The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again
Encyclopedia
The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again starring Walter Brennan
and Fred Astaire
is a 1970 ABC Movie of the Week
sequel to the Western
comedy
The Over-the-Hill Gang
. The supporting cast includes Edgar Buchanan
, Andy Devine
, Chill Wills
, Lana Wood
, and Burt Mustin
(all of whom, except Wood, were in The Over-the-Hill Gang). Like the 1969 original, the sequel
involves aging Texas Rangers and was written by Richard Carr and directed by George McCowan
.
... Nash Crawford
Fred Astaire
... The Baltimore Kid
Edgar Buchanan
... Jason Fitch
Andy Devine
... Amos Polk
Chill Wills
... Gentleman George Asque
Paul Richards ... Sam Braham
Lana Wood
... Katie Flavin
Parley Baer
... Waco Mayor
Walter Burke
... Mac aka Tom - Waco Stableman
Lillian Bronson ... Mrs. Louise Murphy
Jonathan Hole ... Parson
Burt Mustin
... Best Man
Don Wilbanks ... Bar X Cowboy
Pepper Martin ... Drifter
Nash gives George a telegram which says they should go to Waco because former partner The Baltimore Kid (Fred Astaire) is in trouble. It is signed "Friend".
Scene changes to Jason Fitch's (Edgar Buchanan) wedding to Louise Murphy (Lillian Bronson). Couple of moments later, George and Nash come to take Jason with them to Waco and they convince him shouting the ranger code "Brazors!". Jason promises Louise he will return and leaves with his friends.
As they arrive to Waco, they find out "Friend" was Amos Polk, a former outlaw, now a newspaper man. Polk takes them to Baltimore Kid's grave. It's unclear why Polk called them, but he shows Kid's wallet to them in which is a note where Kid leaves that to his comrades when he dies. The four go to the saloon for a whiskey, where they meet a drunk who looks very familiar to Baltimore Kid. They take him to newspaper office where he tells he was a Texas ranger once. The group is now sure he is Baltimore Kid.
Kid puts some elegant clothes, new gun and gravestone is removed. Kid becomes the Waco City Marshall and rangers his deputies.
Now it's clear that the bandit who killed marshall and his deputies is a fake one. The gang of Sam Braham returns to Waco to kill real Baltimore Kid. At the end of the film, a large gunfight is at the streets of Waco and rangers win against the outlaws, but Kid is shot and dead. Citizens of Waco bury Kid and ranger leave. But, at the end of the town alive Baltimore Kid is waiting and all of them go with Jason Fitch who has to marry.
Walter Brennan
Walter Brennan was an American actor. Brennan won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor on three separate occasions, which is currently the record for most wins.-Early life:...
and Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
is a 1970 ABC Movie of the Week
ABC Movie of the Week
The ABC Movie of the Week is a weekly television anthology series, featuring made-for-TV movies, that aired on the ABC network in various permutations from 1969 to 1975.-History:...
sequel to the Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
The Over-the-Hill Gang
The Over-the-Hill Gang
The Over-the-Hill Gang is a 1969 TV-movie Western comedy about aging Texas Rangers starring Walter Brennan and Pat O'Brien. Chill Wills, Edgar Buchanan, Andy Devine, and Jack Elam play supporting roles...
. The supporting cast includes Edgar Buchanan
Edgar Buchanan
Edgar Buchanan was an American actor with a long career in both film and television, most familiar today as Uncle Joe Carson from the Petticoat Junction, Green Acres and The Beverly Hillbillies television sitcoms of the 1960s...
, Andy Devine
Andy Devine
Andrew Vabre "Andy" Devine was an American character actor and comic cowboy sidekick known for his distinctive raspy voice.-Early life:...
, Chill Wills
Chill Wills
Chill Theodore Wills was an American film actor, and a singer in the Avalon Boys Quartet.-Biography:Wills was born in Seagoville, Texas in 1902. He was a performer from early childhood, forming and leading the Avalon Boys singing group in the 1930s...
, Lana Wood
Lana Wood
Lana Wood is an American actress and producer. She was born to Russian émigré parents, Nikolai and Maria Zakharenko, and is the younger sister of the late actress Natalie Wood. Her first major role was at age 9 in the John Wayne western The Searchers. She was a regular on the soap opera Peyton Place...
, and Burt Mustin
Burt Mustin
Burton Hill "Burt" Mustin was an American character actor.-Early life:Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to W. I. and Sadie Mustin, Mustin was a 1903 graduate of the Pennsylvania Military College , earning his degree in civil engineering...
