Winners of the West (1940)

• 63%
• 1940
• Action
• Western
• Ford Beebe
• Ray Taylor
• Dick Foran
• Anne Nagel
• Harry Woods

One of the writers of this serial, George H. Plympton, dusted the story off and re-sold it to Sam Katzman for a Columbia 1951 serial called "Roar of the Iron Horse". "Winners of the West" was Universal's 47th sound-era serial, falling between "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe" and "Junior G-Men", and while it utilizes plenty of stock footage featuring Cliff Lyons doubling Buck Jones and Johnny Mack Brown from earlier Universal serials, the use of such is less than in most Universal serials of the time. Jeff Ramsay (Dick Foran), assistant to John Hartford (Edward Keane), President of the Hartford Transcontinental Railroad, is fighting to advance the line through Hell's Gate Pass. King Carter (Harry Woods), self-styled ruler of the land beyond the pass, plans to block the contruction of the railroad. Carter hires Snakeye (Charles Stevens), a renegade half-breed, to lead the Indians on raids against the construction camps. Hartford's daughter, Claire (Anne Nagel), is captured and held hostage until Jeff and scout Tex Houston (Tom Fadden) come to her rescue. Spurred on by Carter, the Indians and some hired henchmen rob supply trains, drive surveyors off and burn down the telegraph station. Finally, in a battle at Black Hawk, Carter's gang is wiped out by Jeff and Jim Jackson (James Craig.) Carter is turned over to the law, and a peace treaty is signed with Chief War Eagle (Chief Yowlachie) . Jeff, and his bride, Claire are happy as pioneers welcome the first transcontinental train.