User:Teblick/Durango Kid (film character)

The Durango Kid is a fictional character "whose name became a by-word in Texas [in] 1875" and who was depicted in a series of Western films made by Columbia Pictures in the 1940s and 1950s.

R. Philip Loy, in the book Westerns and American Culture, wrote, "The Kid was a Robin Hood-type outlaw dressed in black, wearing a black face mask, and riding a white horse."

Format
As was true with many B Westerns, elements of Durango Kid films were fairly predictable. In his book, Billy the Kid on Film, 1911-2012, Johnny D. Boggs quoted Buck Rainey in Heroes of the Range:"The Durango Kid stories were the Western stereotype stripped down to the mare's back. The theory that the grinding out of the same plot, with only minor variations, will still result in a successful film, particularly if it happens to be a Western, is nowhere more strongly (and somewhat mistakenly) illustrated in the Durango Kid series. The same old stagecoach holdup, the same old suave villain masquerading as a benefactor, the same old cattle stampede and a few other standard props were constantly assembled .. and while the result probably produced no audible complaints from oater fans, the whole series seemed rather tired."

The action at times required a suspension of disbelief as the main character changed suddenly from Durango to his alter ego, or vice-versa. Jim Driscoll, reflecting on his own childhood movie viewing, wrote: "Nobody ever questioned the mendacious logistics of how Durango, while in his alter ego ... would have his 4-legged transportation and change of clothes ready at the qucik when trouble brewed over."

Characters
Although the Durango Kid character's name remained constant throughout the film series, the name of the alter ego varied. During the series' first year, the character's first name was Steve as in four of the first eight films. In his book, Columbia Pictures Movie Series, 1926-1955: The Harry Cohn Years, Gene Blottner noted: "Starrett had the habit of revealing his identity to the ones he helped before riding on to new adventures. (This might have been a reason for Starrett's name changes.) Beginning in 1947, the first name was always Steve, but "a myriad of last names" were used.

Tex Harding
A variety of sidekicks appeared in the films. The first was Tex Harding, who was seen in the first eight productions. (He also appeared, uncredited, in two later films through use of old footage.) In some films, he knew Durango's real identity, while in others he did not. In some, he even wore Durango's outfit temporarily to confuse people as to the outlaw's real identity. Harding's character sang occasionally, with the sound being dubbed by James T. "Bud" Nelson.

Cannonball
Dub Taylor portrayed the character Cannonball in the first year's last seven installments.

Smiley Burnette
Smiley Burnette played himself in all of his appearances in Durango films "never Smiley Butterbeam, as has been stated by some historians." The relationship between Burnette's character and the star varied from film to film. In some, he knew Durango's secret identity, while in others he had no idea about it.

Raider
The Durango Kid rode a white horse named Raider.

Stunt double
Early in the Durango series, Ted Mapes, a veteran stuntman, doubled for Starrett. After he "tired of the low-budget films and wanted to work on bigger projects," Columbia hired Jock Mahoney to be Starrett's double. Mahoney went on to later star in the Western television series The Range Rider and Yancy Derringer.

Home distribution
In 1949, five Durango films were part of Columbia Pictures' entry into the "16-mm non-theatrical field." Screen Gems distributed the Columbia products, which included 21 other films from the studio.

More recenly, Sony produced "two lesser Durango Kid DVDs," Blazing Across the Pecos and Bonanza Town.

Adaptations
Charles Starrett as the Durango Kid was a comic book series published bi-monthly by ME Comics beginning in 1949. It ran through the October/November 1955 publication for a total of 41 issues. In the comic books, Durango's alter ego was Steve Brand, with Muley Pike as his sidekick. The comic book version's storylines went far afield from the film traditions of Durango. Steve Brand was a Secret Service agent whose adventures included encounters with an atomic death ray and a Shoshone Indian who grew to be 18 feet tall after drinking a magic potion.

Durango also appeared in Best of the West, published by AC Comics. In his book, King of the Cowboys, Queen of the Wes: Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Raymond E. White wrote, "Every issue includes the Durango Kid, Tim Holt as Redmask, and the Haunted Horseman."

Legacy
The Durango Kid was among a group of Western film heroes featured in a 1973 song recorded by The Statler Brothers. The lyrics of "Whatever Happned to Randolph Scott?", in part, were as follows:"Whatever happened to Randolph Scott Ridin' the trail alone? Whatever happned to Gene Tex And Roy and Rex, the Durango Kid ...?"

