Showdown at Abilene (1956)

Jim Trask, former sheriff of Abilene, returns to the town after fighting for the Confederacy to find everyone thought he was dead. His old friend Dave Mosely is now engaged to Trask's ... See full summary »

Director:

Charles F. Haas

Writers:

Berne Giler (screenplay), Clarence Upson Young (story)

Stars:

Jock Mahoney, Martha Hyer, Lyle Bettger

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jock Mahoney	...	Jim Trask
Martha Hyer	...	Peggy Bigelow
Lyle Bettger	...	Dave Mosely
David Janssen	...	Verne Ward
Grant Williams	...	Chip Tomlin
Ted de Corsia	...	Dan Claudius
Harry Harvey	...	Ross Bigelow (as Harry Harvey Sr.)
Dayton Lummis	...	Jack Bedford
Richard H. Cutting	...	Nelson
Robert Anderson	...	Sprague (as Robert G. Anderson)
John Maxwell	...	Frank Scovie
Lane Bradford	...	Loop

Storyline

Jim Trask, former sheriff of Abilene, returns to the town after fighting for the Confederacy to find everyone thought he was dead. His old friend Dave Mosely is now engaged to Trask's former sweetheart and is one of the cattlemen increasingly feuding with the original farmers. Trask is persuaded to take up as sheriff again but there is something about the death of Mosely's brother in the Civil War that is haunting him.

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Plot Keywords:

sheriff | death | farmer | range war | ex sheriff | 

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Taglines:

THE BLAZING STORY OF THE GREAT ABILENE RANGE WAR! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

October 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gun Shy

Filming Locations:

Agoura, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Remade as Gunfight in Abilene (1967)

User Reviews

Excellent Permances Makes Showdown At Abilene An Above Average Western

This is an average western that is predictable right from the start. Excellent performances by Jock Mahoney as Jim Trask, Martha Hyer as Peggy, Lyle Beher as Dave and, a young, David Janssen as Deputy Vern Ward make Showdown At Abeline worth a look. The hired gun was played by Ted de Corsia which was the only error in casting that I could find. The town of Abilene and surrounding areas, do not match the flat lands of Kansas but otherwise, excellent photography give the film added appeal.