During the golden age of Hollywood, westerns were everywhere. Mascot, MGM, Monogram, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Columbia, PRC, Allied, Republic, Fox, Universal and many other studios produced the films that B Western fans of all ages love. As with any film genre, every studio was responsible for their good material, as well as their poor efforts. Strangely enough, it is not just the 'A' class films we remember, but rather the 'B' grade films that we have a soft spot for.
The excellence of films like 'Sante Fe Trail', 'Stagecoach', 'Destry Rides Again', and 'Shane' is obvious, but film festivals revel in the misadventures of the many series films. 'Stagecoach' will bring them in, but look out, the true fans stay for the Rocky Lane, Lash Larue, Monte Hale, Bob Baker, the Three Mesquiteers, and the classic western movie serials.
Universal Studios was a major player in the western film genre from the early days of Hollywood through to today. Joining the fray to produce sound films, they took silent stars Hoot Gibson and Ken Maynard in 1929, and by 1930, every Universal film was full sound, from dialog to special effects. As reward for their efforts, 'All Quiet On the Western Front' won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and from that point on, Carl Laemmle was running the studio.
Due to the departure of Gibson and Maynard from their stable of stars, Carl Laemmle discontinued the production of westerns. Movie serials had now become the bread and butter of the studio, and serials like Lightning Express with Allan Ladd and The Indians Are Coming with Tim McCoy brought the kids in. By 1932, the western was in demand again, and Tom Mix joined the studio to produce 9 films. Poor health forced Mix to leave Universal, and Ken Maynard again joined Universal until Buck Jones was named the next King of the Stable after Maynard departed. Bob Baker headlined the musical western Universal entries but his presence and low production values weren't quite what audiences demanded. By 1936, Gene Autry had become THE singing cowboy, and later Roy Rogers (whom Universal passed on), was about to make his mark on history. Through the mid 30's, western serials starring Johnny Mack Brown and Buck Jones kept Universal in the western fans mind.
1939 brought the classic remake, 'Destry Rides Again' with Stewart and Dietrich to the screens, and with this momentum, they re-entered the medium budget western market with Johnny Mack Brown, Tex Ritter, and Dick Foran riding shot until 1943. Universal still produced western serials, and movies with Ritter, Brown, Grant and Rod Cameron until their merger with International in 1946.
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