Daniel Boone
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
David Howard
George O'brien
Heather Angel
John Carradine
Ralph Forbes
George Regas
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In 1775, frontiersman Daniel Boone prepares to lead a group of Colonial settlers from their home in Yadkin, North Carolina, across the Cumberland Mountains to a region known as Kain-tu-kee. Before leaving, Daniel sets out on a "hunting" trip with his Indian friend, Black "Blackie" Eagle, and finds his prey, the dreaded white renegade Simon Girty, who, with his small band of outlaw Indians, have murdered numerous settlers. Daniel and Black Eagle capture Girty but learn that, because of a recently signed treaty with the Indians, Girty cannot be tried for his crimes. Although he and the revenge-hungry settlers are frustrated by the law, they agree to free Girty to avoid trouble with the Indians. On the way to Kain-tu-kee, Daniel asks dandy Stephen Marlowe, who is in love with the pretty aristocratic settler Virginia Randolph, to ride ahead and tell the men who are driving the cattle herd to return to the main group. Marlowe, however, ignores Daniel's order, and the cattle herders are murdered that night by Girty. Furious, Daniel tells Marlowe to leave the group, but changes his mind when Virginia intercedes on Marlowe's behalf. Unknown to Virginia and Daniel, Marlowe and his rich political cohorts from Richmond are plotting to seize the land settled by Daniel by enforcing a law that requires squatters to acquire a legal title to their land claims by a certain date. Consequently, as soon as the new fortified settlement of Boonesborough is developed, Daniel is forced to ride to Richmond to save it from the Virginian politicians. In spite of Daniel's pleas, Marlowe refuses to bend the law, and Daniel rides sadly back to Boonesborough. Before reaching the settlement, Daniel is captured by Girty but is saved from a flaming death by Black Eagle. The settlers do battle with Girty and the Indians for nine exhausting days and, with the help of a well-timed rain storm, finally defeat the Indians. Girty, however, refuses to surrender and murders Daniel's special friend, little Master Jerry. Filled with vengeance, Daniel kills Girty after a long fight. With Virginia at his side, Daniel then leads the surviving settlers west to pioneer more virgin territory.
Director
David Howard
Cast
George O'brien
Heather Angel
John Carradine
Ralph Forbes
George Regas
Dickie Jones
Clarence Muse
Huntley Gordon
Harry Cording
Aggie Herring
Crawford Kent
Keith Kenneth
Tom Ricketts
Baron Lichter
Crew
Hal Bumbaugh
Ralph Dixon
Leonard Goldstein
Frank Good
Grace Hamilton
George A. Hirliman
Charles Hunt
Daniel Jarrett
Arthur Kaye
Joseph H. Lewis
Max Factor
Abe Meyer
William O'connor
Edgcumb Pinchon
Hugo Riesenfeld
George Sherman
Jack Stern
Frank Sylos
Harry Tobias
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
In the onscreen credits, writer Edgcumb Pinchon's first name was misspelled "Edgecumb." The film's foreword states that while the story is "imaginative in some aspects," it is "faithful to the character and times." According to historical records as noted in modern sources, in 1775, as part of an agreement with Richard Henderson's Transylvania company, Daniel Boone led a group of settlers, which included his wife and daughter, from Yadkin, North Carolina to the Indian territory known as Kain-tu-kee. In the process of establishing Boonesborough (later spelled Boonesboro), he and his followers fought with and were captured by Indians. Instead of being named the fourteenth colony, the newly settled land was incorporated by Virginia as a county. Richard Henderson never succeeded in procuring legal title to the land. Simon Girty, called "The Great Renegade," led raids against settlers and soldiers, but not until 1778, after his participation in the American Revolution.
Although a Hollywood Reporter news item announced that the film was to have its premiere in Louisville, KY, release charts indicate that the national release date preceded the proposed premiere date. Many films and television shows based on the life of Daniel Boone have been made, including the 1923 short film Daniel Boone, which was part of the Yale University Press's Chronicles of America series; Daniel Boone Thru the Wilderness, a 1926 Sunset Productions film starring Roy Stewart and directed by either Frank S. Mattison or Robert N. Bradbury (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1921-30; F2.1197); Young Daniel Boone, a 1950 Monogram production starring David Bruce and directed by Reginald LeBorg; Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer, a 1956 Republic picture starring Bruce Bennett and directed by Albert C. Gannaway and Ismael Rodriguez (see below), and the NBC television series Daniel Boone, which starred Fess Parker and ran from 1964 to 1969.
