It Came From Hollywood sends along this pressbook for Johnny Mack Brown’s The Masked Rider. Ford Beebe directed (Night Monster, Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe). Beebe preferred directing westerns, which were the staple movies for many studios at the time. Then the 1950s rolled around and science fiction took over (just like Woody getting sidelined by Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story). John Brown played in many westerns. His handsome mug got a choice spot on Wheaties cereal boxes in 1927, leading to Hollywood and a string of casting in top-liners until he was suddenly replaced during a 1931 movie, Laughing Sinners. According to b-westerns.com “Apparently Brown’s slow, southern drawl caused some problems when talkies arrived, and MGM opted not to renew his contract.” His career nose-dived and he changed his name to Johnny Mack Brown and starred in B-movie westerns, which made him quite popular.
