The Terror of Tiny Town (1938)

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Directed by Sam Newfield and produced by Jed Buell, The Terror of Tiny Town is one of the most bizarre entries in Hollywood history—a musical Western performed entirely by little people, or “midgets” as credited at the time. Shot on standard-sized sets with miniature props and ponies, the film is equal parts novelty, camp, and curiosity.

Plot Summary
Set in the town of Tiny Town, the story follows Buck Lawson (Billy Curtis), a heroic cowboy who clashes with the villainous Bat Haines (‘Little Billy’ Rhodes) over land disputes and cattle rustling. Romance blooms between Buck and Nancy Preston (Yvonne Moray), while saloon antics, musical numbers, and slapstick brawls fill out the 62-minute runtime. The plot is standard Western fare—revenge, justice, and frontier love—but the execution is anything but typical.

Cast Highlights

  • Billy Curtis as Buck Lawson
  • ‘Little Billy’ Rhodes as Bat Haines
  • Yvonne Moray as Nancy Preston
  • Billy Platt, Charles Becker, Nita Krebs, and Jerry Maren (later one of the Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz)
  • Many cast members were later featured in The Wizard of Oz (1939) as Munchkins

Behind-the-Scenes Trivia

  • Producer Jed Buell reportedly conceived the idea after joking that if the economy didn’t improve, they’d have to make movies with midgets
  • Buell planned a follow-up film starring the same cast in a version of Paul Bunyan, with a full-sized actor as Bunyan
  • The film was included in The Fifty Worst Films of All Time by Harry Medved and Randy Lowell
  • Early TV broadcasts occurred in Detroit (1949), Atlanta, and Salt Lake City, making it one of the first cult oddities to hit local television

Legacy
The Terror of Tiny Town is often cited as one of the most politically incorrect and unintentionally surreal films ever made. While its novelty casting drew attention, the film’s crude humor, uneven performances, and jarring musical interludes have earned it a place in cinematic infamy. Yet, for film historians and cult movie fans, it remains a fascinating artifact of 1930s exploitation and genre experimentation.

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