By Glenn Erickson
Storm Over Wyoming
Brief Synopsis
Two drifters get caught in the middle during a cattlemen-sheep men feud.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Lesley Selander
Director
Tim Holt
Dave Saunders
Noreen Nash
Chris Marvin
Richard Powers
Tug Caldwell
Betty Underwood
Ruby
Bill Kennedy
Jess Rawlins
Film Details
Also Known As
Range War
Genre
Western
Release Date
Apr
22,
1950
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Location
Bridgeport, California, United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 1m
Sound
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Film Length
5,436ft
Synopsis
While riding across Wyoming sheep grazing land, out-of-work cowhands Dave Saunders and Chito Rafferty see a group of sheepherders on horseback chasing a cowboy. Investigating, Dave comes across the sheepherders, led by Jess Rawlins, the foreman of the Big M sheep ranch, as they are about to lynch the man, Tug Caldwell, for rustling. Taking the sheepherders by surprise, Dave prevents the lynching and flees with Tug and Chito to the nearest town. There, in a "cowboys only" saloon, a grateful Tug introduces Dave and Chito to his boss, Dawson, while Chito is reunited with saloon singer Ruby, one of his many sweethearts. With guns drawn, Rawlins and his men then burst into the saloon and disarm all of the cowboys. Accusing Dawson of theft and duplicity, Rawlins is about to fire on him when Ruby slips Dave a pistol and he shoots the gun out of Rawlins' hand. After the cowboys chase off the sheepmen, Dawson hires Dave and Chito as ranch hands. Later, in the town's telegraph office, Chito discovers that Rawlins has received a message from Chris Marvin, the absentee owner of the Big M, who is on her way to Wyoming. Confident that he can clear up matters with Chris, Dawson sends Chito and Dave to meet her stagecoach. On the way, however, the cowboys notice Scotty, one of Rawlins' men, driving sheep onto Dawson's land. Realizing that Scotty is trying to frame Dawson as a rustler, Dave and Chito tie him to a tree, then drive the sheep back toward the Big M. Rawlins, meanwhile, intercepts the stage outside of town and informs Chris of Dawson's "duplicity." As Chris and Rawlins ride to the Big M, they see Dave and Chito herding their sheep. Rawlins and his men pursue Dave and Chito, who ride to retrieve Scotty, whom they believe will prove their innocence to Chris. Rawlins stumbles upon Scotty before the cowboys do, however, and shoots him in cold blood, then claims that Dave and Chito did the deed. Although Rawlins tries to have the cowboys lynched, Chris insists that they receive a fair trial and sends for the marshal. After Chris imprisons Dave and Chito in her bunkhouse, Ruby hides a gun in Chito's guitar, then gives him the instrument with Chris's permission. Chito and Dave escape and, with Dawson, head for the local undertaker, where they hope to obtain proof that the bullet that killed Scotty did not come from their guns. The undertaker reveals that the fatal bullet came from a rifle, a type of gun that neither Dave nor Chito own, but as the undertaker is assuring the cowboys that he will testify on their behalf, Rawlins shoots him through an open window and flees. With no witnesses, Dave and Chito decide to confront Rawlins at the Big M. Before they reach the ranch, however, they meet up with Chris, who upon hearing about the undertaker, agrees to question her foreman herself. Chris, Dave and Chito surprise Rawlins as he is about to abscond with Chris's money, but while Chito is holding him prisoner, Rawlins manages to escape once again. Dave, meanwhile, demonstrates to Chris that Rawlins' rifle fired the bullet that killed Scotty. Finally convinced of the cowboy's innocence, Chris leads them to a place near the Colorado border where she had earlier discovered some mysterious sheep hoof marks. Chito then remembers that Rawlins had sent a telegram to a man in Colorado, and Chris deduces that her foreman has been herding her sheep across the Colorado border and selling them. At the border, Chito, Dave, Dawson and Chris engage in a gunfight with Rawlins and his men. After the sheepmen surrender, Dave knocks Rawlins unconscious with one punch. With peace restored, Ruby then proposes to Chito, who flees in a panic from his would-be bride.
