The Three Mesquiteers Trio Westerns of Republic Pictures

(From Old Corral collection)

(From Old Corral collection)

Bob Livingston was an important player at Republic in the late 1930s, and the studio had some other films for him to do, including THE LONE RANGER RIDES AGAIN serial (which was filmed in 1938 and released in early 1939). Republic needed someone to fill the Stony Brooke role.

In the early 1930s, John Wayne had done several Mascot serials as well as supporting roles and bit parts in a variety of pictures including some Tim McCoy and Buck Jones oaters.

His first starring westerns were at Warner Brothers for the 1932-33 release season. And during 1933-35, he was the hero in a batch of sagebrush adventures done under producer Paul Malvern's Lone Star banner and handled through Monogram Pictures.

That Wayne group continued for 1935-36, but had changed from Monogram to a Republic logo (as Monogram, Mascot, Consolidated Film Labs, et al had merged to form Republic Pictures in 1935, and Wayne and his series came along in the deal).

Around 1936, Wayne was promised some better roles in non-westerns and went to Universal, but those films were not very successful. In 1938, he returned to Republic where his tour as Mesquiteer Stony Brooke --- and the replacement for Bob Livingston --- consisted of 8 films for the 1938-39 release period.

There was no question that Wayne was the star --- note the size of his billing on the various lobby cards and poster images on the left.

The first half-dozen Waynes included Ray Corrigan and Max Terhune, followed by a pair with Corrigan and Raymond Hatton, who was the replacement for Terhune (more on the next page).

Terhune, who had appeared in twenty-one of the Mesquiteer yarns, exited the series and Republic when his contract wasn't renewed. He and Ray 'Crash' Corrigan became life-long friends and by 1940, both would be working for Monogram Pictures in the Range Busters trio westerns.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Burr Caruth, Lorna Gray (Adrian Booth), Bob McKenzie (sitting at desk), Kirby 'Sky King' Grant, John Wayne, Ray Corrigan, Sammy McKim, Elmer and Max Terhune in a scene from RED RIVER RANGE (Republic, 1938).

(From Old Corral collection)

Above from left to right are Max Terhune, John Wayne and Ray 'Crash' Corrigan.

(Courtesy of Minard Coons)

Above from left to right are Three Mesquiteers members Max Terhune, John Wayne and Ray Corrigan. Note Wayne's gunbelt and plain shirt, buttoned at the collar. You may be able to spot the zipper seam under Corrigan's left arm - that's how he got into that tight fittin' shirt.

(From Old Corral collection)

Above from left to right are Wayne, Louise Brooks, Terhune and Corrigan in this publicity still from OVERLAND STAGE RAIDERS (1938). Brooks was a full-fledged star and femme fatale in Hollywood silents and early talkies, but this Mesquiteers film was her last film.

(Courtesy of Minard Coons)

Above from left to right are John Wayne, William Farnum, Ray Corrigan and Max Terhune in a scene from SANTA FE STAMPEDE (Republic, 1938).

(Courtesy of Minard Coons)

L-to-R are Tom London, Max Terhune, John Wayne, and Ray 'Crash' Corrigan in SANTA FE STAMPEDE (Republic, 1938).

(From Old Corral collection)

Above is a 1953 re-release lobby card from the Three Mesquiteers THE NIGHT RIDERS (Republic, 1939). From left to right are Max Terhune, Ray Corrigan, John Wayne, Kermit Maynard, Ethan Laidlaw (kneeling), and grounded on the far right is Tom Tyler.

(From Old Corral collection)

Above from left to right are Wayne, Carole Landis, Billy Curtis, stuntman Jimmy Fawcette, Collette Lyons, Ray Corrigan and stuntman Dave Sharpe behind Corrigan in a still from the Three Mesquiteers film THREE TEXAS STEERS (Republic, 1939). Unknown who temporarily resides in the gorilla costume in this still - but it was Corrigan who played the ape role in the film. COME ON, COWBOYS! (Republic, 1937) was another circus themed Mesquiteers adventure, and Corrigan dons the ape suit in that one also.

Variant 4 - six films
John Wayne (as Stony Brooke) Ray Corrigan (as Tucson Smith) Max Terhune (as Lullaby Joslin)	PALS OF THE SADDLE (1938) OVERLAND STAGE RAIDERS (1938) SANTA FE STAMPEDE (1938) RED RIVER RANGE (1938) THE NIGHT RIDERS (1939) THREE TEXAS STEERS (1939)