The Night Rider was the pilot episode for a rejected anthology series entitled "Gallaway House", awkwardly bookended with a Mr. Gallaway greeting and saying goodbye to patrons in his old west playhouse.
Whether it was a western or country music themed show, I'm not sure, but it did see release as an added attraction in predominantly southern drive-ins.
The meat of the program is a very low budget but excellent and atmospheric vehicle for the man in black, who portrays Johnny Laredo, a sullen and haunted gunslinger (reminiscent of Gregory Peck in The Gunfighter) traveling by night in order to avoid his many enemies.
Also on hand are country music legend Merle Travis (who also sings and plays) and 1940's B-western star Eddie Dean.
Basically, the plot is a dramatic retelling of Cash's hit song "Don't Take Your Guns To Town", ending with Johnny singing it around the campfire with Merle and Eddie.
Great stuff.
Whether it was a western or country music themed show, I'm not sure, but it did see release as an added attraction in predominantly southern drive-ins.
The meat of the program is a very low budget but excellent and atmospheric vehicle for the man in black, who portrays Johnny Laredo, a sullen and haunted gunslinger (reminiscent of Gregory Peck in The Gunfighter) traveling by night in order to avoid his many enemies.
Also on hand are country music legend Merle Travis (who also sings and plays) and 1940's B-western star Eddie Dean.
Basically, the plot is a dramatic retelling of Cash's hit song "Don't Take Your Guns To Town", ending with Johnny singing it around the campfire with Merle and Eddie.
Great stuff.
