The Phantom Pinto

Timothy Wade is approached about selling his ranch to a mysterious man with a German accent. He refuses, but is later ambushed and left for dead by a masked assailant. His last words to his young son Buzzy are about the pinto horse the killer rode. An undercover G-man, Jim Dana, suspects the Nazis of wanting the Wade ranch because it has a large deposit of valuable ore necessary for munitions. He becomes Buzzy's new guardian and the two fast friends set out to foil the German spies, who have joined forces with a gang of local outlaws.

The Phantom Pinto is one of two pictures starring ten-year-old child actor Robert "Buzzy" Henry made by low-budget Elkay Productions. (The other was 1940's Western Terror.) Buzzy's co-star in both of these films was prolific actor/stuntman Dave O'Brien. Among O'Brien's numerous credits are the cult favorite Reefer Madness (1936), the Bela Lugosi horror movie The Devil Bat (1940), the Columbia serial Captain Midnight (1942) and PRC's 22-film "Texas Rangers" series (1942-1945). O'Brien's athleticism must have made an impression on Buzzy Henry, as he chose to become a stuntman as an adult, doubling for Frank Sinatra, James Coburn, and Glenn Ford, among many others. Tragically, Buzzy was killed in a motorcycle accident while filming The Cowboys (1972) with John Wayne. He was only 40 years old.

BONUS: Billy and Butch Bang Bang Movies (1961): This rare children's TV program, unseen since it aired on Saturday mornings in the early 60s, features two cute kids, Danny Krieger (Billy) and Steven Krieger (Butch), narrating over an old silent western starring Bob Custer (who they call "Bronco Bob.")

• western