Chip of the Flying U (1939)

55 mins | Western | 24 November 1939

Director:

Ralph Staub

Cinematographer:

William Sickner

Editor:

Louis Sackin

Production Designer:

Jack Otterson

Production Company:

Universal Pictures Co.
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HISTORY

According to a news item in HR, director Albert Ray refused to direct this picture because he did not like the story. Modern sources add Hank Bell, Harry Tenbrook, Chester Conklin, Vic Potel , Hank Worden, Charles K. French, Al Ward, Budd Buster, Frank Ellis, Kermit Maynard, Jack Shannon and Chuck Morrison to the cast. A HR production chart adds George Anderson to the cast, but his participation in the final film has not been confirmed.
       Universal produced an earlier adaptation of Bertah Muzzy Sinclair's novel in 1926. That film, also entitled Chip of the Flying U, was directed by Lynn Reynolds and starred Hoot Gibson (see entry). Although some of the characters are the same, the main storylines of the 1926 and 1939 films are different, and neither film closely follows the plot of the original novel. ...

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According to a news item in HR, director Albert Ray refused to direct this picture because he did not like the story. Modern sources add Hank Bell, Harry Tenbrook, Chester Conklin, Vic Potel , Hank Worden, Charles K. French, Al Ward, Budd Buster, Frank Ellis, Kermit Maynard, Jack Shannon and Chuck Morrison to the cast. A HR production chart adds George Anderson to the cast, but his participation in the final film has not been confirmed.
       Universal produced an earlier adaptation of Bertah Muzzy Sinclair's novel in 1926. That film, also entitled Chip of the Flying U, was directed by Lynn Reynolds and starred Hoot Gibson (see entry). Although some of the characters are the same, the main storylines of the 1926 and 1939 films are different, and neither film closely follows the plot of the original novel.

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Film Daily
24 Jan 1940
p. 4
Hollywood Reporter
25 Jul 1939
p. 10
Hollywood Reporter
28 Jul 1939
p. 7
Hollywood Reporter
29 Jul 1939
pp. 4-5
Hollywood Reporter
8 Aug 1939
p. 3
Motion Picture Herald
27 Jan 1940
p. 52
Variety
24 Jan 1940
p. 22
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Asst dir
WRITERS
Story
PHOTOGRAPHY
ART DIRECTORS
Art dir
Harold H. MacArthur
Art dir assoc
FILM EDITOR
Film ed
SET DECORATOR
R. A. Gausman
Set dec
MUSIC
Mus dir
SOUND
Sd tech
SOURCES
LITERARY
Based on the novel Chip of the Flying U by Bertah Muzzy Sinclair (New York, 1906).
LITERARY SOURCE AUTHOR
DETAILS
Release Date:
24 November 1939
Production Date:
28 Jul--7 Aug 1939
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Universal Pictures Co.
5 October 1939
LP9153
Physical Properties:
Sound
Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
55
Length(in reels):
6
Country:
United States
PCA No:
5652
SYNOPSIS

Chip Bennett, the foreman of J. G. Whitmore's Flying U ranch, is sent to the railroad station to escort Margaret Whitmore, the boss's sister, to the Flying U. On their way to the ranch, Chip and Margaret narrowly escape a hold-up, which Margaret accuses Chip of staging for her benefit. In reality, Duncan, a neighboring rancher who is in league with foreign munitions runners, ordered the hold-up in an effort to drive the Whitmores from their land so that he can use an abandoned mine shack on the ranch to store munitions. To force the Whitmores from their land, Duncan orders his men to rob the bank so that J. G. will be unable to meet his payroll and thus be unable to repay his bank loan. As Duncan plots the takeover of the Flying U, Chip, infuriated by Margaret's accusations, quits his job and visits the town bank just as Duncan's men stage the robbery. Because he was present during the stick-up, Chip is suspected of being in league with the bandits, a suspicion that seems confirmed after he finds the payroll money hidden in the shack. When Margaret accuses Chip of being one of the bank robbers, he turns the payroll over to her and she locks it in the ranch safe. Chip then returns to the shack with ranch hands Dusty and Weary to await the return of the robbers. Chip's hunch pays off as they capture the outlaws and Chip recognizes them as Duncan's men. Chip takes his prisoners to the Flying U, where Duncan pulls his gun and demands the payroll money from the safe. ...

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Chip Bennett, the foreman of J. G. Whitmore's Flying U ranch, is sent to the railroad station to escort Margaret Whitmore, the boss's sister, to the Flying U. On their way to the ranch, Chip and Margaret narrowly escape a hold-up, which Margaret accuses Chip of staging for her benefit. In reality, Duncan, a neighboring rancher who is in league with foreign munitions runners, ordered the hold-up in an effort to drive the Whitmores from their land so that he can use an abandoned mine shack on the ranch to store munitions. To force the Whitmores from their land, Duncan orders his men to rob the bank so that J. G. will be unable to meet his payroll and thus be unable to repay his bank loan. As Duncan plots the takeover of the Flying U, Chip, infuriated by Margaret's accusations, quits his job and visits the town bank just as Duncan's men stage the robbery. Because he was present during the stick-up, Chip is suspected of being in league with the bandits, a suspicion that seems confirmed after he finds the payroll money hidden in the shack. When Margaret accuses Chip of being one of the bank robbers, he turns the payroll over to her and she locks it in the ranch safe. Chip then returns to the shack with ranch hands Dusty and Weary to await the return of the robbers. Chip's hunch pays off as they capture the outlaws and Chip recognizes them as Duncan's men. Chip takes his prisoners to the Flying U, where Duncan pulls his gun and demands the payroll money from the safe. Margaret, however, cleverly switched the payroll bag with her medical bag, and so Duncan and his men ride off with a satchel full of medication. As Chip and the sheriff ride after the bandits, Duncan returns and kidnaps Margaret and ties up Weary. After Duncan rides off, Weary frees himself and sends the posse to the shack in pursuit of the gun runners, while Chip rides after Margaret and Duncan. In the ensuing gun battle, Weary blows the foreign agents to bits when his well-aimed shot hits the explosives. Chip then overpowers Duncan and his gang and brings them to justice.

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Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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