King of the Texas Rangers (1941) is a Republicfilm serial.[2] Set in the years prior to America entering World War II, the plot is slightly anachronistic in that the serial features a mix of period western and modern elements, which was not unknown in the B-Western films also produced by Republic.[3] Although the serial's plot involves cowboys battling Axis agents in Texas. Nazis are never named as such but their presence is strongly implied within the serial.[4][a]
When Captain King of the Texas Rangers is murdered by saboteurs, his son, Tom ("Slingin' Sammy Baugh"), a famous football star, leaves college and joins the Texas Rangers himself. Shortly after, Tom is given the mission of avenging his father's death and defeating the foreign agents.
John Barton (Neil Hamilton), supposedly a respectable citizen, works with "His Excellency" (Rudolph Anders), a mysterious leader of a gang of saboteurs, intent on destroying the Dobe Hills Oil Company oil fields in Texas. Tom teams up with Sally Crane (Pauline Moore), a reporter who witnessed his father's murder, and Mexican officer Lt. Pedro Garcia (Duncan Renaldo). The agents are working across the border in both countries with destroying the saboteurs' hideouts being their goal.
One of the targets of the gang of saboteurs is an invention by Professor Nelson (Joseph Forte) who has developed a new type of aviation fuel. Tom protects the professor, riding aboard a train as his bodyguard. foiling the plot to kidnap the inventor. When rumours spread that the new aviation fuel is dangerous, Tom and Sally set out in an aircraft to prove the fuel is safe. When Pedro learns that Tom's aircraft is rigged with a time bomb, he warns him in time for Sally and Tom to parachute to safety.
The saboteurs plan to destroy the Whitney Dam would flood the oil fields in Texas, and when Sally finds one of their hideouts, Tom has to rescue her. Barton and his gang finally get their hands on the formula for the special aviation fuel and set out in a dirigible flown by "His Excellency". Their attack on the oil fields is thwarted when Tom and Pedro crash their aircraft into the dirigible, killing the gang. The two lawmen parachute to safety and are later honoured by the Texas Rangers for their bravery.
King of the Texas Rangers (production number 996) was budgeted at $138,536 although the final negative cost was $139,701 (a $1,165, or 0.8%, overspend). The serial was the cheapest Republic serial of 1941. King of the Texas Rangers was filmed in the Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California between June 17 and July 18, 1941.[1]
Other actors were curious and sceptical about footballer Sammy Baugh as the lead in a sort of western. However, according to co-star Kenne Duncan, Baugh turned out to be a good horseman (he was raised on a ranch in Texas), took direction well and learned about acting quickly.[8]
In the opinions of researchers Jim Harmon and Donald F. Glut, King of the Texas Rangers contains "one of the greatest cliffhangers of all time." King (Baugh) jumps onto a speeding train and gets into the engine cab just as the train enters a tunnel in a mountain. The villains detonate explosives causing a landslide at the other end of the tunnel. In the resolution, Baugh yells "Open that throttle!" and the train shoots out of the tunnel to safety.[8]
Reception
The official release date of King of the Texas Rangers is October 4, 1941, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges. In the early 1950s, King of the Texas Rangers was one of 14 Republic serials edited into a television series broadcast in six, 26½-minute episodes.[1]
King of the Texas Rangers was reviewed by Jesse Sublett in his retrospective analysis of the myth of the Texas Rangers, "Lone On The Range: Texas Lawmen: A history of the Texas Rangers." Sublett, said, "A search of movie databases can quickly overwhelm the researcher with Ranger movies ..." King of the Texas Rangers is identified as the most important film on the mythology of the Rangers from the period 1926–1948.[9]
^Republic liked calling their heroes "King" in order to use the title "King of..."[5] The studio had found success with this naming scheme following the adaptation of Zane Grey's King of the Royal Mounted.[6]
^Sublett, Jesse. "Lone On The Range: Texas Lawmen: A history of the Texas Rangers." Texas Monthly, December 31, 1969. Retrieved: July 12, 2019.
Bibliography
Cline, William C. "Filmography". "2. In Search of Ammunition", In the Nick of Time. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1984, ISBN978-0-89950-101-7.
