Distant Drums (1951)
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- Approved
- 1h 41min
- Action, Adventure
- 25 Dec 1951 (USA)
- Movie
After destroying a Seminole fort, American soldiers and their rescued companions must face the dangerous Everglades and hostile Indians in order to reach safety.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Gary Cooper | ... |
Capt. Quincy Wyatt
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| Mari Aldon | ... |
Judy Beckett
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| Richard Webb | ... |
Lt. Richard Tufts
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| Ray Teal | ... |
Pvt. Mohair
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| Arthur Hunnicutt | ... |
Monk
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| Robert Barrat | ... |
Gen. Zachary Taylor
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Dany Aldon | ... |
Bit part (uncredited)
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Carl Andre | ... |
Trooper (uncredited)
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Mel Archer | ... |
Pvt. Jeremiah Hiff (uncredited)
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| Gregg Barton | ... |
Pvt. James W. Tasher (uncredited)
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Jere Beery Sr. | ... |
Dead Indian (uncredited)
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| George Bell | ... |
Trooper (uncredited)
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Jimmie Booth | ... |
Trooper (uncredited)
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| Rudy Bowman | ... |
Trooper (uncredited)
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Beverly Brandon | ... |
Mme. Duprez (uncredited)
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| Bob Burns | ... |
Indian Boy (uncredited)
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Sidney Capo | ... |
Indian Boy (uncredited)
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Larry Carper | ... |
Chief Ocala (uncredited)
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| Clancy Cooper | ... |
Sgt. Shane (uncredited)
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Bob Folkerson | ... |
Trooper (uncredited)
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| Carl Harbaugh | ... |
M. Duprez (uncredited)
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Adeline Hiatt | ... |
Indian Woman (uncredited)
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| George Huggins | ... |
Trooper (uncredited)
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| Roy Jenson | ... |
Trooper (uncredited)
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| Johnny Kern | ... |
Trooper (uncredited)
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| Kenneth MacDonald | ... |
General's Staff Officer (uncredited)
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Casey MacGregor | ... |
Pvt. Sullivan (uncredited)
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| Cactus Mack | ... |
Trooper (uncredited)
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Angelita McCall | ... |
Amelia (uncredited)
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| Lee Roberts | ... |
Pvt. Tibbett (uncredited)
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Dave Rochlen | ... |
Tooper (uncredited)
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George Scanlan | ... |
Bosun (uncredited)
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| Ginger Stanley | ... |
Woman (uncredited)
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George Walsh | ... |
Bit part (uncredited)
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| Dan White | ... |
Cpl. Peachtree (uncredited)
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Jack Williams | ... |
Trooper (uncredited)
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| Sheb Wooley | ... |
Pvt. Jessup (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Raoul Walsh | ||
Written by
| Niven Busch | ... | (screenplay) and |
| Martin Rackin | ... | (screenplay) |
| Niven Busch | ... | (story) |
Produced by
| Milton Sperling | ... | producer |
Music by
| Max Steiner | ||
Cinematography by
| Sidney Hickox | ... | director of photography (as Sid Hickox) |
Editing by
| Folmar Blangsted | ||
Art Direction by
| Douglas Bacon | ||
Set Decoration by
| William Wallace | ||
Makeup Department
| Gordon Bau | ... | makeup artist |
| George Bau | ... | assistant makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Larry Butterworth | ... | assistant makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Abe Haberman | ... | assistant makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Louis Hippe | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Charlotte Kirkpatrick | ... | assistant hair stylist (uncredited) |
| Emile LaVigne | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Rudolph Liszt | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Otis Malcolm | ... | assistant makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Jeanette Marvin | ... | assistant hair stylist (uncredited) |
| Gene Roemer | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Myrl Stoltz | ... | hair stylist (uncredited) |
Production Management
| Chuck Hansen | ... | assistant production manager (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Claude Archer | ... | second assistant director (uncredited) |
| Russell Saunders | ... | assistant director (uncredited) |
| Lee White | ... | second second assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
| Eddie Edwards | ... | props (uncredited) |
| Pat Patterson | ... | assistant props (uncredited) |
| Red Turner | ... | assistant props (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Oliver S. Garretson | ... | sound / sound mixer (uncredited) |
| Harold Hanks | ... | recorder (uncredited) |
| John Jensen | ... | sound (uncredited) |
| Ross Owen | ... | sound (uncredited) |
| William Thompson | ... | sound (uncredited) |
Stunts
| Slim Talbot | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Jack Williams | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Jack Albin | ... | still man (uncredited) |
| Alfred Baalas | ... | Technicolor assistant (uncredited) |
| Albert Beland | ... | loader (uncredited) |
| Paul Burnett | ... | gaffer (uncredited) |
| Alfred Cline | ... | Technicolor technician (uncredited) |
| Ernest Cromer | ... | battery man (uncredited) |
| Robert R. Farmer | ... | Operator (uncredited) |
| Theodore Feld | ... | Mechanic (uncredited) |
| George Gall | ... | Technicolor assistant (uncredited) |
| Cliff Heard | ... | operator (uncredited) |
| Sidney Hickox | ... | camera operator (uncredited) |
| Robert Hollohan | ... | camera operator (uncredited) |
| Mike Joyce | ... | camera operator (uncredited) |
| George E. Lussow | ... | Technicolor assistant (uncredited) |
| Arthur Mazur | ... | camera operator (uncredited) |
| Earl Metz | ... | Technicolor technician (uncredited) |
| Ed Rike | ... | best boy (uncredited) |
| Harry Tuverson | ... | generator man (uncredited) |
| William Walsh | ... | Technicolor assistant (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Marjorie Best | ... | wardrobe |
| Ralph Hibbs | ... | wardrobe assistant (uncredited) |
| Lillian House | ... | wardrobe supervisor (uncredited) |
| Ted Kring | ... | wardrobe assistant (uncredited) |
| Roe Ramsay | ... | wardrobe assistant (uncredited) |
| Leon Roberts | ... | wardrobe supervisor (uncredited) |
Location Management
| Matt Bruttig | ... | location timechecker (uncredited) |
| Marvin Margulies | ... | location timekeeper (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Murray Cutter | ... | orchestrator |
Script and Continuity Department
| Irva Mae Ross | ... | script supervisor (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Mitchell Kovaleski | ... | technicolor color consultant |
| Bob Reilly | ... | publicist (uncredited) |
| John Ward | ... | first aid (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Warner Bros. (presents)
- United States Pictures
Distributors
- Warner Bros. (1951) (United States) (theatrical) (as Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.)
