Wheels of Destiny
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Alan James
Ken Maynard
Dorothy Dix
Philo Mccullough
Frank Rice
Jay Wilsey
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Bill, who has struck it rich mining gold in California, returns to his home town in the Midwest to organize a wagon train. On the eve of the wagon train's departure, a prayer meeting is held in town for the participants. Rocky, an outlaw, sends part of his gang to the meeting, while he and the rest of his men go to Bill's hotel room to search for gold mining maps. While Rocky batters down Bill's door, Ken Manning, Bill's mining partner, shows up and single-handedly halts the robbery. Taken with Bill's sister Mary, Ken later agrees to be an unofficial guide on the wagon train. Soon after the caravan takes off, Rocky instigates trouble by betting an old trapper that his horse can outrun the trapper's trained steer. When the steer wins, Rocky and his gang start a brawl and are thrown out of the wagon train. Later, to secure permission to cross an Indian reservation, Ken gives his word to an Indian chief that no one in the group will molest the reservation buffalo. Determined to cause trouble, however, Rocky and his men shoot at the herd and cause a stampede. Furious at the white men's betrayal, the Indians tie up Ken and begin planning a massacre. Ken's horse Tarzan, however, unties the rope, and Ken flees to warn the wagon train. Ken reaches the train's camp ahead of the Indians, and the group is able to minimize its losses. During the attack, Rocky and his men try to steal Bill's maps, but all except Rocky are killed by the Indians. To further protect themselves, the travelers set fire to the prairie and keep ahead of the pursuing Indians. That night, they ride into a thunderstorm and are forced to cross a raging stream in the dark. Just as the group appears out of danger, Rocky makes a sudden, last attempt at stealing the maps but is killed by Indians. As they near California, Mary gives Ken her heart.
Director
Alan James
Cast
Ken Maynard
Dorothy Dix
Philo Mccullough
Frank Rice
Jay Wilsey
Ed Coxen
Fred Sale Jr.
Fred Mckaye
Jack Rockwell
William Gould
Nelson Mcdowell
Tarzan
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Modern sources add Merrill McCormick, Slim Whitaker, Hank Bell, Bob Burns, Artie Ortego, Wally Wales, Helen Gibson, Jack Evans, Bud McClure, Fred Burns, Chief Big Tree, Marin Sais, Chuck Baldra, Blackjack Ward, Bobby Dunn, Arkansas Johnny and Roy Bucko to the cast. In addition, modern sources state that exteriors for the film were shot in Lone Pine, CA.
