I don't expect my reader to recognize the name of Roy Barcroft. However, if you've ever watched a 1940's "B" Western, more than likely you have seen his face. Roy appeared in over 350-roles and almost two-thirds were for "Republic Pictures". They didn't just include westerns, but classic cliff-hanger serials, action adventure, drama, science fiction, and 3-mini-series on a certain "Mouse's" club. Obviously, I am not going to mention all his credits in a blog, should you be interested, the website "IMDb" has an extensive, but possibly not complete list at https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0054117/.
WELCOME TO THE MYSTERY OF WHO ROY BARCROFT WAS BEFORE MOTION PICTURES?
According to the website, "Wikipedia", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Barcroft:
On September 7, 1902, in Crab Orchard, Nebraska, Roy Barcroft was born as Howard HAROLD Ravenscroft.
The website "Find a Grave Memorial":
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5977/roy-barcroft
Confirmed that birth name, but ads that his parents were William Ravenscroft and Lillian Ravenscroft, and he had THREE siblings.
According to the website, "IMDb", https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0054117/bio/:
The date of Roy Barcroft's birth and the place of his birth are the same, but his name at birth is given as Howard CLIFFORD Ravenscroft.
While, according to Geoff Mayer's, 2017, "Encyclopedia of American Film Serials":
The Ravenscroft family were farmers and he was the SEVENTHN born child, and growing up, worked on his parent's farm. However, that changed in 1917, when 15-years-old Howard enlisted in the United States Army and fought in France. Where he was wounded and discharged at the age of 16. At this point in his life, the young man was a drifter, working as a roughneck, a ranch hand, a railroad worker, and even went to sea on a merchant ship. The military life appealed to him, and Howard Ravenscroft re-enlisted in the army and spent a tour stationed on the island of Hawaii and at Fort Lewis, Washington. These events are confirmed on other websites.
Continuing with Geoff Mayer's mini-biography:
After his second military discharge, Roy worked with various musical bands in the Chicago, Illinois, area. During this time, he married Vera Thompson, and in 1929, at the start of "The Great Depression", they moved to Los Angeles.
However, we have another biographical conflict with Laura Wagner's, August 2017, article, "Roy Barcroft: King of the Badmen", in the monthly magazine,"Classic Images, issue #506":
https://www.moviemags.com/main.php?title=CLASSIC%20IMAGES
Laura Wagner states Howard married Vera in 1932, in Los Angeles, and the couple would later have two-children.
However, the website, "Whodatedwho.com" at:
https://www.whosdatedwho.com/dating/hortense-flanagan
Further confuses the situation, by adding Roy had a previous wife, a lady named Hortense Flanagan.That was the only information is available to me about her. Apparently, the two met, married and divorced, in the same year of 1930, in Los Angeles.
Wait, I'm not done with Roy's previous wives. Returning to his biography on the link above at the "IMDb" website. Roy Barcroft married a Lena Wade, on April 23, 1927 and divorced her on an unspecified future date. Further, they had two children. That site also states that Vera's full name was Vera Virginia Doris Thompson, and the couple only had one child.
Just to add to the confusion, I give my reader the following from "The Files of Jerry Blake"
https://filesofjerryblake.com/serial-villains/roy-barcroft/
Barcroft was born Harold Ravenscroft in Crab Orchard, Nebraska. His family moved from Nebraska to Oklahoma, and then to Washington during his youth. By 1920, he was living in Seattle, where he seems to have worked both as a seaman and a carpenter. He married in Seattle in 1927, and by 1930 had relocated to Illinois, where he worked as a car salesman. He moved to California a year later, where he continued his salesman career and took a few jobs as an movie extra. Reportedly, he had no interest in acting but began taking acting lessons as a way of improving his salesman skills. By 1936 he had apparently started developing an interest in acting for its own sake, and began playing small bits in various films.
So, I leave all of this for my readers to solve the mystery of who Roy Barcroft was before his motion picture career began.
A MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION CAREER
Within my research, I could not locate when and where Howard (Harold-Clifford) Ravenscroft became Roy Barcroft. It is probable that this occurred when he started appearing in local stage productions to improve his speaking as a salesman.
On December 26, 1931, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, released "Mata Hari", starring Greta Garbo, Ramon Navarro, Lewis Stone, and Lionel Barrymore. Buried with 17 other uncredited actors, was the name Roy Barcroft, portraying an unnamed role, and shown just as "an Extra". His movie career had begun!
His next role, also uncredited, was as a "Cossack", in the Pola Negri, Roland Young, and Basil Rathbone, 1932, "A Woman Commands". In 1936, Roy Barcroft, was an uncredited "Throne Guard", in "Universal Pictures" first "Flash Gordon" cliff-hanger (serial), starring Buster Crabbe.
What Roy Barcroft was doing when he was not in those first three on-screen appearances, I could not confirm. We know he was a salesman, and we know he was appearing at times in "Little Theater", but I could not find any specific information to fill in the blanks. We do know that he had two uncredited roles following "Flash Gordon", in both, "Republic Picture's", 1936's, "The President's Mystery", and 1937's, "Join the Marines".
According to Jerry Blake:
His first serial was Dick Tracy(Republic, 1937), in which he only appeared occasionally and had one or two lines as one of the background crewmen on the villains’ “flying wing.”
Which we know is incorrect, as he had been in "Universal Pictures", 1936, "Flash Gordon", but without some lines to say.
