Billy the Kid vs. Dracula
Encyclopedia
Billy the Kid vs. Dracula is a 1966 American
low-budget horror
/western film
directed by William Beaudine
. It was released theatrically as part of a double bill, along with Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter
. The film revolves around the eponymous outlaw
trying to save his fiancee from Dracula
.
Fortunately for Betty, a German immigrant couple come to work for her and warn Bentley that her "uncle" is a vampire. While Bentley does not believe them, their concerns confirm Billy's suspicions that something is not quite right with Betty's uncle.
Eventually, the Count kidnaps Betty and takes her to an abandoned silver mine. Billy confronts the Count but soon finds that bullets are no match for a vampire. The Count subdues the notorious outlaw and sets out to transform Betty into his vampire mate. Just then, the town sheriff and a country doctor arrive. The doctor hands Billy a scalpel telling him he must drive it through the vampire's heart. Billy throws his gun at the vampire and knocks him senseless, making him easy pickings for a staking. With the count destroyed, Betty is saved and Billy takes her away, presumably to live happily ever after.
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
low-budget horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
/western film
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
directed by William Beaudine
William Beaudine
William Beaudine was an American film actor and director. He was one of Hollywood's most prolific directors, turning out films in remarkable numbers and in a wide variety of genres.-Early life and career:...
. It was released theatrically as part of a double bill, along with Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter
Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter
Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter is a low-budget western/horror hybrid film filmed in 1966, in which a fictionalized version of the real-life western outlaw Jesse James encounters the fictional granddaughter of the famous Dr. Frankenstein. The film was originally released as part of a...
. The film revolves around the eponymous outlaw
Billy the Kid
William H. Bonney William H. Bonney William H. Bonney (born William Henry McCarty, Jr. est. November 23, 1859 – c. July 14, 1881, better known as Billy the Kid but also known as Henry Antrim, was a 19th-century American gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War and became a frontier...
trying to save his fiancee from Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
.
Plot
The film centers on Dracula's plot to convert Billy the Kid's fiancee, Betty Bentley, into his vampire wife. Dracula impersonates Bentley's uncle and schemes to make her his vampiric bride.Fortunately for Betty, a German immigrant couple come to work for her and warn Bentley that her "uncle" is a vampire. While Bentley does not believe them, their concerns confirm Billy's suspicions that something is not quite right with Betty's uncle.
Eventually, the Count kidnaps Betty and takes her to an abandoned silver mine. Billy confronts the Count but soon finds that bullets are no match for a vampire. The Count subdues the notorious outlaw and sets out to transform Betty into his vampire mate. Just then, the town sheriff and a country doctor arrive. The doctor hands Billy a scalpel telling him he must drive it through the vampire's heart. Billy throws his gun at the vampire and knocks him senseless, making him easy pickings for a staking. With the count destroyed, Betty is saved and Billy takes her away, presumably to live happily ever after.
Cast
- Chuck Courtney as William 'Billy the Kid' BonneyBilly the KidWilliam H. Bonney William H. Bonney William H. Bonney (born William Henry McCarty, Jr. est. November 23, 1859 – c. July 14, 1881, better known as Billy the Kid but also known as Henry Antrim, was a 19th-century American gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War and became a frontier...
- John CarradineJohn CarradineJohn Carradine was an American actor, best known for his roles in horror films and Westerns as well as Shakespearean theater. A member of Cecil B DeMille's stock company and later John Ford's company, he was one of the most prolific character actors in Hollywood history...
as Count DraculaCount DraculaCount Dracula is a fictional character, the titular antagonist of Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula and archetypal vampire. Some aspects of his character have been inspired by the 15th century Romanian general and Wallachian Prince Vlad III the Impaler... - Melinda Plowman as Elizabeth (Betty) Bentley
- Virginia ChristineVirginia ChristineVirginia Christine was an American film and television actress and voice artist. Christine had a long career as a character actress in film and television. She played "Mrs...
as Eva Oster - Walter Janovitz as Franz Oster
- Bing RussellBing RussellBing Russell was an American actor and baseball club owner, and was the father of Golden Globe-nominated actor Kurt Russell.-Personal life:...
as Dan 'Red' Thorpe - Olive CareyOlive CareyOlive Carey was an American film and television actress.Born as Olive Fuller Golden in New York City, she appeared in more than fifty films, mostly westerns, including Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, often playing tough tom-boy parts. In 1920, she wed actor Harry Carey, Sr., with whom she remained...
as Dr. Henrietta Hull - Roy BarcroftRoy BarcroftRoy Barcroft was an American character actor famous for playing villains in B-Westerns and other genres. Noted film critic Leonard Maltin acclaimed Barcroft as "Republic Pictures' number one bad guy".-Early life:...
as Sheriff Griffin - Hannie Landman as Lisa Oster
- Richard ReevesRichard Reeves (actor)Richard Reeves was an American actor best known for playing henchmen and thugs. He appeared in many television series, particularly those based on comic books, and his height and build made him suitable for roles involving muscle.-External links:...
as Pete (saloonkeeper) - Marjorie BennettMarjorie BennettMarjorie Bennett was an Australian television and film actress who began her career during the silent film era.-Career:Bennett was born in York, Western Australia; her sister Enid was also an actress...
as Mary Ann Bentley - William ForrestWilliam ForrestWilliam Forrest was an American film actor. He appeared in over 250 films between 1932 and 1976.He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and died in Santa Monica, California from heart failure....
as James Underhill - George CisarGeorge Cisar (actor)George Cisar played over one hundred roles in two decades as a character actor in film and television, often in prominent Hollywood productions. He frequently played background parts such as policemen or bartenders....
as Joe Flake - Harry Carey, Jr.Harry Carey, Jr.Harry Carey, Jr. is an American film actor. He appeared in over 90 films. He is mostly remembered for appearing in Western films — notably those by his friend John Ford — and in television programs.-Early life:...
as Ben Dooley (wagonmaster) - Leonard P. Geer as Yancy (as Lennie Geer)
- William Challee as Tim (station agent)