Under California Stars
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
William Witney
Roy Rogers
Trigger
Jane Frazee
Andy Devine
George H. Lloyd
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
After completing his latest motion picture, cowboy star Roy Rogers broadcasts live on the radio to celebrate his tenth anniversary in movies. Later, at his ranch in Saddleback, Roy is welcomed home by "Cookie" Bullfincher and the Sons of the Pioneers. They tell him that a gang of men posing as wild horse wranglers has actually been rustling Roy's ranch horses. At the gang's hideout, horse thief Lije McFarland plots to capture Roy's horse Trigger. When his disabled, young stepson, Ted Conover, enters with his dog Tramp, Lije tells him to get rid of the animal. At Roy's ranch, meanwhile, Caroline Maynard, one of Cookie's many cousins, is giddy at meeting Roy in person. Roy then meets Ted, who explains that two years before, a horse kicked him, but when the physician recommended an operation, Lije refused it. Upon hearing this story, Roy takes pity on Ted and offers him a job at the ranch, The gang decides to exploit Ted's position in order to capture more horses, and during an anniversary party at the ranch, a couple of rustlers sneak into Roy's stables. When Ted goes to the stables and notices Trigger gone, one of the men threatens to hurt him unless he keeps quiet. After the rustlers take some of Roy's other horses, Trigger breaks out of his stable and follows the gang. The next morning, Trigger's disappearance is announced in the newspapers. Gang leader Jonas "Pop" Jordan then writes a ransom note demanding $100,000 for the release of Trigger. That evening, when Roy enters Ted's bedroom to say goodnight, he is startled to find Ed, one of Jordan's men, pointing a gun at him. Ed offers to return Trigger for the lesser sum of $10,000. Ed is found shot in the back the next morning, however, so Roy goes to withdraw the ransom from the bank. Meanwhile, Ted, concerned about Trigger, goes to the hideout and is assured by Jordan that the horse will be returned safely as soon as the ransom is paid. At Roy's ranch, ranch hand Bob Nolan discovers another note requesting that the money be brought to Twin Rocks. The next morning, Roy finds a horse tied up at the specified location and deposits counterfeit money into its saddlebag. He then follows the horse back to the hideout, where the rustlers learn they have been duped. Later, Ted pleads with Lije to spare Trigger and gives them real money, which he has stolen from Roy's desk. Roy soon discovers that he has been robbed and follows Tramp, who leads him to Ted. When a fire breaks out in the gang's stables, Ted tries to save Trigger, while Jordan shoots at him. Roy arrives and rescues Trigger and Ted, who is overcome by smoke. Lije shoots Jordan and tries to take the money, but Roy wrestles him to the ground. The mortally wounded Jordan shoots Lije and then falls limply from his own horse.
Director
William Witney
Cast
Roy Rogers
Trigger
Jane Frazee
Andy Devine
George H. Lloyd
Wade Crosby
Michael Chapin
House Peters Jr.
Steve Clark
Joseph Garro
Paul Power
John Wald
Bob Nolan
Post Park
Tommy Coats
Crew
Gene Autry
Sam Cohn
Jack Elliott
Paul Gangelin
Paul Gangelin
John Grubbs
Frank Hotaling
Jack Lacey
Garry Lambrecht
Howard Lydecker
Theodore Lydecker
Mickey Marigold
Bob Mark
Jack Marta
Tony Martinelli
Johnny Marvin
John Mccarthy Jr.
George Milo
Sloan Nibley
Herbert Norsch
Joe Novak
Adele Palmer
Andy Parker
Morton Scott
Edward J. White
Dorothy Yutzi
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
According to Hollywood Reporter news items, production on this film was delayed due to a contract dispute between Roy Rogers and Republic, to which he had been under contract since 1937. Rogers, who had made more than seventy films at Republic, was "reported to want to make fewer, but higher-budgeted films," according to a November 14, 1948 Hollywood Reporter news item, which also noted that Rogers wanted a pay raise. The actor did not report to the studio in early Nov, as scheduled, to begin production on Under California Stars, but did eventually agree to star in the picture "only under condition that it 'would not prejudice the claims of either side.'" The dispute was settled in March 1948, when the studio signed Rogers to a new contract "calling for fewer pictures annually and a hike in coin," according to a Hollywood Reporter news item. Rogers also sang "Dust" in Under Western Stars, his first starring role for Republic (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931-40; F3.4855).
