Panhandle
Cast & Crew
Leslie Selander
Rod Cameron
Cathy Downs
Reed Hadley
Anne Gwynne
Blake Edwards
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In a Mexican border town, former outlaw John Sands has become a respected storekeeper. One day, a customer, Jean "Dusty" Stewart, tells him that her father is one of several people who were recently murdered in the Texas town of Sentinel. She also mentions that the town's outspoken newspaper owner, Billy Sands, was killed, unaware that Billy was John's brother. En route to Sentinel, John stops to buy a fresh horse and is spotted by a sheriff who knows him from his outlaw days. The sheriff tries to arrest him, but John shoots him in the hand. As he approaches Sentinel, John is attacked by three gunmen working for Matt Garson, owner of the Last Frontier Saloon, who is planning to become boss of the entire Texas panhandle. John outrides them, then in Sentinel, checks into the Blue Belle Hotel, where he meets June O'Carroll, Garson's secretary. John is soon approached by three of Sentinel's leading citizens, who want to hire him to clean up the town and drive Garson from the area, and John promises to think it over. After an encounter with Garson's hired gun, Floyd Schofield, John walks June back to her home, provoking Garson's jealousy. The next day, John rides out to the Stewart ranch and reveals to Dusty that he is Billy's brother. She tells John that she and Billy were to be married and shows him his grave. Later, John is shot at by Schofield but when John confronts Schofield about it at the saloon, Garson supplies him with an alibi, provoking John to brawl with Jack, another Garson henchman. After John escorts June to Sunday mass, Garson tells him to leave town. June then tells Garson she wants nothing more to do with him and quits. When Schofield challenges John to a shootout in front of the saloon, John kills him and two others. John then has a final showdown with Garson, who he has determined was responsible for Billy's death, and with June's help, kills him. Later, John promises to return to June after he clears himself with the law.
Director
Leslie Selander
Cast
Rod Cameron
Cathy Downs
Reed Hadley
Anne Gwynne
Blake Edwards
Jeff York
Rory Mallinson
Dick Crockett
James Harrison
Alex Gerry
Billy Wayne
Francis Mcdonald
Henry Hall
Stanley Andrews
J. Farrell Macdonald
Charles La Torre
Frank Dae
Charles Judels
Anthony Warde
Frank Scannell
Frank Mayo
Tom Monroe
Hank Patterson
Rosa Turich
Tony Roux
Tom Fadden
Louis Mason
John Frawley
Bud Osborne
Billy Kimbley
Charlie Jordan
Benny Corbett
Trevor Bardette
Wally Walker
Capt. Fred Somers
Wheaton Chambers
Herbert Heywood
Michael Gaddis
Guy Teague
Crew
Richard Bachelor
Ray Boltz Jr.
John C. Champion
John C. Champion
Glen Cook
Eleanor Donahue
Rex Dunn
Blake Edwards
Blake Edwards
Frank Fox
James Fullerton
Richard Heermance
Harry Jones
Harry Lewis
Otho Lovering
Lorraine Maclean
Bill Margolies
Dave Milton
Harry Neumann
Frank Perkins
Harry Ross
Vin Taylor
Clifford Vaughan
Frank Webster
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Director Lesley Selander's first name is misspelled "Leslie" in the onscreen credits. John Campion and Blake Edwards' onscreen credit reads: "Written and produced by J. C. Champion and Blake Edwards." Champion and Edwards, who until then had been bit actors, made their producing debuts with this film. Edwards also has a small role in the film. According to an October 1947 New York Times article, Champion's father was a friend of A. P. Giannini of the Bank of America, who helped them get financing for the film. Champion and Edwards wrote Pandhandle with the intention of producing a 16mm picture, but after submitting the story to two studios, they were convinced that they had a good property. A deal was arranged with Steve Broidy, president of Monogram Pictures. The young producers raised $40,000, the banking interest put up $216,000 and Monogram provided $140,000, according to the article. Monogram also guaranteed funds for completion of the picture and agreed to pay for distribution prints. Location shooting was done at Lone Pine and in the San Fernando Valley, CA. In 1966, Selander and Champion loosely remade Panhandle as The Texican. That version, which was produced in Spain, starred Audie Murphy and Broderick Crawford (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1961-70; F6.4945).
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Winter January 31, 1948
Released in United States Winter January 31, 1948
