Arizona Gunfighter (1937)

Directed by Sam Newfield and produced by A.W. Hackel, Arizona Gunfighter is a fast-paced B-Western starring Bob Steele as a young man caught between vengeance and justice. Released by Republic Pictures, the film runs a lean 58 minutes, packing in shootouts, outlaw codes, and a twist of moral reckoning.

Plot Summary
Colt Ferron (Bob Steele) returns home to find his father murdered by the ruthless Durkin (Karl Hackett) and his henchman Farley (John Merton). Colt kills both men in a fair fight and flees, eventually collapsing in the desert. He’s rescued by Wolf Whitson (Ted Adams), an outlaw with a hidden past, who takes him in and trains him as part of his gang.

After two years, Wolf disbands the gang and gives Colt his ranch, hoping to go straight. But when Wolf’s old gang resurfaces under new leadership and kidnaps Beth Lorimer (Jean Carmen)—who turns out to be Wolf’s daughter—Colt must team up with the sheriff and Wolf to take them down. The final shootout leads to a surprising confession and a moment of redemption.

Cast Highlights

• Bob Steele as Colt Ferron
• Jean Carmen as Beth Lorimer
• Ted Adams as Wolf Whitson / Pop Whittaker
• Ernie Adams as Grizzly Barr
• Lew Meehan as Snake Bralt
• Steve Clark as the Sheriff
• Karl Hackett as Durkin
• John Merton as Farley
• Frank Ball as Dan Lorimer
• A.C. Henderson as Governor Gray

Behind-the-Scenes Notes

• The film was based on a story by Harry F. Olmsted, with a screenplay by George H. Plympton
• It’s a classic example of the “redemption Western”, where an outlaw seeks to go straight but is pulled back into violence
• The sheriff’s final line—“I still got a couple of charges”—is followed by laughter, ending the film on a light-hearted note despite its dramatic arc