Most mid-19th-century Mississippi River boys dreamed of occupying that pinnacle of power and glamour, the pilot house of a riverboat. In a riot of local color, this film tells how, unlike many, Sam's dream comes true. A callow teenager, he talks the tough but consummate Horace Bixby into making him his apprentice on the "Paul Jones," eventually following him to the much finer "Aleck Scott." Meanwhile, he is already spinning fantastic yarns to everyone from awe-struck lads ashore, to fellow "cub pilots", to young lady passengers who catch his eye. Things temporarily take a turn for the worse when Bixby must attend a meeting and leave Sam to work under Brown, a dour tyrant with a grudge against him.
Bakery Clerk (uncredited)
In Brooklyn circa 1900, the Nolans manage to enjoy life on pennies despite great poverty and Papa's alcoholism. We come to know these people well through big and little troubles: Aunt Sissy's scandalous succession of "husbands"; the removal of the one tree visible from their tenement; and young Francie's desire to transfer to a better school...if irresponsible Papa can get his act together.
Henchman Moyer
Jim Sanders (Don 'Red' Barry), young cowboy, returns to his hometown for a reunion with his boyhood friend Clay Blackburn (George Offerman Jr.). Once there he learns that Clay's father, Frank Blackburn (Ivan Miller), is the unscrupulous proprietor of a stagecoach line and is out to bankrupt the line run by Joel Hunter (Griff Barnett' ), the father of Jim's sweetheart Ruth Hunter (Betty Moran). Jim is forced to lead the fight against his best friend.
Ranch Hand (uncredited)
An intellectually disabled giant and his level headed guardian find work at a sadistic cowboy's ranch in depression era America.
Settler
An Irish convict sentenced to hard labor in Australia escapes into the outback, and organizes a band of fellow escapees to fight a corrupt landlord.
