Hang 'Em High Trivia Quiz

Answer: Murder and cattle rustling

While driving a small herd of cattle across a river, Jed Cooper was approached by a group of nine men. They accused Cooper of stealing the cattle and murdering their rightful owner and when Cooper failed to produce an acceptable bill of sale, they proceeded to lynch him. They botched the hanging and Cooper lived to track them down.

Answer: A Federal Marshal cut him down.

Federal Marshal Dave Bliss, played by Ben Johnson, saw Cooper hanging from a tree and cut him down. Realizing he was still alive, he then took him as prisoner to Fort Grant.

Answer: Judge Fenton

The character of Judge Fenton was similar to the true-life Hanging Judge, Isaac Parker of Arkansas. In "Hang 'Em High", the story took place in what would become Oklahoma. Judge Fenton was quite interested in making the Oklahoma Territory into a state and that required, in part, the establishment of it as a place where the rule of law prevailed. To achieve this political goal, the judge needed a tough lawman like Cooper to do his dirty work.

Pat Hingle, who played the judge, died in 2009 and was well known for the part of Commissioner Gordon in the four "Batman" films, "Batman" (1989), "Batman Returns" (1992), "Batman Forever" (1995) and "Batman & Robin" (1997).

Answer: Marshal

Cooper became Marshal Cooper after being convinced by the judge to operate under the auspices of the law.

Judge Fenton: "Pick up the badge, Mr. Cooper. Pick up the badge, or leave justice to me and my men."

Answer: Cooper noticed his own saddle on a horse outside a bar.

While performing his normal Marshal duties, Cooper found Reno (the man who took Cooper's saddle), inside a bar, having a drink.

Cooper: "You don't remember me, do you?"
Reno: "No."
Cooper: [showing his hanging scar] "When you hang a man, you better look at him."

Reno tried to escape, drew his gun forcing Cooper to kill him.

Answer: Another lyncher, Jenkins, turned himself in.

While the judge wasn't happy to hear that Reno had been shot to death, he did not strip Cooper of his badge.

Jenkins, the one lyncher who had the most regret at the time of the lynching, apparently felt so guilty, that when he heard of Reno's death, turned himself in and confessed, offering the Judge and Cooper information on the other men.

Answer: Stone, the blacksmith

Cooper found Stone working at his blacksmith shop. Stone quickly realized who Cooper was and went quietly with him to the nearby jail where he was turned over to the local sheriff, Calhoun.

Matt Stone, the blacksmith, was played by Alan Hale, Jr. who was no doubt best known for his role as the Skipper on the 1960s comedy, "Gilligan's Island". Hale died in 1990.

Rachel (Inger Stevens) was actually a widow who helped Cooper.

Blackfoot was one of the lynchers, but he was one of the men Cooper set off for at the end of the movie.

Captain Wilson (Ed Begley), the lynch mobs' leader, and one of the areas' most respected men, eventually hung himself after trying a second time to kill Cooper and failing.

Answer: Many were men of respect in his town.

The sheriff commented that he recognized the men on the list and they were mostly well-respected. He honored the warrants, however, and set off with Cooper to help in their arrests.

Answer: Ben and Billy Joe, young brothers

Miller, (Dern) was traveling with Ben and Billy Joe, teenaged brothers. Together, the three were the ones guilty of cattle rustling and murder. The boys were clearly out of their element, and accused Miller of the actual murder. When Miller tried to escape and was fighting with Cooper, the boys could have helped Miller, but instead stood by and watched, offering no help to either. Later, Cooper tried to defend the boys, indicating they could have helped Miller escape, but the Judge countered that they could have helped Cooper subdue Miller but did not, and sentenced them to hang along with Miller.

Miller: "You ain't never gonna get me back to town alive, boy."
Cooper: "Then I'll get you there dead... boy."

Answer: James MacArthur

James MacArthur played the preacher in "Hang 'Em High". Certainly, he was best known for his role as Danny ("Book 'em, Danno!") Williams in TV's "Hawaii Five-O" that ran from 1968 through 1980. Jack Lord played his boss, Steve McGarrett.

Dennis Hopper had a role in "Hang 'Em High" - that of a somewhat crazed, somewhat "prophet".