VCI #7327)
11.Chip Of The Flying U & Oklahoma Frontier (VCI #7329)
12.Silver Bullet & Law and Order (VCI #7331)
13.Raiders of the Border & Texas Kid (VCI #7333)
14.Under Cover Man & Stagecoach Buckaroo (VCI #7335)

JOHNNY MACK BROWN FOUR FEATURE:
CLASSIC WESTERNS: Crooked Trail; Boot Hill Brigade;
Bury Me Not On the Lone Prairie; Lone Star Trail (VCI #5520)

JOHNNY MACK BROWN - UNIVERSAL CLIFFHANGER/SERIALS:
1. FIGHTING WITH KIT CARSON (VCI #8419)
2. FLAMING FRONTIERS (VCI #8442)
3. OREGON TRAIL, THE (VCI #8439)
4. RUSTLERS OF RED DOG (VCI #8397)

Ask Amazon.Com to carry the above five titles as they are not available on Amazon as of yet...you can order and pick up your copy now from VCI Entertainment...if you enjoyed this collection, why not pick up other copies of Johnny Mack Brown Double Features.

Bobby J. Copeland's book published by Empire Publising on "Johnny Mack Brown: Up Close & Personal" is chuck full of answers to all the questions his fans had from early on --- when you went to see him on the big screen, you got exactly what the marquee said...plenty of thrills, adventure and loaded with action --- Johnny Mack was a natural for the western, his riding abilities and fight scenes were of the the same caliber as Buck Jones and Bob Steele --- Johnny Mack sets the saddle better than Duke Wayne --- seems Johnny got better with the more films he made and the scripts were always top notch --- he was one of the best-liked people in films, what you saw on the screen is what he really was, a great human being.

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 B-Westerns and Serials --- If you're into the memories of B-Westerns with high drama, this is the one you've been anxiously waiting for --- please stand up and take a bow Western Classics --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 55 min on VHS/DVD ~ Monogram ~ (2/14/2008)

VCI Entertainment and Monogram Pictures present "Raiders of the Border" (1944) (digitally remastered), long running Johnny Mack Brown series turned out in the late '40s...this better than average oater, once again working undercover, Johnny Mack Brown (Nevada Jack McKenzie) and Raymond Hatton (Sandy Hopkins) are looking for jewel smugglers along the border...Hatton posing as a hard of hearing wagon driver works for Ellen Hall picking up pottery...a piece of potery is broken and the hidden jewels are discovered...Ernie Adams the original driver is killed and Edmund Cobb along with Dick Alexander and Kermit Maynard are in the thick of things...can the jewel thieves outwit Johnny Mack and Hatton, will this story have all the thrills and adventures we're use too...only the screenwriter and director will tell the rest of the Monogram cast...all this and more will become clear during the last reel of this adventure.

Under director John P. McCarthy, executive director Trem Carr, supervised by Chas. J. Bigelow, produced by Scott R. Dunlap, screenplay by Jess Bowers, original story by Johnston McCulley, director of photography Harry Neumann, musical director Edward Kay...the cast include Johnny Mack Brown (Nevada Jack McKenzie), Raymond Hatton (Sandy Hopkins), Craig Wood (Joe), Ellen Hall (Bonita Bayne), Rau Nemmett (Harsh), Edmund Cobb (McGee), Ernie Adams (Whiskey Wiley), Dick Alexander (Steve Rollins), Lynton Brent (Davis), Stanley Price (Blackie), Kermit Maynard. . . . . .special footnote one of my favorite character actors was Johnny Mack's sidekick Raymond Hatton (1887-1971) as Marshall Sandy Hopkins who appeared from 1943 and made 45 films for Monogram Pictures...Hatton who first appeared on film in "Tragic Love" (1909-Silent/unconfirmed), "Oliver Twist" (1917), "The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), "The Squaw Man" (1931), "Law and Order" (1932)...during the '30s & '40s he played the comical sidekick for Johnny Mack Brown and Bob Livingston...went on to join Buck Jones and Tim McCoy in the "Rough Riders" series...Hatton worked right up to his last film "In Cold Blood" (1967). . . . . .second footnote, actress Ellen Hall started her career in a few B-Westerns..."Outlaw of Stampede Pass" (1943), "Raiders of the Border" (1944) and "Range law" (1944) all three with Johnny Mack Brown..."Lumberjack" (1944) with Hopalong Cassidy..."Call of the Rockies" (1944) with Sunset Carson..."Brand of the Devil" (1944) with Newill/O'Brien..."Thunder Town" (1946) with Bob Steele..."Lawless Code" (1949) with Jimmy Wakely, made several appearances in The Cisco Kid TV series.. . . . . . . .final footnote, Ernie Adams one of the most talented B-Western actors with his little weasley ways..from 1930 until 1947 Ernie worked 17 years in over 350 films...besides his outlaw and fink squealer roles he appeared as a sidekick with Tom Keene and Bob Steele...he was like a kid that gets into everything, always asking for something to do with his directors. . . . . . . .. 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. . . . . . . . meanwhile back to another great Johnny Mack B-Western provided by Monogram Pictures during their heyday of the early '40s.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. Johnny Mack Brown
Birth Date: 9/01/1904 - Dothan, Alabama
Died: 11/14/1974 - Woodland Hills, California (cardiac condition)
2. Raymond William Hatton
Birth Date: 7/07/1887 - Red Oak, Iowa
Died: 10/21/1971 - Palmdale, California (heart attack)
3. Ellen Hall
Birth Date: 4/18/1922 - Los Angeles, CA
Died: 3/24/1999 - Bellevue, NE
4. Ernie S. Adams
Birth Date: 6/18/1885 - San Francisco, CA
Died: 11/26/1947 - Los Angeles, CA

If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure check out other western double features by Johnny Mack Brown:

JOHNNY MACK BROWN WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURES:
1. Raiders of San Joaquin/Law of the Range (VCI #7226)
2. Pony Post/Ragtime Cowboy Joe (VCI #7238)
3. Brand A Coward/Rogue of the Range (VCI #7244)
4. Guns in the Dark/Partner of the Trail (VCI #7260)
5. Bar Z Bad Men/Between Men (VCI #7282)
6. Bad Man from Red Butte/Rawhide Rangers (VCI #8348)

Ask Amazon.Com to carry the above five titles as they are not available on Amazon as of yet...you can order and pick up your copy now from VCI Entertainment...if you enjoyed "Raiders of the Border" (1944), why not pick up other copies of Johnny Mack Brown Double Features.

Bobby J. Copeland's book on "Johnny Mack Brown: Up Close & Personal" is chuck full of answers to all the questions his fans had from early on...when you went to see him on the big screen, you got exactly what the marquee said...plenty of thrills, adventure and loaded with action...Johnny Mack was a natural for the western, his riding abilities and fight scenes were of the the same caliber as Buck Jones and Bob Steele...Johnny Mack sets the saddle better than Duke Wayne...seems Johnny got better with the more films he made and the scripts were always top notch...he was one of the best-liked people in films, what you saw on the screen is what he really was, a great human being...pickup your copy from Amazon or Empire Publishing both have this in stock.

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more of the same from the '30s & '40s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment, stay tuned once again with a top notch B-Western from VCI...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 53 min on VHS ~ VCI Entertainment #1289 ~ (12/03/2003)