Beneath Western Skies

Smiley Burnette continued his career as sidekick to other Republic cowboys after Gene Autry went into the service during World War II. In Beneath Western Stars which was a remake of another Republic Pictures film Ladies In Distress, Burnette is sidekick to Robert Livingston. He even has a ventriloquist dummy which made me think this role was originally meant for Max Terhune.

As it turns out Terhune and Livingston were both in the cast of Ladies In Distress and so I guess that explained the dummy. Did Smiley Burnette's talents include ventriloquism.

Livingston is a noted town tamer in the west and when his old home town becomes terrorized by LeRoy Mason's gang, the old schoolteacher sends for Livingston to clean up the town. The story called for Livingston to have a bout of amnesia and to have Mason take full advantage of it. Also some of the town's leading citizens are in cahoots with Mason. Of course it all gets resolved.

Effie Laird stands out as the town schoolmarm and toughest advocate for law and order. Nice Republic western.

Stokesville is being terrorized by the Bricker Gang and local sheriff Smiley Burnette as Frog Milhous does not have the resources to counter. Local schoolteacher Carrie Stokes writes to former students now lawmen and requests aid.

Bob Livingston as Johnny Revere just happens to ride into town as Sam Philips, a local banker is shot and killed on Main Street. Meanwhile, local banker Sam Webster is cooperating with Beau Bricker and planning to take control by selling town bonds to Bricker.

Smiley sings a duo with puppet Loghead who is a nice addition to the cast. The script is filled with numerous twists and turns which are well plotted although some situations are contrived for obvious reasons.

Enjoyable B-Western without dull moments. Two dummies arguing is a nice change from the usual or predictable B ending.