Below, Roy Barcroft is seen to the pilot's right portraying a "Wing Air Crewman".
Five uncredited roles, including portraying an "Alarm Technician" in "Universal Pictures", "Night Key", starring Boris Karloff, and a "Martian Soldier", in 1938's, "Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars", followed, 1937's,"Dick Tracy".
Roy Barcroft had his first credited role in "Universal Pictures":
FLAMING FRONTIERS Chapter One released on July 5, 1938
On June 20, 1932, Noah Beery, Jr. starred in the "Universal Pictures", cliff-hanger, "Heroes of the West". Which was based upon the novel "The Ties That Binds", by Peter Bernard Kyne, his first novel was 1913's, "The Three Godfathers".
"Flaming Frontiers" is a remake, with names changed from the 1932 cliff-hanger.
In this, "Flaming Frontiers", ex-football player, Johnny Mack Brown, billed as John Mack Brown, portrayed famous scout, "Tex Houston". Who helps, and rescues several times over the 15-Chapters, "Mary Grant", portrayed by Eleanor Hansen. Whose brother, "Tom Grant", was portrayed. in his first on-screen appearance, by Ralph Bowman, and changed his name to John Archer three pictures later.
Above, Johnny Mack Brown and Eleanor Hansen, this was the 4th of her 14-movies. Below Hansen with Ralph Bowman (John Archer).
Roy Barcroft had the last fully credited role, he was billed 20th, portraying "Bill Hollister".
Above, Roy Barcroft and Johnny Mack Brown.
The next 5-years found Roy Barcroft bouncing around film studios between credited and uncredited roles. Among his films was 1938's, "Heroes of the Hills", the 16th feature in the "Three Mesquiteers" series. At this time the three were portrayed by Robert "Bob" Livingston, Ray "Crash" Corrigan, and Max Tehrune. Over the 51 films of that series, the character name's didn't change, but the actors would change. At one point, the new actors included John Wayne and adult, "Mouseketeer" Jimmy Dodd. My article is "An Overview of 'THE THREE MESQUITEERS': A Classic 'B' Western Series" to read at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2021/11/an-overview-of-three-mesquiteers.html
The fully credited, Roy Barcroft, portrayed "Robert Beaton" in this series entry. The basic storyline had "The Three Mesquiteers"offering their ranch for a work farm to help the over crowded prisons system. However, Construction Company Man, "Beaton", wants their experiment in inmate rehabilitation to fail, as he wants to be able to build a new prison at the State's expense.
Moving on, Barcroft was 5th billed, "Henchman Thane", in the "Buck Jones" western, 1938's, "The Stranger from Arizona", and in the William Boyd, "Hopalong Cassidy", 1938, "The Frontiersmen", he had the credited role of "Sutton". As the character was called in the movie, but when the credits rolled, the character was shown as "Buster".
There was an uncredited role in Bela Lugosi's last cliff-hanger, "Universal Pictures", 1939, "The Phantom Creeps". That same year, Roy Barcroft found himself portraying "Mac McElroy", in the Gene Autry and Smiley Burnett, "Mexicali Rose", from "Republic Pictures". The screenplay was about fraudulent oil men that are selling rights to a nonexistent oil field on a Mexican orphanage's land.
Above standing is Roy Barcroft, seated on the right is William Royale, portraying Robert Carruthers. I could not locate the actor seen between them
Also in 1939, Barcroft found himself portraying "Colonel George Armstrong Custer", in "Universal Pictures", 15-Chapter western cliff-hanger, "The Oregon Trail", starring Johnny Mack Brown, with his "B" western sidekick, John Forest "Fuzzy" Knight, and as the damsel in distress, Louise Stanley, who had just divorced actor Dennis O'Keefe.
I want to direct my reader to the small tag line above JOHN MACK BROWN's name. It reads:
THE New UNIVERSAL Presents
"Universal Pictures" was founded by Carl Laemmle in 1912, as the "Universal Film Manufacturing Company", but in 1934, the Laemmle family lost control of the studio in a hostile takeover.
Above left to right, Johnny Mack Brown, Roy Barcroft in a wig, and Fuzzy Knight.
Roy Barcroft was finding himself appearing mainly in westerns as one of the bad guys. However, he started 1940, in a crime drama, "They All Come Out", in the uncredited role of a "Federal Marshall", but he was next back to westerns. Another break for that genre was appearing in the dual uncredited roles of "Ming's Soldier", in Chapter 6, and Chapters 10 through 12, and an "Arborian Sentry", also in Chapter 6, of "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe", the third and final cliff-hanger in that series from "Universal Pictures".
Above left to right, Roland Drew portraying "Prince Barin", Anne Gwynne portraying "Sonja", Don Rowan portraying "Captain Torch" and Roy Barcroft wearing the dark glasses.
Then it was back to 42 "B" westerns, and 4 non-westerns, and both 1940's,"East of the River", starring John Garfield, and the cliff-hanger, "The Green Hornet Strikes Again". In 1941, Roy Barcroft portrayed a "Coastguardsmen" in a cliff-hanger starring Robert Armstrong, "Sky Raiders".
While the major production, 1942's, "Nazi Agent", saw Roy as an uncredited "Chief Petty Officer". The motion picture starred Conrad Veidt, "Cesare, the somnambulist", in 1920's, "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari", and Frank Reicher, "Captain Englehorn", of both 1933's, "King Kong" and "Son of Kong". "Nazi Agent" in part of my article "Frank Recher: B4 'King Kong' 2 TV's 'Superman" at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2024/08/frank-reicher-b4-king-kong-2-tvs.html
In 1943, Roy Barcroft was offered a 10-year-contract with "Republic Pictures", and he accepted.
