The Telegraph Trail (1933)

INFORMATION FROM IMDb

Plot Summary
Greedy opportunist Gus Lynch, in order to continue to gouge townsfolk for necessary supplies, convinces High Wolf and his Indian tribe that they need to prevent the completion of the new telegraph lines or their tribe will be wiped out by a new influx of white men.
Receiving an incomplete message warning of a white man's involvement
in the recent Indian uprisings, cavalry scout John Trent is sent in to rectify the situation.

Full Cast
John Wayne .... John Trent
Duke .... Duke, John's Hose (as Duke the Miracle Horse)
Frank McHugh .... Cpl. Tippy
Marceline Day .... Alice Keller
Otis Harlan .... Uncle Zeke Keller
Albert J. Smith .... Gus Lynch
Yakima Canutt .... High Wolf
Lafe McKee .... Lafe
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Clarence Geldart .... Army Captain (as Clarence Geldert)
Chuck Baldra .... Guitar player Chuck (uncredited)
Chief John Big Tree .... Indian Chief (uncredited)
Bob Burns .... Tall Man in Store (uncredited)
Ben Corbett .... Wagon driver Benny (uncredited)
Frank Ellis .... First Henchman (uncredited)
Bob Fleming .... Officer (uncredited)
Jack Kirk .... Guitar player Jack (uncredited)
Bud McClure .... Man at meeting (uncredited)
Bud Osborne .... Army Telegrapher (uncredited)
Al Taylor .... Jonesy (uncredited)
Blackjack Ward .... Telegraph Line Worker (uncredited)
Slim Whitaker .... Second Henchman (uncredited)

Writing Credits
Kurt Kempler adaptation
Kurt Kempler story

Original Music
Leo F. Forbstein

Cinematography
Ted D. McCord (as Ted McCord)

Stunts
Yakima Canutt .... stunts (uncredited)

Trivia
This is the film that James Cagney is shown as an example
of talking pictures (and the reason for his impending unemployment)
in Footlight Parade (1933).

Memorable Quotes

Filming Locations
Unknown

The Telegraph Trail is a 1933 American Western film starring
John Wayne and featuring Frank McHugh.

This isthe 4th. of 6 films Duke made with Warner Bros, as re-makes of some
silent films, that Ken Maynard had made.This one being a re-make of The Red Raiders (1927)
These Duke versions were made, to use up unused film, that WB had,
featuring Ken Maynard and his miracle horse.
They brought in Duke and Duke! The Wonder Horse,
and substituted them into the films!!
If you look closely, you can spot the difference,
between the two actors.
Even the two horses, are noticeably different.

When it opened at the New York Strand it was said
"Crammed with action" "Thrills You'll Never Forget"

In this one, Yakima Canutt, appeared, this being ,only his second outing with Duke.
From this moment on, they were to try out and perfect, their throwing of punches technique,
which would be, from then on widely used in the business!
In those days, audiences thrilled to the climatic sequence.
Indeed from this film on, the Duke image is beginning to show!!

I enjoyed this series, and they remain favourites,
as they were amongst the first VHS, I ever bought.

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User Review

Quote

More Comedy than Western
27 May 2006 | by Eventuallyequalsalways

This kid-friendly Oater was obviously intended for the Saturday morning double-features which droves of kids attended in the 30's and 40's. Mom & Dad dropped you off while they did the weekly shopping and you had a double-feature, a couple of cartoons, a 3-Stooges short and a Movietone news to entertain you, all for a dime. I know because I saw hundreds of them. Anyway, about this picture, it pays very little homage to the so-called plot which involves something to do with the new invention of the telegraph bringing communication across the continent. It has hundreds of extras (they must have been cheap to hire in those days) dressed as settlers, cavalry or Indians backing up the star (John Wayne) and the requisite pretty lady played by Marceline Day. In those days, the studio executives must have been convinced that the Cowboy and his faithful horse sidekick (ala Roy Rogers and Trigger) was a winning formula, so they paired John Wayne with a beautiful white stallion named Duke. The major attraction of this movie is the continual series of sight gags and gaffes which we never noticed as kids. In one scene, John Wayne is on top of a telegraph pole sending a message back to the Fort and a crowd of 10-12 Indians rides up and begins shooting at him. Wayne pulls his trusty six-shooter, fires once, and kills the Indian with the headdress. THEN WAYNE PUTS HIS GUN BACK IN HIS HOLSTER! What kind of direction was that? Can you believe John Wayne ever quit fighting a hoard of enemies in his life? Well, he does in this movie. I guess it was because he wanted to wait until the Indians fired off a volley at him; this would allow him to pretend to be hit so that he could fall off the pole (ouch!) and fake his death. Naturally, the gullible Indians were fooled, so they rode off at an accelerated gallop (all the galloping scenes are speeded up about 20% to make things more exciting), and before they have gone 50 yards, we see John Wayne getting to his feet. Then we find out that he wanted the feathered headdress so he could strip off his shirt (showing the manly Wayne chest), don the headdress and, pretending to be an Indian, join the Indians attacking the settlers, and then slip through the line of wagons (in a circle, naturally) and reenter the camp where he can join up with the beautiful girl. Of course, he can't begin fighting the circling Indians until he ducks into a tent and grabs a beautiful fringed-leather shirt and puts it on. One must be properly dressed when fighting Indians! All in all, this movie is fun to watch and if you are an old codger like me, it will bring back lots of wonderful memories of all those Saturday mornings long ago.

Hi brick,

I watched this one again,
and another fine one to see Duke with Duke.

All good fun