Under Nevada Skies (1946)
Roy is a rodeo star and he and Trigger are returning home when they find a man has been murdered. Roy reports this to the Sheriff and offers his help in
apprehending the killer. Along the way they meet Helen Williams. They also find out about a missing mysterious family-heirloom. Lots of action, adventure and music in this classic western film.
This picture had a great cast: Roy Rogers (Dad), Dale Evans (Mom), George “Gabby” Hayes (one of my all-time favorite people), Tris Coffin (the lead “heavy” this time), Iron Eyes Cody (probably the most recognized “Indian” actor of all) and Yakima Canutt (champion rodeo rider, actor, stuntman and action director).
I absolutely loved Gabby like another grandfather. He was the most handsome man. Always dressed in custom-made English tweed suits and handmade silk shirts from France. He always smelled wonderful and he could tell the most wonderful stories in his beautiful stage voice. I’m glad that I didn’t see him on film as a bad guy until I was grown. The last time I saw Gabby was in his suite at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Honolulu. He had invited me and my daughter, Lisa, to join him for lunch. Mom had told me that he hadn’t been feeling well and that she thought being in beautiful Hawaii might pick up his spirits. We had a wonderful visit and I reported back to Mom that he had charmed Lisa (she was about 8 months old), although I think the charming was mutual as she had cooed and gurgled throughout the afternoon. It’s a good memory to have of a dear and valued friend.
Trisstram (Tris) Coffin was another of those fine Republic actors who worked all of the time. He appeared in seven of their cliff-hanger series. He also honed his craft while playing good guys and bad guys in numerous films and then television series. He had the lead in his own syndicated series “26 Men” which co-starred our good friend, Kelo Henderson. Tris, unfortunately, is known for one of the “big” live TV bloopers. When appearing in the 1954 Climax episode “The Long Goodby,” Tris’s character is killed, His body is seen lying on the floor, then—thinking that the camera has panned away, the corpse gets up and walks away. Because he was a very good actor, he was rehired the next season for another episode of Climax!
Iron Eyes Cody was known by everybody as a spokesman for conservation and of American Indian traditions. As a young man, he took it upon himself to study and learn what he could of Indian culture. His portrayal of the Indian chief with the tear in his eye for the “Keep America Beautiful” campaign (posters and TV’s Public Service announcements), made him one of the most recognized faces of our times. He was praised for his support of Indian causes by numerous Indian tribal leaders and U.S. Government officials. It wasn’t until his death, and the attendance of his sister at his memorial, that we learned their parents were from Sicily. Interesting fact but, it doesn’t change even a little bit the good that he did by sharing, with various museums around the U.S. (even the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum), his knowledge of Indian lore and donating the artifacts he had acquired over a long career.
Yakima Canutt is probably the most famous stuntman in the entertainment industry. He was the inventor of most of the famous stunts that took our breaths away. It was Yak that leapt off the driver’s seat of the stagecoach onto the backs of the backs team of horses, then onto the backs of the team in front, then onto the backs of the lead team and pulled the horses to a stop. Yak was the Indian who jumped onto the back of one of the horses of the lead team, was shot, fell between the three eams of horses and pulled himself up onto the back of the stagecoach as it passed over him! WOWWW! What a stunt. One of my favorites of Dad’s stories was about when, in one of his first movies, he and Yak (doubling the bad guy) were fighting. They had rehearsed the fight several times but Dad was really new to this movie making business. Anyway, while the fight is going on, Dad was to swing and miss Yak. BUT, Dad swung and connected with Yak’s jaw. Yak, although considerably bigger than Dad wasn’t expecting the punch and was slightly staggered. Dad said that he just about wanted to cry. He couldn’t believe that he had hit the legendary Yak! Dad quickly told Yak how sorry he was. Yak looked at Dad and said, “Don’t worry, Son. You didn’t get a cherry.”
Cheryl
Directed by Frank McDonald
Writing Credits Paul Gangelin (screenplay) & J. Benton Cheney (screenplay)
M. Coates Webster (original story)
Cast
Roy Rogers as Roy Rogers
Trigger as Roy’s Horse (as Trigger The Smartest Horse in the Movies)
George ‘Gabby’ Hayes as Gabby Whittaker
Dale Evans as Helen Williams
Douglass Dumbrille as Courtney
Leyland Hodgson as Tom Craig
Tristram Coffin as Dan Adams
Rudolph Anders as Alberti
LeRoy Mason as Henchman Marty
George Lynn as Henchman LeBlanc
George J. Lewis as Chief Flying Eagle
Tom Quinn as Henchman Hoffman
Bob Nolan as Bob
Sons of the Pioneers as Musical group
Karl Farr as Guitar Player (as Sons of the Pioneers)
Hugh Farr as Fiddle Player (as Sons of the Pioneers)
Shug Fisher as Bass Player (as Sons of the Pioneers)
Pat Brady as Singer (as Sons of the Pioneers)
Lloyd Perryman as Singer (as Sons of the Pioneers)
Chris Allen as Man at Club (uncredited)
Iron Eyes Cody as Indian (uncredited)
Steve Darrell as Larsen (uncredited)
George Magrill as Henchman (uncredited)
Frank Marlowe as Henchman Burns (uncredited)
Broderick O’Farrell as Al, Coroner (uncredited)
Eddie Parker as Henchman (uncredited)
Charles Soldani as Indian (uncredited)
Produced by
Edward J. White associate producer Music by
R. Dale Butts (as Dale Butts)
Joseph Dubin (uncredited)
Mort Glickman (uncredited)
Cinematography by William Bradford
Film Editing by Edward Mann
Art Direction by Paul Youngblood
Set Decoration by John McCarthy Jr.
Otto Siegel Makeup Department
Bob Mark makeup artist Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yakima Canutt second unit director
Lee Lukather assistant director (uncredited) Sound Department
Victor B. Appel sound (as Victor Appel) Visual Effects by
Gordon Schaefer transparency projection shots (uncredited) Stunts
Bobbie Dorree stunt double: Dale Evans (uncredited)
Eddie Parker stunts (uncredited)
Joe Yrigoyen stunt double: Roy Rogers (uncredited) Editorial Department
Brodie Alexander color timer (uncredited) Music Department
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