Yay, Smiley!! I always like how Jock Mahoney's character name in these flicks was usually "Jack Mahoney". Then again, Smiley was always "Smiley Burnette" in this series, because he was already so popular. Mahoney did make a never released film with Smiley later, so perhaps Columbia, anticipating a new series with him, were going to change his name to "Jack". It actually sounds very plausible, now that I think about it!
Unreleased?!? That sounds very un-Columbia. They tried to use any scrap of film they had. Over and over in several cases. Do you know if it’s ever been offered as a collector thing, or a DVD special feature? I’d love to see it.
Fred Sears, a regular member of the Durango Kid Acting Ensemble, had graduated to directing many movies for Columbia's B unit. He is probably best remembered for directing "Earth vs the Flying Saucers". I understand that although he was given meager budgets to work with, Fred greatly cared about the quality of his work and would toil endlessly at night editing them. The wonderful opening here, the best in the series, amply demonstrates that. Sadly, Sears was greatly overextended and died from a heart attack at the relatively young age of 48.
My first "western" was pale rider ..sunday night movie on network tv ..in 1990. Remember the good old days of the monoculture? I was a dern furriner back then. After Clint I discovered John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart? and the whole galaxy down to Edgar Buchanan. Then in 2006 i discovered B westerns...especially hoppy. I thought hoppy was the pinnacle of mindless , super entertainment (ha ha ho ho)..until i discovered the smiley/Durango combination at the tender young age of 51 😁 I've watched MrAudioVideo's Durango playlist at LEAST 200 times. thats not a typo. it runs nonstop all day long while i work. STILL LAUGHING everytime. No good prints of these movies available anywhere..unfortunately.
Well, it seems that we have TWO guys playing duel roles here. Jocko had been doing most of the Durango stunts for most of the series, and here he’s got himself an acting gig, as well!
Is it just me or did anyone else notice this one features more (very good) background music? As I mentioned below, this was probably a decision new director Fred Sears made.
I didn’t notice, so I went partway in and found that you are correct. They did have a big music library, but I suspect that you are right about Sears being the one who explored it. Good thinking on a low budget affair like this.
Anyone remember a cowboy show on 50s the hero looks like Durango kid only his was black not white and the entrance to his hideout had a waterfall that his cave he looked a lot like Starrett?