His first movie after signing with was a "B" western that could have been a modern day crime drama.
CARSON CITY CYCLONE released on March 3, 1943
Don "Red" Barry, the nickname that stuck with the actor came from starring in 1940's, "The Adventures of Red Ryder". The first on-screen appearance of the character based upon Fred Harmon's very popular Sunday newspaper comic strip. Barry portrayed lawyer, "Gilbert "Gil" Phalen".
Lynn Merrick portrayed "Linda Wade", and would co-star with "Red" Barry in 16-feature films. Noah Berry, Sr. portrayed "Judge Ben Phalen" and Bryant Andrews portrayed "Doctor Andrews".
Roy Barcroft portrayed lawyer and prosector, "Joe Newman".
An Overview of the Crime Drama by story creator and screenplay writer Norman S. Hall. In 1933, Hall had moved French author Alexander Dumas's "The Three Musketeers", to the 1933 Arabian desert. With writer Colbert Clark, they wrote a 12-Chapter cliff-hanger, with a 4th-billed, John Wayne, and a 6th-billed Creighton Chaney, before he became Lon Chaney, Jr. Just before this motion picture, Norman S. Hall, wrote the screenplay for the Don "Red" Barry, and Lynn Merrick, 1943, "Dead Man's Gulch".
A robbery takes place at a bank and the night watchmen is killed, but before he dies. The watchman claims the robbery was committed by "Tom Barton", portrayed by Curley Dresden. Lawyer "Gilbert Phalen", after a mob attempts to break into the jail and hang "Barton", is able to get "Barton's' trial moved to neighboring Carson City.
The problem is the judge in Carson City is "Gil's" father. Who, because of "Gil's" lifestyle, which includes associating with a known criminal element, has cut ties with his son,
Add to this the fact that a bet of $200 was made with "Gil" by "Frank Garrett", portrayed by Stuart Hamblen, a henchman of the unknown crime boss, "Dr. Andrews". That "Gil" will get an acquittal for "Tom Barton" from the "Hanging Judge", his father. "Gil's" $200 bet is in the form of a check made out to cash.
Facing him in court is the prosecuting attorney, "Joe Newman". "Gil" wins the acquittal, making "Newman" a laughing stock in the process, and even further upsets his father over his tactics. Next, amazingly, "Joe Newman" has the check signed by "Gil", raising questions about his opponents ethics, because it was endorsed and cashed by "Fred Shepherd", portrayed by Frank Ellis. Who was "Gil's" star witness in his acquittal case for "Tom Barton", In short, "Newman" accuses "Gil" of bribery to get "Shepard's" favorable testimony. "Ben Phalen" has had it with his son, he asks his secretary "Linda Wade" to find his son as he now plans to disbar him.
"Judge Ben Phalen", also owns a bank in Carson City, and while "Linda" is searching for "Gil", goes to it. There he catches "Dr. Andrews" and his henchmen robbing the bank and is killed. Meanwhile, "Linda" is unable to locate "Gil". In the morning, "Judge Ben Phalen's" body is found, and "Joe Newman" accuses "Gilbert Phalen" of murdering his father, but before he can be arrested, "Gil" escapes.
However, "Linda" confides in kindly "Dr, Andrews" that she's own her way to find "Gil". She leaves, but the doctor instructs "Gilbert" and "Barton" to follow her and kill both "Gil" and "Linda". When the two gunmen arrive, "Gil" realizes that "Dr. Andrews" is behind his father's murder and the bank robberies. "Barton" is killed in the confrontation, but "Garrett" is only wounded. "Gil" gets "Sheriff Wells", portrayed by Bud Osborne, and "Tombstone Boggs", portrayed by Emmett Lynn, and the three take "Garrett" to "Dr. Andrews" to perform the life-saving operation on his own henchmen.
In the end, the governor appoints "Gilbert Phalen" to take over as judge of Carson City to his secretary, "Linda Wade's" delight.
Prior to March 17, 1945, Roy Barcroft appeared in 30 westerns, and 8 non-westerns such as portraying an uncredited "Prison Guard" in "Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's", 1943, "Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case", starring Lionel Barrymore, Van Johnson, Keye Luke, and featuring Margaret O'Brien and Donna Reed. In the John Wayne, Dennis O'Keefe, and Susan Hayward, 1944, "The Fighting Seabdees", Barcroft had the uncredited role, with the "original" name of, "Seaman Barcroft".
While also in 1944, Roy Barcroft co-starred with major cliff-hanger star, Kane Richmond, in "Republic Picture's", action-crime-adventure cliff-hanger, "Haunted Harbor".
Above, Kane Richmond portraying "Jim Marsden", and Roy Barcroft portraying "Carter" aka: "Kane". My article is "KANE RICHMOND: Only the SHADOW Know the SPY SMASHER!" found at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2021/02/kane-richmond-only-shadow-knows-spy.html
Which brings me to March 17, 1945, and the release of:
MANHUNT OF MYSTERY ISLAND
The screenplay was written by six writers and the feature directed by three directors. One of which was stunt man, actor, and second united stunt director Yakima Canutt.
Richard Bailey portrayed "Lance Reardon". His movie career consisted of 22 pictures, usually in very small roles, spread out from 1942 to 1964.
