Sheriff of Tombstone (1941)

The mayor has sent for a gunslinger who, though appearing to clean up the town, is really to be the mayor's means of taking the town over. When Roy and Gabby arrive in Tombstone, Roy is ... See full summary »

Director:

Joseph Kane

Writers:

James Webb (original story), Olive Cooper (screenplay)

Stars:

Roy Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Elyse Knox

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Roy Rogers	...	Brett Starr
George 'Gabby' Hayes	...	Judge Gabby Whittaker
Elyse Knox	...	Mary Carson
Addison Richards	...	Mayor Luke Keeler
Sally Payne	...	Queenie Whittaker - aka Queenie LaTour
Harry Woods	...	Shotgun Cassidy
Zeffie Tilbury	...	Granny Carson
Hal Taliaferro	...	A.J. Slade
Jay Novello	...	John Anderson - aka Joe Martinez
Jack Ingram	...	Bill Starr

Storyline

The mayor has sent for a gunslinger who, though appearing to clean up the town, is really to be the mayor's means of taking the town over. When Roy and Gabby arrive in Tombstone, Roy is mistaken for the gunslinger. Just as Roy is ready to expose the mayor, the real gunslinger shows up.

---

Plot Keywords:

cowboy in tight pants | cowboy horse relationship | arizona territory | reference to arizona | reference to tombstone arizona | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Music | Romance | Western

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 May 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ladrões de Minas

Filming Locations:

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park - 10700 W. Escondido Canyon Rd., Agua Dulce, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Republic Pictures (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

54 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Roy Rogers also played a character with the same name in the same year in Bad Man of Deadwood (1941).

---

Quotes

[first lines]
[Shotgun Cassidy barges out of the telegraph office with a message in his hand]
Brett Starr: It must be important, Cassidy. Now if you could only read it...
Shotgun Cassidy: You keep your pryin' nose out of my business.
Brett Starr: That's what I'm doin'. I'm goin' to retire officially now.
Shotgun Cassidy: Yeah? Well, I'm retirin' myself. Leastways I'm leavin' town.
Brett Starr: Me, too. Dodge City's goin' to be kind of lonesome without us.
Shotgun Cassidy: I'll be glad to take a partin' shot at you to liven things up!
Brett Starr: When I go into shootin' just to take the quiet out ...

---

Connections

Remade as Thunder Over Arizona (1956)

---

Soundtracks

Two-Gun Pete
Written by Sol Meyer and Peter Tinturin
Sung by Sally Payne, with Oscar Gahan (Piano) and Spade Cooley (Fiddle Player)

User Reviews

Roy Rogers doesn't play Roy Rogers

In so many of his movies, Roy Rogers played a character named Roy Rogers. In "Sheriff of Tombstone," though, he is Brett Starr, a refreshing change and another opportunity for Roy Rogers to show he had more than one dimension.

Though fans usually didn't need anything other than Roy, "Sheriff of Tombstone" also had unusually good dialogue and a good story, by James Webb (not the current U.S. Senator, although he too is a good writer), with a good screenplay by Olive Cooper.

There is a remarkably good cast, with everyone's favorite sidekick, George "Gabby" Hayes, who was actually a fine actor, capable of many types of character.

Harry Woods gets one of his biggest roles, and shows some dimensions too, giving one of his best performances.

Jay Novello, almost completely unknown today except to us western fans, also shows a surprising ability at characterization. You really have to see this performance to believe it.

Adorable Sally Payne plays a character who is both an eccentric personality and a charming singer, a great role for her and a great chance for us to see her ability.

Songs, for her and for Roy, come from the great Bob Nolan as well as Sol Meyer and Peter Tinturin, neither of whom I am familiar with, no doubt my loss.

Music in Roy Rogers movies is usually rather pedestrian, but the songs here are memorable.

The great Joe Kane is both director and associate producer, and his touch helps make this a superb B western.

Republic might not have spent a lot of money, but there is a lot of talent and effort in this excellent movie.