Search - Tex Ritter Double Feature: Take Me Back to Oklahoma/Rider of the Rockies on DVD

"Tex Ritter Series ... Double Feature... Monogram Pictures (

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 01/11/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Monogram Pictures presents "TAKE ME BACK TO OKLAHOMA/RIDER OF THE ROCKIES" (1937/1940) (124 mins/B&W) -- Tex Ritter was an American country singer and actor --- From his very first film in 1936 through some of his best loved singing Westerns of the mid '40s, he gave the American public some of the best B-Westerns of that era --- Ritter also worked on various radio programs --- In 1932, he starred on the WOR Radio show The Lone Star Rangers, which was New York's first broadcast western --- He sang songs and told tales of the Old West --- Ritter wrote and starred in Cowboy Tom's Roundup on WINS Radio in New York in 1933 --- This daily children's cowboy radio program aired over three stations on the East Coast for three years --- These shows marked the beginning of Ritter's popularity in radio, which paved the way for his upcoming singing career --- He also performed on the radio show WHN "Barndance" and sang on NBC Radio --- He appeared in several radio dramas, including CBS's "Bobby Benson's Adventures" and "Death Valley Days".



Ritter began recording for American Record Company (Columbia Records) in 1933 --- His first released recording was "Goodbye Ole Paint.", also recorded "Rye Whiskey" at that label. In 1935, he signed with Decca Records, where he recorded his first original recordings, "Sam Hall" and "Get Along Little Dogie."



In 1936, he moved to Los Angeles, California --- His motion picture debut was in "Song Of The Gringo" (1936) for Grand National Pictures --- He starred in twelve movies for Grand National, "B" grade Westerns, love that art deco "Grand National Pictures" animated clock logo at the start and finish of the movie --- Which included "Tex Rides with the Boy Scouts" (1937), and "Trouble In Texas" (1937) co-starring Rita Hayworth (then known as Rita Cansino). (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)



The first film of this double feature - "TAKE ME BACK TO OKLAHOMA" (11 November 1940) (64 mins/B&W)



Under the production staff of:

Albert Herman - Director

Edward F. Finney - Producer

Robert Emmett Tansey - Screenwriter

Marcel Le Picard - Cinematographer

Frank Sanucci - Composer (Music Score)

Fred Bain - Editor

Glen Glenn - Sound/Sound Designer

Samuel R. Wallis - First Assistant Director



Our story line and plot, Storm (Karl Hackett) is out to wreck Ace's (Carleton Young) stage line --- When Tex Lawton (Tex Ritter) arrives to help Ace, Storm brings in hired killer Mule Bates (Olin Francis) --- But Tex and Bates know each other and the two devise a plan to fool Storm.--- A few of my favorite B-Western character actors show up to help the plot along Bob Wills, Robert McKenzie, Carleton Young and Karl Hackett --- film debut of the "King of Western Swing," Bob Wills, and his Texas Playboys --- The group performed no less than four numbers in a row -- including Wills' own "Good Old Oklahoma", "Lone Star Rag" and The Bob Wills Special --- Filmed at Keen Camp - State Highway 74, Mountain Center, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA



the cast includes

Tex Ritter ... Tex Lawton

Bob Wills ... Himself, leader Texas Playboys

Slim Andrews ... Slim Hunkapillar

Terry Walker ... Jane Winters

Robert McKenzie ... Deacon Ames (as Bob McKenzie)

Karl Hackett ... Storm

Donald Curtis ... Henchman Snapper

Gene Alsace ... Henchman Red

Olin Francis ... Mule Bates

Carleton Young ... Ace Hutchinson (as Carlton Young)

George Eldredge ... Sheriff

Johnny Lee Wills ... Texas Playboy (as Johnnie Lee Wills)

Leon McAuliffe ... Texas Playboy

Son Caz Lansford ... Texas Playboy

Wayne Johnson ... Texas Playboy



Second film of the this double feature - "RIDER OF THE ROCKIES" (2 July 1937) (60 mins/B&W)



Under the production staff of:

Robert North Bradbury - Director

Edward F. Finney - Producer

Lindsley Parsons - Screen Story

Robert Emmett Tansey - Screenwriter

Gus Peterson - Cinematographer

Tex Ritter - Songwriter

Frank Sanucci - Songwriter / Musical Direction/Supervision

Fred Bain - Editor

Cliff Ruberg - Sound/Sound Designer

Al Lane - Production Manager



Our story line and plot, Tex Rand (Tex Ritter) and his pals join the Rangers to fight rustlers along the border --- When Doc Thornton (Horace Murphy) and Pee Wee McDougal (Snub' Pollard) get framed for rustling and then jailed --- Tex deserts the Rangers, crosses the border, and joins up with the outlaw gang hoping somehow to clear his pals --- The Tex Ritter series of Westerns produced independently by Edward F. Finney for release by Grand National --- Check out some of my favorite B-Western character actors Charles King, Earl Dwire, Jack Rockwell and Yakima Canutt (who was the greatest stuntman of all).



the cast includes

Tex Ritter ... Tex Rand

White Flash ... Himself - Tex's horse

Louise Stanley ... Louise Rogers

Horace Murphy ... Doc Thornton

'Snub' Pollard ... Pee Wee McDougal

Earl Dwire ... Jeff Jeffries

Charles King ... Henchman Butch Regan

Yakima Canutt ... Arizona Ranger Sgt. Beef

Martin Garralaga ... Rurale Capt. Mendoza

Jack Rockwell ... Arizona Rangers Capt. Hayes

The Texas Tornadoes ... Cantina Musicians (as Tex Ritter's Tornadoes)



BIOS:

Tex Ritter (aka: Woodward Maurice Ritter)

Date of Birth: 12 January 1905 - Murvaul, Texas

Date of Death: 2 January 1974 - Nashville, Tennessee



TEX RITTER WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURE FROM VCI ENTERTAINMENT:

Vol 1: Marshal of Gunsmoke & Oklahoma Raiders (VCI #7204)

Vol.2: Arizona Days & Arizona Trail (VCI #7294)

Vol 3: Rollin' Plains & Song of the Gringo (VCI #7302)



CLASSIC WESTERNS - TEX RITTER FOUR FEATURE FROM VCI ENTERTAINMENT:

Marshal of Gunsmoke; Oklahoma Raiders; Arizona Days & Trouble In Texas



Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guidelines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc), Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") and Trevor Scott (Down Under DVD Com) as they have rekindled my interest once again for Film Noir, B-Westerns and Serials --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '30s & '40s and B-Westerns --- order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on DVD --- stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with musical adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Amazon or VCI where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns --- all my heroes have been cowboys!



Total Time: 124 mins on DVD ~ Monogram Pictures ~ (8/22/2006)"