The Boy from Oklahoma

The Boy from Oklahoma is a 1954 Western movie directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Will Rogers, Jr. The film became the basis for the 1957 Warner Bros. television series Sugarfoot, in which Will Hutchins replaced Rogers as lead character Tom Brewster. The movie features Lon Chaney, Jr. and includes one of future TV talk show host Merv Griffin's few theatrical film roles. In the movie version, Rogers as Brewster substitutes facility with a twirling rope, similar to Will Rogers, Sr.'s, for the usual unerring speed and accuracy with firearms typically found in cinematic cowboy heroes.

Contents

• The boy from oklahoma preview clip
• Cast
• References

Three of the original cast members from the movie, Louis Jean Heydt, Sheb Wooley, and Slim Pickens, were transplanted directly into the subsequent TV show's pilot, "Brannigan's Boots," playing their roles from the movie; the first episode of Sugarfoot follows the film's script fairly faithfully. Dennis Hopper succeeded James Griffith as Billy the Kid in the television version, Merry Anders took over the part of Katie Brannigan from Nancy Olson, and Chubby Johnson replaced Wallace Ford as Wally Higgins for the small screen.

Reviewing the DVD release in 2013, Gene Triplett of The Oklahoman called the film an "amiable oater" with a plot that "may sound like potential corn on the cob to some" but turns out to be "unexpectedly well-crafted entertainment".

Cast

Will Rogers, Jr. as Sheriff Tom Brewster

Nancy Olson as Katie Brannigan

Lon Chaney, Jr. as Crazy Charlie

Anthony Caruso as Mayor Barney Turlock

Wallace Ford as Postmaster Wally Higgins

Clem Bevans as Pop Pruty, Justice of the Peace

Merv Griffin as Steve

Louis Jean Heydt as Paul Evans

Sheb Wooley as Pete Martin

Slim Pickens as Shorty

Tyler MacDuff as Billy the Kid

James Griffith as Joe Downey