The Roundup (1941): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1941, The Roundup is a western film directed by Lesley Selander, running about 90 minutes. “DON WILSON, Jack Benny's famous announcer...goes over big---but BIG---in his first screen comedy role!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Originally written as a stage vehicle for corpulent character actor Macklyn Arbuckle, Ernest Day's The Roundup was first filmed in 1920 with Fatty Arbuckle (no relation) in the lead. By the time the film was remade in 1941, Arbuckle's character, a roly-poly frontier sheriff named Slim (!), was refashioned as a supporting role, with Jack Benny's radio announcer Don Wilson essaying the part. The plot, however, remained fairly intact: Upon hearing that her fiance Greg (Preston Foster) has been killed, Janet (Patricia Morison) agrees to marry rancher Steve (Richard Dix) on the rebound. On the day of the wedding, who should show up but Greg, determined to raise as much Hell as humanly possible

Who’s in it. The Roundup stars Richard Dix as Steve Payson, Patricia Morison as Janet Allen (Payson), Preston Foster as Greg Lane and Don Wilson as Sheriff 'Slim' Hoover, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 8.0/10, The Roundup sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Roundup page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Roundup tend to enjoy The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Django Unchained, Once Upon a Time in the West and For a Few Dollars More.