Custer's Last Stand (serial)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Custer's Last Stand
Theatrical release poster
Directed byElmer Clifton
Screenplay byGeorge Arthur Durlam
Eddie Granemann
William Lively
Story byGeorge Arthur Durlam
Eddie Granemann
William Lively
Produced byLouis Weiss
StarringRex Lease
Lona Andre
William Farnum
Ruth Mix
Jack Mulhall
CinematographyBert Longenecker
Edited byGeorge M. Merrick
Holbrook N. Todd
Music byHal Chasnoff
Distributed byStage & Screen Productions
Release dates
January 2, 1936
April 3, 1936 (film)
Running time
15 chapters (328 min)
84 min (film)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Custer's Last Stand is a 1936 American film serial based on the historical Custer's Last Stand at the Little Bighorn River. It was directed by Elmer Clifton, and starred Rex Lease, William Farnum and Jack Mulhall. It was produced by the Poverty Row studio Stage & Screen Productions, which went bust shortly afterwards as a victim of the Great Depression. This serial stars many famous and popular B-Western actors as well as silent serial star Helen Gibson playing Calamity Jane, Frank McGlynn Jr. as General Custer, and Allen Greer as Wild Bill Hickok.

In April of the same year, the serial was edited into an 84-minute feature film, which was released under the same name.

Plot overview[edit]

The serial follows multiple plot threads, centering on a Medicine Arrow taken in battle and a secret gold mine, in the lead up to the Battle of Little Big Horn.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

Commenting on the plot, Cline notes that this serial contains several historical characters in a purely fictitious setting. "The story rambled through a series of loosely connected plots and sub plots" leading to Little Big Horn.[1]

Stunts[edit]

Release[edit]

Theatrical[edit]

Custer's Last Stand was well received by action fans, regardless of its historical inaccuracies.[1]

Chapter titles[edit]

  1. Perils of the Plains
  2. Thundering Hoofs [sic]
  3. Fires of Vengeance
  4. The Ghost Dancers
  5. Trapped
  6. Human Wolves
  7. Demons of Disaster
  8. White Treachery
  9. Circle of Death
  10. Flaming Arrow
  11. Warpath
  12. Firing Squad
  13. Red Panthers
  14. Custer's Last Ride
  15. The Last Stand

Source:[2]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Cline, William C. (1984). "3. The Six Faces of Adventure". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 39. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
  2. ^ Cline, William C. (1984). "Filmography". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 217. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.

External links[edit]