Gunfighters of the Northwest
| Gunfighters of the Northwest | |
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| Directed by |
Spencer Gordon Bennet Charles S. Gould |
| Produced by | Sam Katzman |
| Written by |
Royal K. Cole Arthur Hoerl George H. Plympton |
| Starring |
Jock Mahoney Clayton Moore Phyllis Coates Don C. Harvey Marshall Reed Rodd Redwing Lyle Talbot |
| Music by | Mischa Bakaleinikoff |
| Cinematography | William Whitley - B&W |
| Edited by | Earl Turner |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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15 Episodes, 97 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Gunfighters of the Northwest (1954) was the 53rd serial released by Columbia Pictures. It was entirely filmed on location at Big Bear Lake, California, USA, and not a single scene was filmed in indoors setting.
White Horse Rebels, under the command of a mystery villain known only as The Leader, attempt to create an independent "White Horse Republic" in Canada's north west. Funded by gold from the Marrow Mine, they attack Canadian settlements in the area. The North-West Mounted Police, represented primarily by hero Sgt. Ward and his sidekick Constable Nevin are, work to top the rebels and discover The Leader's real identity. An added complication comes in the form of First Nations, Blackfeet driven into Canada from the United States, who attack both sides and whom the rebels attempt to use as scapegoats for their own attacks.
The entire filming of Gunfighters of the Northwest took place outdoors at Big Bear Lake, California. Even a scene set in a cave was filmed outside with director Spencer Gordon Bennet setting up the lighting and a back grop to make it appear to be an internal shot. During filming, the whole cast and crew all lived at a nearby hotel.
The two heroic leads, Jock Mahoney and Clayton Moore, were injured during production. On the second day of shooting, Moore's horse backed and threw him. He landed on his back and was knocked unconscious. An assistant director took him to a doctor in Big Bear, who said he would be "laid up for a little while", after which Moore visited a chiropractor in town, who was able to help him. He was not able to perform any rising scenes for a few days but could act in all the dramatic scenes with no problems. Mahoney was hurt on the same day, injuring a metatarsal in a fight scene, but he was able to walk and continue filming the next day.
Moore had been the Lone Ranger in the television series until being replaced by John Hart in 1952. Hart was at that time dating female lead Phyllis Coates and visited the set. When Moore was injured, the production needed a double to stand in for him in a riding scene and Hart volunteered. Hart ended up doubling for Moore in several scenes in the serial.
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