Range Busters

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The Range Busters
Starring Ray "Crash" Corrigan
John "Dusty" King
Max "Alibi" Terhune
David "Davy" Sharpe
Rex Lease
Dennis "Denny" Moore
Production
company
Distributed by Monogram Pictures
Release date
1940–1943
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Range Busters was a 1940–1943 American Western film series of 24 films. They were about the adventures of a trio of cowboys, many filmed at the Corriganville Movie Ranch, produced by George W. Weeks and distributed by Monogram Pictures. The series used "Home on the Range" as its theme song with each film featuring the heroes waving goodbye and promising to return in another adventure.

Contents

Production

Ray "Crash" Corrigan had previously made 24 films in Republic Pictures' The Three Mesquiteers series. When he and ventriloquist Max Terhune, who had made 21 films in the series, both had disputes over money with Republic, Corrigan went to producer George W. Weeks with the idea of a similar series that would be distributed by Monogram Pictures and filmed at the movie ranch with Western sets owned by Corrigan, the Corriganville Movie Ranch in the Simi Hills of the Simi Valley. Corrigan said in an interview that he received 50% of the profits of the series. [1]

For a third member of the trio (or third and a half if you include Terhune's dummy Elmer) Monogram chose singing cowboy John "Dusty" King who had the lead in Monogram's The Gentleman from Arizona.

The first film in the series in 1940 was appropriately titled The Range Busters . Monogram also had another "Trigger Trio" series of "the Rough Riders" which ended in 1942 after Buck Jones's death and Colonel Tim McCoy returned to active service.

Though the characters were the same from film to film, the series inexplicably changed time periods, going to contemporary times for 1942's Texas to Bataan , Cowboy Commandos and Black Market Rustlers (both 1943) then reverting to the Wild West days for the others in the series.

Corrigan left the series temporarily over money disputes and was replaced by ace stuntman David Sharpe beginning with Texas to Bataan. In Haunted Ranch (1943) Sharpe enlists in the US Army to fight in the Spanish–American War. In real life both Sharpe and King joined the US Army Air Forces. Corrigan returned to replace Sharpe with Deputy Rex Lease taking Sharpe's place halfway through the film. Dennis 'Denny' Moore replaced Lease in the last four films of the series that ended in 1943's Bullets and Saddles . An experienced Western star, Moore was unfit for military service due to the injuries he received in an airplane crash.

After the last Range Buster film, 1943's Bullets and Saddles, Corrigan mostly played in films wearing his gorilla suit in such films as Nabonga and gave his full attention to Corriganville. When Corrigan opened Corriganville on weekends to the general public in 1949, he hired his former co-star Terhune to entertain the ranch visitors. [2]

Films

The first 16 films star "Crash" Corrigan, "Dusty" King, and "Alibi" Terhune. [3]

The next four films star "Dusty" King, "Davy" Sharpe and "Alibi" Terhune, with Rex Lease joining the team in the fourth.

The final four films star "Crash" Corrigan, "Denny" Moore and "Alibi" Terhune.

Related Research Articles

The Range Busters is a 1940 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and written by John Rathmell. The film is the first in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with Luana Walters, LeRoy Mason and Earle Hodgins. It was released on August 22, 1940.

<i>Texas to Bataan</i> 1942 film by Robert Emmett Tansey

Texas to Bataan is a 1942 American Western film directed by Robert Emmett Tansey. The film is the seventeenth in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars John "Dusty" King as Dusty, "Davy" Sharpe and Max "Alibi" Terhune, with Marjorie Manners, Steve Clark and Budd Buster.

<i>Saddle Mountain Roundup</i> 1941 film by S. Roy Luby

Saddle Mountain Roundup is a 1941 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby. The film is the ninth in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with Lita Conway, Jack Mulhall and Willie Fung.

<i>Underground Rustlers</i> 1941 film by S. Roy Luby

Underground Rustlers is a 1941 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby. The film is the eleventh in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with Gwen Gaze, Robert Blair and Forrest Taylor. It's also known as Bullets and Bullion.

Fugitive Valley is a 1941 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby. The film is the eighth in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with Julie Duncan, Glenn Strange and Bob Kortman.

<i>Arizona Stage Coach</i> 1942 film

Arizona Stage Coach is a 1942 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby. The film is the sixteenth in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with Nell O'Day, Charles King and Riley Hill.

