Hoppy Serves a Writ ** (1943, William Boyd, Andy Clyde, Jay Kirby, Victor Jory, George Reeves, Robert Mitchum) – Classic Movie Review 11,028

‘Hoppy routs renegades.’

Director George Archainbaud’s 1943 B-Western double feature film Hoppy Serves a Writ is based on the popular characters created by Clarence E Mulford, and stars William Boyd as Hopalong Cassidy, Andy Clyde and Jay Kirby as his sidekicks California and Johnny, Victor Jory as the villain Tom Jordan and George Reeves as Steve Jordan. Incredibly, it is the 43rd of the 66 Hopalong Cassidy movies.

Cattle rustler and stagecoach robber Tom Jordan (Jory) and his gang have been terrorising the ranchers and citizens of Mason City and Hoppy has to figure out a way to capture the gang. Robert Mitchum appears in his second released feature film, credited as Bob Mitchum, in his first of seven Hopalong Cassidy movies, as a member of Jory’s outlaw gang, Rigney, targeted for extinction or expulsion by Texas lawman Hopalong Cassidy (Boyd).

Hoppy Serves a Writ is adapted by Gerald Geraghty from the 1941 novel Hopalong Cassidy Serves a Writ, the final Cassidy novel written by creator Clarence E Mulford.

Also in the cast are Jim Christy, Hal Taliaferro, Forbes Murray, Byron Foulger, Earle Hodgins, Roy Barcroft and Ben Corbett.

Hoppy Serves a Writ is directed by George Archainbaud, runs 67 minutes, is made by Harry Sherman Productions, is released by United Artists, is written by Gerald Geraghty, is shot in black and white by Russell Harlan, is produced by Harry Sherman and is scored by Irvin Talbot.

It is shot at Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California; and Kernville, California.

Mitchum made 19 films in this his first year in the movies.

When Mitchum sought work as a film actor, his agent got him an interview with producer Harry Sherman, who hired him to play minor, mostly villainous roles in several films in the Hopalong Cassidy series during 1943. Border Patrol was his feature film debut, though released after later made feature films, The Human Comedy, Hoppy Serves a Writ and Aerial Gunner.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,028

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com