Texans Never Cry (1951)

Texas Ranger Sergeant Gene Autry (Gene Autry) and his pal, Pecos Bates (Pat Buttram), save from eviction the family of Nancy Carter (Gail Davis), whose father (Harry Tyler) has purchased ... See full summary »

Director:

Frank McDonald

Writer:

Norman S. Hall

Stars:

Gene Autry, Champion, Mary Castle

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gene Autry	...	Gene Autry
Champion	...	Champion - Gene's Horse
Mary Castle	...	Rita Bagley
Russell Hayden	...	Steve Diamond (as Russ Hayden)
Gail Davis	...	Nancy Carter
Tom Keene	...	Tracy Wyatt (as Richard Powers)
Don C. Harvey	...	Henchman Blackie Knight (as Don Harvey)
Roy Gordon	...	Frank Bagley
Pat Buttram	...	Pecos Bates

Storyline

Texas Ranger Sergeant Gene Autry (Gene Autry) and his pal, Pecos Bates (Pat Buttram), save from eviction the family of Nancy Carter (Gail Davis), whose father (Harry Tyler) has purchased fake Mexican lottery tickets. Gene suspects that Tracy Wyatt (Tom Keene as Richard Powers) heads the lottery counterfeit gang, but has no proof. The paper for the tickets is furnished by newspaper publisher Frank Bagley (Roy Gordon) who uses his daughter Rita (Mary Castle) as the courier. Fearing that Gene is getting too close in uncovering their racket, the gang sends for a hired gunman, Steve Diamond (Russell Hayden as Russ Hayden) to murder Gene.

---

Plot Keywords:

texas | mexican | lawman | texas ranger | father | 

---

Taglines:

Gene's Ridin' Champion With The Rangers!

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Music | Western

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 March 1951 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gene Autry Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

66 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Pecos Bates gets hit on the head by an egg in the barn, a close up view of the chicken shows that it was actually a rooster.

---

Quotes

Mrs. Carter: Which one of you is a good hand at bees? You know, I got some startin' to swarm and I gotta get them in the hive.
Gene Autry: There's your man.
[Points to Pecos Bates]
Gene Autry: That's all he did before he joined the Rangers.
Pecos Bates: Bees? I don't even know my A's!

---

Soundtracks

"Ride, Ranger, Ride"
Written by Tim Spencer (for Ride Ranger Ride)
Sung by Gene Autry

User Reviews

Gene shows no love for lottery ticket counterfeiters

Texas Ranger Gene Autry and his men arrive just in time to prevent the foreclosure of rancher Dan Carter (Harry Tyler) and his family after Carter finds himself unable to repay his loan to swindler Tracy Wyatt (Tom Keene). Gene and sidekick Pecos (Pat Buttram) soon find themselves in the middle of murder and a lottery counterfeiting scheme run by Wyatt and his henchmen Blackie Knight (Don Harvey) and Rip (Holly Bane).

At a running time of 66 minutes Gene has time to become involved in a romantic triangle with Gail Davis and Mary Castle and Pat gets time to contribute his comedic antics in a surprisingly humorous skunk spraying incident. Ex Hopalong Cassidy Sidekick Russell "Lucky" Hayden also shows up in this one, cast off-type as Wyatt's out-of-town hired gun. While this is one of Gene's more action oriented westerns he does get in two nice, well placed tunes, including an opening sequence rework of Ride Ranger Ride from his earlier film of the same name.

This is one of the movies that was filmed in what I think was the sweet spot of Gene's career. Wedged between his Automobile-Age Musicals and his later budget-restrained Horse Operas, it highlights Gene at his best.