The Doolins of Oklahoma (Columbia Pictures) (1949)

The Doolins of Oklahoma’ Ride In True Tale of Western Banditry Movie audiences who see Columbia’s ‘The Doolins of Oklahoma’ atstheee ee Theatre will not witness a “hooked-up” saga of Western badmen. The Doolin Gang, which robbed banks and held up trains, leaving a trail of deceased citizens across the Cimarron country during the late 1800s, is classed by historians as more colorful and deadly than either the James Boys or the Daltons, who preceded them. Producer Harry Joe Brown portrayed their character, personalities and bloodletting tendencies as truthfully as is technically possible in his cinema story. Brown, a specialist in the field of hairy-chested Westerns, felt that Wild Bill Doolin deserved writing credit, so well did the outlaw’s career and character fit into the requirements of a movie screenplay. Wild Bill, although a _ lawbreaker and deserving of his fate, was not, according to authorities, a murderous fellow. It is well known that he saved a pursuing U.S. marshal from being bushwhacked by one of the more vicious members of his band, and made several attempts to desert his companions and lead a respectable life with his wife. Both Brown and _ Randolph Scott, who plays the starring role as Wild Bill Doolin, did not wish to make a hero out of a heel, and, in so doing, make “heavies” of the forces of law and order, which, in this case, would be the heroic little group of U.S. marshals who finally eradicated the territory of the marauders. Doolin apparently was a simple cowboy who, failing to readjust himself to the breaking up of the great cattle ranges into small farms, fell in with bad companions and became bad himself —but not all bad. Doolin’s followers were as colorful as_ their names: Bitter Creek, Red Buck, Little Bill, Rose of the Cimarron, Cattle Annie, etc., names known and feared throughout the Oklahoma Territory from 1892 to 1896. Then there were the real heroes, U. S. Marshals Thomas and Nix, who, almost singlehanded, stilled the deadly guns of the Doolin Gang. They needed no gilding by movie writers; their records are more dramatic than fiction. So producer Brown needed little embellishing for his drama, using only a story line to hold together actual incidents in the flaming career of wild Bill Doolin and his band. Featured in support of Scott in “The Doolins of Oklahoma” are George Macready, Louise Allbritton, John Ireland, Virginia Huston and Charles Kemper. Gordon Douglas directed this superWestern from Kenneth Gamet’s script; the film is a Producers Actors Production. Right Side of Law George Macready has played so many despicable “heavies” that he’s grateful when he gets a chance to portray a character on the side of the law. He is the law in Columbia’s “The Doolins of Oklahoma,” Randolph Scott starrer now the featured attraction at the Theatre. Macready has ihe role of the relentless U. S. marshal who pursues the hardy Doolin Gang that terrorized the Oklahoma Territory in the late 1800’s. Doolins of Oklahoma Mat 2-A; Still No. Art 2 THE GREATEST MANHUNT in Western history highlights Columbia’s “The Doolins of Oklahoma,” rousing new thriller at the ...................... Theatre. Randolph Scott stars in the Harry Joe Brown production. Tough Western Role For Glamorous Star Louise Allbritton will not soon forget Columbia’s “The Doolins of Oklahoma,” the Randolph Scott starrer at the Theatre in which she has the top feminine spot. Although Louise has been in pictures seven years and filled dozens of roles, this drama of the Old West marked her first location trip and her first costume part. In “The Doolins of Oklahoma,” which was on location for one week of outdoor filming, Miss Allbritton plays the part of a glamorous dance hall girl who falls in love with a member of Wild Bill Doolin’s outlaw gang which terrorized the Cimarron country during the late 1800’s. Huston Debut Virginia Huston, lovely actress who plays Randolph Scott’s ladylove in Columbia’s “The Doolins of Oklahoma,” is doing her first stint in the large-scale outdoor thriller of the notorious Doolin Gang that terrorized the Oklahoma Territory in the late 1800’s. Mat 1-B; Prod. Still No. 45 BITTER HATRED flares into battle as Randolph Scott and Frank Fenton slug it out in Columbia’s “The Doolins of Oklahoma” at the Theatre. Hollywood Changes Hunter into Hunted Turnabout is fair play. Randolph Scott, starring in Columbia’s fast-moving Western epic of the dreaded Doolin Gang that terrorized the Oklahoma Territory in the late 1800’s, and George Macready, one of the top supporting players in the bigtime sagebrusher, have reversed the roles they had in their previous film, “Coroner Creek.” Currently, Scott, as Wild Bill Doolin, leader of the outlaws, is outside the law, while Macready plays the U. S. marshal who is on the trail of the marauding Doolins. In “Coroner Creek” Scott played the part of a man who ruthlessly hunted the murderer of his fiancee, and the target for