Movies by William Desmond

Rustlers of Red Dog

Rustlers of Red Dog

A movie serial in 12 chapters: After gold is discovered in the town of Nugget, the titular band of thieves and cutthroats inundates the frontier settlement. A group of three compatriots -- upstanding ex-sheriff Jack Woods, his harmonica-playing friend Laramie and tricky, smooth-talking gambler Deacon -- combine their respective skills in a fateful struggle to deceive and disarm the gang.

The Vanishing Shadow

The Vanishing Shadow

A 12-episode serial in which a son avenges the death of his father at the hands of corrupt politicians. He develops a wide variety of complex devices in his crusade . . . ray guns, robots and a 'vanishing belt.'

Heroes of the West

Heroes of the West

Efforts to build a transcontinental railroad are resisted by crooks and Indians on the warpath. A 12-chapter movie serial.

The Return of the Durango Kid

The Return of the Durango Kid

A masked outlaw steals from bank robbers to help the poor.

The Rustler's Roundup

The Rustler's Roundup

Winters is after the Brand ranch, and his man Brett who is foreman there is rustling the Brand stock. But Tom is on to their game and breaks up their attempt to buy the ranch. When they plan to rustle their horses, Tom must not only rescue Danny Brand, who is their prisoner, but stop the rustlers.

Crack-Up

Crack-Up

Daredevil flyer David flirts with a waitress. An orphan accidentally takes off in a biplane requiring an aerial rescue. The villain reports a fake robbery and turns the orphan in to welfare workers, but a loyal dog saves the day.

Strawberry Roan

Strawberry Roan

Ken Maynard stars as a roving cowboy who tells the tale of taming the stallion that inspired the titular poem.

Fargo Express

Fargo Express

When Mort loses his and Ken's money at poker, Goss gets him to rob the stage. He is captured, identified by his palomino horse. Ken tries to clear him by robbing a stage while riding a palomino, but he also gets caught.

The Strings of Steel

The Strings of Steel

The Strings of Steel is a silent Action serial. Episode titles: 1. The Voice on the Wire 2. The First Central 3. Fighting for Love 4. The Power of Might 5. Kings of the Wire 6. Voice of the Continent 7. Telephone Poles 8. War of the Wire 9. When Lightning Strikes 10. Love and Victory.

The Prince and Betty

The Prince and Betty

Young American John Maude is forced to find a job when he falls in love with society girl Betty Keith. He accepts a sudden offer to go to Mervo, a tiny island country, where he is hired by Benjamin Scobell to pose as the lost prince of Mervo as an attraction to bolster the Mervo casino as a rival of Monte Carlo. Scobell also wants John to marry his stepdaughter, who turns out to be Betty. When Betty accuses John of being simply a shill for a gambling house, John closes the casino and tries to stage a revolution to make Mervo a republic.

The Cowboy and the Bandit

The Cowboy and the Bandit

Bill travels to a new state after the outlaw Scarface saves him from a lynch mob. There he takes a job on the Barton ranch and joins in the fight against gang leader Larkin. Finding a wounded Scarface he helps him recover. Arrested by Larkin's stooge Sheriff, and with another lynch mob after him, he once again needs Scarface's help.

When Lightning Strikes

When Lightning Strikes

Lightning the German Shepherd dog stars in this wilderness melodrama.

Pirate Treasure

Pirate Treasure

An accomplished aviator sets out to locate treasure hidden by one of his ancestors. He encounters interference from various adversaries.

The Phantom of the Air

The Phantom of the Air

An adventure serial presented in 12 chapters. Inventor Thomas Edmunds uses a super plane, 'The Phantom,' to protect his new anti-gravity invention, the Contragrav, from theft.

Perils of Pauline

Perils of Pauline

A famous scientist and his beautiful daughter travel to Indochina to find an ivory disc that has the formula for a deadly gas engraved on it. An evil doctor and his gang are also looking for it.

Battling with Buffalo Bill

Battling with Buffalo Bill

A western adventure serial in 12 episodes. Buffalo Bill battles gambler Jim Rodney who is trying to scare off the townspeople so he can gain possession of a gold strike discovered in the area. A nearby Indian tribe is provoked to attack the town and the cavalry is called in.

The Last Frontier

The Last Frontier

A frontier newspaper editor Kirby battles outlaw Tiger Morris who is causing indian uprisings to drive away settlers so that he will can claim a gold deposit as his own. With the help of General Custer, right wins out. Presented in serial form in 12 episodes.

The Phantom of the West

The Phantom of the West

A young man's father is murdered and the man convicted of the crime escapes prison, leaving a note intimating that seven local men know the real killer's true identity. The murdered man's son sets out to locate the seven men and find his father's slayer in this ten episode serial.

The Vanishing Legion

The Vanishing Legion

A mysterious master criminal known as The Voice plots with his gang to sabotage the Milesburg Oil Company, but the rightful heir has a secret army of her own to protect her rights.

Captain of His Soul

Captain of His Soul

At the suggestion of his sons Horace and Henry, aging Ebenezer Boyce turns over control of his pistol factory to Martin. However, when Ebenezer discovers the extent of Martin's dishonesty and corruption, the shock gives the old man a heart attack and he dies. Soon afterward Martin is discovered dead, and the brothers begin to suspect each other of the murder.