Melody of the Plains

Cowboy star Fred Scott, "The Silvery-Voiced Baritone," headlines this musical western (or is it western musical?) In this outing, Scott befriends a toothless 5-year-old urchin (Billy Lenhart), vowing to help the boy claim an inheritance. He also serenades the heroine (Louise Small), with time left over to round up a gang of cattle rustlers. With all respect to Fred Scott, the film belongs to his comical sidekick Al St. John, who created his inimitable "Fuzzy Q. Jones" characterization while appearing in the Scott series. Highlights for musical fans include Scott's tap-dance solo, which may well be a "B"-western "first."