Harmon, Jim and Donald F. Glut. "5. Real Life Heroes "Just Strangle the Lion in Your Usual Way", The Great Movie Serials: Their Sound and Fury. New York: Routledge, 1973. ISBN978-0-7130-0097-9.
Mathis, Jack. Valley of the Cliffhangers Supplement. South Barrington, Illinois: Jack Mathis Advertising, 1995. ISBN0-9632878-1-8.
Rainey, Buck. Serials and Series: A World Filmography, 1912–1956. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2010. ISBN978-1-47660-448-0.
Weiss, Ken and Ed Goodgold. To be Continued ...: A Complete Guide to Motion Picture Serials. New York: Bonanza Books, 1973. ISBN0-517-166259.
king, texas, rangers, 1941, republic, film, serial, years, prior, america, entering, world, plot, slightly, anachronistic, that, serial, features, period, western, modern, elements, which, unknown, western, films, also, produced, republic, although, serial, pl. King of the Texas Rangers 1941 is a Republic film serial 2 Set in the years prior to America entering World War II the plot is slightly anachronistic in that the serial features a mix of period western and modern elements which was not unknown in the B Western films also produced by Republic 3 Although the serial s plot involves cowboys battling Axis agents in Texas Nazis are never named as such but their presence is strongly implied within the serial 4 a King of the Texas RangersDirected byWilliam WitneyJohn EnglishWritten byRonald DavidsonNorman S HallWilliam LivelyJoseph O DonnellJoseph PolandProduced byHiram S Brown Jr Starring Slingin Sammy Baugh Neil HamiltonPauline MooreDuncan RenaldoCharles TrowbridgeHerbert RawlinsonFrank DarienRudolph AndersCinematographyReggie LanningProductioncompanyRepublic PicturesDistributed byRepublic PicturesRelease dateOctober 4 1941 1941 10 04 U S serial 1 Running time12 chapters 215 minutes serial 1 6 26 minute episodes TV 1 CountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudget 138 536 negative cost 139 701 1 Contents 1 Plot 2 Chapter titles 3 Cast 4 Production 5 Reception 6 See also 7 References 7 1 Notes 7 2 Citations 7 3 Bibliography 8 External linksPlot EditWhen Captain King of the Texas Rangers is murdered by saboteurs his son Tom Slingin Sammy Baugh a famous football star leaves college and joins the Texas Rangers himself Shortly after Tom is given the mission of avenging his father s death and defeating the foreign agents John Barton Neil Hamilton supposedly a respectable citizen works with His Excellency Rudolph Anders a mysterious leader of a gang of saboteurs intent on destroying the Dobe Hills Oil Company oil fields in Texas Tom teams up with Sally Crane Pauline Moore a reporter who witnessed his father s murder and Mexican officer Lt Pedro Garcia Duncan Renaldo The agents are working across the border in both countries with destroying the saboteurs hideouts being their goal One of the targets of the gang of saboteurs is an invention by Professor Nelson Joseph Forte who has developed a new type of aviation fuel Tom protects the professor riding aboard a train as his bodyguard foiling the plot to kidnap the inventor When rumours spread that the new aviation fuel is dangerous Tom and Sally set out in an aircraft to prove the fuel is safe When Pedro learns that Tom s aircraft is rigged with a time bomb he warns him in time for Sally and Tom to parachute to safety The saboteurs plan to destroy the Whitney Dam would flood the oil fields in Texas and when Sally finds one of their hideouts Tom has to rescue her Barton and his gang finally get their hands on the formula for the special aviation fuel and set out in a dirigible flown by His Excellency Their attack on the oil fields is thwarted when Tom and Pedro crash their aircraft into the dirigible killing the gang The two lawmen parachute to safety and are later honoured by the Texas Rangers for their bravery Chapter titles EditThe Fifth Column Strikes 29min 11s Dead End 17min 42s Manhunt 16min 42s Trapped 17min 9s Test Flight 16min 40s Double Danger 16min 30s Death Takes the Witness 16min 43s Counterfeit Trail 16min 48s Ambush 16min 48s Sky Raiders 16min 51s Trail of Death 16min 40s Code of the Rangers 16min 47s