Trailin' West (1936)

Featuring Dick Foran as the "Singing Cowboy" and his horse Smoke (unbilled). Paula Stone, from Treachery Rides the Range, is the girl in this one too. Also appearing is Henry Otho, the favorite foil of the "Singing Cowboy"? Although Jim Thorpe (yes, that Jim Thorpe) appears in the credits as Black Eagle, if he's in the film at all it's for all of three seconds in a montage of the Indians having a war rally.

The story starts with President Abraham Lincoln needing a man to avoid ambush by Confederate outlaws, try to learn of their activities, and keep them from forming alliances with the Indians to defeat the Union army, or steal its gold. Of course, President Lincoln chooses the "Singing Cowboy" for the mission. However, his credentials are stolen and used by one of the rebels, and against him. So, while interrupting an arms deal between the Confederates and the Indians, the "Singing Cowboy" is suspected of the gun running. He must escape and/or convince the Union Colonel that he, and not the Confederate impersonator, is the one meant to disrupt the enemy's plans.

A couple of great escapes are made by the "Singing Cowboy" on his horse, Smoke (soon to receive billing in future films). One involves making his way across a crevice spanned only by a log, the other occurs when the two must jump off some rocks into a deep part of the river and swim the rest of the way across it. There are also two prolonged fight sequences (the second after yet another impressive horse stunt!), and a shorter one, between the "Singing Cowboy" and the "bad guys".