The Three Mesquiteers

"The Three Mesquiteers" is the umbrella title for a series of 51 western B-movies released between 1936 and 1943, including 8 films starring John Wayne. The name was a play on "The Three Musketeers", and each film featured a trio of stars.

The series was based on a series of western novels by William Colt MacDonald, which began with "Law of the .45's" in 1933. [ [http://www.b-westerns.com/trio3m.htm B-Westerns] , retrieved 14 November 2007]

The series blended the traditional Western period with more modern elements, which was not unknown with other B-Western films and serials. Towards the end of the series, during World War II, the trio of cowboys were opposing Nazis.

The Mesquiteers

The cast list varied but also focussed on a trio of cowboys. The members of this trio over the entire series were:
*Ralph Byrd as Larry Smith (1 film, replacing an injured Bob Livingston during shooting)
*Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Tucson Smith (24 films)
*Rufe Davis as Lullaby Joslin (14 films)
*Jimmie Dodd as Lullaby Joslin (6 films)
*Bob Livingston as Stony Brooke (29 films)
*Raymond Hatton as Rusty Joslin (9 films)
*Duncan Renaldo as Rico Rinaldo (7 films)
*Syd Saylor as Lullaby Joslin (1 film)
*Bob Steele as Tucson Smith (20 films)
*Max Terhune as Lullaby Joslin (21 films)
*Tom Tyler as Stony Brooke (13 films)
*John Wayne as Stony Brooke (8 films)

Stars in supporting roles at various times included:
*Yakima Canutt
*Hoot Gibson
*Tom London
*Roy Rogers

Reception

The "Three Mesquiteers" series was extremely popular at the time of its release. The series was the only one of its kind to be specifically named and ranked in contemporary polls of the top western film stars. For example, from 1937 to the end of the series in 1943, The "Motion Picture Herald" consistently ranked the series in its top ten, reaching a peak of 5th place in 1938, when a pre-"Stagecoach" John Wayne was the series lead. [http://www.b-westerns.com/trio3m2.htm B-Westerns] , retrieved 14 November 2007]

Influence

The success of the series led to many imitators at other studios. The first was "The Range Busters" (1940-1943) from Monogram Pictures which starred original Mesquiteer Ray "Crash" Corrigan as the character "Crash" Corrigan. Monogram also released "The Rough Riders" (1941-1942), again poaching a Mesquiteer in the form of Raymond Hatton, and "The Trail Blazers" (1943-1944). Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) produced two similar series, "The Texas Rangers" (1942-1945) and "The Frontier Marshals" (1942).

The films

Republic Pictures produced 51 "Three Mesquiteers" films between 1936 and 1943:

* "The Three Mesquiteers" (1936)
* "Ghost Town Gold" (1936)
* "Roarin' Lead" (1936)
* "Riders of the Whistling Skull" (1937)
* "Hit the Saddle" (1937)
* "Gunsmoke Ranch" (1937)
* "Come On, Cowboys !" (1937)
* "Range Defenders" (1937)
* "Heart of the Rockies" (1937)
* "The Trigger Trio" (1937)
* "Wild Horse Rodeo" (1937)
* "The Purple Vigilantes" (1938)
* "Call the Mesquiteers" (1938)
* "Outlaws of Sonora" (1938)
* "Riders of the Black Hills" (1938)
* "Heroes of the Hills" (1938)
* "Pals of the Saddle" (1938)
* "Overland Stage Raiders" (1938)
* "Santa Fe Stampede" (1938)
* "Red River Range" (1938)
* "The Night Riders" (1939)
* "Three Texas Steers" (1939)
* "Wyoming Outlaw" (1939)
* "New Frontier" (1939)
* "The Kansas Terrors" (1939)
* "Cowboys From Texas" (1939)
* "Heroes of the Saddle" (1940)
* "Pioneers of the West" (1940)
* "Covered Wagon Days" (1940)
* "Rocky Mountain Rangers" (1940)
* "Oklahoma Renegades" (1940)
* "Under Texas Skies" (1940)
* "The Trail Blazers" (1940)
* "Lone Star Raiders" (1940)
* "Prairie Pioneers" (1941)
* "Pals of the Pecos" (1941)
* "Saddlemates" (1941)
* "Gangs of Sonora" (1941)
* "Outlaws of Cherokee Trail" (1941)
* "Gauchos of El Dorado" (1941)
* "West of Cimarron" (1941)
* "Code of the Outlaw" (1942)
* "Raiders of the Range" (1942)
* "Westward Ho" (1942)
* "The Phantom Plainsmen" (1942)
* "Shadows On the Sage" (1942)
* "Valley of Hunted Men" (1942)
* "Thundering Trails" (1943)
* "The Blocked Trail" (1943)
* "Santa Fe Scouts" (1943)
* "Riders of the Rio Grande" (1943)

References

External links

*imdb title|0028372
* [http://members.shaw.ca/callag/meslist.html A list of the films]
* [http://www.b-westerns.com/trio3m.htm The Three Mesquiteers at B-Westerns]