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Archive for May, 2024

RIP, Barbra Fuller.

Posted in Bob Steele, Joe Kane, Lash La Rue, Republic Pictures, William Elliott on May 21, 2024| 1 Comment »


Barbra Fuller
(July 31, 1921 – May 15, 2024)

Actress Barbra Fuller has passed away 102.

Republic put her under contract in 1949 and put her in pictures like The Savage Horde (above, with Bob Steele), Rock Island Trail (1950) and Lonely Heart Bandits (all 1950). The Savage Horde, starring William Elliott, is excellent.

She was on the radio soap opera One Man’s Family from 1945 till 1959 and spent the late 50s working in TV quite a bit (Perry Mason, My Three Sons, etc.). She was in a 1953 episode of Adventures Of Superman.

Ms. Fuller was married to Lash La Rue for a while.

Thanks to Ralph Bradley for the news.

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Happy Birthday, William Witney.

Posted in Republic Pictures, Roy Rogers, William Witney on May 15, 2024| 14 Comments »

William Witney
(May 15, 1915 – March 17, 2002)

William Witney was born 109 years ago. He was a true innovator in how action makes its way to the movie screen. He was working at Republic Pictures, and while on location for the 1937 serial The Painted Stallion, the director, Ray Taylor, was too drunk to work. Witney took over at just 21.

Watching Busby Berkeley put together one of his famous dance numbers, Witney realized that fight sequences could be choreographed and shot the same way. He under-cranked the camera to speed up the action — merely fast became death-defying. He experimented with the best place to put the camera car when tracking a chase — along the side of the car or stagecoach vs. shooting head-on, with horses charging straight at the camera.

After serving in a Marine combat camera unit in World War II, Witney returned to Republic for his last serial, The Crimson Ghost (1946), then took over the Roy Rogers movies. Dialing up the action, putting less emphasis on the music and bringing in a decidedly darker, more violent tone, Witney breathed new life into Roy’s final films.

William Witney was a genius, and his contribution the cinema has been pathetically under-appreciated.

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DVD News #374: Under Western Stars (1938).

Posted in DVD/Blu-Ray News, Film Masters, Jack Marta, Joe Kane, Republic Pictures, Roy Rogers, Smiley Burnette on May 13, 2024| 2 Comments »

Directed by Joe Kane
Starring Roy Rogers, Smiley Burnette, Carol Hughes, the Maple City Four

Over at my other blog, we’ve been really excited about what the folks at Film Masters have been up to. In addition to their line of nice restorations packed with all sorts of goodies on Blu-Ray, they’ve kicked off a run of more obscure pictures on DVD. So far, each title has been a significant improvement on anything that’s been available before.

Now they’ve turned their attention to a Western, Roy Rogers’ first film as a Republic star, Under Western Stars (1938). Republic wanted to get their new singing cowboy off to a good start, and this picture really delivers. Roy’s trying to help local farmers get the water they need, winning a spot in Congress along the way. (The film’s story of Southern California water rights in the late 30s would be revisited in 1974’s Chinatown.)

Roy is joined by Smiley Burnette and Carol Hughes. He sings a few songs, accompanied by the Maple City Four. One of them, “Dust,” would be nominated for an Oscar.

Directed by Joe Kane and shot by Jack Marta, you know it’s terrific, even if Roy seems a little uncomfortable in a lead role. Not exactly sure when this will be coming out, but I’m sure it’ll be a quality release. Highly, highly recommended.

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