Joel McCrea

Joel McCrea (November 5, 1905 – October 20, 1990). Had a paper route and delivered the Los Angeles Times to, Cecil B. DeMille. Who gave him the opportunity to watch the filming of the film, Intolerance.

While still in high school, he worked as a stunt double and held horses for cowboy stars: William S. Hart and Tom Mix. He was working as an extra, when he signed a contract with MGM. He was cast in, The Jazz Age (1929) and landed his first leading role in, The Silver Horde.

In the 1930s, McCrea starred in the film, Bird of Paradise (1932), directed by King Vidor, causing controversy for his nude scenes with Dolores del Río.

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The Most Dangerous Game(1932). Pre-Code plot is about a big game hunter on an island who chooses to hunt humans for sport. The film stars Joel McCrea, Leslie Banks and King Kong leads Fay Wray and Robert Armstrong.

Bed of Roses (1933). Pre-Code/comedy, about a couple of happy- go-lucky prostitutes, who get their male pursuers drunk before robbing them, which eventually lands them in jail. Joel McCrea, plays the skipper of a small cotton boat who saves Bennett's character from drowning, after she's dived off a ship to escape capture.

In 1934, he made his first performances with actress: Miriam Hopkins, who he made five films with and Barbara Stanwyck, in which they made six films together. Later, he was the first actor to play "Dr. Kildare", in the film, Interns Can't Take Money (1937).

He starred in the westerns, Wells Fargo (1937) with his wife Francis Dee, in a film about how the US Post Office meet the demands for communication in a fast growing country of the 1840s. Joel McCrea, plays one of the early riders, who loses his family, because of his dedication.



Cecil B. DeMille's, Union Pacific (1939). The story is based on the novel Trouble Shooter, written by Western fiction author, Ernest Haycox.

The 1862 Pacific Railroad Act signed by President Lincoln authorizes building the Union Pacific Railroad toward California, but Asa Barrows, hopes to profit from obstructing it. Jeff Butler, comes up against Barrows' agent, gambler Sid Campeau and his partner Dick Allen, who is Jeff's war buddy and rival suitor for Molly Monahan.

McCrea, was in the peak of his career when he performed in the films:

Foreign Correspondent (1940).
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The More the Merrier(1943),

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Sullivan's Travels (1941). A comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges. It is about a movie director, played by Joel McCrea, who wants to direct a drama, but learns that comedies are better suited for him. The film features one of Veronica Lake's first leading roles.

The Palm Beach Story (1942).
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McCrea, also starred in the westerns:

The Great Man's Lady (1942). A western film about a pioneer woman over the course of her long life and the two men who love her. It was based on the short story "The Human Side" by Viña Delmar.

Buffalo Bill(1944), with Edgar Buchanan and Maureen O'Hara. The story oflegendary William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, from his days as an army scout to owner of a Wild West show.

Please click here to learn more about the film Colorado Territory(1949)

After the success of, The Virginian(1946), a story based on the Owen Wister novel, with Joel McCrea as the Virginian and Brian Donlevy as Trampas. The film was directed by Stuart Gilmore and remains widely regarded a remake of the 1929 movie with Gary Cooper and Walter Huston. There have been several versions of the story, beginning with a 1914 film directed by Cecil B. DeMille and including a lavish 1960s television series. McCrea continued to make westerns for the rest of his career.

In 1959, Joel McCrea and his son Jody McCrea starred in the NBC-TV series Wichita Town, which lasted only one season.

A few years later, McCrea along with, Randolph Scott in, Ride the High Country (1962), which was to be his last feature film for four years, when he made The Young Rounders (1966). Four more years were to pass before his next release, but 1970 saw the release of two films: Cry Blood, Apache, again with his son Jody, and Sioux Nation McCrea made his last film, Mustang Country.

Katharine Hepburn, was a friend of McCrea's and McCrea's wife Frances Dee. Hepburn, felt that McCrea was one of the best actors she had ever worked with and was always disappointed that his career wasn't more successful.

Joel Mc Crea.

