Lone Texas Ranger

Iron Mike" Haines (Tom Chatterton), a crooked sheriff, and "Hands" Weber (Roy Barcroft), the town blacksmith, are in cahoots and have been robbing stages, silver mines, etc., and framing innocent ranchers and cowhands with their deeds. They set out to rob the stage and frame Red Ryder (Bill Elliott as Wild Bill Elliott) for it, but the plan backfires and the sheriff is killed. The sheriff's son, Tommy (Jack McClendon), arrives home from college and is given his dad's job, not knowing he was a crook, and swears to get the man who killed him. Weber tells Tommy that Red killed his dad and Tommy sets out to get Red.

A strong entry with a solid story, enough is happening in the plot and great action. The fistfight between Elliott and Barcroft is epic. Though an escapist-action escapade, it touches upon ideals and perhaps people shouldn't know how a person is really like if it means shattering those ideals.

For their 1940-1941 serial line-up, Republic Pictures Corporation announced that one of the four serials would be called "The Lone Texas Ranger." The ink had barely dried on the announcement before the Detroit copyright owners of "The Lone Ranger" (George W. Trendle- radio station WXYZ and Lone Ranger, Inc.) objected most profoundly, wrote a couple of letters to Republic president Morris J. "Moe" Siegel and the company lawyers threatening court action, and the result was, without going to court, that "The Lone Texas Ranger" disappeared as an up-coming Republic Pictures Corporation serial and was replaced by one called "The Adventures of Red Ryder." The replacement serial turned out to be one of the most-fondly remembered and easily in the Top Ten of all Republic Pictures Corporation (which was and still is the correct name of the company.) The intended script (for "The Lone Texas Ranager") was modified slightly and used as an entry in Republic Pictures CORPORATION's 1941-1942 serial schedule...and now titled "King of the Texas Rangers." And it also turned out to be one of the jewels in Republic Pictures CORPORATION'S serial crown.

In 1945, Bob Williams wrote an original screenplay for an entry in the companies Red-Ryder series, and the Republic title-namers called it "Lone Texas Ranger." And got no threatening letters from anybody in Detroit over the matter.

I found a copy of Lone Texas Ranger on video at the Knoxville Film Convention in 1997. Sitting just a few feet away was the heroine, Helen Talbot, who was signing autographs for fans. Taking the video up to her, I asked if she had a copy of the film, explaining that it was the only Red Ryder she ever made. When she explained that she didn't, but would like one, I told her to give me her address and I would make one to send her. With that familiar smile and twinkle in her eyes that she always gave Don Barry when he saved her ranch in the movies, she thanked me. Not only did she give me her address but also her telephone number much to the surprise of the dealer who was sitting next to her trying to get her to autograph pictures that he planned to later sell at his table. "How do you rate her phone number. I've been sitting here talking with her and she didn't give to me." "You didn't make her the same deal I did," I explained. Since then, Helen and I have corresponded over the years and I got to know a very special lady who was as sweet in real life as she was on the screen.

That famous line from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance gets put to the test in Lone Texas Ranger from the Red Ryder series. After Wild Bill Elliott shoots sheriff Tom Chatterton it's Red Ryder who has to decide whether to keep the sheriff's sterling reputation or expose him as an integral part of the gang led by blacksmith Roy Barcroft.

Personally I think he made the wrong choice here. The town and especially the late sheriff's son Jack McClendon could stand a whiff of the truth. Elliott and McClendon nearly shoot it out because of the white lie Elliott.

I don't think that the yarn that Elliott spins is going into the official report to the Texas Rangers. At least I hope not.

Giving credit to Ransom Stoddard for shooting Liberty Valance is one thing. Ransom Stoddard was a good guy who did stand up to Valance. But preserving Chatterton's reputation I don't think he deserved his legend being kept intact.