A. C. Lyles enjoyable remake of "This Gun for Hire"

Paramount film producer A.C. Lyles is best known for his series of entertaining Westerns made during the 60's using many well known veteran stars (even in the smaller supporting roles). "Short Cut to Hell" was the first film produced by A.C. Lyles and was the only film ever directed by James Cagney who did it as a favour to A.C. to get him started as a producer. Cagney also did the narration for another A.C. Lyles production "Arizona Bushwhackers" (again as a personal favour to the producer). "Short Cut to Hell" was an efficient remake of the Alan Ladd classic "This Gun for Hire" and starred Robert Ivers and Georgann Johnson. Now in his 80's A.C. Lyles still has an office on the Paramount lot which he visits most days and he can often be seen on TV being interviewed on the excellent "Biography" series with his recollections of the "Golden Years of Hollywood" and stories about the stars he knew personally from that era. Other A.C. Lyles Westerns include "Apache Uprising" (Rory Calhoun, Corinne Calvet), "Johnny Reno" (Dana Andrews, Jane Russell), "Hostile Guns" (George Montgomery, Yvonne de Carlo), "Waco" (Howard Keel, Jane Russell), "Black Spurs" (Rory Calhoun, Linda Darnell), "Red Tomahawk" (Howard Keel, Joan Caulfield), and many others. If you have the opportunity make a point to see some of these A.C. Lyles productions as although they were only second features at the time are of special interest today due to the impressive casting of veteran talent.

Clive "movie buff" Roberts