Linda Stirling portrayed "Claire Forrest". Stirling was not the weak heroine type in "Republic Pictures" cliff-hangers. She had the title role of a "Tarzan" like character in 1944's, "The Tiger Woman"and was that year's "Zorro's Black Whip".
Roy Barcroft portrayed "Captain Mephisto". According to the "Turner Classic Movie" website at: https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/497765/manhunt-of-mystery-island#trivia
Roy Barcroft regarded "Captain Mephisto" in this non-western serial as his favorite role.
Kenne Duncan portrayed "Sidney Brand". Duncan was a familiar face in "B" westerns as the bad guy. He also worked with producer and director Ed Wood in five of Wood's motion pictures.
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The Basics of a Thrilling Cliff-Hanger:
"Claire Forrest's" father, scientist "William Forrest", portrayed by Forrest Taylor, has been kidnapped and she goes to criminologist and private detective "Lance Reardon" for help. Her father has invented the "radio-atomic power transmitter".
Their search leads into the Pacific Ocean, and "Mystery Island", owned by the four heirs to the island. However, the island is being controlled by "Captain Mephisto", who appears to actually be a pirate from 200-years-ago.
The problem facing "Claire" and "Lance" is to figure out which one of the four heirs can transform into "Captain Mephisto" by the use of her father's invention, seen above on the poster.
Above, Roy Barcroft and Kenne Duncan planning how to stop Linda Stirling and the boring, miscast, Richard Bailey.
For the next three-hours-and-forty-three-minutes, enjoy, as of this writing, the complete 15-Chapter, Pirate Science Fiction, "Manhunt of Mystery Island" at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKwc8Sqkrqc
Think Vampires, and "COUNT DRACULA", originally created by Irish author Abraham "Bram" Stoker, comes to mind. However, Roy Barcroft became involved in a different vampire created by a 30-years-old young woman screenplay and science fiction writer. The authoress of the original screenplay for "Star Wars: the Empire Strikes Back", and making "Darth Vader", "Luke's" father.
THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST released May 21, 1945
The following comes from my article "LEIGH BRACKETT: Howard Hawks and John Wayne Meet 'The Queen of Space Opera" found at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2018/06/leigh-brackett-john-wayne-meets-queen.html
On May 27, 1945, "Republic Pictures" released "The Vampire's Ghost". Although John K. Butler has the main screenplay writing credit. It is acknowledged this was really Leigh Brackett's first screenplay and Butler only reviewed her writing.
This original vampire tale was all Brackett and she does get that additional on screen credit.
The best way, in my opinion, to describe "The Vampire's Ghost", is "Dracula Meets Casablanca". Although "Webb Fallon" is in no way like Bram Stoker's famous vampire.
Describing how she was offered this writing job. Scott Myers, on November 25, 2015, in his "How to Write a Script" series, quoted Leigh Brackett on Republic Pictures:
they were doing this horror film. They decided to cash in on the Universal monster school, and I had been doing science fiction, and to them it all looked the same — “bug-eyed monsters. It made no difference.
Another interview from 1975, first published in 1976, can be found on the website "Tangent" In it. Leigh described the shooting schedule on her first motion picture:
They shot the film in ten days and that was two days over schedule (laughing). They fired the cameraman after the second day because he was taking too much time. But uh, it was not the greatest film ever made.
https://www.tangentonline.com/interviews-columnsmenu-166/1270-classic-leigh-brackett-a-edmond-hamilton-interview
The story is set in the African town of Bakunda and revolves around a local bar and nightclub owned by "Webb Fallon", portrayed by John Abbott. Abbott's performance, like many of his others, is very low keyed. His vampire is never over the top as Bela Lugosi was in 1931's, "Dracula", 1935's, "Mark of the Vampire" and 1944's, "Return of the Vampire", or even how John Carradine's performance was in 1944's, "House of Frankenstein", and 1945's, "House of Dracula". Leigh Brackett's "Fallon" is a very likable person and he can walk around in direct sunlight. The only notable difference, from other white residents of the town, is he wears very dark sun glasses..jpg)
British actor Abbott had been in motion pictures starting in the U.K., before World War 2. Some of his appearances included portraying "Prospero", in 1939, This was in a two part version for British television of William Shakespeare's, "The Tempest", and yes there was television in 1939. That same year he appeared in "The Saint in London", starring George Sanders. In 1942, Abbott appeared in the American made, "Mrs. Miniver", starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon, set in England.
Over his 164-roles, John Abbott's films had a wide range. They included the 1943 propaganda war movie, "The Cross of Lorraine", starring Gene Kelly, 1944's, "Cry of the Werewolf", 1946's, "The Bandit of Sherwood Forest", portraying "Will Scarlet", and the 1958 musical "Gigi", staring Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdon._007.jpg)
Above Peggy Stewart portraying "Julie Vance" and Charles Gordon portraying "Roy Henrick".
Peggy Stewart started her career at Paramount Pictures in 1937's, "Wells Fargo", portraying Joel McCrea's teenage daughter. She moved to Republic and starting in 1944, portrayed the roles of the "Girl in Distress" in many of "B" Western, featuring Allan Lane, "Sunset" Carson and "Wild Bill" Elliot. This film was a break for her. While Charles Gordon has a total of nine acting credits to his name, and this was number four.
