TELEVISION
About
Buck Jones stars as 'Montana' in this 15-episode Universal serial involving the land rush, gold mines, stolen maps, claim-jumping and other high-handed villainy occurring before Montana gets total control of the situation.
Related Subjects
Episodes
1 to 3 of 15
1. The Land Rush
20m
Montana Larkin and Jingle Bob Morgan, cowpunchers and partners, ride into new territory to join an impending land rush. They have with them a mail order catalogue, which contains a map giving the location of valuable mineral deposits, which they expect to secure by location at the time of the land rush. They stop overnight at the ranch of Jim Parker, where Montana saves Parkers daughter Mary from a wild horse. That night, the overtalkative Jingle Bob plays cards with a ranch foreman named Gillespie, who is jealous and suspicious of Montana, and reveals the secret of the map contained in the catalogue. Hank, Gillespie's aide, steals the map, copies it surreptitiously for Gillespie and returns it without being seen. Next morning, the two cowboys, Parker, Mary, the niece Ann Hardy, Gillespie and others from the ranch gather at the starting point of the land rush and Montana learns that Gillespie has a copy of the map. Montana and Jingle Bob realize that their only hope is to ride like the wind to the mineral deposits before Gillespie, but during the mad rush; Mary falls from her horse and Montana picks her up as he passes her on the run. At this moment, his horse falls over an unseen embankment and all the other horses, riders and wagons plunge after them.
2. The Torrent of Terror
20m
Montana helps Mary and the other victims of the accident to safety. Gillespie rides on to locate the claims and has filed on nine mineral claims by the time Jingle Bob and his friends arrive, and a general free-for-all fight is in progress when Mortana rides up with gun in hand. Gillespie offers to let Parker and Mary share in the property provided the daughter will marry him at once. Mary indignantly refuses, and Gillespie is discharged as ranch foreman. The Parkers, Jingle Bob and the others ride on to locate whatever property may be left. Going to Red Gulch to file their claims, they meet Clem, Jingle Bob's brother who reveals that the original map did not give the proper location of the mineral deposits, and they plan to file on the property in the morning. Learning of this, the Gillespie gang frames Montana for a murder charge, and he is placed in jail to await trial by Judge Brent. Red Gulch is wiped out in a great flood and the jail is torn from its foundation and carried tumbling and splintering into the whirlpool below.
3. Flaming Peril
19m
Escaping from the ruins of the jail, Montana joins Jingle Bob at the Parker ranch and the two plan to start out in search of Clem, who has been kidnapped by the Gillespie gang during the saloon fight and taken to a deserted ranch in Hidden Valley. Happy, a cowboy delegated by Parker to guide Montana and Jingle Bob to Auburn takes them instead toward the deserted ranch and the trio are ambushed by Gillespies men, only to be guided to safety by Mary, who has followed behind. Clem's guard, outnumbered, flee's, unseen and Montana discovers Clem is imprisoned in the cellar. Clem reveals that these men are the probable killers of Trask, the man Montana is accused of murdering. Gillespie and his men return. While three are defending the house against nine attackers in a gunfight, a fire starts from an overturned lamp and the flames quickly spread. Montana is hit by a bullet and falls back into the house, just as the flames reach the powder and an explosion blots out the scene.
4. Stampede
20m
The Gillespie band rides off with Clem who refuses to disclose the location of the gold deposits. Mary meets her father and several of his men, and all hasten to the Hidden Valley ranch, where Montana and Jingle Bob are emerging from the ruins. Steve, found wounded in the brush, confesses that the band killed Trask, the man Montana is accused of murdering. Marco Brett makes a deal with Gillespie, by terms of which the latter will "rustle" 100 steers from the Parker herd and deliver them to Brett. Montana, Jingle Bob and Parker go to Sicomore in search of Clem, and when Montana goes into a saloon to see Brett is overpowered and locked in a storeroom. Montana escapes just as Mary and Ann arrive in the town with the news that Gillespie and his gang are driving off the cattle. Riding with his friends to the scene of the outlaws, Montana's foot becomes entangled in a lariat attached to a rider less horse and the animal drags him into the path of the herd, stampeded by Gillespie's band.
5. Danger in the Dark
17m
Montana is saved from the stampeding herd by his horse, Silver. Fearing capture, Gillespie and his men withdraw hurriedly. Returned to the caves, Gillespie and Clem strike a bargain, though neither intends to keep it. Clem agrees to point out the location of the gold deposits. Montana and Jingle Bob overtake the Gillespie band, a free-for-all fight ensues and the horse beating Clem runs away. Montana starts in pursuit, and Clem's horse plunges down a shale bank, followed by Montana on Silver. The Gillespie band speeds after them but are fooled by the shale bank and ride unheedingly past. Gillespie and his gang that evening take possession of the bunkhouse on the Parker ranch. Montana, not realizing their presence there, walks into the trap but smashes the lamp when he senses the presence of his enemies. Shots from the raider's guns streak out through the darkness.
6. Death Rides the Plains
19m
Montana escapes, Steve overhears and reports that Gillespie and Brett are planning to attack a wagon train at Lizzard creek owned by Bill Hardy, brother-in-law of Parker. Ann's father, Blackie, a rascall's freighter, reveals that Hardy has been wounded and rides in one of the wagons. Gillespie and his band enlist the help of Dave Turpin and his outlaws, while Montana and the others ride to the rescue of the Hardy train. The wagon which bears Hardy pushes on without stopping for water at Lizzard Creek. Montana rides after it and it is decided that this wagon must rejoin the others at Lizzard Creek to secure a much-needed supply of water. Turpin refuses to give water to the traveler's, but Montana stampedes the saddle horses of the outlaws and is assisted by his companions in stocking up the wagons with barrels of water. The wagon train starts across the plain at a mad run with the outlaws in pursuit, but a powder keg staves off the attack for the time being. Blackie captures the ammunition wagon. He throws a keg of exploding powder in front of the wagon now driven by Montana and wagon and outriders are apparently destroyed.
Extended Details
- SeriesRoaring West
- Closed CaptionsEnglish