The Fighting Frontiersman
Cast & Crew
Derwin Abrahams
Charles Starrett
Helen Mowery
Hank Newman
Smiley Burnette
Emmett Lynn
Film Details
Synopsis
In Texas, in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War, prospector Cimarron Dobbs finds a cache of Spanish gold left by Santa Anna's army, and reports his discovery to his friend, Dixie King, a saloon hostess in the nearby town of Twin Forks. While Cimarron shows Dixie a sample of his find, John Munro, the owner of the saloon and the leader of a gang of outlaws, watches them with great interest. Dixie warns Cimarron to be careful of swindlers, and advises him to hire ranger Steve Reynolds, otherwise known as the mysterious rider The Durango Kid, to protect his life. On his way to the telegram office to send a message to Steve, Cimarron is abducted by Munro's gang and held captive at their hideout. After Dixie sends a letter to Steve explaining that Cimarron has discovered gold and is now missing, Steve leaves his home in Tres Nogales and sets out for Twin Forks with his pal, Smiley Burnette. In the hope of preventing Steve from finding Cimarron, Munro instructs his men to ambush anyone approaching the town who looks like a ranger. In the hills near Twin Forks, Steve changes into his Durango Kid disguise and successfully wards off an attack by the Munro gang. He then changes out of his disguise and meets Dixie at her saloon. Smiley, meanwhile, stops in for a haircut at Kate's barbershop, where he overhears the outlaws telling Munro that they lost a battle with The Durango Kid. Munro's men then assume Smiley is the visiting ranger and follow him to Dixie's saloon, where a brawl ensues. The fight is broken up by Munro, who denies any association with the outlaws and says that he does not know the whereabouts of Cimarron. Smiley, however, recognizes Munro as the outlaw leader, and suggests that Steve follow the outlaws to their hideout. In his Durango Kid disguise, Steve sets out to find Cimarron, but is stopped by a cattle stampede instigated by Munro's men. Back in Twin Forks, Steve and Smiley post a $5,000 reward and a share of the Santa Anna treasure for information about Cimarron's whereabouts. Munro attempts to thwart Steve's efforts by offering Dixie half of the Santa Anna treasure if she will induce Cimarron to tell her where the gold is hidden. Blindfolded, Dixie is taken to the Munro hideout, where she meets with Cimarron. Cimarron is distrustful of Dixie until she agrees to return with a badge belonging to The Durango Kid, as proof that she and The Durango Kid are working together to win his release. Again blindfolded, Dixie is led back to town but leaves a trail of beads to mark the way. Dixie later returns to the hideout with the badge and instructs Cimarron to draw a map to the treasure. Meanwhile, Steve, in his Durango Kid disguise, finds the beads and follows the trail to the hideout. After rescuing Cimarron and subduing the Munro gang in a gun battle, Steve changes out of his Durango Kid disguise and tells the people of Twin Forks that the hidden treasure will be used to build up the region.
Director
Derwin Abrahams
Cast
Charles Starrett
Helen Mowery
Hank Newman
Smiley Burnette
Emmett Lynn
Robert Filmer
George Chesebro
Zon Murray
Jim Diehl
Maudie Prickett
Russell Meeker
Frank Ellis
Ernie Adams
Frank Larue
Jacques O'mahoney
Crew
Robert Bradfield
Smiley Burnette
Charles Clague
Colbert Clark
Lambert Day
Carter Dehaven Jr.
Philip Faulkner
Stephen Foster
James M. Goss
Vera Mikol
Bob Newman
Richard Olson
Ed. Earl Repp
Philip Tannura
Jerome Thoms
Joseph E. Winner
Film Details
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title for this film was Big Bend Badmen. The film was the first of eight Durango Kid westerns to be directed by Derwin Abrahams. For additional information on "The Durango Kid" series, please consult the Series Index and see the entry below for The Return of the Durango Kid.
