The name of a real-life frontier gambler and occasional peace officer whose way with cards and guns gave birth to several biographies and endless legends. He didn't live long enough (1854-1893) to attempt screenplays, but talented novelist Frederick Dilley Glidden assumed his name to pen some of the most literate and intelligent western novels of the golden age. His premises were down-to-earth, his characters behaved like real pioneers, and they spoke in a vernacular that came from the time and place. Good writing is important to the western, and any film that adapted a Luke Short story started out on the right foot.
Ramrod (1947), Blood On the Moon (1948), Ambush (1950), and Ride the Man Down (1952) are among the best westerns of their era, authentic and highly original stories inventively filmed. Silver City and Hell's Outpost I haven't seen, but Vengeance Valley (1951) is an underrated gem. The roles for women are particularly good in a Luke Short story, especially in Ramrod which gave Veronica Lake the juiciest femme fatale of her career. Feminist Hollywood would never a greenlight a film that offered up such a character today. Actors and directors love to work with Luke Short interactions and dialogues.
Most of his books were bought long ago but remain unfilmed.
Richard
