ROUND UP TIME IN TEXAS (1937) Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette & Maxine Doyle | Drama, Western | B&W

Round-Up Time in Texas is a 1937 American Western film directed by Joseph Kane and written by Oliver Drake. The film stars Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, and Maxine Doyle. Despite its title, the majority of the film takes place in South Africa.

The film is about a cowboy who delivers a herd of horses for his brother, a diamond prospector whose work has attracted the interest of a bunch of badguys.

SYNOPSIS
Gene and Frog arrive with a herd of horses for Gene's brother, a diamond prospector whose work has attracted the interest of a bunch of bad guys.

After rounding up a large herd of horses in Texas, Gene Autry (Gene Autry) receives a telegram from his brother Tex (Ken Cooper), who is mining diamonds in South Africa. The message states that Tex and his partner, Edward Barclay, have discovered a big strike in the Valley of Suspicion and urges Gene to bring as many horses as possible to Dunbar, South Africa, where he can contact John Cardigan (LeRoy Mason), the saloon owner who grubstaked Tex and Barclay. Gene and his sidekick Frog (Smiley Burnette) quickly arrange for passage overseas and accompany the horses to South Africa.

Meanwhile, Tex and his partner, while on their way back to Dunbar from their mine, are ambushed by Cardigan's men. Barclay is killed and Tex wounded but able to escape. Cardigan wants sole control of the mine. Sometime later, Gene and Frog arrive at Dunbar and hire Barkey McCuskey, a small-time English con artist, as their auctioneer for when they sell their horses. Worried that Tex is not in Dunbar, Gene stoutly defends his brother when Cardigan tells him he is being sought for the murder of Barclay. Gene grows suspicious of Cardigan when he sees that the saloon owner tampered with another telegram from Tex. Cardigan in turn grows jealous as Gene who becomes friendly with saloon singer Gwen (Maxine Doyle), who is Barclay's daughter.

The next day Gene sees Cardigan's servant Namba (Corny Anderson) at the auction wearing the belt buckle that Gene gave to Tex, and Gene becomes more suspicious of Cardigan, whose henchman, Craig Johnson (Dick Wessel), plans to kill the Texans that night. Johnson arranges to have Gene and Frog arrested after he gives uncut diamonds to Frog in return for a horse. The South African Constabulary explain that it is illegal to have uncut diamonds without a license. The next day, while the police take Gene and Frog to Kimberly for trial, the Texans manage to escape. Later they find Cardigan as he is making his way through the jungle with Johnson, Gwen, and Barkey in search of the diamond mine.

The group is captured by natives and brought before Chief Bosuto (Buddy Williams). Just as they are about to be sacrificed, Frog wins the chief over by teaching his children to sing. The chief agrees to let the others go if Frog stays behind to teach his children more music. Frog and Cardigan stay with the natives while Gene, Barkey, and Gwen are led away by Namba. After the police arrive and free Cardigan, and head to Cardigan's jungle hideout, where Tex is being held a slave.

CAST & CREW
Gene Autry as Gene Autry
Smiley Burnette as Frog
Maxine Doyle as Gwen Barkley
The Cabin Kids as Chief Bosuto's Children
Champion the Wonder Horse as Gene's Horse
LeRoy Mason as John Cardigan
Earle Hodgins as Barkey McCusky
Dick Wessel as Henchman Craig Johnson
Buddy Williams as Chief Bosuto
Elmer Fain as Chief Bosuto's Son
Corny Anderson as Namba
Frankie Marvin as Cowboy / Soldier
Ken Cooper as Tex Autry

Directed by Joseph Kane
Written by Oliver Drake
Produced by Nat Levine
Cinematography William Nobles
Edited by Lester Orlebeck
Production company Republic Pictures
Distributed by Republic Pictures
Release date February 28, 1937 (U.S.)
Running time 61 minutes
Country United States
Language English