Discover
The Boy from Oklahoma is a 1954 Western movie directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Will Rogers, Jr. The film became the basis for the 1957 Warner Bros. television series Sugarfoot, in which Will Hutchins replaced Rogers as lead character Tom Brewster. The movie features Lon Chaney, Jr. and includes one of future TV talk show host Merv Griffin's few theatrical film roles. In the movie version, Rogers as Brewster substitutes facility with a twirling rope, similar to Will Rogers, Sr.'s, for the usual unerring speed and accuracy with firearms typically found in cinematic cowboy heroes.
Three of the original cast members from the movie, Louis Jean Heydt, Sheb Wooley, and Slim Pickens, were transplanted directly into the subsequent TV show's pilot, "Brannigan's Boots," playing their roles from the movie; the first episode of Sugarfoot follows the film's script fairly faithfully. Dennis Hopper succeeded James Griffith as Billy the Kid in the television version, Merry Anders took over the part of Katie Brannigan from Nancy Olson, and Chubby Johnson replaced Wallace Ford as Wally Higgins for the small screen.
Reviewing the DVD release in 2013, Gene Triplett of The Oklahoman called the film an "amiable oater" with a plot that "may sound like potential corn on the cob to some" but turns out to be "unexpectedly well-crafted entertainment".
Original Release
02/24/1954
US Release
02/24/1954
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Will Rogers Jr. | Sheriff Tom Brewster |
Nancy Olson | Katie Brannigan |
Lon Chaney Jr. | Crazy Charlie (as Lon Chaney) / Crazy Charlie |
Anthony Caruso | Barney Turlock |
Wallace Ford | Walter "Wally" Higgins / Wally Higgins |
Clem Bevans | Amiel "Pop" Pruty / Pop Pruty |
Merv Griffin | Steve |
Louis Jean Heydt | Paul Evans |
Sheb Wooley | Pete Martin |
Slim Pickens | Shorty |
Directors
Writers
Michael Fessier, Frank Davis, Winston Miller
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Will Rogers Jr. | Sheriff Tom Brewster |
Nancy Olson | Katie Brannigan |
Lon Chaney Jr. | Crazy Charlie (as Lon Chaney) / Crazy Charlie |
Anthony Caruso | Barney Turlock |
Wallace Ford | Walter "Wally" Higgins / Wally Higgins |
Clem Bevans | Amiel "Pop" Pruty / Pop Pruty |
Merv Griffin | Steve |
Louis Jean Heydt | Paul Evans |
Sheb Wooley | Pete Martin |
Slim Pickens | Shorty |
Tyler MacDuff | Billy the Kid |
James Griffith | Joe Downey |
Fred Aldrich | Townsman |
Emile Avery | Prisoner |
John Barton | Townsman |
Oscar Blank | Townsman |
Monte Blue | Townsman |
Danny Borzage | Townsman |
Rudy Bowman | Townsman |
Paul Bradley | Party Guest |
Producers
Name | Role |
---|
David Weisbart | Producer |