Winners of the West (1940 serial)
Encyclopedia
Winners of the West is a Universal
movie serial
. It stars Dick Foran
and Anne Nagel
in a plot about the construction of a railroad and a local ganglord who opposes it. This was Universal's 115th serial release (the 47th with sound).
The studio had used the name for an earlier silent
serial but there are no plot similarities between the two versions. Columbia's Roar of the Iron Horse
is very similar to this serial, however, and the writer George H. Plympton
worked on both.
Source for chapter names:
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
movie serial
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
. It stars Dick Foran
Dick Foran
John Nicholas 'Dick' Foran was an American actor, known for his performances in western musicals and for playing supporting roles in dramatic pictures.-Life and career:...
and Anne Nagel
Anne Nagel
Anne Nagel was an American actress. She played in adventures, mysteries, and comedies for twenty-five years. She also appeared in television series in the 1950s.-Career:...
in a plot about the construction of a railroad and a local ganglord who opposes it. This was Universal's 115th serial release (the 47th with sound).
The studio had used the name for an earlier silent
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
serial but there are no plot similarities between the two versions. Columbia's Roar of the Iron Horse
Roar of the Iron Horse
Roar of the Iron Horse was the 45th serial released by Columbia Pictures.-Plot:Roar of the Iron Horse had hero Jock Mahoney in his first leading role, playing Jim Grant, a railroad agent, opposing a typical hardfaced German, George Eldred, called The Baron...
is very similar to this serial, however, and the writer George H. Plympton
George H. Plympton
George H. Plympton was an American screenwriter. He was born in Brooklyn, New York.A prolific screenwriter, Plympton collaborated in almost 300 films. His earliest known credits date back to 1912 as he concentrated almost exclusively on westerns...
worked on both.
Plot
The Hartford Transcontinental Railroad is attempting to build a railroad through "Hell's Gate Pass". However, King Carter, the self-appointed ruler of the land beyod the pass, does not want this to happen. He sends henchmen, including local Indians, to disrupt the construction anyway they can, from sabotage to kidnapping Claire Hartford, the daughter of the company President. The President's assistant, Jeff Ramsay, and his sidekicks, stop King Carter's schemes at every point and eventually defeat him entirely. This opens the area up to new settlers, the first of which is Jeff himself and his new wife Claire.Cast
- Dick ForanDick ForanJohn Nicholas 'Dick' Foran was an American actor, known for his performances in western musicals and for playing supporting roles in dramatic pictures.-Life and career:...
as Jeff Ramsay, employee of the Hartford Transcontinental Railroad - Anne NagelAnne NagelAnne Nagel was an American actress. She played in adventures, mysteries, and comedies for twenty-five years. She also appeared in television series in the 1950s.-Career:...
as Claire Hartford, daughter of John Hartford - Tom Fadden as Tex Houston, scout and one of Jeff Ramsay's sidekickSidekickA sidekick is a close companion who is generally regarded as subordinate to the one he accompanies. Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, The Lone Ranger's Tonto, The Green Hornet's Kato and Batman's Robin.-Origins:The origin of the...
s - James CraigJames Craig (actor)James Craig was an American actor.After graduating from the Rice Institute, Craig began appearing in films in 1937, most often in B-movies and serials...
as Jim Jackson, another of Jeff Ramsay's sidekicks - Harry WoodsHarry Woods (actor)Harry Woods was an American film actor. He appeared in nearly 250 films between 1923 and 1958.He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and died in Los Angeles, California from uremia.-Selected filmography:* Tycoon...
as King Carter, villainVillainA villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters... - Charles StevensCharles Stevens (actor)Charles Stevens was an American actor.The grandson of Geronimo, Stevens appeared in nearly 200 films between 1915 and 1961...
as Snakeye, King Carter's lead henchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Edward Keane as John Hartford, President of the Hartford Transcontinental Railroad
- Trevor BardetteTrevor BardetteTrevor Bardette was an American film actor.He made over 172 movies and seventy-two TV appearances in his career. Bardette appeared in several memorable episodes in Adventures of Superman. In the 1951 show, The Human Bomb, he played the sinister title character...
as Raven, one of King Carter's henchmen - Edgar Edwards as Tim, one of King Carter's henchmen
- Edmund CobbEdmund CobbEdmund Fessenden Cobb was an American actor. He appeared in 623 films between 1912 and 1966.He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles from a heart attack...
as Maddox, one of King Carter's henchmen - William DesmondWilliam Desmond (actor)William Desmond was an Irish-born American actor. He appeared in 205 films between 1915 and 1948. He was nicknamed "The King of the Silent Serials."...
as Bill Brine, Railroad foremanConstruction foremanA construction foreman is the worker or tradesman who is in charge of a construction crew. While traditionally this role has been assumed by a senior male worker, the title in the modern sense is gender non-specific in intent... - 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 Logan, one of King Carter's henchmen
Stunts
- Cliff LyonsCliff Lyons (actor)Clifford William Lyons was an American motion picture stuntman, second-unit director, and actor, primarily of Westerns, particularly the films of John Ford and John Wayne.Lyons, the son of Garrett Thomas Lyons and Wilhamena Johnson Lyons, was raised on a South Dakota farm,...
, riding double for Dick Foran (Jeff Ramsay) and Tom Fadden (Tex Houston) - Eddie ParkerEddie ParkerEddie Parker was a stuntman and actor who appeared in many classic films, mostly westerns and horror films...
, fight double for Dick Foran (Jeff Ramsay) - Fred GrahamFred Graham (actor)Fred Graham was an American actor and stuntman, who performed in scores of films from the 1930s. A semi-professional baseball player, Graham appeared mainly in Westerns, doing stunts and playing opposite John Wayne among others. He also featured alongside Wayne in several films with director...
, doubling Harry Woods (King Carter) - Kermit MaynardKermit MaynardKermit Maynard was an American actor and stuntman. He appeared in 280 films between 1927 and 1962. He was a younger brother of actor Ken Maynard. He was born in Vevay, Indiana, and died in North Hollywood, California, from a heart attack. He is interred at Valhalla Memorial Park...
- Ken TerrellKen TerrellKen Terrell was an American western and action film actor and stuntman best known for playing Joe Marcella in the 1956 film The Indestructible Man. He died March 8, 1966 from arteriosclerosis-Partial filmography:...
- Henry WillsHenry WillsHenry Wills was a British journalist and photographer with a passion for local history and archaeology. He is best remembered for his writings on British anti-invasion preparations of World War II, his most often cited work being Pillboxes — A Study of UK Defences 1940.Henry Wills worked for...
Chapter titles
- 2: The Wreck at Red River Gorge
- 3: The Bridge of Disaster
Source for chapter names: