Blazing Across the Pecos (1948)

Charles Starrett played the Durango Kid in 65 films from 1940-1952, making it one of the longest-running Western series in history. He reportedly hated the mask.

This was part of Columbia's 'Two-Reel Plus' strategy—cheap, fast Westerns that played before features, keeping rural theaters stocked with fresh content weekly. The 55-minute runtime was deliberate economy, not artistic choice.