The Encyclopedia of B Westerns

by Cynthia J. Miller

From the 1930s through the 1950s, B Westerns were produced in rapid succession by major studios and "Poverty Row" independents alike. Known for their unabashedly formulaic plots and non-stop action, B Westerns have come to characterize the Golden Age of Western films. Often made in a matter of days on a shoestring budget, these films were star vehicles for actors such as Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Tex Ritter, John Wayne, and others whose names became synonymous with the Western genre.