JOHN WAYNE
in the
THE THREE MESQUITEERSduke_542.jpgIntroduction
The Three Mesquiteers is the umbrella title for a
Republic Pictures series of 51 Western B-movies
released between 1936 and 1943, including 8 films starring John Wayne.
The name was a play on mesquite and The Three Musketeers,
and each film featured a trio of stars.
The series was based on a series of western novels by William Colt MacDonald,
which began with The Law of 45's in 1933.
A film version of The Law of 45's was made by a different film company in 1935
and introduced the characters Tucson Smith and Stony Brooke.
The series blended the traditional Western period with more modern elements,
which was not unknown with other B-Western films and serials.
Towards the end of the series, during World War II, the trio of cowboys were opposing Nazis.
Reception
The Three Mesquiteers series was extremely popular at the time of its release.
The series was the only one of its kind to be specifically named and ranked
in contemporary polls of the top western film stars.
For example, from 1937 to the end of the series in 1943,
The Motion Picture Herald consistently ranked
the series in its top ten,
reaching a peak of 5th place in 1938,
when a pre-Stagecoach John Wayne was the series lead
Influence
The success of the series led to many imitators at other studios.
The first was The Range Busters (1940–43) from Monogram Pictures
which starred original Mesquiteer Ray "Crash" Corrigan as the character "Crash" Corrigan.
Monogram also released The Rough Riders (1941–42), again poaching a Mesquiteer
in the form of Raymond Hatton, and The Trail Blazers (1943–44).
Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) produced two similar series,
The Texas Rangers (1942–45) and The Frontier Marshals (1942).
wayne336.jpg
John Wayne in The Three Mesquiteers
Duke had just completed the disastrous Universal Series
and made one more contracted out movie for
Paramount, Born to the West (1938)
Duke returned to Republic where Herbert J. Yates,
welcomed him back with less than open arms.
Rather than the $24'000 a year Duke
had made by his earlier studio
he received $16'000
Duke said:-
Quote from dukeYates put the screws on me....and I would have
to go into those terrible series they had
A series of 'B' Westerns, was being updated, with Duke
being invited into the role of Stony Brooke,
recently vacated by Bob Livingston.
The Three Mesquiteers was a popular series for Republic
and Duke's winning personality,
soon worked in, with the established characters,
Ray Corrigan, as Tuscon Smith,
Max Terhune as Lullaby Johnson,
and Terhune's dummy, Elmer.
The 8 movies Duke starred as Stony Brooke were
Pals of the Saddle (1938)
Overland Stage Riders (1938)
Santa Fe Stampede (1938)
Red River Range (1938)
The Night Riders (1939)
Three Texas Steers (1939)
Wyoming Outlaw (1939)
Frontier Horizon (1939)
(For individual movie profiles and reviews
please click on the above links)
George Sherman
The Three Mesquiteers were all directed by
George Sherman who also later directed Duke in
Flying Tigers (1942) and Big Jake (1971)
George Sherman was responsible for 9
very important films for the Duke, and was involved in one other,
as Second Unit Director (uncredited) Flying Tigers (1942)
In reality George Sherman carried on,
where Robert North Bradbury, had left off,
but without anywhere near, the impact
Bradbury,had been on Duke's career!!
For more information
please see:-
George Sherman
The Series
The first six Duke starred in featured
John Wayne .... Stony Brooke
Ray Corrigan .... Tucson Smith
Max Terhune .... Lullaby Joslin
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Ray Corrigan
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Max Terhune & Elmer
The last two
Wyoming Outlaw and Frontier Horizon (New Frontier)
featured
John Wayne .... Stony Brooke
Ray Corrigan .... Tucson Smith
Raymond Hatton .... Rusty Joslin
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Raymond Hatton
While Duke's provincial fans loved The Three Mesquiteers
the series was inexpensively produced
and represented an embarrassing comedown for Duke
Duke said, he found them to be dreary, and a drudgery.
Quote from dukeThey were horrible montrosities
he told writer Maurice Zolotow.
Legacy
However, what Duke didn't realise, is that they had exposed him,
to a much bigger audience, including 'A' pictures, audiences.
They may have been a drudgery, but within months
around the corner was a Stagecoach
with John Ford on board....