Ride 'Em Cowboy
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Arthur Lubin
Bud Abbott
Lou Costello
Dick Foran
Anne Gwynne
Johnny Mack Brown
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
On "`Bronco' Bob Mitchell Night" at the Greater New York Benefit Rodeo, newspaper columnist Martin Manning tells his friends that Bob will not show up, as he has exposed the singing cowboy and author as a fraud. Bob, whose only experience with the West comes from the books he writes, foils the reporter, however, by successfully mounting a horse for the very first time in his life and singing to the appreciative throng. Later, peanut and hot dog vendors Duke and Willoughby accidentally set a bull loose backstage, and rodeo rider Anne Shaw is forced to save Bob when he falls off his horse directly in front of the wild animal. Anne is injured in the rescue, costing her a chance at the rodeo's $10,000 grand prize and the much needed publicity for her father's dude ranch in Arizona. She returns home to Gower Gulch, only to discover that Bob has been on the train with her, having made reservations at her father's "Lazy S" ranch. Duke and Willoughby end up in Gower Gulch as well, and when Willoughby mistakenly becomes engaged to Indian girl Moonbeam, the two escape to the "Lazy S," where they are hired on as cowboys by ranch foreman Alabama Brewster. Meanwhile, Manning enters Bob in the local charity rodeo, so the writer convinces Anne to train him to become a real cowboy. Later, the local Indians abduct Duke and Willoughby during a barbecue, and they tell Willoughby to prepare for his wedding to Moonbeam. Meanwhile, Anne and Bob discover their true feelings for each other when he falls off his horse while learning to trick ride, and confirm their love on a moonlight ride. Afraid of his prospective in-laws, Willoughby, meanwhile, dreams that he is sent to "Dr. Ha-Ha's Sanitarium," which is fully staffed by Indians. Later, Bob is approached by crooked bookmaker Ace Henderson, who tells him that Anne's father has placed a $1,000 bet on the "Lazy S" team in the state rodeo championship. Bob agrees to take over Mr. Shaw's bet, and he is given ten to one odds. Ace later tells Alabama that the rodeo has been "fixed," but when the ranch foreman refuses to go along with the plot, he is abducted by Ace's henchmen. When the day of Frontier Day Celebration/State Rodeo Championship finally arrives, Duke and Willoughby tell Anne that Bob has bet against the "Lazy S" team. Thinking the worse, she leaves him behind at the ranch, but Bob manages to get a ride from his two accusers to the rodeo. Along the way, the three are ambushed by Ace's men, and Bob is taken prisoner. Bob and Alabama escape from Ace's hideout, but Alabama is wounded. Meanwhile, Duke and Willoughby are chased through the wilderness by Moonbeam's tribe. They finally elude the angry Indians, find Bob and Alabama and arrive at the rodeo just in time for Bob to win the bronco riding contest. After the "Lazy S" wins the rodeo competition, Bob and Anne are reunited, and Willoughby escapes his "bow and arrow" wedding by having Duke disguise himself as Moonbeam.
Director
Arthur Lubin
Cast
Bud Abbott
Lou Costello
Dick Foran
Anne Gwynne
Johnny Mack Brown
Judd Mcmichael
Ted Mcmichael
Joe Mcmichael
Mary Lou Cook
Ella Fitzgerald
Samuel S. Hinds
Douglass Dumbrille
Morris Ankrum
Richard Lane
Charles Lane
Jody Gilbert
Russell Hicks
Tom Hanlon
Wade Boteler
James Flavin
Eddie Dunn
Boyd Davis
Isabel Randolph
James Seay
Harold Daniels
Harry Cording
Ralph Peters
Linda Brent
Lee Sunrise
Carmela Cansino
Chief Yowlachie
Harry Monty
Harry Strang
Katherine Marlowe
Dick Givens
Sherman E. Sanders
Ed Peil Sr.
The Hi-hatters
Crew
True Boardman
John W. Boyle
Bernard B. Brown
Hal Bumbaugh
Philip Cahn
Ted Cain
Nick Castle
Ralph M. Delacy
Al Feldman
Ella Fitzgerald
R. A. Gausman
Alex Gottlieb
John Grant
Edmund L. Hartmann
Joan Hathaway
Charles Lamont
Bob Moak
Jack Otterson
Gene De Paul
Charles Previn
Don Raye
Harold Shumate
Frank Skinner
Gil Valle
Vera West
Videos
Movie Clip
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
This was originally to be the fourth Bud Abbott and Lou Costello picture to be released by Universal in 1941. Universal executives, however, decided to withhold this film and release Keep 'Em Flying first, in order to capitalize on the military service comedy element of that film, which had proved so successful in the previously released Abbott and Costello films Buck Privates and In the Navy (see entries above). Universal decided in October 1941 to release Ride 'Em, Cowboy in February 1942, just prior to the projected release of Rio Rita (see entry above), a picture Abbott and Costello were making for M-G-M under the freelance provisions of their Universal contracts. During the production of this film, Abbott and Costello signed new, three-year contracts with Universal, which called upon the comedy team to make two films a year for the studio. Associate producer Alex Gottlieb was officially promoted to "A" unit producer during this production. According to Universal press information, the film was shot on location for three weeks in Stone Canyon, CA, fifty miles outside of Hollywood, as well as at the Alameda Street Cattle Shoots in Los Angeles. Hollywood Reporter also reported that Charles Lamont directed a second unit which shot footage in Victorville, CA for the final chase sequence. Universal publicity materials note that actress Anne Gwynne had been selected "The Mack Sennett Bathing Beauty of 1942," in a contest held at the Universal lot to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the comedic icon. Early Hollywood Reporter production charts include Leo Carrillo in the cast, but he does not appear in the released film. A July 16, 1941 Hollywood Reporter news item includes Bob Baker in the cast, but his appearance in the released film has not been determined. Press materials also indicate that Sam Garrett, seven-time world rodeo champion and boyhood friend of Will Rogers, made his feature film debut in the film, but his participation in the released film has not been confirmed. Modern sources include Iron Eyes Cody, The Buckaroo Band and The Ranger Chorus in the cast.