Director
Lesley Selander
Director
Cast
Tim Holt
Dave Saunders
Noreen Nash
Chris Marvin
Richard Powers
Tug Caldwell
Betty Underwood
Ruby
Bill Kennedy
Jess Rawlins
Kenneth Macdonald
Dawson
Holly Bane
Scotty
Leo Mcmahon
Zeke
Richard Kean
Watson
Don Haggerty
Marshal
Richard Martin
Chito Rafferty
Griff Barnett
Telegraph operator
Crew
C. Bakaleinikoff
Music Director
Orville Beckett
Gaffer
Mel Berns
Makeup
John Cass
Sound
Albert S. D'agostino
Art Director
Richard Duvalle
Camera Operator
Larry Germain
Hairstylist
Feild Gray
Art Director
Ed Haley
Composer
J. Roy Hunt
Director of Photography
Robert A. Keiser
Composer
Jack Mills
Set Decoration
Charles Morton
Script Supervisor
John Pommer
Assistant Director
Clem Portman
Sound
Ed Earl Repp
Writer
Paul Sawtell
Music
Herman Schlom
Producer
Ollie Sigurdson
Stills
Darrell Silvera
Set Decoration
Robert Swink
Film Editor
Frank Williams
Grip
Film Details
Also Known As
Range War
Genre
Western
Release Date
Apr
22,
1950
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Location
Bridgeport, California, United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 1m
Sound
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Film Length
5,436ft
Articles
Storm Over Wyoming -
Tim Holt's popular westerns at RKO tended toward light-hearted sagebrush justice, with the always-cheerful Tim often overcoming the villain with clever tricks instead of gunfire. Storm Over Wyoming, the third of six Holt westerns released in 1950, begins with a scene of vigilante violence and maintains a high action pitch throughout its short running time. Although given eleventh billing in this installment, Richard Martin continues to serve as Tim's partner Chito Rafferty, using the same non-PC faux-Mexican accent. Chito and Holt's Dave Saunders break up a lynching and inject themselves between sheepmen and cowboys engaged in a bitter range war. Dave befriends Chris Marvin (Noreen Nash), a pretty ranch owner, while the ladies' man Chito enlists dance hall girl Betty Underwood in their peacemaking cause. Chris's foreman Rawlins (Bill Kennedy) proves to be the chief baddie, stirring up trouble and profit by rustling her livestock on the side. The trade papers were enthusiastic about Storm over Wyoming even though a new Tim Holt feature arrived in theaters every eight weeks or so. The Hollywood Reporter said that Holt and the cast "perform as if there had never been a movie like this before," which is high praise for a genre not known for originality. Holt and Martin are described as 'Damon and Pythias' heroes, considering how frequently they take turns rescuing one another. Variety noted that the action altered the Holt formula by reducing the number of fistfights in favor of gunplay, making the film seem like one long battle. As always, the critics were impressed with the quality camerawork of RKO's J. Roy Hunt, in this case featuring snow-capped mountains in the San Bernardino National Forest.
By Glenn Erickson
By Glenn Erickson
Storm Over Wyoming -
Tim Holt's popular westerns at RKO tended toward light-hearted sagebrush justice, with the always-cheerful Tim often overcoming the villain with clever tricks instead of gunfire. Storm Over Wyoming, the third of six Holt westerns released in 1950, begins with a scene of vigilante violence and maintains a high action pitch throughout its short running time. Although given eleventh billing in this installment, Richard Martin continues to serve as Tim's partner Chito Rafferty, using the same non-PC faux-Mexican accent. Chito and Holt's Dave Saunders break up a lynching and inject themselves between sheepmen and cowboys engaged in a bitter range war. Dave befriends Chris Marvin (Noreen Nash), a pretty ranch owner, while the ladies' man Chito enlists dance hall girl Betty Underwood in their peacemaking cause. Chris's foreman Rawlins (Bill Kennedy) proves to be the chief baddie, stirring up trouble and profit by rustling her livestock on the side. The trade papers were enthusiastic about Storm over Wyoming even though a new Tim Holt feature arrived in theaters every eight weeks or so. The Hollywood Reporter said that Holt and the cast "perform as if there had never been a movie like this before," which is high praise for a genre not known for originality. Holt and Martin are described as 'Damon and Pythias' heroes, considering how frequently they take turns rescuing one another. Variety noted that the action altered the Holt formula by reducing the number of fistfights in favor of gunplay, making the film seem like one long battle. As always, the critics were impressed with the quality camerawork of RKO's J. Roy Hunt, in this case featuring snow-capped mountains in the San Bernardino National Forest.
By Glenn Erickson
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was Range War. Actor Richard Kean's surname is misspelled "Keane" in the onscreen credits. Hollywood Reporter production charts and news items add Glen McCarthy, Carl Andre, Art Felix, Herman Nowlin, Bob Burrows, Sun High Tower and Edward Cassidy to the cast, but their participation in the final film has not been confirmed. According to a Hollywood Reporter news item, some scenes in the picture were shot in Bridgeport in central California.
