"Western Renegades" was yet another in the long running Johnny Mack Brown series for Monogram .Pictures This was one of the better films in the series.
oddly enough although, Max Terhune is supposed to be Johnny's sidekick but in his role as sheriff, unless I'm wrong, the two don't appear on screen together until the final scene.
The story takes place in the town of Gordontown named after Paul Gordon (Marshall Bradford) who owns just about every business in town as well as being a rich rancher. While playing cards with old pal retired marshal Dusty Dekker (Steve Clark) Gordon reveals a letter that he has received from his long lost wife who has been missing for 18 years. Gordon's foreman Frank (Marshal Reed) overhears and is in on the plot to take over Gordon's holdings.
Gordon's son Joe (Riley Hill) and daughter Judy (Jane Adams) are followed by two gunman. Johnny Mack Brown, a U.S. marshal on his way to visit old pal Dekker intervenes and kills the two assailants in a gun battle. Back in town Jim Laren who is behind the plot to take over Gordon's holdings, murders Gordon. Dekker seeing this rushes to Gordon's aid but finds him dead. He gets his horse and chases after the killer.
Frank, meanwhile has been convincing the townsfolk, including the blacksmith (John Merton) that Dekker is the killer and that he has fled. Dekker catches up to Laren and his men, Gus (Myron Healey), Carl (Terry Frost) and Curly (William Ruhl). Laren comes up behind Dekker and knocks him out. The henchmen takes Dekker back to a remote cabin where they hold him. When he comes two, Dekker discovers a woman also tied up, who identifies herself as Gordon's wife (Constance Worth). Frank and Joe Gordon "search" for Dekker.
Johnny, who knows that Dekker is innocent, remains behind the scenes trying to discover who is behind all of the troubles. Johnny breaks into the cabin but does not rescue his old friend. Instead he poses as an escaped convict who Dekker had sent up years ago in order to gain the trust of the outlaws.
In the local saloon later, Johnny gets Laren to admit that he was the murderer. Johnny flashes his marshal's badge and a gun fight breaks out with Laren "a gittin' outa hyar" and...............................................................
As I mentioned Brown and Terhune don't have any scenes together until the last.......odd. "Elmer" doesn't have his usual screen time either. The cast is filled with seasoned veterans such as Steve Clark, Marshal Reed, Myron Healey, Riley Hill , Terry Frost and John Merton who bring the film up a notch over some of the others in the series.
The story takes place in the town of Gordontown named after Paul Gordon (Marshall Bradford) who owns just about every business in town as well as being a rich rancher. While playing cards with old pal retired marshal Dusty Dekker (Steve Clark) Gordon reveals a letter that he has received from his long lost wife who has been missing for 18 years. Gordon's foreman Frank (Marshal Reed) overhears and is in on the plot to take over Gordon's holdings.
Gordon's son Joe (Riley Hill) and daughter Judy (Jane Adams) are followed by two gunman. Johnny Mack Brown, a U.S. marshal on his way to visit old pal Dekker intervenes and kills the two assailants in a gun battle. Back in town Jim Laren who is behind the plot to take over Gordon's holdings, murders Gordon. Dekker seeing this rushes to Gordon's aid but finds him dead. He gets his horse and chases after the killer.
Frank, meanwhile has been convincing the townsfolk, including the blacksmith (John Merton) that Dekker is the killer and that he has fled. Dekker catches up to Laren and his men, Gus (Myron Healey), Carl (Terry Frost) and Curly (William Ruhl). Laren comes up behind Dekker and knocks him out. The henchmen takes Dekker back to a remote cabin where they hold him. When he comes two, Dekker discovers a woman also tied up, who identifies herself as Gordon's wife (Constance Worth). Frank and Joe Gordon "search" for Dekker.
Johnny, who knows that Dekker is innocent, remains behind the scenes trying to discover who is behind all of the troubles. Johnny breaks into the cabin but does not rescue his old friend. Instead he poses as an escaped convict who Dekker had sent up years ago in order to gain the trust of the outlaws.
In the local saloon later, Johnny gets Laren to admit that he was the murderer. Johnny flashes his marshal's badge and a gun fight breaks out with Laren "a gittin' outa hyar" and...............................................................
As I mentioned Brown and Terhune don't have any scenes together until the last.......odd. "Elmer" doesn't have his usual screen time either. The cast is filled with seasoned veterans such as Steve Clark, Marshal Reed, Myron Healey, Riley Hill , Terry Frost and John Merton who bring the film up a notch over some of the others in the series.
