Belle Starr (23 Jan. 1954)

Railroad Detective Matt Clark (Jim Davis) and his assistant Frankie Adams (Mary Castle), investigate the stealing of a herd of horses belonging to the U. S. Cavalry. They learn that the ... See full summary »

Director:

William Witney

Writer:

Maurice Tombragel

Stars:

Jim Davis, Mary Castle, Marie Windsor

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Jim Davis	...	Matt Clark
Mary Castle	...	Frankie Adams
Marie Windsor	...	Belle Starr
Ric Roman	...	Sam Starr
Stuart Randall	...	Sheriff
Steve Darrell	...	Rancher

Storyline

Railroad Detective Matt Clark (Jim Davis) and his assistant Frankie Adams (Mary Castle), investigate the stealing of a herd of horses belonging to the U. S. Cavalry. They learn that the leader of the outlaws is a woman named Belle Starr (Marie Windsor).

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Plot Keywords:

investigator | shootout | chases on horseback | street shootout | b western | 

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Genres:

Western

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 January 1954 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Studio City Television Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Marie Windsor in the saddle

One of the best of the series. Marie Windsor is remembered for playing tough urban broads in gritty crime films such as THE NARROW MARGIN or THE KILLING. Her first career break, though, came in a William Elliott western, HELLFIRE, in which she played to the hilt the role of a tough female outlaw in the old west, even outdrawing and gunning down veteran western bad guy Harry Woods. A champion horsewoman in her youth, she could ride like the wind. She was born to play Belle Starr, and one wishes she had done so in a feature.

Belle is the leader of a band of horse thieves in this episode. She easily dominates her drunken husband and shoots up a saloon in an early scene, sending the supposedly tough cowboys scurrying. She also wins a rough fight with Mary Castle as an undercover railroad detective.

Belle has gotten away with her crimes for so long because her horse is too fast to be caught. Except by Matt Clark and his mount. William Witney directed this episode and the final chase in which Jim Davis as Clark rides down Belle is a highlight. Both actors display fine horsemanship.

A coda has Davis explaining to Castle years later how Belle came to a bad end. That is accurate history.