He Wore a Star (1934)
"The Star Packer" (original title)

A gang working for The Shadow is terrorizing the town. John Travers decides to take on the job of sheriff and do something about it.

Director:

Robert N. Bradbury

Writers:

Robert N. Bradbury (story), Robert N. Bradbury (screenplay)

Stars:

John Wayne, Verna Hillie, George 'Gabby' Hayes

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Wayne	...	John Travers
Verna Hillie	...	Anita Matlock
George 'Gabby' Hayes	...	Matt Matlock (as George Hayes)
Yakima Canutt	...	Yak
Billy Franey	...	Henchman in the Stump
Eddie Parker	...	Henchman Parker (as Ed Parker)
Earl Dwire	...	Henchman Mason
Thomas G. Lingham	...	Sheriff Al Davis (as Tom Lingham)

Storyline

John Travers and his Indian companion Yak are after the mysterious Shadow and his gang. When Sheriff Davis is killed, Travers becomes Sheriff. Catching two gang members, he learns of the room where the gang gets their orders from behind a fake wall safe and makes plans to trap the Shadow.

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Plot Keywords:

sheriff | outlaw gang | niece | western hero | outlaw | 

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Taglines:

He Dared Death In The Outlaw's Lair!

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Genres:

Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 July 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Shadow Gang

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lone Star Productions (I), Monogram Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

53 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Balsley and Phillips Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Matlock ranch-house is the same house as Juanita's house in The Desert Trail and as Malgrove's house in Blue Steel.

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Goofs

When Travers is at the Matlock ranch on his initial visit, the tails on his neckerchief vary in position between shots.

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Quotes

U.S. Marshal John Travers: Whaddya find out?
Yak: Two men gonna hold up stage - Coyote Canyon. Much money on stage.
U.S. Marshal John Travers: Well, it looks like we're going to have our hands full.
Yak: More trouble - more fun!
U.S. Marshal John Travers: That's one way to look at it.

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Connections

Featured in 100 Years of John Wayne (2007)

User Reviews

Predictable, harmless and enjoyable

This is a real B movie, right down to the historical imprecision of a location featuring both stage coaches and telephones, its clichéd dialogue, a totally predictable plot straight out of the comics and enough protracted chases and gunfights to fill in the gaps left by a very thin script.

The Duke and his entourage provide plenty of ironic laughs but, if you want to take the movie at face value, it is quite enjoyable. The good guys win, the bad guys get their comeuppance, the Duke gets his gal and Yakima Canutt shows his tricks all in a setting that engrossed generations of schoolboys over most of the 20th century.

The Star Packers should also be of interest to students of cinema as its structure encapsulates the early movement of silent film into the talkies.