Deadwood '76 (1965)

A young drifter is mistaken for Billy the Kid. The concequences prove deadly.

Director:

James Landis

Writers:

Arch Hall Sr. (screenplay), James Landis (screenplay),

Stars:

Arch Hall Jr., Jack Lester, La Donna Cottier

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Arch Hall Jr.	...	Billy May
Jack Lester	...	Tennessee Thompson
La Donna Cottier	...	Little Bird
Arch Hall Sr.	...	Boone May (as William Watters)
Liz Renay	...	Poker Kate (as Melissa Morgan)
Robert Dix	...	Wild Bill Hickok
Richard Cowl	...	Preacher Smith (as Richard S. Cowl)
Jonny Bryant	...	Hubert Steadman
David Reed	...	Fancy Poggin
Gordon Schwenk	...	Spotted Snake
Ray Zachary	...	Spec Greer
Barbara Moore	...	Montana
Hal Bizzy	...	Curt Aiken
Read Morgan	...	Ben Hayes (as Reed Morgan)
Rex Marlow	...	Sam Bass

Storyline

A young drifter is mistaken for Billy the Kid. The concequences prove deadly.

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Plot Keywords:

gunfight | pistol | b movie | cult | revenge | 

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Genres:

Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 June 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Cidade dos Fora da Lei

Filming Locations:

Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fairway International Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Set in 1876, Billy the Kid wouldn't have been known at the time. He didn't become a "wanted" outlaw until he killed Sheriff William Brady in April 1878.

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Soundtracks

"Deadwood"
Music by Harper MacKay
Lyrics by Arch Hall Sr.
Sung by Rex Holman

User Reviews

The Mythos of the Western Gunfighter

Deadwood '76 is a 1965 low budget western equivalent of the typical 1970s martial arts film. Redolent with cliché from start to finish, this well-written, well-directed (by James Landis), and mostly badly acted film follows the adventures of a young many (Arch Hall Jr) who has been mistaken for Billy the Kid because of his youth, name (Billy May) and gunfighting talent.

May is an interesting character who is, unfortunately, uninterestingly portrayed by the son of the screenwriter. In a typical early '70s western flourish, May befriends a band of local Native Americans who have been displaced and otherwise abused by the townfolk and who are plotting vengeance against the union army. He also becomes a would-be prospector, and has a number of bad run-ins with a local gang lead by Sam Bass. May, the ultimate outsider, eventually gets swept up in the degrading local society and its circus-of-death atmosphere, and his developing young life is gravely threatened.

Recommended for die-hard Western fans. Not recommended for others.