Joel McCrea, began his movie career by performing as an extra in a serial starring Ruth Roland. By 1920, McCrea was a movie stunt double, and by the time he attended USC, he was regularly performing at the Pasadena Playhouse. McCrea's big Hollywood break came with a part in the 1929 talkie Jazz Age. He became one of the most popular action stars of the 1930s, making lasting friendships director Cecil B. DeMille and Will Rogers. It was Rogers who taught McCrea to have a strong business sense, as well as a love of ranching. Concentrating on westerns after performing in The Virginian (1946), McCrea became one of Westerns biggest box-office attractions. He extended his western fame to an early-1950s radio series, Tales of the Texas Rangers, and a weekly 1959 TV oater, Wichita Town, in which McCrea costarred with his son Jody.

List of Joel Mc Crea Westerns:

Dead End (1937)
Wells Fargo (1937)
Union Pacific (1939)
Buffalo Bill (1944)
The Great Moment (1944)
The Unseen (1945)
The Virginian (1946)
Ramrod (1947)
Four Faces West (1948)
South of St. Louis (1949)
Colorado Territory (1949)
The Outriders (1950)
Stars in My Crown (1950)
Saddle Tramp (1950)
Cattle Drive (1951)
Rough Shoot (1953)
Lone Hand (1953)
Border River (1954)
Black Horse Canyon (1954)
Stranger on Horseback (1955)
Wichita (1955)
The First Texan (1956), featuring son Jody McCrea
The Oklahoman (1957)
Trooper Hook (1957)
The Tall Stranger (1957)
Cattle Empire (1958)
Fort Massacre (1958)
The Gunfight at Dodge City (1959)
Ride the High Country (1962)
The Young Rounders (1966)
Sioux Nation (1970)
Cry Blood, Apache (1970), starring son Jody McCrea(pictured below).
Mustang Country (1976)

Colorado Territory(1949)

Colorado Territory (1949). Cast: Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo and Dorothy Malone. A remake of the 1941 film noir High Sierra. Both films were directed by Raoul Walsh. The story was remade again in 1955 as I Died a Thousand Times with Jack Palance and Shelley Winters.

Outlaw Wes McQueen, escapes from jail and travels to Colorado Territory, where he is planning to meet , Dave Rickard, so they can plan a train robbery.. On the stage, he befriends Fred Winslow and his daughter Julie Ann, who headed for their new ranch. Outlaws kill both of the stage drivers, Wes brings the stage safely into town. Wes's next stop is a ghost town, where Duke Harris and Reno Blake are waiting for him . Wes is concerned about dance hall dancer, Colorado Carson, might cause trouble between the men. When she he warns him about the unreliability of Homer Wallace, he decides to let her stay. Later, he rides into town to visit the Winslows and learns that the land they bought is waterless. Wes's attraction to Julie Ann makes him want to settle down. Dave asks Wes to pull one last job before he quits. On his way back to the hideout, Wes stops again at the Winslows with a new dress for Julie Ann and money to help them to dig a well. Winslow, tries to let Wes down easy when he tells him that Julie Ann, is in love with Randolph. Back at Todos Santos, Wes learns that Colorado presence is causing trouble between the men and asks Colorado to move into his room. She tells him that she he is in love with him, he lets her know that his plans do not include her. Duke and Reno are captured by the sheriff's men. When Wes and Colorado arrive at Dave's with the money, they learn that he has died. Later, Wes finds Pluthner, trying to steal the money and kills him, unfortunately, Wes is also wounded in the fight. After sharing his and Colorado real identity with the Winslows, he asks for their help.. Winslow agrees to help, but Julie Ann, tries to turn him in for the reward. Wes quickly leaves with Colorado.


After Duke and Reno are hanged, they think it would be better if they separate. Wes rides toward Mexico, leaving Colorado at Todos Santos, where She learns the posse plan to surround Wes in the Canyon of the Dead. Will Colorado get there in time to save Wes?


I just recently saw Colorado Territory, for the first time. I think it maybe one of my favorite westerns . Joel McCrea is perfect for the character he plays. the scenery is beautiful. It looks like it was filmed in Canyon de Chelly, one of my favorite places...