Toll of the Desert
About Toll of the Desert
Billy survives an Indian attack that kills his mother, his father disappears, and Joe Carson adopts him. Grown, as Bill Carson, he stops a robbery of the Streeter stage and would rather finish law school and marry Jean Streeter than become Sheriff Jackson's deputy. On his twenty-first birthday, outlaw Tom Collins robs the party and shoots Joe. Bill is captured at the gang's valley hideout and drops a locket that tells Collins this is his son. Collins is hanged without telling Bill who he is.
Cast & crew
More about Toll of the Desert
The AFI Catalog credits direction to Lester Williams and lists a William Berke production, shot in early September 1935 and released November 1, 1935. Wikipedia credits William Berke as director and dates the release May 5, 1935. Miller Easton wrote the screenplay from Allen Hall's story. Ajax Pictures distributed it. AFI also names Astor Pictures. The PCA number is 1527. AFI gives the running time as 58 to 60 minutes.
Themes
Look
Robert E. Cline photographed the Western, including the valley hideout and the gallows.
Music
Lee Zahler was music director.
Notes
- Fred Kohler Jr. is Bill Carson, also called Bill Collins. Roger Williams is Tom Collins. Betty Mack is Jean Streeter. Earl Dwire is Joe Carson. Tom London is Sheriff Jackson. Ed Cassidy is Doc Streeter.
- AFI names the henchmen Mike and Carter. George Chesebro plays Carter, billed in one listing as One Eye. Ted Adams plays Teague, spelled Tegue in the AFI cast.
- Arthur A. Brooks edited. T. T. Triplett was sound recordist and Corson Jowett recording engineer.
- A full copy posted with the Wikipedia article runs 51 minutes 32 seconds.
Scenes
- Tom Collins shoots Joe Carson while robbing Bill's birthday party.
- Collins sees the locket and realizes the deputy is his son.
- Collins is led to the gallows without telling Bill.
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (Toll of the Desert (1935).webm)
