 |  | The Three Mesquiteers Republic Pictures 51 films released from 1936 - 1943 |
 (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from left to right are Tom Tyler, Rufe Davis and Bob Steele in the title lobby card from RAIDERS OF THE RANGE (Republic, 1942). |
| Variant 8 - seven films | |
| Bob Steele (as Tucson Smith) Tom Tyler (as Stony Brooke) Rufe Davis (as Lullaby Joslin) | OUTLAWS OF CHEROKEE TRAIL (1941) GAUCHOS OF EL DORADO (1941) WEST OF CIMARRON (1941) CODE OF THE OUTLAW (1942) RAIDERS OF THE RANGE (1942) WESTWARD HO (1942) THE PHANTOM PLAINSMEN (1942) |
 (From Old Corral collection) Above from left to right are Tom Tyler, Rufe Davis and Bob Steele. |
| Tom Tyler had been out of series westerns since starring in eight quickies for Sam Katzman's Victory Pictures for the 1936-37 season. Then came various supporting roles and bit parts in films like GONE WITH THE WIND and John Ford's DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK. He was also wrapped in gauze as Kharis in THE MUMMY'S HAND (Universal, 1940). Probably one of Tyler's most memorable supporting roles is that of Luke Plummer, who falls flat on his face in the saloon after being gunned down by John Wayne in the closing minutes of STAGECOACH. Tyler wound up at Republic as the star of THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL (1941) serial, which many consider to be the finest of the genre. The studio needed a replacement for Bob Livingston. Tyler had done a nice job in MARVEL ... he was still youthful, good looking and an imposing figure ... and he was a known cowboy star. Plus his price was very reasonable as he had received $250.00 per week for four weeks of effort on the cliffhanger. And so, Tyler signed a term player's contract(s) with Republic for the period July 8, 1941 through July 7, 1943. His initial salary was $150.00 per week with a raise to $200.00 weekly in year two. Top billing in this new Mesquiteers grouping went to Bob Steele, with Tyler billed second. | |  (From Old Corral collection) Above - Tyler as Captain Marvel. |
 (From Old Corral collection) Above from left to right are Tom Tyler, Rufe Davis, Lois Collier and Bob Steele in a lobby card from the Three Mesquiteers adventure OUTLAWS OF THE CHEROKEE TRAIL (Republic, 1941). Lois Collier did a fair amount of B films and some TV work, and was the girlfriend to BOSTON BLACKIE in that early 1950s TV series which starred Kent Taylor. Collier was frequently employed by Republic Pictures. She was the female lead in THE FLYING DISC MAN FROM MARS (1950) serial and the heroine in seven Mesquiteers adventures: OUTLAWS OF CHEROKEE TRAIL (1941), GAUCHOS OF ELDORADO (1941), WEST OF CIMARRON (1941), RAIDERS OF THE RANGE (1942), WESTWARD HO (1942), THE PHANTOM PLAINSMEN (1942) and SANTA FE SCOUTS (1943). |
