The Kid from Texas is a 1950 Western starring Audie Murphy as Billy the Kid and details his involvement in the Lincoln County War. It was Murphy's first Western.^[1]

Plot

The film starts 11 July 1879 in Lincoln County. A group of men who work for Major Harper, led by gunslinger Minniger, attempt to arrest rancher Alexander Kain and his English partner Jameson. They are stopped by William Bonney, aka Billy the Kid, who shoots and injuries them.

Jameson offers Billy a job as a ranch hand. A drunken group of Harper's men attach the ranch and kill Jameson. Billy goes on a killing rampage, encouraged by the manipulative Kain, who publicly decries Billy's efforts. Governor Lew Wallace offers Billy a pardon which he turns down. Pat Garrett is sent to catch Billy.

Cast

• Audie Murphy as Billy the Kid
• Gale Storm as Irene Kain
• Albert Dekker as Alexander Kain
• Shepperd Strudwick as Jameson
• Will Geer as O'Fallon
• William Talman as Minniger
• Martin Garralaga as Morales
• Robert H. Barrat as General Lew Wallace
• Walter Sande as Crowe
• Frank Wilcox as Pat Garrett
• Dennis Hoey as Major Harper

Production Notes

The film fictionalises the true events of the Lincoln County War but follows the basic facts. Jameson (Shepperd Strudwick) is based on John Tunstall and Alexander Kain (Albert Dekker) on Alexander McSween.