The Durango Kid (film)

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The Durango Kid
1940 - State Theater Ad - 3 Oct MC - Allentown PA.jpg
Newspaper advertisement
Directed by Lambert Hillyer
Screenplay byPaul Franklin
Produced by Jack Fier
Starring Charles Starrett
Luana Walters
Kenneth MacDonald
Cinematography John Stumar
Edited by Richard Fantl
Music by Bob Nolan
Tim Spencer
Distributed by Columbia Pictures Corporation
Release date
  • August 15, 1940 (1940-08-15)
Running time
61 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Durango Kid is a 1940 American Western directed by Lambert Hillyer, starring Charles Starrett, Luana Walters and Kenneth McDonald. [1] This is the first of 65 [2] Durango Kid movies Starrett made at Columbia Pictures. [3]

Contents

Plot summary

Bill Lowry (Charles Starrett) returns home to his family ranch, to find that ruthless businessman Mace Ballard (Kenneth MacDonald) is trying to force the townspeople into selling their land. Opposing Ballard is Lowry's father, who leaves for the marshal's office to press charges. On his way there, an armed sniper -- Ballard -- kills him. This prompts Bill to masquerade as The Durango Kid, fabled vigilante who fights for justice. While Durango harasses Ballard and terrorizes Ballard's gunmen, Bill becomes the marshal's special deputy, investigating Ballard's activities legally. Ballard is charged with murder but escapes, firing at the law. He is killed in the ensuing gunplay.

Cast

Notes

The Durango Kid was just another of Columbia's B-western features in its popular Charles Starrett series, with no special distinction except for its standard hero-vs.-villain plotline. In 1945 the studio produced a sequel, The Return of the Durango Kid , which caught on with moviegoers and became a series. Starrett went on to portray The Durango Kid full-time until his retirement in 1952. [4]

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References

  1. "Five Players Join 'Durango Kid' Cast". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Brooklyn. June 18, 1940. p. 7. Retrieved June 7, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  2. "Charles Starrett - IMDb" . Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  3. Boggs, Johnny D. (2013). Billy the Kid on Film, 1911-2012. McFarland. p. 74. ISBN   9781476603353.
  4. Variety, "Starrett Rides Away from Col and Durango", April 9, 1952, p. 29.