<i>Rock River Renegades</i> 1942 film by S. Roy Luby

Rock River Renegades is a 1942 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby. The film is the thirteenth in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with Christine McIntyre, John Elliott and Weldon Heyburn.

<i>Land of Hunted Men</i> 1943 American western film

Land of Hunted Men is a 1943 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby. The film is the twenty-first in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, Dennis Moore as Denny and Max Terhune as Alibi, with Phyllis Adair, Charles King and John Merton.

<i>Tonto Basin Outlaws</i> 1941 film by S. Roy Luby

Tonto Basin Outlaws is a 1941 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby. The film is the tenth in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with Jan Wiley, Tris Coffin and Edmund Cobb.

<i>Bullets and Saddles</i> 1943 film

Bullets and Saddles is a 1943 American Western film produced by Monogram Pictures Corporation. The film is the twenty-fourth and final entry in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Dusty, Dennis Moore as Denny and Max Terhune as Alibi, with Julie Duncan, Budd Buster and Rose Plumer. Bullets and Saddles uses footage from Fugitive Valley, another film in the series.

Trail of the Silver Spurs is a 1941 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and written by Earle Snell. The film is the fourth in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with I. Stanford Jolley, Dorothy Short and Milburn Morante. The film was released on January 4, 1941, by Monogram Pictures.

West of Pinto Basin is a 1940 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and written by Earle Snell. The film is the third in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with Gwen Gaze, Tris Coffin and Dirk Thane. The film was released on November 25, 1940, by Monogram Pictures.

<i>Tumbledown Ranch in Arizona</i> 1941 film by S. Roy Luby

Tumbledown Ranch in Arizona is a 1941 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and written by Milton Raison. The film is the sixth in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with Sheila Darcy, Marian Kerby and Quen Ramsey. The film was released on April 20, 1941, by Monogram Pictures.

<i>Thunder River Feud</i> 1942 film by S. Roy Luby

Thunder River Feud is a 1942 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and written by John Vlahos and Earle Snell. The film is the twelfth in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with Jan Wiley, Jack Holmes and Rick Anderson. The film was released on January 9, 1942.

<i>Black Market Rustlers</i> 1943 film by S. Roy Luby

Black Market Rustlers is a 1943 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and written by Patricia Harper. The film is the twenty-third in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Dusty, Dennis Moore as Denny and Max Terhune as Alibi, with Evelyn Finley, Steve Clark and Glenn Strange. The film was released on August 27, 1943.

<i>The Kids Last Ride</i> 1941 film by S. Roy Luby

The Kid's Last Ride is a 1941 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and written by Earle Snell. The film is the fifth in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with Luana Walters, Edwin Brian and Alan Bridge. The film was released on February 10, 1941, by Monogram Pictures.

<i>Texas Trouble Shooters</i> 1942 film by S. Roy Luby

Texas Trouble Shooters is a 1942 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and written by Arthur Hoerl. The film is the fifteenth in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with Julie Duncan, Glenn Strange and Riley Hill. The film was released on June 12, 1942.

<i>Wranglers Roost</i> 1941 film by S. Roy Luby

Wrangler's Roost is a 1941 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and written by John Vlahos and Robert Finkle. The film is the seventh in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with Forrest Taylor, Gwen Gaze and George Chesebro. The film was released on June 4, 1941, by Monogram Pictures.

<i>Trailing Double Trouble</i> 1940 American film

Trailing Double Trouble is a 1940 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and written by George H. Plympton and Oliver Drake. The film is the second in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as Alibi, with Lita Conway, Nancy Louise King and Roy Barcroft. The film was released on October 10, 1940, by Monogram Pictures.

<i>Cowboy Commandos</i> 1943 film by S. Roy Luby

Cowboy Commandos is a 1943 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and written by Elizabeth Beecher. The film is the twenty-second in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Dusty, Dennis Moore as Denny and Max Terhune as Alibi, with Evelyn Finley, Johnny Bond and Budd Buster. The film was released on June 4, 1943.

References

  1. ↑ Anderson, Chuck. "The Range Busters". B-Westerns.com. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  2. ↑ Schneider, Jerry L. Corriganville Movie Ranch, 2007, Lulu, p. 178.
  3. ↑ Anderson, Chuck. "The 24 Range Busters Films". B-Westerns.com. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
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