Main Cast: Tim McCoy, Nora Lane, Kenne Duncan, Lee Prather, Harry Harvey
Release Year: 1940
Run Time: 59 minutes
Plot
The first of eight Tim McCoy Westerns for ultra low-budget Producers' Distributing Corp./Producers Releasing Corp., Texas Renegades features the veteran star as "Silent" Tim Smith, "the greatest lawman of them all." When the good folks of Rawhide find themselves terrorized by a mysterious gang of outlaws, leading citizen Jim Bates (Lee Prather) suggests the forming of a vigilante committee. Bates, however, is opposed by pretty rancher Ruth Brand (Nora Lane) and her foreman, Bill Willis (Kenne Duncan), who secretly sends for Silent and his sidekick, Noisy (Harry Harvey). Hoping to reveal the identity of the brain behind the terror, Silent arrives in the disguise of Lefty Higgins, a notorious outlaw, but things get complicated when the real Higgins (Earl Gunn) suddenly shows up. His cover blown, Silent has a hard time convincing Ruth of his true intentions, but manages in the end to unmask Bates as the secret leader of the outlaws. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
Review
Although a far cry from Tim McCoy's silent Westerns for MGM, Texas Renegades is a fairly entertaining little sagebrush thriller that benefits from a couple of good performances in the supporting roles. A veteran B-Western leading lady, Nora Lane is as beautiful as ever and Harry Harvey is surprisingly tolerable as the comedy relief. Sam Newfield, who billed himself Peter Stewart for the occasion, directs in his usual economic manner, and Jack Greenhalgh's photography is less murky than some of PRC's notorious later efforts. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