"Roy Henrick" returns home to the town of Bakunda to discover the small community is frightened, because of a series of murders. Each victim has been drained of blood and there are two tiny puncture marks on their necks.The natives claim it is a vampire. Sounds liked a typical vampire movie, but the audience is dealing with Leigh Douglas Brackett.
The local nightclub is run by newcomer, "Webb Fallon" For the small community on the Ivory Coast, this is the place to gather and enjoy entertainment. Think of it as "Rick's Place Meets Tarzan".
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As seen above, Abbott's vampire smokes, he also drinks liquor and eats food. To all appearances he is just as normal as anyone else in Bakunda. "Fallon" is a congenial host, but like Bogie's "Rick Blaine". You don't want to mess with him. In one case, a troublesome Sea Captain, "Jim Barrett", portrayed by Roy Bancroft, finds out twice.
First, by being thrown out of the nightclub by an extremely strong "Fallon", and second by becoming a victim of the vampire..jpg)
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Next, it's "Webb Fallon's" dancer "Lisa", portrayed by Adele Mara, who makes a mistake and is killed by the vampire.
"Roy", his girl friend "Julie", and her father "Thomas Vance", portrayed by Emmett Vogan, the owner of a large plantation, decide to speak to "Webb". Apparently he is an expert on the occult and voodoo. "Webb" should be, as he's been around for 400 years. Another twist on Stoker, and other vampire story writers, is that in a box presented to him by "Queen Elizabeth the First". "Fallon" keeps some of his original burial soil. At night he sleeps not in a coffin, but a normal bed. The box is kept under the pillow where his head rests. "Webb Fallon" was actually one of the Sea Captain's of Elizabeth's fleet that fought the Spanish Armada in 1588.
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A native discovers the truth about "Webb" as they are talking. This happens when he notices that "Fallon" is not casting a reflection in a mirror. An attempt to kill him with a silver tip spear fails initially, but the tip is broken off the spear and is in "Webb Fallon's" chest..jpg)
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"Roy" has also become suspicious of "Fallon". He finds the vampire with the spear head in him and "Webb" convinces "Roy" to remove it. Bad move on "Henrick's" part..jpg)
The vampire reveals his whole history to "Roy", but then puts him under a curse. Turning "Roy" into part Zombie and his slave. When "Roy" goes back to "Julie" and her father. He appears normal, but also feverish.
After realizing that everyone knows the truth. "Fallon" places "Julie" under a voodoo spell and has her come to him. Leigh Brackett is deftly mixing African Voodoo with European Vampire Legends..jpg)
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Below it is up to "Father Gilchrist", portrayed by Grant Withers, to break the hold "Webb Fallon" has on "Roy Henrick's". Then they go after the vampire, as the local natives already are doing.
Wither's name may not be familiar to my reader, but he appeared as "Police Captain William 'Bill' Street" in five of the "Mr. Wong Detective" films starring Boris Karloff. He was "Ike Clanton" in John Ford's, 1946, "Mr. Darling Clementine", the villain "Silas Meacham" in Ford's, 1948, "Fort Apache", and the Deputy Marshall in Ford's, 1950's, "Rio Grande". 
That film's climax comes at the ruins of an old Temple deep within the African Jungle. It is here that "Fallon's" actual coffin is hidden..jpg)
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The movie is now available on Blu-ray and is worth a look. This feature is part of five mostly overlooked little thriller gems from the 1940's, I wrote about at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2016/11/the-undying-monster-seventh-victim.html
From an African vampire it was back to "B" westerns, three, Roy Barcroft had 4th-billing in 1945's, "Santa Fe Saddlemates", starring Sunset Carson and Linda Stirling, 1945's, "Bells of Rosarita", starring Roy Rodgers, Trigger, and George "Gabby" Hayes, featuring Dale Evans, and 1945's, "Trail of Kit Carson", starring Allan Lane.
For his next feature, "Republic Pictures" gave Roy Barcroft the title role, when:
THE PURPLE MONSTER STRIKES Chapter One was released on August 3, 1945
Dennis Moore portrayed "Craig Foster". The previous year he had 5th-billing, in 1944's, "The Mummy's Curse", starring Lon Chaney, Jr. The majority of Moore's films during the 1930's and 1940's were "B" westerns, but depending upon the film, he was on either side of the law. Moore had just been seen as the western sidekick for country western singer Jimmy Wakely, in 1945's, "Springtime in Texas". Dennis Moore followed this cliff-hanger by co-starring with Johnny Mack Brown and Raymond Hatton in 1945's, "Frontier Feud".
Linda Stirling portrayed "Sheila Layton". Sterling next portrayed an uncredited "Entertainer", in the John Wayne, Vera Ralston, the wife of Hebert J. Yates, the owner of "Republic Pictures", and Walter Brennan's, 1945, "Dakota".
Roy Barcroft portrayed "The Purple Monster".
James Craven, below left, portrayed "Dr. Cyrus Layton". Until he appeared on television in 1951, the majority of his 106-roles were uncredited starting in 1940. However, his films include the Tyrone Power and Betty Grable, 1941, "A Yank in the RAF", James Cagney's, 1942, "Captains of the Clouds", Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce's, 1942, "Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon", and their 1945, "Pursuit to Algiers". Craven was also in 1949's, "Mighty Joe Young", and the two 1949 cliff-hangers, "Batman and Robin", and "King of the Rocket Men".
THE SCREEN'S MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN
Roy Barcroft had the last credited role, portraying 6th-billed, Hugo Haas's, "Driver", with 25th-billing.
