Riders of Death Valley

Riders of Death Valley

The Saturday matinee crowd got two cowboy stars for the price of one in this lavishly budgeted western serial starring former singing cowboy Dick Foran and Buck Jones. The latter contributed deadpan humor to the proceedings, making Jones perhaps the highest paid B-western comedy relief in history. The two heroes defend the Death Valley borax miners from an outlaw gang headed by Wolf Reade. An extraordinarily strong cast -- for a serial, at least -- supported the stars, headed by Charles Bickford as Reade, Leo Carillo, Lon Chaney, Jr., and silent screen star Monte Blue. Leading lady Jeanne Kelly later changed her name to Jean Brooks and starred in the atmospheric RKO thriller The Seventh Victim (1943). Universal claimed to have spent $1 million on this serial and made sure to get their money's worth by endlessly recycling the action footage in serials and B-westerns for years to come.

Cast for Riders of Death Valley...

Dick Foran
Jim Benton
Leo Carrillo
Pancho Lopez
Buck Jones
Tombstone
Lon Chaney Jr.
Henchman Butch
Jean Brooks
Mary Morgan (as Jeanne Kelly)
James Blaine
Joseph Kirby
Monte Blue
Rance Davis
Glenn Strange
Tex, a Benton Rider
Roy Barcroft
Henchman Dirk
Jack Rockwell
Henchman Trigger
Ethan Laidlaw
Henchman Rusty
Richard Alexander
Henchman Pete Grump
Frank Austin
Chuckawalla Charlie Morgan [Ch. 1]
Charles Thomas
Rimrock [Ch. 4]
William Hall
Dan Gordon [Chs. 1, 8-10]
James Guilfoyle
Judge Knox [Chs. 2, 13-14]
Ernie Adams
Cactus Pete, Prospector [Ch.14]
Bob Burns
Miner in Saloon
Jerome Harte
Richards
Jimmie Lucas
Saloon Waiter
Bud Osborne
Stagecoach Driver
Tex Palmer
Wagon Driver
Ed Payson
Buck Hansen
Jack Perrin
Stage Guard
Alonzo Price
Mr. Wilson
Dick Rush
Saloon Waiter
Silver
Tombstone's Horse
Smoke
Jim's Horse
Richard Travis
Joe Miller
Slim Whitaker
Stable Owner
Ken Nolan
Cashier