Source 7 Cast Edit Slingin Sammy Baugh as Ranger Tom King Jr Neil Hamilton as John Barton Felix Hauptman Pauline Moore as Sally Crane Duncan Renaldo as Lt Pedro Garcia Charles Trowbridge as Robert Crawford Herbert Rawlinson as Colonel Lee Avery Frank Darien as Pop Evans Rudolph Anders as His Excellency Jack Ingram as Shorty Joseph Forte as Professor NelsonProduction EditKing of the Texas Rangers production number 996 was budgeted at 138 536 although the final negative cost was 139 701 a 1 165 or 0 8 overspend The serial was the cheapest Republic serial of 1941 King of the Texas Rangers was filmed in the Big Bear Valley San Bernardino National Forest California between June 17 and July 18 1941 1 Other actors were curious and sceptical about footballer Sammy Baugh as the lead in a sort of western However according to co star Kenne Duncan Baugh turned out to be a good horseman he was raised on a ranch in Texas took direction well and learned about acting quickly 8 In the opinions of researchers Jim Harmon and Donald F Glut King of the Texas Rangers contains one of the greatest cliffhangers of all time King Baugh jumps onto a speeding train and gets into the engine cab just as the train enters a tunnel in a mountain The villains detonate explosives causing a landslide at the other end of the tunnel In the resolution Baugh yells Open that throttle and the train shoots out of the tunnel to safety 8 Reception EditThe official release date of King of the Texas Rangers is October 4 1941 although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges In the early 1950s King of the Texas Rangers was one of 14 Republic serials edited into a television series broadcast in six 26 minute episodes 1 King of the Texas Rangers was reviewed by Jesse Sublett in his retrospective analysis of the myth of the Texas Rangers Lone On The Range Texas Lawmen A history of the Texas Rangers Sublett said A search of movie databases can quickly overwhelm the researcher with Ranger movies King of the Texas Rangers is identified as the most important film on the mythology of the Rangers from the period 1926 1948 9 See also EditList of film serials by year List of film serials by studioReferences EditNotes Edit Republic liked calling their heroes King in order to use the title King of 5 The studio had found success with this naming scheme following the adaptation of Zane Grey s King of the Royal Mounted 6 Citations Edit a b c d e f Mathis 1995 pp 3 10 56 57 Rainey 2010 p 135 Weiss and Goodgold 1973 p 188 Blake Jerry Review King of the Texas Rangers Files of Jerry Blake February 26 2014 Retrieved July 12 2109 Harmon and Glut 1973 p 283 Cline 1984 p 23 Cline 1984 p 231 a b Harmon and Glut 1973 pp 116 119 Sublett Jesse Lone On The Range Texas Lawmen A history of the Texas Rangers Texas Monthly December 31 1969 Retrieved July 12 2019 Bibliography Edit Cline William C Filmography 2 In Search of Ammunition In the Nick of Time Jefferson North Carolina McFarland amp Company Inc 1984 ISBN 978 0 89950 101 7 Harmon Jim and Donald F Glut 5 Real Life Heroes Just Strangle the Lion in Your Usual Way The Great Movie Serials Their Sound and Fury New York Routledge 1973 ISBN 978 0 7130 0097 9 Mathis Jack Valley of the Cliffhangers Supplement South Barrington Illinois Jack Mathis Advertising 1995 ISBN 0 9632878 1 8 Rainey Buck Serials and Series A World Filmography 1912 1956 Jefferson North Carolina McFarland amp Company Inc 2010 ISBN 978 1 47660 448 0 Weiss Ken and Ed Goodgold To be Continued A Complete Guide to Motion Picture Serials New York Bonanza Books 1973 ISBN 0 517 166259 External links EditKing of the Texas Rangers at IMDb King of the Texas Rangers at AllMovie King of the Texas Rangers at Todd Gault s Movie Serial ExperiencePreceded byJungle Girl 1941 Republic SerialKing of the Texas Rangers 1941 Succeeded byDick Tracy vs Crime Inc 1941 Preceded byJungle Girl 1941 Witney English SerialKing of the Texas Rangers 1941 Succeeded byDick Tracy vs Crime Inc 1941 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title King of the Texas Rangers amp oldid 1106341359, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
