Tex Ritter Western #28

Sagebrush returns from vacation with a tall tale about surviving a shipwreck in rough seas, but the punchline lands him in hot water when a certain oversized fellow takes offense to his jokes. This quick western humor yarn delivers the kind of absurdist gags that make Tex Ritter Western such a reliable laugh in 1955.

When a neighboring rancher's spread burns down under suspicious circumstances, Tex Ritter investigates what seems like a straightforward case of arson—but the discovery of oil beneath the disputed land transforms the crime into something far more calculated. As Tex digs deeper into the tangled motives behind the fire, he uncovers a scheme of greed and deception that forces him to separate truth from carefully constructed lies.

Tex Ritter finds himself caught in a deadly web when he discovers a dying man on the trail—a victim robbed of twenty thousand dollars by three bushwhackers—and becomes the prime suspect when a sheriff arrives to find him standing over a corpse. As evidence mounts against him and a ruthless scheme unravels, Tex must use his wits and courage to expose the real culprit and clear his name before he's hanged for murders he didn't commit.

Gopher Face shows up looking for work and explains to a potential boss why he left his last job—he couldn't handle the constant quarreling and yelling between his previous employer and the man's wife. It's a quick, wry look at what makes a fellow decide to move on down the trail.

Tex Ritter springs into action when jewel thieves kill a man during a late-night robbery and flee into the territory around Red Mountain. As Tex closes in on their trail, the criminals use cunning and deception to stay ahead of him—but when the ranger discovers a murdered prospector and uncovers their hiding place, he finds himself trapped with an innocent witness and facing a desperate situation before dark. It's a race against time and wits as Tex works to turn the tables on two ruthless killers.

Sam the Sheriff corners Bad Bart Barton's brother Brad for information about the notorious outlaw's whereabouts, leading to a series of good-natured jabs about Bart's criminal reputation—until Brad reluctantly admits his brother is already behind bars. Later that night, Sam finds himself on the receiving end of a holdup attempt by none other than Bad Bart himself, who's apparently escaped, and the two engage in a battle of wits that turns the tables in unexpected ways. This 1955 humor tale delivers the kind of witty wordplay and ironic reversals that made "Hard Luck Story" a lighthearted addition to Tex Ritter Western.

When a young rider named Johnny falls under the thumb of two dangerous killers—Shale Dawson and Piney Mosher—he becomes their unwilling tool in a scheme that puts the woman he loves in mortal danger. Tex Ritter sees through the boy's fear and rides to the Circle O ranch determined to turn the tables on the outlaws before their double-cross can play out. What follows is a tense showdown where Johnny must finally stand his ground and prove he's more than the coward folks have labeled him.

Ten Gallon Tex trades in tall tales in this 1955 humor bit, spinning an outlandish yarn about a conversation between two drops of ink that lands a groan-worthy punchline. It's the kind of shaggy-dog joke that western comics loved—setup, misdirection, and a groan at the finish that'll have you rolling your eyes just right.