The Ballyhoo Buster
{{Short description|1928 film}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox film
| name = The Ballyhoo Buster
| image =
| caption =
| director = Richard Thorpe
| producer = Lester F. Scott Jr.
| writer = Robert Wallace
Frank L. Inghram
| screenplay =
| story =
| starring = Jay Wilsey
Peggy Shaw
Nancy Nash
| cinematography = Ray Ries
| studio = Action Pictures
| distributor = Pathé Exchange
| released = {{Film date|1928|1|8|US|ref1={{cite web | url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/2705?cxt=filmography | title= The Ballyhoo Buster | publisher=American Film Institute | accessdate= December 8, 2017 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209043906/https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/2705?cxt=filmography| url-status=live | archivedate=December 9, 2017}}}}
| runtime = 5 reels
| country = United States
| language = Silent
English intertitles
}}
The Ballyhoo Buster is a 1928 American silent Western film. Directed by Richard Thorpe, the film stars Jay Wilsey, Peggy Shaw, and Nancy Nash (actress). It was released on January 8, 1928.
Plot
After selling cattle to two strangers, Bob Warner is later drugged by those same men, who steal the money they had paid for the herd. Penniless, his girl leaves him for a rival suitor. Warner leaves town and meets a medicine show proprietor, who lets him join the show. Warner's job will be to last three rounds with anyone who challenges him in the ring, a "ballyhoo". He becomes quite a draw, and eventually the show makes an appearance in Warner's home town. He is challenged by the man who stole his girlfriend. While in the ring with a contestant, he notices the two robbers among the spectators. He knocks out the contestant, then chases after the two crooks. In the chase, one of the crooks hops into a car and then loses control, plunging over an incline and killing him. Warner catches up to the other and overcomes him, recovering his money.
Cast
- Jay Wilsey as Bob Warner (credited as Buffalo Bill Jr.)
- Peggy Shaw as Molly Burnett
- Nancy Nash (actress) as Dorothy
- Albert Hart as Medicine show proprietor
- Floyd Shackelford (credited as Floyd Shackleford)
- Lafe McKee
- George Magrill as Brooks Mitchell
- Jack Richardson as Jim Burnett
- Walter Brennan
- Al Taylor
Production
At the beginning of January, Pathé announced that they would be releasing ten films in January, the first of which would be The Ballyhoo Buster.{{cite news | newspaper=Motion Picture News | title=Pathe Sets 10 Features for January Release | date=January 7, 1928 | page=64 | url=https://archive.org/stream/motionnew37moti#page/n67/search/Ballyhoo+Buster | accessdate=September 29, 2018}}{{Open access}} The film was released on January 8, 1928.{{cite news | newspaper=Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World | title=Quick Reference Picture Chart: Pathe | date=January 7, 1928 | page=71 | url=https://archive.org/stream/exhibitorsherald90unse#page/n77/mode/2up/search/%22Ballyhoo+Buster%22 | accessdate=January 29, 2018}}{{Open access}}
Reception
Motion Picture News gave the film a positive review, calling it "... a well told story, capably acted and directed and with a smattering of events that have not as yet been hashed to death by the makers of films of the great outdoors."{{cite news | newspaper=Motion Picture News | title=Opinions on Pictures: The Ballyhoo Buster | date=December 30, 1927 | page=2035 | url=https://archive.org/stream/motionp36moti#page/n1023/search/Ballyhoo+Buster | accessdate=September 29, 2018}}{{Open access}} The Film Daily also gave it a positive review, highlighting the new different angle for a western film. They enjoyed Buffalo Bill's performance, but felt that Thorpe's direction was only satisfactory, but praised the cinematography of Ries.{{cite news | newspaper= The Film Daily | title=Buffalo Bill Jr., in The Ballyhoo Buster | date=December 30, 1927 | page=2035 | url=https://archive.org/stream/motionp36moti#page/n1023/search/Ballyhoo+Buster | accessdate=September 29, 2018}}{{Open access}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|0018672}}
- {{TCMDb title|490206}}
- {{AFI film|2705}}
{{Richard Thorpe}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ballyhoo Buster, The}}
Category:Films directed by Richard Thorpe
Category:1928 Western (genre) films
Category:American black-and-white films
Category:Silent American Western (genre) films