Hopalong Cassidy: The Legacy Collection Volume One Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Hopalong Cassidy: The Legacy Collection Volume One Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 25, 2025

William Boyd had already had a rather significant and successful career as both a matinee idol and leading man by the time the Hopalong Cassidy films came along, but even so, the long running film franchise (and, later, television series) absolutely cemented Boyd's cinematic persona as virtually indistinguishable from the (in the original version at least) irascible cowboy created by Clarence E. Mulford. The Hopalong Cassidy series was a huge money maker for Paramount for around five or six years beginning in 1935, attracting such consistent box office returns that these so-called "B" movies were often exhibited at emporia that would otherwise have thumbed their nose at such "lowbrow" fare. The series continued at United Artists for several more years after leaving Paramount, first under the imprimatur of original producer Harry Sherman, but then Boyd himself, and Boyd's "management" of the series and subsequent smart rights acquisitions meant Boyd was able to also exploit the character on both radio and in one of the first "smash hit" television series to hit the airwaves in 1949. Kind of interestingly, the series may have actually given birth to two firmly cemented screen personae, in that frequent sidekick George Hayes, who ultimately recurred as a character named Windy Halliday, later matriculated over to Republic Pictures playing much the same character there in a slew of westerns under the (mandated) new name of "Gabby" Hayes. ClassicFlix, which has already offered collectors Blu-ray releases devoted to The Little Rascals and The Abbott and Costello Show, is now evidently embarking on a new set of releases devoted to this western icon, and considering the fact that there were 66 Hopalong Cassidy features made over the course of a decade and a half or so, this could be a rather extended set of discs. This premiere release offers the first three Hopalong Cassidy films, when certain aspects of the character and his cohort were still being developed.

For reviews of the films included on this disc, please click on the following links:

Hop-a-Long Cassidy Blu-ray review

The Eagle's Brood Blu-ray review

Bar 20 Rides Again Blu-ray review

Hopalong Cassidy: The Legacy Collection Volume One Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Video quality is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Hopalong Cassidy: The Legacy Collection Volume One Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Audio quality is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Hopalong Cassidy: The Legacy Collection Volume One Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Since this is in essence a triple feature on one disc, there are both film specific supplements as well as some that are more generalist in nature.

• Audio Commentary by film historian Ed Hulse on Hop-Along Cassidy can be accessed either under the Bonus Features menu or the Play menu for this film.


• Audio Commentary by film historian Toby Roan on Bar 20 Rides Again can be accessed either under the Bonus Features menu or the Play menu for this film.


• William Boyd - Becoming Hopalong Cassidy (HD; 32:33) is a really excellent overview of Boyd's early career and ultimate metamorphosis into Hopalong.


• Hopalong in Hoppyland (HD; 9:29) is an archival newsreel type short documenting Boyd's pre-Disneyland amusement park.


• Bonus Reels (HD; 7:03) are snippets culled from the Hopalong Cassidy Film Archive. These have no sound.


• The Eagle's Brood Original Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:14)


• Image Gallery (HD; 2:17)

The insert sleeve features an inner print with plot synopses and key art.

Hopalong Cassidy: The Legacy Collection Volume One Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If ClassicFlix has plans to bring out all 66 Hopalong Cassidy efforts on Blu-ray, and even if they average three films per disc, collectors are looking at probably 20 or more for that all important "complete set". That may be a daunting thought, but the good news is this first volume boasts some generally nice technical merits and very appealing supplements. Recommended.