Heritage of the Desert
“Zane Grey's pen... again sends a devil-may-care youth... on an exciting trail of adventure and romance.”
Synopsis
John Abbott returns to the desert land he owns, and after being wounded by hired gunman Chick Chance, he is befriended by rancher Andrew Naab and his son, Marvin. Naab's daughter, Marian, falls in love with John but is about to marry Snap Thornton to keep a promise made by her father. She runs away on her wedding day but is captured and held hostage by outlaw Henry Holderness. John, the Naabs and fellow ranchers rush to her rescue.
Top Cast
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Donald Woods
John Abbott
Evelyn Venable
Miriam Naab
Russell Hayden
David Naab
Robert Barrat
Andrew Naab
Sidney Toler
Nosey
C. Henry Gordon
Henry Holderness
Willard Robertson
Henchman Nebraska
Paul Guilfoyle
Snap Thornton
Paul Fix
Henchman Chick Chance
John 'Skins' Miller
Postmaster John Twerk
Reginald Barlow
Judge Stevens
Hank Bell
Wedding Guest
Charles Brinley
Wedding Guest
Rod Cameron
Cowhand
Frank Ellis
Wedding Guest
Frankie Marvin
Musician
Charles Murphy
Wedding Guest
Tex Phelps
Wedding Guest
Release History & Theatrical Window
June 23, 1939
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Lesley Selander
- Screenplay & Story
- Norman Houston
- Original Score
- Victor Young
- Original Title
- Heritage of the Desert
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 13m
- Production Studios
- Paramount Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Lesley Selander
Norman Houston, Zane Grey
Victor Young
Russell Harlan
Sherman A. Rose
Harry Sherman
Department Leadership Roster
Lesley Selander
Director
Sherman A. Rose
Editor
Russell Harlan
Director of Photography
Harry Sherman
Producer
Norman Houston
Screenplay
Victor Young
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Heritage of the Desert.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About Heritage of the Desert
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Heritage of the Desert about?
John Abbott returns to the desert land he owns, and after being wounded by hired gunman Chick Chance, he is befriended by rancher Andrew Naab and his son, Marvin. Naab's daughter, Marian, falls in love with John but is about to marry Snap Thornton to keep a promise made by her father. She runs away on her wedding day but is captured and held hostage by outlaw Henry Holderness. John, the Naabs and fellow ranchers rush to her rescue.
Who directed Heritage of the Desert?
Heritage of the Desert was directed by Lesley Selander.
Who stars in Heritage of the Desert?
The principal cast of Heritage of the Desert includes Donald Woods, Evelyn Venable, Russell Hayden, Robert Barrat, Sidney Toler.
When was Heritage of the Desert released and how long is it?
Heritage of the Desert was released in 1939 with a total runtime of 1h 13m.
Who composed the musical score for Heritage of the Desert?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Heritage of the Desert was composed by Victor Young.
Is Heritage of the Desert based on a book or true story?
Heritage of the Desert is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Zane Grey".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Heritage of the Desert?
Heritage of the Desert holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).