his vengeance was Macready. Effete Easterner Western Bad Man John Ireland, gentle ‘“Easterner” from the Broadway stage, has blossomed out into one cf the brashest buckaroos on the Western range. With his appearance as a member of the daring Doolin Gang, dreaded Oklahoma outlaws of the late 1800’s, whose saga is recorded in Columbia’s Randolph Scott starrer, “The Doolins of Oklahoma,” now at the Theatre, Ireland has completed his third large-scale Western in the last three times before the cameras. His appearance in “The Walking Hills,” in which his part is not strictly that of a Westerner, although in a Western locale, started him off on the sagebrush trail. His part in “Red River” established him as an outdoor type, and it’s now been clinched by “The Doolins of Oklahoma.” Bold Gang Rides First it was the James, then the Daltons, and now the Doolins are coming in Columbia’s flaming super-Western, “The Doolins of Oklahoma,” appearing at the Theatre with Randolph Scott starred. The new movie celebrates the exploits of the Doolin Gang, notorious marauders who terrorized the Oklahoma Territory in the 1800’s. Doolin Gang’s Notorious Activities Furnish Perfect Plot for Daring Movie The colorful names of the characters in Columbia’s “The Doolins of Oklahoma,” starring Randolph Scott, at the ................ Theatre, were not figments of the imaginations of Hollywood film writers. Such appellations as Red Buck, Bitter Creek, Cattle Annie, Tulsa Jack, Arkansas and Rose of the Cimarron actually belonged to members of the notorious Doolin Gang, which teérrorized Oklahoma during the 1890’s, and to their women, It was not necessary to color their personalities and careers for the sake of the screenplay. Their lives, about which many books have been written, were spectacular enough for any piece of fiction or moving picture. Westerns Hit Popularity Peak With Movie Fans of All Ages That hardy perennial, the Western, is currently blooming in the movie vineyards with a profusion seldom seen since the infant film industry first filled the silver screen with exciting shots of galloping hooves in full flight. No longer is the lowly Western so humble in the movie scale of things. Although the breadand-butter Western of small stature is still being ground out with regularity, the outdoor film has also become one for viewing by the entire movie-going public. This is the epic Western, filmed on a‘ large budget, a good example of which is Columbia’s “The Doolins of Oklahoma,” now on view with Randolph Scott starred at thee... en=.. Theatre. George Macready, Louise Allbritton, John Ireland, Virginia Huston and Charles Kemper are featured in the principal suporting roles. The modern super-Western such as “The Doolins of Oklahoma” rates on a par with any other type of “A” production. From the standpoint ot production lavishness, photography, supporting cast and budgets, the top sagebrushers are fully able to take their place alongside their less violent brethern. Besides they have those extra qualities, indigenous to Westerns, such as fast action, beautiful, if rugged, scenery and _— straight-forward story line. Before “The Doolins of Oklahoma” has run its course, it encompasses the best qualities of the big-budget Western. From Kenneth Gamet’s tightly-knit script, the true story of the exploits of the Doolins, desperadoes who made their name more feared in the West than Jesse James, has been related. The filled with the roar of guns and the fury of flight, excitingly narrates how these outlaws robbed banks, trains and stagecoaches and then executed daring escapes. The watchword, heard in the most dangerous country of the most dangerous era, was: “Get the Doolins, or they’ll get you!” That’s why the super-Western is at the pinnacle of its popularity: it gives the most for the entertainment dollar. Gordon Douglas directed ‘The Doolins of Oklahoma,” a _ Producers Actors Production, for producer Harry Joe Brown. movie, Doolin ‘Oklahombres’ Big, Bad and Brawny Columbia’s “The Doolins of Oklahoma” at the Theatre, has a whopping cast, either way you look at it: numerically or physically. Although a large number of actors is not unusual in a picture, the size of the men in the important roles of this largescale Western drama of the daring Doolin Gang, early-day Oklahoma outlaws, is quite startling. Randolph Scott, the _ star, George Macready, John Ireland, Frank Fenton, Charles Kemper, Jock O’Mahoney and Robert Osterloh are all more than sixfeet, one-inch tall. The shortest man in the cast is Noah Beery, who stretches a mere five-feetten. The only person unhappy about the situation was Dona Drake, who barely reaches the five-foot mark. She got a stiff neck from looking up in all her scenes gents. with the altitudinous Doolins of Oklahoma Mat 2-B; Prod. Still No. 67 SIX BAD MEN... lumbia’s and their women battle the entire West in Co“The Doolins of Oklahoma’”’ at the Theatre. Randolph Scott stars in this true story of the ‘“Oklahombres.” Page 3