(all of whom, except Wood, were in The Over-the-Hill Gang). Like the 1969 original, the sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
involves aging Texas Rangers and was written by Richard Carr and directed by George McCowan
George McCowan
George McCowan was a Canadian film and TV director in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.McCowan began his career working for the Canadian Broadcasting Company...
.
Cast
Walter BrennanWalter Brennan
Walter Brennan was an American actor. Brennan won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor on three separate occasions, which is currently the record for most wins.-Early life:...
... Nash Crawford
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
... The Baltimore Kid
Edgar Buchanan
Edgar Buchanan
Edgar Buchanan was an American actor with a long career in both film and television, most familiar today as Uncle Joe Carson from the Petticoat Junction, Green Acres and The Beverly Hillbillies television sitcoms of the 1960s...
... Jason Fitch
Andy Devine
Andy Devine
Andrew Vabre "Andy" Devine was an American character actor and comic cowboy sidekick known for his distinctive raspy voice.-Early life:...
... Amos Polk
Chill Wills
Chill Wills
Chill Theodore Wills was an American film actor, and a singer in the Avalon Boys Quartet.-Biography:Wills was born in Seagoville, Texas in 1902. He was a performer from early childhood, forming and leading the Avalon Boys singing group in the 1930s...
... Gentleman George Asque
Paul Richards ... Sam Braham
Lana Wood
Lana Wood
Lana Wood is an American actress and producer. She was born to Russian émigré parents, Nikolai and Maria Zakharenko, and is the younger sister of the late actress Natalie Wood. Her first major role was at age 9 in the John Wayne western The Searchers. She was a regular on the soap opera Peyton Place...
... Katie Flavin
Parley Baer
Parley Baer
Parley Edward Baer was an American actor in film, television, and radio.-Radio:Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Baer had a circus background, but began his radio career at Utah station KSL...
... Waco Mayor
Walter Burke
Walter Burke
Walter Burke was a prolific Irish-American character actor, of stage, film, and television. His small stature, and distinctive voice and face, made him easily recognizable in even the most minor of roles.- Early life :...
... Mac aka Tom - Waco Stableman
Lillian Bronson ... Mrs. Louise Murphy
Jonathan Hole ... Parson
Burt Mustin
Burt Mustin
Burton Hill "Burt" Mustin was an American character actor.-Early life:Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to W. I. and Sadie Mustin, Mustin was a 1903 graduate of the Pennsylvania Military College , earning his degree in civil engineering...
... Best Man
Don Wilbanks ... Bar X Cowboy
Pepper Martin ... Drifter
Plot
Film starts with old and retired Texas ranger Sergeant Nash Crawford (Walter Brennan) enters a saloon where his former partner Gentleman George Asque (Chill Wills) plays poker with a man and beats him ten times in a row. Man calls him a cheater and prepares to draw his gun, but Nash saves his comrade by calling him Wyatt. The two exit the saloon.Nash gives George a telegram which says they should go to Waco because former partner The Baltimore Kid (Fred Astaire) is in trouble. It is signed "Friend".
Scene changes to Jason Fitch's (Edgar Buchanan) wedding to Louise Murphy (Lillian Bronson). Couple of moments later, George and Nash come to take Jason with them to Waco and they convince him shouting the ranger code "Brazors!". Jason promises Louise he will return and leaves with his friends.
As they arrive to Waco, they find out "Friend" was Amos Polk, a former outlaw, now a newspaper man. Polk takes them to Baltimore Kid's grave. It's unclear why Polk called them, but he shows Kid's wallet to them in which is a note where Kid leaves that to his comrades when he dies. The four go to the saloon for a whiskey, where they meet a drunk who looks very familiar to Baltimore Kid. They take him to newspaper office where he tells he was a Texas ranger once. The group is now sure he is Baltimore Kid.
Kid puts some elegant clothes, new gun and gravestone is removed. Kid becomes the Waco City Marshall and rangers his deputies.
Now it's clear that the bandit who killed marshall and his deputies is a fake one. The gang of Sam Braham returns to Waco to kill real Baltimore Kid. At the end of the film, a large gunfight is at the streets of Waco and rangers win against the outlaws, but Kid is shot and dead. Citizens of Waco bury Kid and ranger leave. But, at the end of the town alive Baltimore Kid is waiting and all of them go with Jason Fitch who has to marry.