My father was co-producer of this movie when I was in grade school. I still have still photos of the shoot and a copy of the original script. It was made by Empire Studios, the first motion picture studio in Florida in the early 50s, long before Disney and Universal Studios.
I went on location many times and was on site for the Major Dade massacre and the scenes where the guards are found dead on the settler's porch. I also was at the studios in Winter Park when much post production took place.
This was the second of three movies my father worked with R. John Hughs on in the 50s. As a grade "B" movie it wasn't so bad and was in color, which wasn't usual at that time. I've seen the movie for sell at a video store in the past and wished I had bought it.
The lead actor, James Craig, starred on a 15 minute TV detective series at the time and was a "B" list actor. Of course, Barton MacLane starred in movies as a supporting actor with the big names of the 30s to the 50s (John Wayne, etc.). MacLane also starred later in the 60s as the general on I Dream of Jeanie TV show.
Many of the extras in the movies were students at Boone and Edgewater High Schools in Orlando. I graduated from Edgewater. My father said he always got calls from the school's deans complaining about skipping while the movie was being shot in Orlo Bronson's cow pasture in St. Cloud, Florida. Bronson was a former Fla. State senator.
Several of the other actors were local aspiring actors and Rollins College theatre students. It wasn't Hollywood but it sure was exciting to see the movie being made.
I went on location many times and was on site for the Major Dade massacre and the scenes where the guards are found dead on the settler's porch. I also was at the studios in Winter Park when much post production took place.
This was the second of three movies my father worked with R. John Hughs on in the 50s. As a grade "B" movie it wasn't so bad and was in color, which wasn't usual at that time. I've seen the movie for sell at a video store in the past and wished I had bought it.
The lead actor, James Craig, starred on a 15 minute TV detective series at the time and was a "B" list actor. Of course, Barton MacLane starred in movies as a supporting actor with the big names of the 30s to the 50s (John Wayne, etc.). MacLane also starred later in the 60s as the general on I Dream of Jeanie TV show.
Many of the extras in the movies were students at Boone and Edgewater High Schools in Orlando. I graduated from Edgewater. My father said he always got calls from the school's deans complaining about skipping while the movie was being shot in Orlo Bronson's cow pasture in St. Cloud, Florida. Bronson was a former Fla. State senator.
Several of the other actors were local aspiring actors and Rollins College theatre students. It wasn't Hollywood but it sure was exciting to see the movie being made.