Films
Durango's first film, The Durango Kid, came out in 1940, with Charles Starrett in the title role. The character wasn't seen again until 1945 in The Return of the Durango Kid, which also starred Starrett. The latter film began a flurry of Durango Kid releases (all starring Starrett) that continued until the end of the series in 1952, with a total of 65, including the 1940 original.

Colbert Clark, a producer at Columbia Pictures, was responsible for re-starting the films in 1945. Colbert's decision was a boost for Starrett, who "returned to the list of top ten Western moneymakers." The films themselves were also described as "reliable moneymakers."

The Durango Kid (1940)
See article, The Durango Kid.

Blazing the Western Trail
Durango intervenes on behalf of a stagecoach operator who is being forced out of business.

Both Barrels Blazing
Durango's alter ego is a Texas Ranger investigating the theft of a gold shipment intended to go to needy families. A crooked town boss gets the gold and blames the theft on Durango.

Lawless Empire
Steve Ranson, as Durango, and a minister help homesteaders who are being driven off their property by outlaws.

Outlaws of the Rockies
Steve Williams is sheriff of a Western town. As Durango, he solves a bank robbery and breaks up a villain's control of the town.

The Return of the Durango Kid
Bill Blayden seeks to clear the name of his father, who was reputed to have been an outlaw. While in Silver City, he (as the Durango Kid) helps to prevent Buckskin Liz from losing her stage line to the saloon owner who runs the town.

Rustlers of the Badlands
Steve Lindsay, as Durango, and Tex Harding investigate rustling and murder in New Mexico.

Sagebrush Heroes
Steve Randall is Durango's alter ego. No synopsis available.

Texas Panhandle
Steve Bucker is Durango's alter ego. No synopsis available.

The Fighting Frontiersman
Steve Reynolds as Durango intervenes when a "prospector discovers a cache of gold in the Texas Hills."

Frontier Gunlaw
Jim Steart, as Durango, rounds up an outlaw gang that has been attacking ranches.

Galloping Thunder
Army investigator Steve Reynolds, as Durango, looks into who is preventing ranchers from delivering horses to the Army.

Gunning for Vengeance
Steve Landy is town marshal, but he uses his alter ego of Durango to go outside his jurisdiction to bring outlaws to justice.

Two-Fisted Stranger
Deputy Steve Gordon becomes sheriff when the previous sheriff is killed. He discovers a scam about supposed diamond mines and, as Durango, saves the day for the local people.

Buckaroo from Powder River
Durango goes into action to break up an outlaw gang's plans to print counterfeit government bonds.

The Lone Hand Texan
Source:

Steve Driscoll, as Durango, comes to the aid of an oil prospector when unscrupulous characters challenge his claim.

Riders of the Lone Star
Durango's alter ego is Steve Mason. A pair of Texas Rangers pursue an outlaw who wants to prevent a mine from re-opening.

West of Dodge City
Steve Ramsey, as Durango, foils the criminal activities of a land-grabber.

Blazing Across the Pecos
Steve Blake (Durango) intervenes when a gambler uses an Indian tribe to raid wagon trains and terrorize townspeople in his effort to take control of the town.

West of Sonora
Steve Rollins, as Durango, ends a feud between a little girl's two grandfathers.

Bandits of El Dorado
Steve, as Durango, pretends to kill a Texas Ranger, thus becoming a wanted man in order to find out how criminals are getting across the border.

Challenge of the Range
Durango intervenes to stop a range war as ranchers exchange accusations of breaking the law.

Desert Vigilante
A government agent's investigation involves both silver smuggling and the murder of a young woman's father.

Across the Badlands
Durango investigates attacks on a railroad's surveying crews.

Lightning Guns
Source: The American Western A Complete Film Guide

Streets of Ghost Town
Source:

Texas Dynamo
Steve Drake, as Durango, poses as a Texas gunman to defeat an outlaw gang.

Bonanza Town
Steve Ramsey, as Durango, finds an outlaw who was thought to be dead but is actually working with a corrupt citizen of the town.

Cyclone Fury
A rancher's murder arouses suspicion in an agent who is responsible for safe delivery of horses to the government.

The Kid from Amarillo
Steve Ransome as Durango "captures silver smugglers who are operating on the United States-Mexican border in 1890."

Ridin' the Outlaw Trail
Steve Forsyth as Durango "captures a Texas outlaw in the 1880s.

The Hawk of Wild River
Source: The American Western A Complete Film Guide

The Kid from Broken Gun
Steve Reynolds, as Durango, finds the real culprit when Jock Mahoney (as himself) is charged with murder.