Roy Barcroft was in a western that might owe itself more to Charles Dickens's "Oliver Twist", than say Louis L'Amour, or Zane Grey. The western was the 12th entry in the "Republic Pictures", "Red Ryder" film series of 24 feature films. I've mentioned that Don "Red" Barry, was the first actor to portray "Red Ryder" in "The Adventures of Red Ryder", released on June 28, 1940. The series would end on August 15, 1947, with Allan Lane portraying "Red Ryder", in the "Marshall of Cripple Creek". Roy Barcroft portrayed "Henchmen Sweeny" in that final entry.
This entry in the series was the:
COLORADO PIONEERS was released on November 14, 1945
The original story came from writer Peter Whitehead. Who must have been a Charles Dickens fan, because of the character that Roy Barcroft portrayed and the nature of the two boys in his employ.
Bill Elliott aka "Wild Bill" Elliott portrayed "Red Ryder". Of his previous 11 movies, only one was not as "Red Ryder", and that picture was portraying "Wild Bill Elliott".
Robert Blake, billed as Bobby Blake, portrayed "Red Ryder's" Native American sidekick, "Little Beaver". Bobby started this role in the first "Wild Bill Elliott" feature, 1944's, "Tucson Raiders". Long before Robert Blake was "Perry" in Truman Capote's, 1967, "In Cold Blood", a motorcycle police officer in 1967's, "Electra Glide in Blue", or portraying televisions "Baretta", 1975 through 1978. Bobby Blake was one of producer Hal Roach's original "Our Gang" members portraying "Mickey".
Alice Fleming portrayed "The Duchess". Fleming throughout her film career was still a legitimate stage actress, who started appearing on-screen in 1919. Starting with 1944's, "Tucson Raiders", Alice Fleming appeared 16 times in the role of "The Duchess", this was her 11th.
Roy Barcroft portrayed "Bull Reagan". Barcroft had just provided "The voice of the Police dispatcher" in 1945's, "Girl's of the Big House". He followed this feature film with the Sunset Carson and Linda Stirling, 1945, "The Cherokee Flash". On the above poster, that's Roy Barcroft on the right, not in western clothing.
The Basic Western, "Oliver Twist" and the Spanish American War Screenplay:
Apparently, the "Spanish American War" has just ended, placing the story sometime just after December 10, 1898. For those unfamiliar with the war, my article is "Hearst, Pulitzer, Theodore Roosevelt, Hollywood and the Spanish American War", for my reader's reading at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2021/07/hearst-pulitzer-hollywood-and-spanish.html
"Red Ryder" and "Little Beaver" are in Chicago to negotiating, with "Dave Wyatt", portrayed by Frank Jaquet, the purchase of beef now that the war has ended and the prices are dropping. However, two wayward boys, "Joe", the Artful Dodger character, portrayed by Billy Cummings, and a version. of the "Dodger's" apprentice, "Oliver Twist", "Skinny", portrayed by Freddie Chapman, working for a definite Charles Dickens, "Fagin" character, "Bull Reagan", help him distract and rob "Wyatt".
Which is a big mistake, as seen above on the right, they're dealing with "Red Ryder". They might be in the modern city of Chicago, but "Red" and "Little Beaver" can track anyone, anywhere, and they find "Bull" and his "Henchman Bill Slade", can you say "Bill Sikes", portrayed by Bud Geary.
Above left to right, Bud Geary, Bill Elliott, and Roy Barcroft.
"Bull" and "Bill" are knocked out by "Red" and arrested by the police, and the two boys brought before the "Judge", portrayed by Emmett Vogan.
"Red Ryder" and "Father Marion", portrayed by Tom Chatterton, convince the judge to have the boys spend the summer on "The Duchess's" ranch to straighten themselves out. Additionally, "Father Marion's" entire boys home, "The Parish", is invited also. Among the boys from "The Parish" is "Smokey", portrayed by another member of producer Hal Roach's, "Our Gang", Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas.
For my reader interested in the origin of "Our Gang", it will be found in my article about director Gordon Douglas, entitled "Gordon Douglas: The Little Rascals (Our Gang) - Giant Ants - and Francis Albert Sinatra" at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2024/07/gordon-douglas-little-rascals-our-gang.html
When "Red Ryder" and "Little Beaver" return to their Colorado ranch, they find that half the ranch has been burnt down and his ranch hands are leaving with "The Duchess" covering their pay for "Ryder".
"Little Beaver" starts teaching "The Parish" boys ranch and cowboy ways and there is some trouble with "Joe" and "Skinny", but that settles down. "The Duchess's" ranch becomes the Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney, 1938, "Boy's Town", in a western setting.
Then "Red" discovers that "Bull Reagan" has escaped and is in Colorado with the "Ryder's" troublesome neighbor, leading to other problems. At the climax, "Little Beaver", the reformed "Joe", and "Skinny", and the other" boys, go after both "Bull" and the neighbor. All leading to one exciting wagon chase sequence and the comeuppance of both villains in what is actually an enjoyable family modern for the year, "B" western..
