The Durango Kid is a 1940 American Western directed by Lambert Hillyer, starring Charles Starrett, Luana Walters and Kenneth McDonald. This is the first of 65 Durango Kid movies Starrett made at Columbia Pictures.
The Durango Kid was just another of Columbia's B-western features in its popular Charles Starrett series, with no special distinction except for its standard hero-vs.-villain plotline. In 1945 the studio produced a sequel, The Return of the Durango Kid, which caught on with moviegoers and became a series. Starrett went on to portray The Durango Kid full-time until his retirement in 1952.
Contents
Plot
Bill Lowry returns home to his family ranch, to find that ruthless businessman Mace Ballard is trying to force the townspeople into selling their land. Opposing Ballard is Lowry's father, who leaves for the marshal's office to press charges. On his way there, an armed sniper—Ballard—kills him. This prompts Bill to masquerade as The Durango Kid, fabled vigilante who fights for justice. While Durango harasses Ballard and terrorizes Ballard's gunmen, Bill becomes the marshal's special deputy, investigating Ballard's activities legally. Ballard is charged with murder but escapes, firing at the law. He is killed in the ensuing gunplay.
Cast
Charles Starrett as Bill Lowry / The Durango Kid
Luana Walters as Nancy Winslow
Kenneth MacDonald as Mace Ballard
Francis Walker as Henchman Steve
Forrest Taylor as Ben Winslow
Melvin Lang as Marshal Dan Trayboe
Bob Nolan as Bob, member of Sons of the Pioneers
Pat Brady as Pat, member of Sons of the Pioneers
Lloyd Perryman, Karl Farr, Hugh Farr, members of Sons of the Pioneers
Frank LaRue as Sam Lowry
Film series
The Durango Kid began a series of 65 films released by Columbia Pictures.
The Durango Kid (Aug 1940)
The Return of the Durango Kid (April 1945)
Both Barrels Blazing (May 1945)
Rustlers of the Badlands (Aug 1945)
Outlaws of the Rockies (Sept 1945)
Blazing the Western Trail (Oct 1945)
Lawless Empire (Nov 1945)
Texas Panhandle (Dec 1945)
Frontier Gunlaw (Jan 1946)
Roaring Rangers (Feb 1946)
Gunning for Vengeance (March 1946)
Galloping Thunder (April 1946)
Two-Fisted Stranger (May 1946)
The Desert Horseman (July 1946)
Heading West (Aug 1946)
Landrush (Oct 1946)
Terror Trail (Nov 1946)
The Fighting Frontiersman (Dec 1946)
South of the Chisholm Trail (Jan 1947)
The Lone Hand Texan (March 1947)
West of Dodge City (March 1947)