Curtain Call at Cactus Creek

Curtain Call at Cactus Creek is a 1950 American Western comedy film starring Donald O'Connor and Gale Storm. The plot concerns a traveling entertainer who becomes involved with bank robbers.

Plot

A traveling troupe of entertainers arrives in Cactus Creek, Arizona to perform. The act's stars are singer Lily Martin, her niece Julie and the flamboyant actor Tracy Holland, while Eddie Timmons, who is in love with Julie, handles the lighting, sound effects and other duties, although his ambition is to perform on stage.
The bandit Rimrock Thomas arrives with his gang to rob a bank. While watching Lily perform, Rimrock concocts a plan to time the robbery to coincide with the next show. When an explosion is heard from the direction of the bank, the audience and entertainers flee.
Rimrock hides in Eddie's wagon and keeps the show as a front, teaching Eddie how to become a successful outlaw. After Eddie is caught by a sheriff, Rimrock helps him escape from jail. When he is cornered, Rimrock arranges it so that it appears that Eddie had captured him. Eddie collects a $26,000 reward and vows to abandon crime, but Rimrock expects to see him again soon.

Cast

Donald O'Connor as Edward Timmons
Gale Storm as Julie Martin
Walter Brennan as Rimrock Thomas
Vincent Price as Tracy Holland
Eve Arden as Lily Martin
Chick Chandler as Ralph
Joe Sawyer as Jake
Harry Shannon as U.S. Marshal Clay
Rex Lease as Yellowstone
I. Stanford Jolley as Pecos

Release

Before the film's American premiere, Curtain Call at Cactus Creek opened in Australia in early January 1950. The film was also screened in a limited engagement in Fayette, Iowa at the end of January in advance of a general release in June.

Reception

In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Bosley Crowther wrote: "The comical misadventures of a stagehand with a one-horse theatre troupe that is traveling the Western frontier circuit back in the blood-and-thunder days are recounted with moderate good humor, but no marked originality... However, those who have a fondness for Donald O'Connor, if such there be, may find it more amusing than others, for there is plenty of Mr. O'Connor in this film.... The best to be said for this picture is that it has a few bright burlesque spots, is in color and comes to a finish in a reasonable length of time."