Ride Him, Cowboy (1932)
Ride Him, Cowboy (1932), directed by Fred Allen, starring John Wayne and Duke.
score
YIPEE! Here Come The Ridin', Fightin' King of the Range!
Synopsis
John Drury saves Duke, a wild horse accused of murder, and trains him. When he discovers that the real murderer, a bad guy known as The Hawk, is the town's leading citizen, Drury arrested on a fraudulent charge.
- Ted D. McCordCinematography
- Fred AllenDirector
- William ClemensEditing
- Leon SchlesingerProducer
About the film
Ride Him, Cowboy is a 1932 pre-Code Western film directed by Fred Allen for Warner Bros. Pictures, starring a 25-year-old John Wayne. Based on the 1923 novel of the same name by Kenneth Perkins, the film is a remake of The Unknown Cavalier, a 1926 silent Western starring Ken Maynard, with much stock footage from the original. The film was released as The Hawk in the U.K. It was the first film to be produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions, which is better known for its animated short film series Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies.
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Ride Him, Cowboy is a 1932 pre-Code Western film directed by Fred Allen for Warner Bros. Pictures, starring a 25-year-old John Wayne. Based on the 1923 novel of the same name by Kenneth Perkins, the film is a remake of The Unknown Cavalier, a 1926 silent Western starring Ken Maynard, with much stock footage from the original. The film was released as The Hawk in the U.K. It was the first film to be produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions, which is better known for its animated short film series Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies.
Plot
John Drury is passing through when townsfolk are about to kill Duke, a horse they believe to be dangerous. He convinces them to spare the animal if he can ride it. He does, earning the gratitude of Ruth Gaunt.
He then volunteers to deal with an outlaw known as the Hawk who has been terrorizing the area. Solid citizen Henry Simms volunteers to guide him to the Hawk's territory. But Simms is actually the Hawk and he ties Drury to a tree, leaving him to die. Simms then leads a raid on a ranch, kills a man, and plants Drury's harmonica at the scene. With the help of his horse Duke, Drury manages to free himself.
A group of vigilantes, believing that Drury is the Hawk, accuse him of murder and take him to face a hanging judge. Fortunately, Ruth shows up with the news that a wounded witness has regained consciousness and confirmed Drury's claim that Simms is the real bandit.
Simms's men burst in and hold everyone at gunpoint. Simms takes Ruth with him to his hideout, but Drury manages to escape and follow them. The posse overpowers Simms's henchmen and captures the rest of the gang. Simms and Drury fight; when Drury is distracted by the arrival of help, Simms knocks him out and tries to flee, only to run into the deadly hooves of an enraged Duke.
Cast
John Wayne as John Drury
Ruth Hall as Ruth Gaunt
Henry B. Walthall as John Gaunt
Otis Harlan as Judge E. Clarence "Necktie" Jones
Harry Gribbon as Deputy Sheriff Clout
Frank Hagney as Henry Simms / The Hawk
Murdock MacQuarrie as Doctor (uncredited)
Glenn Strange as Henchman (uncredited)
Box Office
According to Warner Bros records the film earned $164,000 domestically and $60,000 foreign.
See also
John Wayne filmography
References
External links
Ride Him, Cowboy at IMDb
Ride Him, Cowboy at the TCM Movie Database (archived)
Ride Him, Cowboy at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
Ride Him, Cowboy is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive
Text from Ride Him, Cowboy on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ride_Him,_Cowboy
Trivia
- It premiered on August 27, 1932, a Saturday.
- It runs 0h55 — short for a feature film.
- This film's quiz has 10 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.
Production
- StudiosWarner Bros. Pictures, Leon Schlesinger Productions
- CountriesUnited States
- LanguagesEnglish
- StatusReleased
Cast
-
John Wayne
John Drury - Duke Duke - Gaunt's Horse
-
Ruth Hall
Ruth Gaunt -
Henry B. Walthall
John Gaunt -
Otis Harlan
Judge E. Clarence 'Necktie' Jones -
Harry Gribbon
Deputy Sheriff Clout -
Frank Hagney
Henry Sims / The Hawk -
Chuck Baldra
Guitar Player (uncredited) -
Bob Burns
Vigilante Member (uncredited) - Edward Burns Jury Foreman (uncredited)
-
Fred Burns
Vigilante Member (uncredited) -
Edmund Cobb
Bob Webb (uncredited) -
Ben Corbett
Short Jury Member (uncredited) -
Jim Corey
Hawk Henchman on Sentry (uncredited) - Helen Dickson Townswoman at Dance with Clout (uncredited)
- Adabelle Driver Rancher's Wife (uncredited)
-
Frank Ellis
Hawk Henchman (uncredited) -
Frank Fanning
Sheriff Lem (uncredited) - William Gillis Townsman (uncredited)
- Tiny Jones Townswoman (uncredited)
Quiz about this movie
Questions from the whole catalogue.
Play nowIf you liked this one
-
Balas Que Não Erram
6.6
-
O Risco de uma Decisão
6.4
-
Nas Garras da Ambição
6.5
-
Sete Homens e Um Destino
7.5
-
O Anjo e o Bandido
6.4
-
O Rio da Aventura
6.6
-
Estranha Caravana
6.0
-
A Marca do Zorro
7.2
-
A Lenda do Zorro
6.1
-
...E o Bravo Ficou Só
6.7
-
Sangue na lua
6.2
-
Apache: O Último Bravo
6.0
Tags
Crew
- Ted D. McCord Cinematography
- Fred Allen Director
- William Clemens Editing
- Leon Schlesinger Producer
Questions about this film
What is Ride Him, Cowboy about?
Ride Him, Cowboy: John Drury saves Duke, a wild horse accused of murder, and trains him. When he discovers that the real murderer, a bad guy known as The Hawk, is the town's leading citizen, Drury arrested on a fraudulent charge.
Who directed Ride Him, Cowboy?
Ride Him, Cowboy was directed by Fred Allen in 1932.
Who stars in Ride Him, Cowboy?
The cast of Ride Him, Cowboy includes John Wayne, Duke, Ruth Hall, Henry B. Walthall and Otis Harlan.
How long is Ride Him, Cowboy?
Ride Him, Cowboy runs for 55 minutes, or 0h55.
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Page updated on 09/13/2026.
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