In the "Republic's", 1946, film-noir, "Crime of the Century", Roy Barcroft is again not seen, but provides several off-screen voices. While in another "Red Ryder" picture, 1946's, "Sun Valley Cyclone", with "Wild Bill Elliott", Bobby Blake, and Alice Fleming, 4th-billed, Roy Barcroft portrayed the colorfully named villain, "Blackie Blake". "Blake" is the leader of a gang of horse thieves stealing from the army and "Ryder" and "Little Beaver" go after them. However, in a flashback, the audience is back with the "Spanish American War", and learns that "Red Ryder" was at a recruiting office for "Teddy Roosevelt's", portrayed by Ed Cassidy, "Rough Riders" and won his horse by winning a challenge from the future president. Now, "Ryder's" horse challenges a white wild stallion that leads the mustangs being broken for the cavalry and following the stallion leads to "Blackie Blake" and his gang.
Above left to right, Alice Fleming, Kenne Duncan portraying "Dow", Bill Elliott, and Tom London portraying the "Sheriff". below is our favorite western bad guy, Roy Barcroft.
"Republic Pictures" had a habit of naming motion pictures with titles specially designed to lure an audience into the theater (box office), by using a recognizable name in it. However, the motion picture might not have that actual person or character in it. For example, Roy Barcroft appeared in 1947's, "Son of Zorro", there isn't a "Son", but a distant relative. Who after the American Civil War decides he needs a disguise to fight the bad guys and an imitation of "Zorro" rides again. Another, was my previously mentioned 1943's, "Zorro's Black Whip", without Roy Barcroft. Where Linda Stirling puts on the costume and fights outlaws and politicians that are against Idaho becoming a State. In 1949, it was the grandson of "Don Diego Vega", portrayed by Clayton Moore, that would go after Roy Barcroft in 1949's, "Ghost of Zorro".
Above, left to right from 1947's, "Son of Zorro", 3rd-billed, Roy Barcroft portraying "Boyd, a Henchman", unidentified actor, George Turner portraying "Jeffrey 'Jeff' Stewart" aka: "Zorro" and Jack O'Shea portraying "Hood, a Henchman".
Below, left to right from 1949's, "Ghost of Zorro", Clayton Moore portraying "Ken Mason" aka: "Zorro", Roy Barcroft portraying "Hank Kilgore", Pamela Blake portraying "Rita White", and Gene Roth portraying "George Crane".
For those of my readers interested in the character of "Zorro". My revised article looking at the original novel and all motion picture and television work to date is "ZORRO: Johnston McCulley's 'El Zorro' on the Motion Picture and Television Screens" at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2024/09/zorro-johnson-mcculleys-el-zorro-on.html
Between 1947's, "Son of Zorro", and 1949's, "Ghost of Zorro", Roy Barcroft appeared, or his voice was heard, in 39 "Republic Pictures" productions.
Then there was Frank and Jesse James, "Republic Pictures" version.
On August 2, 1947, the studio released Chapter One, "The Black Raiders", of "Jesse James Rides Again". Clayton Moore, portrayed "Jesse", below, with the real villain of the piece, business man "James Clark", portrayed by Tristram Coffin, 1949's, "King of the Rocket Men", and 1955's, "Creature with the Atom Brain. Who's after everyone's ranch's, because of the oil beneath them. Which, of course, nobody else knows about.
Below left to right, Linda Stirling portraying "Ann Bolton", whose father is killed over his ranch. John Compton portraying "Steve Long", a friend of "Jesse's". Who rode into this town with him, and because Stirling's love interest, and Clayton Moore.
Above, Roy Barcroft portraying "Ann's" father's killer, "Frank Lawton", working for "James Clark". Whom the good "Jesse James" will bring down.
With the success of their cliff-hanger, "Jesse James Rides Again", "Republic Pictures" released a cliff-hanger sequel on October 30, 1948, "The Adventures of Frank and Jesse James". Except for Clayton Moore being back as "Jesse James", using the alias of "John Howard". There is no one else from the 1947 original.
Then on August 31, 1949, "Republic Pictures" wasn't finished with "Frank" and "Jesse James" and the studio's third cliff-hanger serial, "The James Brothers of Missouri" was released. Clayton Moore wasn't in it, but villain Roy Barcroft was!
This time "Frank", portrayed by Robert Bice, and "Jesse", portrayed by Keith Richards, became "Bob Carrol" and "John Howard". The actual brothers became "B. J. Woodson" and "Thomas Howard", to help a member of their old gang, "Lon Royer", portrayed by John Hamilton. "Lon's" freight company is in competition with "Ace Marlin's", portrayed by Roy Barcroft. "Lon" is murdered by "Ace", and the two outlaw brothers stay to help "Lon's" daughter, "Peg Royer", portrayed by Noel Neill. She had already portrayed the first "Lois Lane" on-screen, in the 1948 "Columbia Picture's" cliff-hanger, "Superman". She had one more film to be released, before repeating "Lois" in 1950's, "Atom Man vs Superman".
For trivia, both televisions "Lois Lane's", Noel Neill, and Phyllis Coates have roles in the 1952, "Red Scare Science Fiction", "Invasion U. S. A.".
Above in front, Noel Neill, and Robert Bice, to the right of Noel, Roy Barcroft.
Roy Barcroft's next motion picture was a typical "B" Western, "Down Dakota Way", released on September 9, 1949. He had 9th-billing in the role of "Mack Mckenzie".
My reader should note that Dale Evans, with 3rd-billing behind "Trigger", was not yet referred to as the"Queen of the Cowboys", but had married her fourth husband, Roy Rodgers, two-years earlier. It should also be noted that Barcroft's name would have been on this poster, except that the "Republic Picture's" publicity department felt that the 12th-billed country-western musical group, "Riders of the Purple Sage" was a bigger audience draw.
