Cowboy Blues (Columbia Pictures) (1946)

PUBLICITY COWBOY BLUES Mat 2-A Guinn (Big Boy) Williams, singing star Ken Curtis and pert Jeff Donnell, leading players in Columbia Pictures’ new action musical, “Cowboy Blues,” get the ride of their lives on this runaway stagecoach in a scene from the film now at the Theatre. (Review) Musical ‘Cowboy Blues’ Laff-Loaded Action Hit Columbia Pictures’ “Cowboy Blues” which opened yesterday at the Theatre is a dude ranch rampage of singin’, clownin’, shootin’ stars from radio, rodeo and the screen. It’s a zany, zingy, zowie action musical to blast your blues sky-high! Latest picture in an increasingly popular series, “Cowboy Blues” accomplishes the almost impossible feat of topping the hits, “Song of the Prairie,” “That Texas Jamboree” and “Throw a Saddle on a Star,” with more show-stopping tunes, riotous comedy situations and hard-riding, bullet-riddled adventure. The setting for the film is the Bar-B Ranch, a Western mecca for Eastern dudes. Just about anything could happen there, and it does! There are tense manhunts, an exciting stagecoach race, a rodeo with all the spine-tingling thrills of the real thing and gay Western barn dances with the whole talented cast taking part. The Hoosier Hotshots from the National Barn Dance have been given a much larger portion of the plot than heretofore, in addition to their musical chores. Audience reaction to their tomfoolery proves that they deserved the break. Others importantly featured are Ken Curtis, Columbia’s romantic singing star, pert Jeff Donnell, Guy Kibbee, Guinn (Big Boy) Williams, Mrs. Uppington, she’s the radio comedienne and a scream!, and Robert Scott. The jive sessions are delivered by Peg La Centra, the Town Criers and Deuce Spriggens and His Band with the Plainsmen and Carolina Cotton. With ten swell tunes to choose from, this reviewer will go out on the limb for the following numbers: “Rhythm Is Our Business,” “I’m Thinking Tonight of My Blue ° Eyes,” “The Coat and Pants Do All the Work,” “Blue Bonnet Girl” and “I’ve Been Down in Texas.” Singable and catchy, they stick in your memory. The original screenplay for “Cowboy Blues” was written by J. Benton Cheney and directed by Ray Nazarro with his usual crisp pacing of action and musical sequences. The film was produced by Colbert Clark, wellknown Hollywood producer. STORY (Not for Publication) When lovely Susan Nelson (Jeff Donnell) unexpectedly writes that she will soon arrive at the Bar-B Ranch, her father, Dusty Nelson (Guy Kibbee), a handyman at the Western mecca for Eastern dudes, is flabbergasted. For years he has been writing that he is the owner of the place. The Hoosier Hotshots, a quartet of cowboy entertainers, come to Dusty’s aid suggesting that he impersonate Jim Peters (Alan Bridges), ranch boss who is away on a trip. When Susan arrives with her fiance, Jerome Winston (Robert Scott), a wealthy playboy, everyone including Curt Durant (Ken Curtis), handsome assistant manager of the ranch, and Lucy Armstrong (Peg La Centra), pert receptionist there, joins in with the Hotshots’ plan and Susan and Jerome are given a rousing reception. During a big rodeo, Susan begins to show some romantic interest in the dashing Curt, while Lucy takes to Jerome, much to the consternation of Big Boy Stover (Guinn "Big Boy’’ Williams), who is mighty stuck on the vivacious Lucy. Real trouble starts when Lucy receives word that the ranch’s real owner, Mr. Peters, is on his way home. To protect Dusty, until Susan and Jerome leave, Curt, the Hotshots and Big Boy disguise themselves as renegades and kidnap the furious Peters, who is tied up and hidden in an abandoned shack. Peters escapes, but is persuaded by the Hotshots that a gang is out to get him. They disguise him by cutting off his beard and inform the sheriff that a lunatic is at large masquerading as Mr. Peters. The irate man is hauled off to jail. The next morning as Susan and Jerome prepare to leave, a telephone call announces that the Winstons, Jerome’s parents (Mrs. Uppington and Forbes Murray), are at the railroad depot and are coming to the ranch to meet their son’s future father-in-law. Meanwhile, Mr. Peters who seems to have a knack for