The Terror of Tiny Town (1938)

An evil gunslinging midget comes to terrorize the good little people of Tiny Town. The townspeople organize to defeat him, and zany antics ensue

Director:

Sam Newfield

Writers:

Fred Myton (original screenplay), Clarence Marks (added dialogue)

Stars:

Billy Curtis, Yvonne Moray, 'Little Billy' Rhodes

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Billy Curtis	...	The Hero (Buck Lawson)
Yvonne Moray	...	The Girl (Nancy Preston)
'Little Billy' Rhodes	...	The Villain (Bat Haines) (as Little Billy)
Billy Platt	...	The Rich Uncle (Jim 'Tex' Preston) (as Bill Platt)
John T. Bambury	...	The Ranch Owner (Pop Lawson) (as John Bambury)
Joseph Herbst	...	The Sheriff
Charles Becker	...	The Cook (Otto)
Nita Krebs	...	The Vampire (Nita, the dance hall girl)
George Ministeri	...	The Blacksmith (Armstrong)
Karl 'Karchy' Kosiczky	...	The Barber (Sammy) (as Karl Casitzky)
Fern Formica	...	Diamond Dolly (as Johnnie Fern)
William H. O'Docharty	...	The Old Soak (as W.H. O'Docharty)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jed Buell's Midgets

Storyline

An evil gunslinging midget comes to terrorize the good little people of Tiny Town. The townspeople organize to defeat him, and zany antics ensue

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | gunfight | bar shootout | song | shoeshine boy | 

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Taglines:

LIttle guys with big guns!

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 December 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cücelerin Korkunc Sehri

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$100,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jed Buell Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

62 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The earliest documented telecast of this film took place in Detroit Tuesday 12 July 1949 on WJBK (Channel 2).

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Goofs

When Buck Lawson stops the stage coach and then drives it away, he leaves his horse behind.

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Quotes

First cowpoke: I wonder who those hombres are?
Second cowpoke: Let's pick up the trail and see what they're up to.

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Connections

Referenced in The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror IX (1998)

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Soundtracks

Down on the Sunset Trail
Written by Lew Porter

User Reviews

If you enjoy watching 1930's B Westerns - you'll enjoy watching this imaginative romp through the Wild West.

Possible spoilers.

If you enjoy watching 1930's B Westerns – especially singing westerns – you'll enjoy watching this imaginative romp through the Wild West.

Take any standard "oater" and cast little people – with the emphasis on people – in the roles of a hero caught between two feuding cattle barons and an evil rustler trying to steal his girl - - and you'll have an idea what this film is about. All of the elements are here – from a hero falsely accused of murder and facing a lynch mob - - to the final showdown and his saving the damsel in distress from the evil villain.

Several performances were clearly outstanding and truly enjoyable to watch: Billy Curtis as the hero - Buck Lawson; Nita Krebs as the Vamp(ire) – Nita and especially Charles (Mayor of Munchkin City) Becker as the Cook – Otto - - who stole each and every scene. (His scene with the duck is priceless).

Of minor note was the fact that many of the actors and actresses in the barroom scenes appear to have had German accents – which makes some words of their songs a little difficult to understand at first – but in subsequent viewings this proved to be no problem - - especially since the delightful lyrics of the Lew Porter Song – "Mister Jack and Missus Jill" – more than compensated.

Additionally – although the director (Sam Newfield) chose to dub some songs with voices from professional singers – which proved to be a minor irritant as far as continuity is concerned – this was standard practice for 1930s oaters. (Does anyone dare to forget John Wayne in RIDERS OF DESTINY as Singin' Sandy Saunder?).

However – all-in-all - this film was truly enjoyable.

In closing – I'd like to comment on the fact that it is sad that many comments I've read reflect the fact that many folks cannot get past their bias toward little people - - - and view little people playing real roles as real people as something only to be laughed at.

Please watch this film with an open mind and you could be pleasantly surprised!!!