- Warner Bros. (1952) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (1952) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (1952) (Austria) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (1952) (France) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (1952) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (1952) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Sociedade Importadora de Filmes (SIF) (1953) (Portugal) (theatrical)
- Cat-Film Distributions (1963) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Republic Pictures Home Video (1998) (United States) (VHS)
- Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (VHS)
- Lions Gate Entertainment (2004) (United States) (DVD)
- Olive Films (2012) (Canada) (DVD)
- Olive Films (2012) (Canada) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Olive Films (2012) (United States) (DVD)
- Olive Films (2012) (United States) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Swashbuckler Films (2015) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Schröder Media (2018) (Germany) (DVD)
- Topanga Canyon Films (2018) (Spain)
- Umbrella Entertainment (2020) (Australia) (DVD)
- Umbrella Entertainment (2020) (New Zealand) (DVD)
- Paramount Channel (2021) (France) (tv)
- HanseSound (2023) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- HanseSound (2023) (Germany) (DVD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- The United States Department of Interior, National Park Service (location shoot with permission from)
- Warner Bros. Sound (post-production sound services)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Navy Lieutenant Tufts accompanies scout Quincy Wyatt into the Everglades to rout the Seminole Indians who are threatening the early settlers in Florida. When the command is forced to run, Wyatt and Seminole Chief Oscala square off in an exciting climax.
Written by Buxx Banner |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Against unseen jungle terrors and untamed savage tribes ... and pounding war-drums that echoed his challenge ! See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | WILHELM SCREAM: This film contains the first known instance of "The Wilhelm Scream" (a sound effect of a man screaming, since used in over 400 other movies, at least 433). different variations of the sound effect are heard throughout the movie, heard two or three times during a fortress battle sequence when two soldiers are killed and let out Wilhelms. it's again during a scene in which the soldiers are wading through a swamp in the everglades, one of them is bitten and dragged underwater by an alligator and lets out a Wilhelm. six takes of this scream were recorded originally for the alligator scene by Sheb Wooley (actor of Private Jessup), the fifth take was used for the alligator scene though the fourth take became most popular. The scream for that character was recorded later. Six short pained screams were recorded in a single take, which was slated "man getting bit by an alligator, and he screams." The fifth scream was used for the soldier - but the 4th, 5th, and 6th screams recorded in the session were also used earlier in the film when three Indians are shot, one after another, during a raid on a fort. Although the "signature" or "classic" screams, takes 4 through 6 on the original recording, are the most recognizable, all of the screams are referred to as "Wilhelm" by those in the sound community. Ben Burtt, sound effects designer on Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), named it "Wilhelm" after the character that let out the scream in The Charge at Feather River (1953). He discovered a file at Warner Bros. for this movie, which contained paperwork that was left over from the picture editor after the film was completed. One of the papers was a short list of names of actors who were scheduled to come in to perform various lines of dialogue for miscellaneous roles in the movie. After reviewing the names and even listening to their voices, one person seemed to be the most likely suspect: Sheb Wooley who had played the uncredited role of Private Jessup in "Distant Drums", and was one of the few actors assembled for the recording of additional vocal elements for the film. It is very likely he was asked on the spot to perform other things for the film, including the screams for a man being bitten by an alligator. See more » |
| Goofs | The pistol that Captain Wyatt carries through out the movie looks to be a Colt Peacemaker, a pistol that didn't exist until decades after the Second Seminole war. Although it is possible that an Army officer could have carried a percussion revolver in the Second Seminole War, it would have likely been a Colt Paterson pistol. Definitely different in looks. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Top 10 Greatest Sound Effects in Movies (2013). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Distant Drums Theme See more » |
| Crazy Credits | Opening credits are followed immediately by Lt. Richard Tufts (Richard Webb) writing in his LOG "I, Lieutenant Richard Tufts, United States Navy, do make this account of my perilous journey in the Territory of Florida in the year 1840." See more » |
| Quotes |
[repeated line]
Screaming Voice: AAH! See more » |