Republic's well-produced Allan "Rocky" Lane western series was a favorite of fans and critics alike. The series maintained its high batting average with its first 1949 entry, Death Valley Gunfighter. The storyline gets under way when thieves conspire to appropriate a silver mine owned by comedy relief Nugget Clark Eddy Waller. Though he could benefit from some legal help, Nugget doesn't trust lawmen. Thus, do-gooder Lane is forced to protect Nugget without the old man's knowledge. Death Valley Gunfighter culminates in the sort of outsized slugfest for which Republic was justly famous. TV's future "Annie Oakley" Gail Davis co-stars as the love interest. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi