One of over 700 Paramount productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since. However, due to legal complications, this particular title was never included in the initial television package and may never have been televised. It finally reached the air waves 12 March 2020 on the Starz Encore Western Channel.
The Texan (1930) is based on the short story "The Double-Dyed Deceiver" by O. Henry, which was first published in Everybody's Magazine in December 1905. The story was previously filmed as A Double-Dyed Deceiver (1920) with Jack Pickford in the lead role.
The railroad scenes were filmed on the Sierra Railroad in Tuolumne County, California.
The Texan (1930) is an American Western film directed by John Cromwell and starring Gary Cooper and Fay Wray. Based on the short story "The Double-Dyed Deceiver" by O. Henry, the film is about a daring bandit called the Llano Kid who shoots a young gambler in self-defense and is forced to hide from the law. He is helped by a corrupt lawyer who involves the bandit in a scheme to swindle a Mexican aristocrat whose son turns out to be the young gambler killed by the Llano Kid. The screenplay was written by Daniel Nathan Rubin, and the story was adapted for the screen by Oliver H.P. Garrett. Produced by Hector Turnbull for Paramount Pictures, The Texan was released in the United States on May 10, 1930. The film received positive reviews upon its theatrical release.