Why Broncho Billy Left Bear County

This documentary traces the history of the B-Western from it's silent movie origins to its demise in the early 1950s. The film contains a large number of scenes from early silents and seldom seen films, as well as old photographs of the stars and one-sheet advertisements for lost films.

The girl gets a job on the local newspaper and is sent out to get the story of one of the escapades of a rich bachelor. While she is on her way she determines to break into the house, because she is sure the bachelor will refuse her an interview. She breaks into the house and is blithely gathering the details of her story when the bachelor surprises her and calls the police. Just as the police arrive, the bachelor puts on a housecoat and an old cap. He looks very much like a burglar.

Broncho Billy, a woodsman, living in northern Montana, is greeted by Paul Harding, an artist from New York City. Harding presents Broncho Billy with a letter of introduction. The newcomer is taken into the rough western home and is told to make his headquarters there until he has finished with his painting. Harding sees in Broncho Billy's wife, an excellent subject for oils, and is given consent to paint her portrait. Harding takes a deep interest in the woman and not only teaches her how to read and write, but gives her a thorough knowledge of worldly things in general. Some time later, Harding receives a telegram demanding that he return to his home immediately, that his mother is critically ill. Broncho Billy's wife takes Harding to the railroad station in their buggy. Broncho gets wind of his wife driving away with Harding, and comes to the untimely conclusion that she is eloping with the artist. Harding is overtaken by Broncho Billy and a fierce struggle ensues.

Ethel Walker and Tom Phelps are engaged to marry, but father objects. Later, when the old gentleman finds his daughter writing a note to Tom, promising him to elope, he calls in blacksmiths and has them put bars on the windows and grating in the door.

Pioneer filmmaker J. Stuart Blackton was intrigued by the idea of a film about the history of the movies as early as 1915. He finally released a 52-minute feature called The Film Parade that was shown in New York and favorably reviewed by "Variety" in 1933. He continued tinkering with the film for the rest of the decade, and later filmmakers and distributors used Blackton's footage for stock or to produce their own variously titled and truncated versions. -UCLA Film & Television Archive

A reward is offered for the capture of Broncho Billy and David Kirkland and freedom is promised to either one who will turn state's evidence.

Tim Cantle, an evil-looking fellow, is drinking at a bar. The saloonkeeper's daughter enters, and Tim, slightly tipsy, tries to kiss her. She struggles to escape him. Broncho Billy enters and draws his gun. Tim flees. Tim gets his horse and rides away. As he approaches a house on a hill nearby, he sees Annie Fargo run out of her home, her father cursing her. Tim seizes and kisses her. She strikes him in the face and screams. Her father then comes out and drives Tim away. He sends Annie back into the house, following her with his gun. Tim swears vengeance.

Old Clayton, a ranchman, has a pretty daughter, Sue, who is loved by Dan Morris, a worthless cattleman. Clayton tries to force Sue to marry Morris, but the girl indignantly refuses, tells Morris she doesn't love him and goes to meet her real sweetheart.

After the train station clerk is assaulted and left bound and gagged, then the departing train and its passengers robbed, a posse goes in hot pursuit of the fleeing bandits.

Two wandering thespians, whose one lone trunk bears the legend "Schulz Brothers, in Vaudeville," are hitting the grit back to New York. They are sore and tired when they reach "Snakeville." They decide to stop overnight, and if fortune favors them to give a performance and gets enough money to ride back to Broadway. Thereat they bill the town and make ready for the performance at the Town Hall that evening. Their efforts to please the critical Snakeville audience are futile and before they have rendered their first selection the audience bowls them off the stage and all leave. Furthermore the management in the box office has decamped to the "Red Eye" saloon with all the proceeds of the performance and they are in as bad a fix as before.

Walking along with his bulldog, Charlie finds a "good luck" horseshoe just as he passes a training camp advertising for a boxing partner "who can take a beating." After watching others lose, Charlie puts the horseshoe in his glove and wins. The trainer prepares Charlie to fight the world champion. A gambler wants Charlie to throw the fight. He and the trainer's daughter fall in love.

David Morgan, a cowpuncher, is informed by Doctor Harding that the former's wife is in a serious condition and must be taken from the high altitude. An Indian horse thief shows David a way to make some money easy. That night, the Indian and the cowpuncher steal two horses. The Indian is captured by Broncho Billy, the sheriff, and squeals on Morgan. Dorothy, the cowpuncher's child, informs her father that a posse is coming up the road. Morgan instructs his child to say nothing to the men concerning his whereabouts. The cowpuncher crawls into the loft and pulls the ladder up after him. Broncho Billy enters, sees Morgan's wife is in a critical condition and asks the child where her father is. She tells him she does not know. The sheriff, hearing a sound above him, is about to fire his revolver into the loft, when the girl confesses that her father is above.

A girl helps Broncho Billy to hide when the sheriff comes looking for him. When a while later he finds her and her mother unconscious, he holds up a stagecoach to bring them to a doctor. The sheriff, still on Billy's track, shoots him in front of the doctor's practice.

Evelyn and Irene Courteny, through the helplessness of their father, who is a cripple, are given charge of the general store and post office. A large bag of gold with registered letters, etc., are delivered by the mail carrier on day. Dick Lee, a notorious outlaw, sees the delivery of the valuable bag. That night, with a gang, Lee breaks into the post office and would have carried off the treasure, had not Evelyn escaped through a back window, mounted her horse, and rode away. One of the men sees her, however, and the three go in pursuit. Irene is quick to inform Broncho Billy, and the latter arrives just in time to save Evelyn from the hands of the bandits. The three are captured. Broncho Billy falls in love with Irene and the two are left to plan their future happiness. (Moving Picture World synopsis)

A rough criminal gets a second chance at life thanks to a kindly (and wealthy) lady saloon patron. But he hasn't gone straight yet, as he and a partner attempt to rob the home of a rich homeowner-- whose wife is asleep in the next room.

Fairfax, California, is the location used for this film, one of the earliest Broncho Billy films. Anderson includes his usual mix of comedy and drama as Broncho Billy gets caught in the middle of a family dispute between a jealous hotel owner and his daughter when she flirts with her boyfriend, a cowboy her father dislikes.