November 6, 1956 – The Special Short Film A Cowboy Needs a Horse Premieres in Theaters
“If he wants to keep riding, riding along…”
On November 6, 1956, the special short film A Cowboy Needs a Horse premiered in theaters before the True-Life Adventure film Secrets of Life. The short’s song of the same name was written by Paul Mason Howard and Billy Mills. The short was directed by Bill Justice, with story by Dick Kinney and Roy Williams.
A little boy is sleeping in his bed, and dreams of being a cowboy. In his dreams, his bed turns into a horse, and the little boy magically gets a rope, a song, a hat, boots, and spurs, to become a cowboy. As he travels the desert with his horse, they are caught by an Indian tribe. He uses his pistols to fire back, until his pistols run out of bullets. Using his trusty rope, he captures the tribe, but makes peace with the chief, who offers him a peace pipe. The boy takes it and blows bubbles with it, to the chief’s delight. The chief gives the boy his headdress in gratitude.
Upon the sound of danger, the boy mounts his horse and chases after the villains in his dream
The boy suddenly hears gunshots, and looks to see some varmints trying to rob a stagecoach. He and his horse take off, just as the robber grabs the money. They give chase, and the boy and varmint roll down a hill, fighting, with the boy winning. He throws back the money, with the stagehand pointing to a reward sign for the criminal. The boy refuses the reward, happy just to help. Just as he and his horse are about to go on their way, they spy two other criminals attempting to blow up the railroad tracks. Although he is unable to remove the dynamite before it explodes, the boy throws himself on the tracks, and the train runs over him.
Work isn’t done for the boy: he hears a loud scream below, and spies a girl being tied to a cactus and being threatened by a villain. Jumping on his horse, he runs to her rescue, saving her just in time. The girl offers to kiss him, but he refuses, instead offering her a ride home instead. As the dream comes to an end, the boy relinquishes all of the things that make him a cowboy, and drifts out of his dream.
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