Battling Marshal

U.S. Marshal Sunset Carson is assigned to investigate mysterious happenings in Smith County. A smallpox epidemic is causing panic stricken residents to evacuate. Andy Jeffers, his son Bob and daughter Jane are unwilling to leave their homestead, despite warnings from the town physician. Within hours of Dr. Alexander's visit, the first of several mysterious and violent attacks is made against Jeffers. Stumped by the lack of a motive, Carson also finds it strange that Jeffers' lawyer, John Martin, has been stalling in making changes to his client's will. This request would see Jeffers' wayward nephew deleted from the document, and give full property rights to Bob and Jane. Sunset manages to track down the missing nephew, who details his involvement in a complex conspiracy that could leave Jeffers dead and his property in the hands of the killers.

Sunset Carson (1920-1990) was born Michael Harrison in Gracemont, Oklahoma. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Sunset was an actual cowboy, having mastered trick riding and roping by the time he was in his teens. A chance meeting with Tom Mix got him interested in motion pictures, and after taking some acting lessons, Carson landed a seven-year contract with Republic Pictures. His good looks and natural charisma meant that Sunset was soon in the Top Ten money-making Western stars. But a disastrous appearance at a company party -- in which Carson arrived drunk with an underage girl on his arm -- led to his dismissal from Republic. Though the actor tried to spring back with a series of low-budget Westerns from Yucca Pictures (of which Battling Marshal was the last) his career never recovered. By 1950, Sunset Carson's days in the movie business were over. He continued making sporadic appearances at Western film fairs and conventions, and hosting TV rebroadcasts of his old movies, until his death in 1990. This improved Alpha Video edition of Battling Marshal has been remastered from newly discovered film elements.