Friday, June 14, 2013

Chatsworth Movies -- The Terror Tiny Town


Some called it a masterpiece, some called it exploitation, everyone called it different.  "The Terror of Tiny Town" (1938) is a one-of-a-kind B-Western film produced by Jed Buell, directed by Sam Newfield, and it features 68 little people.


It's the world's only musical Western with an all-midget cast.  Many of the same actors were part of a performing troupe called Singer's Midgets, who also played Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz, released in 1939.

Most of the outdoor scenes were lensed on the Iverson and Brandeis ranches in Chatsworth, CA.


Plot

It's a predictable Western about a pretty ranch gal who is being terrorized by a gang of outlaws led by a black hatted villain (Little Billy Rhodes).  Eventually she is rescued by the towns-folks led by a hero dressed in white (Billy Curtis).  

If you sit back and let your sense of humor take over this zany tale will have you howling as you watch pint-sized buckaroos walk under saloon doors, gallop around on Shetland ponies, and blast away with small frame six-guns (more suitable for grandma). 


Cast

Billy Curtis as The Hero (Buck Lawson)
Yvonne Moray as The Girl (Nancy Preston)
Little Billy Rhodes as The Villain (Bat Haines)
Billy Platt as The Rich Uncle (Jim 'Tex' Preston)
John T. Bambury as The Ranch Owner (Pop Lawson)
Joseph Herbst as The Sheriff
Charlie Becker as The Cook (Otto)
Nita Krebs as The Vampire (Nita, the dance hall girl)
George Ministeri as The Blacksmith (Armstrong)
Karl Karchy Kosiczky as The Barber (Sammy)
Fern Formica as Diamond Dolly
William H. O'Docharty as The Old Soak
Jerry Maren as Townsperson
Clarence Swenson as Preacher

You can watch the entire movie on YouTube at


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