I Shot Billy the Kid (1950)

Director:

William Berke

Writer:

Orville H. Hampton (original screenplay)

Release Date:

27 July 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Western

Tagline:

TRUE, UNTOLD STORY OF THE OUTLAW TERRORIST! (original ad - all caps)

Plot:

Although the Lincoln County War has come to a conclusion, Billy the Kid turns his back on a gubernatorial pardon and continues his lawless career.

Plot Keywords:

Billy The Kid | Lincoln County War | Mexican American | Pardon | Told In Flashback

Cast

Don 'Red' Barry	...	William H. Bonney / Billy the Kid (as Don Barry)
Robert Lowery	...	Sheriff Pat Garrett
Wally Vernon	...	Vicente
Tom Neal	...	Charley Bowdry
Wendie Lee	...	Francesca
Claude Stroud	...	General Lew Wallace, New Mexico Governor
John Merton	...	Deputy Bob Ollinger (as John Morton)
Henry Marco	...	Juan, Francesca's Brother
Bill Kennedy	...	Deputy John Poe
Archie Twitchell	...	Saloon Tough slapped by Billy
Jack Perrin	...	Deputy Mack
Richard Farmer	...	Alec McSween
Felice Richmond	...	Mexican Girl
Jack Geddes	...	Sheriff Brady
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Victor Adamson	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Judith Allen	...	Mrs. Alec McSween (uncredited)
John L. Cason	...	Gang Member (uncredited) (archive footage)
Rube Dalroy	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Frank Ellis	...	Hindman, Brady's Deputy (uncredited)
Al Haskell	...	Posse Rider (uncredited)
Jack Hendricks	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Carol Henry	...	McSween Defender (uncredited)
George Keymas	...	Murphy's Man (uncredited)
Merrill McCormick	...	Posse rider (uncredited)
Kansas Moehring	...	Murdered Horse Owner (uncredited)
Tom Monroe	...	Pete Maxwell (uncredited)
Lew Morphy	...	Posse Rider (uncredited)
Matty Roubert	...	Gang Member (uncredited)
Tom Tyler	...	Gang Member (uncredited) (archive footage)

Directed by
William Berke

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Orville H. Hampton		original screenplay (as Orville Hampton)

Produced by
William Berke	....	producer
Jack Leewood	....	associate executive producer
Murray Lerner	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Albert Glasser		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Ernest Miller		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Carl Pierson

Art Direction by
Fred Preble

Makeup Department
Ted Coodley	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Betty Sinclair	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Melville Shyer	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Harry Eckles	....	sound engineer
Harry Smith	....	sound engineer

Stunts
Carol Henry	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Matty Roubert	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Archie R. Dalzell	....	camera operator (as Archie Dalzell)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Alfred Berke	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Albert Glasser	....	musical director

Other crew
Mary Chaffee	....	script supervisor
Robert L. Lippert	....	presenter
Dean Riesner	....	dialogue coach (as Dean Reisner)

Production Companies

• William Berke Productions Inc.
• Donald Barry Productions

Distributors

• Lippert Pictures (1950) (USA) (theatrical)
• Union-Film (1952) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Kit Parker Films (2004) (USA) (all media) (copyright owner)
• VCI Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (Included in "Legendary Outlaws Vol. 3")

Other Companies

• Blair & Associates  DVD package design

Also Known As:

Runtime:

57 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #14639) | West Germany:16 (nf)

Filming Locations:

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park - 10700 W. Escondido Canyon Rd., Agua Dulce, California, USA

Company:

William Berke Productions Inc.

Trivia:

The infamous incident involving Billy the Kid and Joe Grant in the Fort Sumner Saloon is portrayed differently here. Grant's misfire is generally believed to have been caused by his firing the traditionally cautionary empty chamber. Billy reacted by fatally shooting him in the chin. In "I Shot Billy the Kid," Billy uses sleight of hand to remove the bullets from Grant's gun prior to his firing it, contemptuously giving him a backhanded slap across his mouth and chin after the misfire, and leaving the saloon without killing him.

Quotes:

Mrs. Alec McSween:Don't you think it's time now, Alex, that you traded your Bible for a gun?
Alec McSween:No. I may perish by the sword, but I'll never live by it.

Movie Connections:

Version of "The Time Tunnel: Billy the Kid (#1.22)" (1967)

Is This Available on Video

Yes, I know. Low budget shoot 'em up. Don Barry more than twice as old as the Kid lived to be.

My uncle was a Western fan back in the late forties/early fifties. We used to go movies on Friday nights, (Durango Kid, Red Ryder, Rocky Lane, etc). I was hooked for life. I love the old westerns. I remember when we first got a TV. There was a dinnertime western movie program called "Stagecoach Theater". (Johnny Mack Brown, Buster Crabbe, Bob Steele, Hoot Gibson, Tim McCoy, Tex Ritter, Buck Jones).

I remember watching "I Shot Billy the Kid" with my father late one night. I have been trying to find a copy for years without success. Can anyone help?