The Royal Rider

{{short description|1929 film}} {{Use American English|date=September 2021}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox film | name = The Royal Rider | image = The Royal Rider poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[Harry Joe Brown]] | producer = [[Charles R. Rogers]] | screenplay = [[Sylvia Bernstein (screenwriter)|Sylvia Bernstein]] [[Jacques Jaccard]] Leslie Mason | story = [[Nate Gatzert]] | starring = [[Ken Maynard]] [[Olive Hasbrouck]] [[Philippe De Lacy]] [[Theodore Lorch]] Joseph Burke [[Harry Semels]] | cinematography = [[Ted McCord (cinematographer)|Ted McCord]] | editing = [[Fred Allen (film editor)|Fred Allen]] | studio = [[First National Pictures]] | distributor = [[Warner Bros. Pictures]] | released = {{Film date|1929|2|17}} | runtime = 67 minutes | country = United States | language = [[Sound film|Sound]] (Synchronized) English intertitles }} '''''The Royal Rider''''' is a 1929 American Synchronized [[sound film|sound]] [[Western film]] directed by [[Harry Joe Brown]] and written by Sylvia Bernstein, [[Jacques Jaccard]] and Leslie Mason. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using the [[Vitaphone]] sound-on-disc sound process. The film stars [[Ken Maynard]], Olive Hasbrouck, [[Philippe De Lacy]], [[Theodore Lorch]], Joseph Burke and [[Harry Semels]]. The film was released by [[Warner Bros. Pictures]] on February 17, 1929.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/499446/the-royal-rider |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516103535/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/499446/The-Royal-Rider/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 16, 2018 |title=The Royal Rider (1929) - Overview |publisher=Turner Classic Movies |date= |access-date=May 15, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Hal Erickson |url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-royal-rider-v108474 |title=The Royal Rider (1929) - Harry Joe Brown |publisher=AllMovie |date= |accessdate=May 15, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/11806 |title=The Royal Rider |publisher=Catalog.afi.com |date= |accessdate=May 15, 2018}}</ref> The film was considered to be a [[lost film]] until March 8, 2023 when a fragment totaling 35 seconds was rediscovered.

==Plot== Dick Scott leads his roaming troupe of trick riders as they prepare to stage their Wild West show in a small town in Alvania, ruled by a ten-year-old Boy King, Michael XI. The young monarch's innocent curiosity is sparked when the show's advance man announces the upcoming rodeo, prompting the King to command the entire troupe to appear before him, eager to meet the legendary Texas cowboys his American governess, Ruth Elliott, has told him about.

While visiting the palace, Scott overhears the sinister Prime Minister conspiring with his political cohorts to overthrow the government and seize the throne for himself. When the Prime Minister learns that Scott knows of the plot, he devises a plan to eliminate him during a command performance of the rodeo.

The Prime Minister selects his finest horseman to challenge Scott in a thrilling riding contest designed to kill him. Both riders display extraordinary horsemanship in a dazzling duel, but Scott ultimately triumphs by roping and horsing his rival.

Failing to kill Scott or the Boy King, who is now heavily guarded by Scott and his troupe, the Prime Minister initiates a full-scale revolution. Scott valiantly defends the young monarch against overwhelming odds. Just when hope seems lost, Scott's faithful horse, Tarzan, arrives with the rest of the Wild West troupe to turn the tide.

The rebellion is crushed, order restored, and the grateful King gives his blessing to the budding romance between Scott and Ruth Elliott.

==Cast== * [[Ken Maynard]] as Dick Scott * [[Olive Hasbrouck]] as Ruth Elliott * [[Philippe De Lacy]] as King Michael XI * [[Theodore Lorch]] as Prime Minister * Joseph Burke as Kings Tutor * [[Harry Semels]] as Parvene * [[Billy Franey]] as Wild West Show Member * [[Frank Rice (actor)|Frank Rice]] as Wild West Show Member * [[Bobby Dunn]] as Wild West Show Member * John Sinclair as Wild West Show Member * [[Ben Corbett]] as Wild West Show Member * [[Tarzan]] as Tarzan

==See also== * [[List of early sound feature films (1926–1929)]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb title|0020347}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Rider, The}} [[Category:1929 films]] [[Category:1929 English-language films]] [[Category:1929 Western (genre) films]] [[Category:First National Pictures films]] [[Category:Warner Bros. films]] [[Category:Films directed by Harry Joe Brown]] [[Category:American black-and-white films]] [[Category:American silent Western (genre) films]] [[Category:1929 American films]] [[Category:English-language Western (genre) films]] [[Category:Synchronized sound films]]