Starting with the Monte Hale "B" western, "San Antone Ambush", released on October 7, 1949 with 4th-billed, Roy Barcroft. Through Allan Lane's, "Desert of Lost Men", released on November 19, 1951, with 5th-billed Roy Barcroft. The actor appeared in 28 "B" westerns, and 10 others films, of which in 4, only his voice was heard over the radio, or loudspeaker.
Above, Roy Barcroft as "Roberts - Henchman", below, Roy Barcroft as "Link - Henchman".
Then it was back to appearing in the first of 3 classic "Republic Pictures" science fiction cliff-hanger serials. Part of my article "Republic Pictures: THE ROCKET MAN CLIFF-HANGERS" at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2019/09/republic-pictures-rocket-man-cliff.html
The following is condensed from my article, as will be the other two science fiction cliff-hangers.
RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON Chapter One released on January 9, 1952
The special effects were by Howard and Theodore Lydecker.
George Wallace was "Commando Cody". Prior to this role Wallace had appeared in seven non screen credited films and would have several such roles afterwards. The majority of George Wallace's appearances would be on television. However, in 1956 he portrayed the "Bosun" in the classic Science Fiction, "Forbidden Planet".
Below, Roy Barcroft, seated, was "Retik". Standing is Peter Bocco portraying "Krog". Bocco started acting in 1931 and his almost skeleton looks made him the perfect villain in many a film and television role.
William Bakewell was "Ted Richards". Bakewell was a "B" actor who appeared in Lewis Milestone's 1930 anti-war motion picture "All Quiet on the Western Front" and was in 1939's "Gone With the Wind".
The Very Basic Screenplay:
"Commando Cody" is an inventor, a researcher, and has a number of employees. One of his inventions was a "Sonic powered rocket backpack", which he had attached to a leather jacket with controls in the front. Another was a rocket ship capable of reaching the surface of the Moon.
The United States has come under attack from a mysterious source that is destroying our military bases. "Commando Cody" believes the attack is coming from the moon and plans to go there to discover who is behind the attacks.
Arriving on the moon, "Cody" is met by a "Moon Tank" that he must battle. Afterwards he finds the "Ruler of the Moon" is a person called "Retik".
The Lydecker Brothers created the above "Moon Tank", from the Atlantean Tank they found in disuse since 1936. The original vehicle, by the Brothers, was in the serial "Undersea Kingdom", and looked like the following at that time.
"Cody" is taken prisoner and "Retik" reveals his plans to conqueror the Earth and then move the Moon's population there.
Our hero escapes and in his rocket ship returns to Earth and the battle begins in earnest for the next Eleven Chapters.
Meanwhile, the Moon agent "Krog" arrives on Earth and sets up operations. The above still of "Retik" shows him making contact with "Krog". Who has a similar receiving and sending set. "Krog" employees "Graber" and "Daly" to help "Retik" conqueror the Earth.
Later in the serial, "Commando Cody" discovers "Krog's" base of operations and meets the "Famous Republic Pictures Robot". The robot was also, originally, from 1936's "Undersea Kingdom", and had been used in several of the studio's cliff-hangers prior to this one.
Meanwhile, "Gruber" and "Daly" use a "Lunarium-powered Ray Cannon" to destroy military bases and fight "Commando Cody's" rocket ship and the flying hero himself.
"Cody" and his crew return to the Moon. Where they encounter the "Radar Men" in their rocket ship. The "Radar Men" seem to be wearing either the space suits seen in 1950's "Destination Moon", or 1951's "Flight to Mars". Depending upon whose blog article you read.
Above "Destination Moon" and below "Flight to Mars".
Both "Flight to Mars" and "Radar Men from the Moon" used the space suits from George Pal's, "Destination Moon" with slight changes. The suits would also appear in 1953's
"Cody" and "Ted" take the rocket ship back to the moon. The mission is to get one of "Retik's" ray guns to duplicate, leading to "Commander Cody" now being prepared for all out war.
Below the entire crew heads in the rocket ship to attack "Krog's" base.
Below "Cody" confronts "Krog", "Gruber", and "Daly". "Krog" will be killed by one of his own devices and the two other men escape.
"Gruber" and "Daly" believe themselves safe, but another car appears and starts pursuing the two. During the car chase the criminals go off a cliff to their deaths.
Although this lobby card for Chapter 12, called the final episode, "Take-Off To Eternity". On screen, Chapter 12 was entitled 'Death of the Moon Man". "Retik" had arrived on Earth only to find his plans have failed. Being pursued, he returns to his rocket ship and takes off for the Moon. As "Retik" speeds upwards, "Cody" takes the ray gun, used by "Gruber" and "Daly", and destroys the Moon ruler and his rocket ship.
Roy Barcroft followed being the "Ruler of the Moon" by portraying his so familiar "B" western role of, "Piute-Henchman", in "Captive of Billy the Kid", released on January 21, 1952. Like Barcroft's, 1946, "Alias Billy the Kid", starring Sunset Carson, this new motion picture starring Allan "Rocky" Lane, had nothing directly to do with Henry McCarthy aka: William H. Bonney aka: Billy the Kid. In the earlier film, "United States Marshall, Sunset Carson", implies that he is "The Kid", the first name of "Billy" is never mentioned by him. He is using that implied name to get in with the bad guys.
Seven westerns and a Navy comedy, returned Roy Barcroft, or his voice to:
- - - had a reputation as one of the nicest guys in Hollywood
