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B Western Badmen

© Tim Lasiuta

B Western Badman Round Up

My good friend and saddle pal, Bobby Copeland, has had a unique view of 'B' Western history. As the chronicler of many discussion panels, and writer of note, he has been an outstanding voice and advocate for the preservation of the 'real' history of the western.

Previous books by Bobby that I have read (and reviewed) include 'B Western Boot Hill', and 'Silent Hoofbeats.' Both are excellent examples of scholarly research presented in an entertaining manner. As Hollywood has been known to stretch the truth, Bobby has uncovered and clarified public relationisms such as birthdates, and places with enthusiasm.

The same is true of two of his recent books. One of the strange phenomena that occur at film festivals is that of spontaneous applause. Not necessarily when the hero kisses the girl (or horse), or even when the evil plan is thwarted either. But rather, when their favourite villain does battle with the film hero. When Charles King, Roy Barcroft, Harry Wood, appear on film, cheers errupt. Why? Because, as loved as the hero is, you can count on the fact that the villain and his henchmen are also loved. The other is that the worse the character on film, the more likeable and generally down to earth the star is.

With that in mind, Bobby has tackled two of the most hated (loved?) film villains of all time, Roy Barcroft and Charles King. As usual with Empire releases, production quality is high, and the books are designed to sit by your TV as you watch your favourite oater on DVD. Pricewise, they are affordable at under $20, and belong in every film fans library.

Roy Barcroft, King of the Badmen

As a young man, I discovered the world of Republic B Westerns during university. The late, late, late show would feature two hours of serial chapters, a classic western, and usually a short. The films were a gateway into a world that I am still exploring, and wish that I could have experienced firsthand. What I distinctly remember is a tall, mean looking bad guy who always bested the hero in their first fight, but lost the second. And, in true B Western fashion, he always returned in the next film! He must have appeared in thousands of films I remember thinking.

After reading Bobby's book, I now know that his appearances were many less than that, a mere 322 by my count, not including his TV shots. Bobby has covered the life, the career and given us fans a view from both sides of Roy Barcroft. Comments by Roy, comments about Roy, and a biographical piece by him are included in this tome. A detailed filmography, and an excellent photo section courtesy of Neil Sumners round out the 'life' of Roy Barcroft. The introduction by Monte Hale is welcome, and adds a great dimension to the book.