Rating: - "Classic Western Collection ... Bob Steele ... VCI Home Video (2007)"
VCI Entertainment present "CLASSIC WESTERNS COLLECTION: BOB STEELE FOUR FEATURE" (238 mins/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- now in Glorious Black and White --- VCI presents four outstanding films in the genre of the Western --- relive those thrilling days from the early '30s and '40s when Bob Steele took us down the dusty trails with some of the best B-Westerns ever to grace the Saturday Matinee Screen --- just remember double the thrills, mystery and suspense --- hitting the bull's eye with excitement --- don't miss any of the Bob Steele features loaded with action that will leave you wanting more of his B-Western adventures --- Excellent cast of fine actors with George Gabby Hayes, Charles King, Earl Dwire, Harley Wood, Don Alvarado, Lois January, Joan Barclay, William Farnum, James Flavin, Lucille Browne and Ernie Adams --- outstanding directors Roy S. Luby, Robert Hill, Robert N. Bradbury and Lewis D. Collins take the helm of each oater.

The first of four Bob Steele westerns - "BORDER PHANTOM" (Released: 7 June 1937) (60 mins/B&W) --- this over the top Bob Steele western keeps you guessing from reel to reel...is there an ancient curse hanging over this Republic film, with Perry Murdock, Miki Morita, John Peters and Karl Hackett as the usual suspects --- can Steele stop this smuggling ring and bring the killer of Frank Ball to justice --- by the way, what does the term "Picture Girls or Bride" to do with wealthy Chinese bachelors --- has our heroine Harley Wood been accused of murder and fallen into the wrong hands with a jailbreak --- can Steele discover the secret room in the old ranch house in time to save the heroine and other young girls from a fate worst than death --- Horace Murphy is the bumbling sheriff that's constantly making a mess of things for Steele and the entire cast, will we finally find out the true identity of the "Border Phantom"...

Second feature - "A DEMON FOR TROUBLE" (Released: 10 August 1934) (58 mins/B&W), our story has Walter McGrail (Dyer) with an underhanded scheme of buying ranches and then killing the previous owner --- his henchman Perry Murdock and Blackie Whiteford are in wait as Nick Stuart (Buck Morton) passes by with the check he gave him --- Buck's sister is Gloria Shea (Lisa Morton) and she believes our hero Bob Steele has murdered her brother and stolen the money --- what part does the bandit Don Alvarado (Gallindo) and the sheriff Lafe McKee play in trapping the swindler McGrail...don't leave your seat you're about to discover the answer --- don't miss any of these over the top action pack thriller --- exciting Supreme Picture release was an above average oater, mainly because of the cast and good story line by Jack Natteford --- one of my all time favorite Bob Steele oaters.

In this third feature - "TRUSTED OUTLAW" (Released: 4 May 1937) (57 mins/B&W), Bob Steele rides the Republic Studio lot with Charles King and Earl Dwire in his gunsights...is $10,000 the bait for the payroll of the mine, can Steele give up his outlaw ways and go straight...what's this change of heart with Lois January for Charles King, will Joan Barclay win the affections of Bob Steele...final scene has the quick draw between Steele and Dwire, as the arm of Dwire is shattered by Steele's bullet, could have killed him but wanted to bring him in alive to keep his hands clean.....another great B-Western from Bob Steele under the Republic Picture banner, proves to be one of his most exciting performances --- great supporting cast Lois January, Joan Barclay, Earl Dwire, Charles King and Hal Price.

And the final oater - "BRAND OF HATE" (Released: 2 November 1934) (63 mins/B&W), our hero Bob Steele is in love and he is hanging around the ranch of Lucile Browne and her brother Mickey Rentschler --- everything is fine until George Hayes (Gabby as a villain) and his two sons James Flavin and Archie Ricks move in on the ranch and give William Farnum a rough time for being his relatives --- rustling and murder is their game and Bob Steele is smack dab in the middle --- is there blackmail afoote, will Farnum be left holding the basket --- don't miss any of this over the top action pack thriller --- this Supreme Picture release was an above average oater, mainly because of the cast and good story line by Jack Natteford.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BIOS:
1. Bob Steele (Robert Adrian Bradbury)
Birth Date: 1/23/1907 - Pendleton, Oregon
Died: 12/21/1988 - Burbank, CA.

Special footnote, actor Bob Steele was the son of director Robert N. Bradbury and the age of 14 he and his twin brother Bill Bradbury made a series of comedy shorts "Adventures of Bob and Bill" (1920), directed by their father...along came his first starring western "The Mojave Kid" (1927), released by Film Booking Office of America (FBO) and directed by his father, he changed his name to Bob Steele...making low budget B-Westerns for independent studios such as Republic, Supreme, Monogram and PRC which included nearly 200 feature films, serials and TV appearances...was in his twilight years at the age 59 when he got the part of the cantankerous "Trooper Duffy", in the western comedy series "F Troop" (1965), who at the drop of a hat would give his rendition of fighting "shoulder to shoulder with Davy Crockett at the Alamo"...Steele retired from the screen in 1973...his long career, spanning more than 50 years came to an end in 1988 when he passed away.

If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure check out other western double features with Bob Steele:

BOB STEELE WESTERN DOUBLE FEATURES:
1. Vol. 1 - Tombstone Terror/Lightnin' Crandall (VCI #7212) (DVD)
2. Vol. 2 - The Brand of Hate/Trusted Outlaw (VCI #7252) (DVD)
3. Vol. 3 - The Arizona Gunfighter/Last of the Warrens (VCI #7261) (DVD)
4. Vol. 4 - Gun Lords of Stirrup Basin'/The Feud Maker (VCI #7275) (DVD)
5. Vol. 5 - Border Phantom/A Demon For Trouble (VCI#7311) (DVD)

Ask Amazon.Com to carry the above Bob Steele titles
if they are not available as of yet...you can order
and pick up your copy now from VCI Entertainment.

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc), Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") and Trevor Scott (Down Under Com) as they have rekindled my interest once again for Film Noir, B-Westerns and Serials --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s and B-Westerns --- order your copy now from VCI or Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out VCI Entertainment where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns and Serials --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 238 mins on DVD ~ VCI Home Video. ~ (5/29/2007)

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