Hi
During the mid 1930s and into the 1940s Repyublic made a series of popular westerns featuring a trio called The Three Mesquiteers. John Wayne featured in eight of these pictures playing Stony Brooke the leader of the trio. In this he was accompanied by Ray Corrigan and Max Terhune (later Raymond Hatton)
The Mesquiteers owned a ranch but spent their time riding to the rescue of young women farmers etc. four of his films Pals of the Saddle, Overland Stage Raiders Santa Fe Stampede and Red River Range were released before Stagecoach with John Wayne's success in that picture the final four The Night Riders Three Texas Steers Wyoming Outlaw New Frontier were rushed out to capitalise on Wayne's name.
To quote Fred Landesman's book The John Wayne Filmography
QuoteThe Night Riders was filmed from February 16 to February 24 1939 under the working titles Heroes of the Desert and Lone Star Bullets. Budgeted at $35,000 Waynes salary was $3000.
The film tells the story of a crooked card sharp who assumes the title of a Spanish don and forges a land document that looks so convincing that he is able to take over a vast area of land and hold the ranchers to ransom making them pay large taxes. In order to stop him the Mesquiteers form themselves into a sort of Robin Hood type calling themselves Los Capaqueros wearing white capes and stealing from the villains to pay back the ranchers.
Hope this helps
Regard
Arthur
