The Telegraph Trail

(1933)

54 minutes

Western
 
Directed by Tenny Wright

Cast:

John Wayne as John Trent
Frank McHugh as Corporal Tippy
Marceline Day as Alice Keller
Otis Harlan as Uncle Zeke Keller
Albert J. Smith as Gus Lynch
Yakima Canutt as High Wolf
Lafe McKee as Lafe

John Trent and Corporal Tippy are sent out to investigate Indian attacks on a team of men working on establishing a nationwide telegraph system.  During the last attack one of the workers sent a message out that a white man was behind the attacks, giving Trent a valuable clue.  It turns out that Gus Lynch, who controls the shipping business in the area, is afraid that the telegraph will disrupt his business and is behind the attacks.  The only other person who knows this is beautiful Alice, who Lynch has been trying to wed.

Notes:

Western Union Telegraph lent the studio antique telegraph equipment to film The Telegraph Trail.

A scene from The Telegraph Trail is shown to James Cagney's character Chester Kent as an example of talking pictures in the film Footlight Parade.

“The Telegraph Trail” was the last of six 'B' westerns produced by Warner Bros. Pictures for the 1932-1933 season starring John Wayne. As so many of Wayne's early Westerns do, this film features the amazing stunt work of Yakima Canutt, one of the all time greats.

Directed by Tenny Wright

Cinematography by Ted D. McCord

Edited by William Clemens

Written by Kurt Kempler

Produced by: Sid Rogell, Leon Schlesinger

Production Companies were Leon Schlesinger Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures

Primary Filming Locations were Lone Pine, California and Sonora, California