The Kangaroo Kid

Yank detective "Tex" Kinnane is sent to Australia to arrest notorious stagecoach robber John Spengler. He takes a job as a stagecoach driver himself, and acquires the nickname "The Kangaroo Kid" after adopting a baby kangaroo. Tex befriends Sergeant Jim Penrose, who is also pursuing Spengler. He reports that miner Steve Corbett has been acting strangely ever since Tex arrived in town. In reality, Corbett is in cahoots with Spengler and plans to rob Tex's stagecoach and frame him for the crime. Can "The Kangaroo Kid" clear his name and apprehend the crooks in time?

The Kangaroo Kid was to be the first in a series of co-productions from Australian brothers T.O. "Tom" and Alec McCreadle and American Howard C. Brown about the title character, but unimpressive box office and lukewarm reviews meant there were no further adventures of Tex Kinnane. This was the first starring role for Jock Mahoney, who got his start in Hollywood as a stunt double for Errol Flynn, John Wayne, Gregory Peck, and many others. He later played the fabled Lord of the Jungle in Tarzan the Magnificent (1960), but is probably best known for his work in two popular TV series - Range Rider (1951-1952) and Yancy Derringer (1958-1959). It was also an early role for the lovely Martha Hyer, who would be nominated for an Academy Award for Some Came Running (1958). The ravishing Veda Ann Borg appeared in over 100 films, including as Lamont Crantson's "lovely friend and companion" Margo Lane in The Shadow (1940) movie serial with Victor Jory. Director Lesley Selander cut his teeth as assistant director on classic films like The Marx Brothers' A Night at the Opera (1935) and Fritz Lang's Fury (1936).