Lawless Range

(1935)

53 minutes

Directed by Robert N. Bradbury

Western

aka "Trail's End", "Vanishing Rider"

Cast:

John Wayne as John Middleton/John Allen

Sheila Manners as Ann Mason

Frank McGlynn Jr. as Frank Carter, also known as Butch Martin

Jack Curtis as Marshal

Wally Howe as Hank Mason

Julia Griffith as Maria Mason

Yakima Canutt as Joe Burns

Earl Dwire as Emmett

The Wranglers as A radio quartet

John Middleton puts his dreams of rodeo life aside to help out a family friend named Hank Mason on the request of John’s father.  Before John can get to Hank’s ranch he is arrested for being an outlaw.  Upon convincing the Sherriff of his innocence, the Sherriff asks John to go undercover to help discover the identity of a band of outlaws who have been terrorizing the local ranchers.  It’s no surprise that Hank Mason is one of the ranchers being terrorized.  When John arrives at the Mason ranch he meets Hank’s niece Ann, who informs John that Hank has been kidnapped.  While trying to help Ann get Hank’s cattle to market before their farm is foreclosed on by Frank Carter, the local banker, John’s identity is discovered and he is kidnapped as well.  The gang leaves to stop the cattle drive, and John and Hank are able to escape and warn the sheriff of what’s about to happen.  The gang is thwarted and the identity of the leader turns out to be banker Frank Carter, who is trying to run everyone off their land to get to the gold that is supposedly underneath the ranches. 
 
Notes:  Originally slated for release by Lone Star, this film was released as a Republic picture due to the mergers of the studio in 1935. 
 
The song that John Wayne sings in this film is actually dubbed in by Jack Kirk.  Kirk starred and sang in dozens of westerns, including appearing in movies with Gene Autry and Roy Rogers.