Moonlight on the Range
Cast & Crew
Sam Newfield
Fred Scott
Al St. John
Lois January
Dick Curtis
Frank La Rue
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
A group of outlaws, led by "Killer Dane," rustle a small herd of cattle. When cowboy Dave Cassidy finds the rustlers, he is shot in the back and killed by Dane. The gunman recognizes Cassidy as the best friend of his half-brother, Jeff Peters, and sends a note to his brother, proudly proclaiming his evil deed. Jeff finds the note on his friend's dead body and vows vengeance. While searching for his outlaw brother, Jeff arrives in a town just in time to save ranch owner Wanda Brooks from the evil intent of fired ranch hand Hank. Jeff is then mistaken for his brother by Tex, foreman of the Lazy B ranch, but Wanda keeps Jeff out of jail by claiming that he works for her. Meanwhile, Hank, also a member of the outlaw gang, tells Dane of the arrival of his brother at the Lazy B, and the two plot an ambush. Jeff rides into the ambush, but Dane misses him when he tries to shoot him in the back. Jeff offers his brother a fair gunfight, which Dane accepts, knowing that Hank is waiting above them. Before Hank can shoot Jeff, however, Fuzzy Jones, one of Wanda's ranch hands, arrives and shoots the gun out of Hank's hand. After the two outlaws escape, Jeff admits to Wanda his kinship to Dane, but makes her swear not to tell anyone. While Jeff continues to search for his brother, Dane, pretending to be Jeff, attacks Tex and his men out on the range. Tex rides back to the Lazy B, and proclaims defiantly that Jeff is "Killer Dane." Wanda breaks her confidence and tells Jeff's secret, but only Fuzzy believes her. While Tex and the sheriff raise a posse, Wanda rides out to warn Jeff. Jeff is captured by the posse and thrown in jail, and Hank baits the townsfolk into a lynching mood. Meanwhile, Wanda mistakes Dane for Jeff and rides after him. Dane captures Wanda and takes her back to his hideout. Before the lynch mob arrives, Jeff escapes from jail with the help of Fuzzy, who saws a hole in the floor while Jeff serenades his guard to sleep. After Jeff's escape is discovered, Fuzzy sends the posse in the wrong direction. Back at the hideout, Dane makes Wanda cook him dinner, when Hank arrives and tells his boss of Jeff's escape. The angry Dane throws Hank outside, then shoots him. As Dane tries to take advantage of Wanda, Jeff arrives and rescues her. After sending Wanda for help, Jeff tells his brother that he spent four years in jail for Dane's crimes and now wants to see justice served. The two siblings get into a furious fight, only to have Wanda and the posse arrive. A shootout ensues, after which Dane is captured and Jeff is exonerated. Back at the Lazy B, Jeff asks Wanda to go for a ride with him, then proposes marriage. They ask Fuzzy to sing to them, but he tells them he is too tired. As they ride off to the preacher, Fuzzy leans on a sign, then slips and falls to the ground.
Director
Sam Newfield
Cast
Fred Scott
Al St. John
Lois January
Dick Curtis
Frank La Rue
Jimmy Aubrey
Oscar Gahan
George Morrell
Carl Matthews
Wade Walker
Bill Mccall
Shorty Miller
Jack Evans
Rudy Sooter
Ed Cassidy
Forrest Taylor
Crew
Arthur A. Brooks
Jed Buell
George H. Callaghan
Helen Gurley
June Hershey
William Hess
Abe Meyer
Fred Myton
Bert Sternbach
Don Swander
Hans Weeren
Whitney Williams
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was Song with Bullets. Though the onscreen credits contain a copyright statement, no entry was found for this film in the copyright register. Modern sources include in the cast Lew Meehan, Tex Palmer, Sherry Tansey, Steve Clark, Hark Worden and Herman Hack in the castt.
