Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) and their Cowboy Trio Westerns (original) (raw)

	The Frontier Marshals 6 Films released in 1942

	From L-to-R, George Chesebro, Bill 'Cowboy Rambler' Boyd, Art Davis with a neck hold on an unknown player, and Lee Powell on the stairs.

The members of the Frontier Marshals:

Bill 'Cowboy Rambler' Boyd (1910 - 1977) (real name: William Lemuel Boyd) Audrey 'Art' Davis (1913 - 1987) Lee Berrien 'Lone Ranger' Powell (1908 - 1944)

Most movie buffs and critics feel that B-westerns from Republic Pictures are the best of the genre. Columbia and Universal also had some good oater series. On a lesser scale came Monogram Pictures, and lower still was a small Gower Gulch company named PRC (Producers Releasing Corporation).

Formed in the late 1930s, and initially named PDC (Producers Distributing Corporation), PRC tried to make a buck competing with these more upscale production companies. In most cases, their films were relegated to the smaller, independent movie houses, and to second feature status on a twin bill. During the ten or so years that PDC/PRC was in existence, it's most memorable cowboys stars were Al 'Lash' LaRue and Buster Crabbe (and both used Al 'Fuzzy' St. John as their sidekick). Around 1947 or so, PRC disappeared when it was merged (absorbed) by the Eagle-Lion film company. A few years later, Eagle-Lion was absorbed into United Artists.

Western series with triple heroes was the rage during the early 1940s. Republic had the Three Mesquiteers, and Monogram Pictures had two --- Buck Jones, Tim McCoy and Ray Hatton as the Rough Riders, and the Range Busters with Ray 'Crash' Corrigan, John 'Dusty' King and Max 'Alibi' Terhune. PRC wanted a triple threat also.

Whoever settled on two of the three Frontier Marshals' leads made a mistake. A western singer named Bill 'Cowboy Rambler' Boyd got top billing (he was not the William Boyd of Hopalong Cassidy fame). Boyd was a western singer, and ultimately recorded over 200 records for Bluebird (Victor). Western troubador Art Davis, who had records for Victor and Columbia, wound up as the rotund second lead. Relegated to the third lead spot was Lee Powell, the original cinema 'masked man of the plains' in Republic's 1938 THE LONE RANGER serial. He was also the star of Republic's cliffhanger THE FIGHTING DEVIL DOGS (1938). Three plus years after starring in these great serials, Powell found himself near rock-bottom, laboring at the Poverty Row portals of PRC.

PRC's production shortcomings and minimal budgets couldn't be overcome. Additionally, the three prairie pals had no charisma together, and Boyd and Davis weren't hero material. And there was too much singin' and not enough ridin', ropin', brawlin' and shootin'! After six entries, the Frontier Marshals disappeared ... and the fans didn't seem to notice or care.

PRC would quickly re-think their trio western approach, and a new group called 'The Texas Rangers' would ride onto the silver screen in late 1942. Scuttlebutt was that PRC was considering the pairing of Art Davis and Dave O'Brien for the Texas Rangers series. If true, this never came to pass as Davis went into the military for WWII duty.

While B-western fans fondly remember the Mesquiteers, Range Busters and Trail Blazers, few recall the Frontier Marshals series from PRC.

Ultimately, Boyd and Davis returned to their western singing, tours and records. For Lee Powell, the Frontier Marshals was the end of his brief Hollywood career. Two years later, in July, 1944, Marine Sergeant Lee Powell lost his life on Tinian in the Marianas Islands. Click here for more info on Lee Powell.

Above, Ted Adams (left) is all tied up in this discussion with Lee Powell. Powell looks like he's wearing a shirt patterned after those worn by Gene Autry.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Kermit Maynard, Art Davis and John Merton in PRAIRIE PALS (PRC, 1942).