escaping has done it again. This time he is able to prove that he is the real ranch owner. When the Winstons learn the truth, that Dusty is nothing but a handyman, they object to the coming marriage. Though Jerome is willing to go through with the plans for making Susan his wife, the bride-to-be thinks differently. She knows now that the fast-riding Curt is exactly what she wants for a lifetime mate. And Lucy, who might have had the well-heeled Jerome for herself, thinks that maybe Big Boy is the better choice after all. CAST and STAFF Ken Curtis . Jeff Donnell . Guy Kibbee Curt Durant .... Susan Nelson Dusty Nelson . Big Boy Stover Guinn (Big Boy) Williams Peg La Centra Mrs. Uppington Robert Scott Lucy Armstrong Mrs. Winston . Jerome Winsto: Jim Peters Sheriff .. Mr. Winston Forbes Murray Preston Frank . . Vernon Dent Coulter Irwin and The Hoosier Holshots from The National Barn Dance Deuce Spriggens and His Band with The Plainsmen and Carolina Cotton The Town Criers Original Screenplay by J. Benton Cheney; Directed by Ray Nazarro; Assistant Director, William O'Connor; Director of Photography, George F. Kelley; Film Editor, Jerome. Thoms; Art Direction, Charles Clague; Set Decorator, Robert Bradfield; Musical Director, Paul Mertz; Sound Engineer, Howard Fogetti; Produced by Colbert Clark. A COLUMBIA PICTURE Page 6 (Feature) Ken Curtis Proves Crooning Cowhands Can Be Tough, Too New fuel was added recently to Hollywood’s — ridin’-versussingin’ cowboy feud started by veteran Western producer “Pop” Sherman and taken up in turn by Bill Boyd on the one hand and Roy Rogers on the other. Now Ken Curtis, Columbia Pictures’ singing and riding star currently in “Cowboy Blues” at WY gogdaue Theatre, angered by Boyd’s cracks anent ‘“saddlesore Sinatras” rides up to make an outspoken retort. Curtis, who grew up on his Dad’s ranch in southeastern Colorado, helped corral, brand and de-horn cattle until he headed toward Hollywood, and is one of the few Western stars who actually grew up in the proper setting. “First of all,” states the angry ex-cowboy, “if he (Boyd) is a real Westerner, he’s the first I’ve heard boasting that he’s a good cowhand. All the good ones are pretty modest.” Curtis also criticized Boyd for making remarks about anyone else’s ability and _ challenged Hopalong Cassidy thusly: “T’ll ride all day and do anything you do and still be able to sing — and sing well — when the day’s over and you’re sweating it out in a Turkish bath.” Said Curtis: “Please, Bill, let’s be more explicit regarding this Sinatra gag. Before pictures ever were shown in theaters cowhands were riding the range and singing their heads off while they were doing it. When you're alone out there, it just comes naturally.” “The music in western films,” continued Curtis, “is good on the whole. And if the folks that pay to see Westerns like songs along with the chases that’s what they ought to get.” The “red, white and blue costumes” attacked by Boyd got Curtis “real fightin’ mad.” “Even when I was a kid,” the Columbia star recalls, “we used to get mighty jealous of Tom Mix’s get-up on the screen. And the roughest cowhands in Colorado used to spend their last silver dollar on the swankiest red, white and blue outfits in the general store. “If Boyd thinks our get-ups are too fancy now, he should have seen the clothes the boys used to wear at Saturday night shindigs and at the big rodeos.” Curtis thinks that Westerns have had a good effect on the real hard riders of the old West. “They still ride as well as they ever did — or better maybe — but Hollywood has made the ‘profession’ glamorous, and that’s all to the good. Nowadays, the boys take pride in their work.” The Columbia star continued: “T don’t claim to be the best or the smartest cowhand in Hollywood Westerns, but if my singing pleases the millions of folks who like musical action pictures, I aim to continue with it, and to give ’em all they want in the way of ridin’ and shootin’ too.’ GET RADIO COVERAGE! Many exhibitors ALSO adapt these publicity stories for radio. They re type the stories, shorten some of them and_ send them on to local radio station commentators. Try it on ‘‘Cowboy Blues”’! (General Advance) Action and Music, Round-Up of Stars In ‘Cowboy Blues’ Grab your partner ’n swing ’ sway, a grand action musical is headin’ your way. Columbia Pictures’ “Cowboy Blues,” with stars of the screen, radio and recordings leading the gay parade, is coming to the ........ Theatres y-1-1-)5 , and advance reports say that it sizzles with hot lead, hot tunes and Bar-BCuties. One of the better ideas in series pictures, these action musicals seem to grow more popular with each new production. There’s a good reason for it too, sinee Columbia has hit on a sure-fire formula for lots of laughs, swell tunes and bang-up Western thrills. Those movie fans who remember what a grand package of entertainment was dished out to them in “Song of the Prairie,” “Throw a Saddle on a Star” and “That Texas Jamboree” will be glad to know that “Cowboy Blues” gives out with a little extra somethin’ all its own. The Hoosier Hotshots from the National Barn Dance, those zanies of mirth and melody, head a star-studded cast of outstanding performers. In the line-up are such well-known players as Ken Curtis, Jeff Donnell, Guy Kibbee, back after an eighteen months’ absence from the screen in a lovable characterization, Guinn (Big Boy) Williams, Mrs. Uppington, a favorite radio comedienne on the Fibber McGee and Molly program, and Robert Scott, handsome Columbia _ contract player. And in the musical cheering section we’ve heard all about lovely Peg La Centra, the Town Criers, top recording artists, and Deuce Spriggens and His Band with the Plainsmen and Carolina Cotton. They join with the Hotshots and Curtis in sending the ten show-stopping songs and novelty productions. Sparking the tuneful selections are “Rhythm Is Our Business,” “The Coat and Pants Do All the Work,” “Blue Bonnet Girl” and “I’ve Been Down in Texas.” The story of “Cowboy Blues,” an original screenplay by J. Benton Cheney, takes place on the Bar-B Ranch, a Western Mecca for Eastern dudes. The visitors and, of course, lucky movie-goers are witnesses to an exciting rodeo and hectic stagecoach races as well as rough and tumble fightin’ sequences. From what we’ve heard, it all adds up to rousing entertainment, neatly directed by Ray Nazarro for producer Colbert Clark. This team, which has clicked so many times in the past with action musical productions, is rapidly gaining a name in Hollywood and will undoubtedly come through with several more films patterned along the entertaining lines of “Cowboy Blues.” COWBOY BLUES Mat 1-B Ken Curtis and Jeff Donnell, romantic leads of Columbia Pictures’ “Cowboy Blues,” action musical at Theatre. (Opening Notice) ‘Cowboy Blues’ Hit To Debut Here Soon A rip-snorting new action musical, to blast your blues sky-high, is coming to the...... Theatre on..... when Columbia Pictures’ “Cowboy Blues” makes its first local appearance. The Hoosier Hotshots from the National Barn Dance head the star-studded cast which also includes Ken Curtis, Jeff Donnell, Guy Kibbee, Guinn (Big Boy) Williams, Peg La Centra, Mrs. Uppington, Robert Scott, the Town Criers, Deuce Spriggens and His Band with the Plainsmen and Carolina Cotton. Ray Nazarro directed the film for which J. Benton Cheney wrote an original screenplay. Colbert Clark, action musical veteran, produced. (Closing Notice) New Action Musical Terminates Hit Run Columbia Pictures’ song and funfest, “Cowboy Blues,” will have its last showing at the .... Theatre on .... after a long and popular engagement. Folks have been talking about the zany antics of the Hoosier Hotshots from the National Barn Dance while the rest of the cast also has taken bows. The featured performers include Ken Curtis, Jeff Donnell, Guy Kibbee, Guinn (Big Boy) Williams, Peg La Centra, Mrs. Uppington, Robert Scott and the Town Criers, Deuce Spriggens and His Band with the Plainsmen and Carolina Cotton. J. Benton Cheney wrote the original screenplay while Ray Nazarro directed for veteran producer Colbert Clark. riotous COWBOY BLUES Mat 2-B The Hoosier Hotshots from the National Barn Dance, zanies of mirth and melody, and perennial action musical favorites, get a real chance to strut their inimitable stuff in Columbia Pictures’ “Cowboy Blues,” currently at the veneth ire eect Theatre,