Deadwood '76

Arch Hall, Jr. plays Billy May, a southerner roaming the frontier on the search for gold. When he arrives at the lawless frontier town of Deadwood, the locals mistake him for Billy the Kid. He sets up camp on the outskirts of town, unaware that Wild Bill Hickok is hunting for the outlaw. Billy falls in love with a beautiful squaw. When she is raped by a couple of local thugs, Billy returns to Deadwood to settle the score. His arrival is eagerly awaited by the townspeople, who are betting on the outcome of his duel with Hickok. Under the shadow of the hanging tree, Billy comes face to face with Wild Bill in a final shocking confrontation. Writer Arch Hall, Sr. combined three major western themes - mistaken identity, Indian wars and vengeance for an injured friend into one jam-packed thriller. Arch Hall, Jr. plays his part with complete conviction. Deadwood '76 was his sixth screen appearance in a career that included cult classics Eegah and The Sadist. Cameraman Vilmos Zsigmond went on to enjoy a high profile career as cinematographer of such classics as McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Deliverance, The Deer Hunter, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (for which he earned an Academy Award). (Verleiher-Text)