“Riders Of The Lone Star”

Smiley and Steve ride into town together (this happens a lot less often than you’d think.) Steve Mason is a Texas Ranger and the Durango Kid, and Smiley knows both of these facts.

Dusty Morton, the infamous bandit who can shoot a rifle from his hip, has reappeared after a 10-year absence (or has he?). He’s set on keeping the McCormick Mine from reopening. But why? SPOILER ALERT: The stolen gold’s down there.

Morton’s son, Mike, has two heroes — his missing father (he doesn’t know he’s a bandit) and the Durango Kid. His surrogate mother says, “I’ve heard that the Durango Kid is the sworn enemy of all outlaws.”

Finally, a scene that encapsulates exactly what sort of jerk Smiley is. Little Mike has just been rescued from kidnappers and it’s his birthday. There’s a pile of presents on the table. “Are all these for me?” Smiley: “Sure are. Can I help you unwrap them?” and he digs in. That’s the kind of jerk Smiley is, the kind that robs a polite 13-year-old boy from opening his own birthday presents.

You can really date these films by gauging how well Steve pretends to find Smiley funny. This is 1947, pretty early in the series, because the smile still looks passably genuine.

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

Interesting twist where the bad guy who is masquerading as Dusty Morton wonders if the Durango Kid is really Dusty Morton. And they say there’s no more blood in this stone!

Nice stagecoach rescue.

The musical score in this one is really over the top, like something you’d expect to accompany a silent Melodrama.

Tunes by Curly Williams and the Georgia Peach Pickers (who are not characters in the film.)

A Little Help, Please

Greetings Readers,

If I’m going to see all of Charles Starret’s films, I have to find them first.  I am having trouble tracking some of the titles.  Here is my wish list, the films I’m most eager to see.

“The Age For Love”, “Damaged Love” both 1931.

“Cowboy In The Clouds” 1943.

“Sagebrush Heroes” 1945.

“Mysterious Avenger” 1935.

“Silence” 1930.

“The Quarterback” 1926.

If anyone can help me, I’d surely appreciate it!!!

“Roaring Rangers”

Courtesy of Les Adams

Lawlessness has run amok in Powder River. Everyone wants Sheriff Collins to quit. They even put up signs that say, “Sheriff Collins, Why Won’t You Quit?”

But his young son implores the crowd. “Wait a couple days. It’ll be alright. I’ve sent for the Durango Kid. I wrote him a letter about all the trouble we’ve been having and how much we needed him and his horse Raider.”

Someone asks the question I would ask, “Where did you send it?”

“I just addressed the letter to Texas. He’ll get it.”

Sort of like writing Santa Claus, huh?

Well, somehow, it works and the fat man himself comes riding into town, with Steve Langdon riding right beside him. Smiley is worried it’s all a joke, “I’d be madder than a bull if I thought someone was making fun of the Durango Kid.”

Steve’s cover is that he’s looking for a deputy sheriff job. “He’s an ex-Texas Ranger,” claims Smiley.

In his press, Smiley often claimed that he could play 158 musical instruments. What he means is that he can pantomime playing 158 instruments. Here it’s the flute.

Courtesy of Les Adams

The freaky fan really has Durango Fever. He’s named his horse “Little Raider”. He even has a Durango Kid scrapbook with what looks like a studio publicity shot of the Kid.

A Fake Durango shows up…and calls a town meeting? Yep. But it’s a ruse so his friends can rob the bank. He betrays the little boy’s trust and even shoots him in the back.

There’s a petition to remove the Sheriff and Steve does his civic duty, dressing up as Durango and riding around sticking guns in people’s faces, threatening to kill them if they sign it.

The bad guys catch Smiley and they’re going to kill them. Trying to buy time, Smiley suggests that they torture him for a couple of hours. Things are looking good, then Steve ruins everything! The Real Durango captures the Fake Durango.

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

Smiley gloats, “There’s only one Durango Kid and you’re not him.”

Music is by Merle Travis and his Bronco Busters.

Darwin Porter on Charles Starrett

Author Darwin Porter likes to dish on the old timey movie stars.  He has taken over where Kenneth Anger left off, literally – he co-wrote “Hollywood Babylon: It’s Back!”  His subjects generally turn out to be bi-sexual and sleeping with everyone.

In his 2005 book, “Howard Hughes: Hell’s Angel”, Howard Hughes turns out to be bi-sexual and sleeping with everyone.  The book contains one page on Charles Starrett and it is salacious.

According to Porter, Starrett caught Hughes’ eye when he appeared in “Damaged Love” with Hughes’ former flame, June Collyer.  Directing this 1931 film was Irvin Willat, who was the ex-husband of Hughes’ current flame and live-in girlfriend, Billie Dove.  Irvin was a tyrannical director and, according to Porter, Starrett punched him in the nose.  That endeared him to Hughes who signed him to star in “The Age Of Love” opposite Dove.

Porter quotes “The Age Of Love” director Frank Lloyd (deceased 1960), saying that Hughes had the hots for Charles (deceased 1986), that Charles was in a pickle because he was not gay but didn’t want to piss off a big producer like Hughes (deceased 1976).  Lloyd is quoted as saying that Hughes got his way and he and Charles spent a number of weekend getaways together.

Porter also claims that Starrett slept with “Fast And Loose” co-star Carole Lombard (deceased 1942) who bragged about his sexual prowess.  Starrett is also linked to Miriam Hopkins (deceased 1972) who wanted to bed him, but he blew her off.

Porter quotes (but doesn’t attribute source) Charles himself, late in life, speaking bitterly about Hughes’ reputation as a ladies man.