| RIDIN' THE TRAIL got lost or misplaced during Spectrum's financial meltdown and collapse, and wound up being released in the early 1940s by independent distributor Arthur Ziehm. Dual roles for Fred: he's good guy "Jeff" and "Killer Dane" in MOONLIGHT ON THE RANGE; and he plays father and son in TWO GUN TROUBADOR. |
 De Luxe Pictures, Inc. was formed in mid 1936 by Jed Buell and George H. Callaghan for the Scott series for Spectrum. Buell and Callaghan produced the first nine (of thirteen) Scott oaters. Prolific director Sam Newfield (Sam Neufeld) helmed six of the nine.  Above is the 1938 organization chart for C. C. Burr's company which produced Fred Scott's last four westerns. Raymond K. Johnson was multi-functional, serving as Vice President, production supervisor (producer), and Johnson also directed those final four. |
 1937 trade ad for the first group of six westerns with Fred Scott, the "Silvery Voiced Baritone".  1938 trade ad for the second batch of six westerns with Fred Scott, now billed as the "Silvery Voiced Buckaroo" ... and with involvement from Stan Laurel's company. PARADISE VALLEY is one of the listed titles. It probably became IN OLD MONTANA.  1939 trade ad announcing Fred's third batch of six westerns for release in 1939 - 1940. Only RIDIN' THE TRAIL was completed. |
 Above - Carl Mathews circa 1942 |  | Doubling and stunting for Fred Scott was Carl Mathews (1903 - 1959), a prolific henchman in scores of westerns and serials. He also doubled Ray 'Crash' Corrigan in some of Republic's Three Mesquiteers and Monogram's Range Busters series. In the 1940s - early 1950s, Mathews was a resident gang member at Monogram and Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) doing villainy against Buster Crabbe, Bob Steele, Jack Randall, Lash LaRue, Eddie Dean, Johnny Mack Brown, Jimmy Wakely, Whip Wilson, the Range Busters, the Texas Rangers, more. His meatiest acting role occurs in Fred Scott's TWO-GUN TROUBADOR (Spectrum, 1939). Mathews is the main villain and gets a lot of dialog and screen time ... and he plays an older gent and doesn't wear his usual toupee. |
