1938 Sea Scouts Movie (Source: Larry Faust)

CUCKOO PATROL

1965 (Source Larry Faust)

DROOPY'S GOOD DEED

MGM (1951) (Source: Michael F. Bowman)

DRUM TAPS

1933 (Source: Larry Faust)

With Slim Whitaker -- Skinner and his gang are grabbing land from the ranchers. When they go after Kerry's ranch Ken stops them. Skinner frames Ken for rustling but the Sheriff is on Ken's side, and with the help of his brother Earl's Boy Scout troop they go after the gang.(Source: Randy Storms)

EDGE OF HONOR  [Edge of Honor at Amazon]

1991 (Source: Larry Faust)

FATHER AND SCOUT [Father and Scout at Amazon]

Directed by Richard Michaels; New Line Cinema; TV (1994) (Source: Michael F. Bowman)

Starring Bob Saget & Brian Bonsall. It's available on video, and more info on this move can be found at

(Source: Larry Faust)

FOGBROOK THING

It is an Australian short movie set in 1963 on a scout camp in Victoria. I found it fascinating to see the old uniforms and badges (which were all changed in 1972 the year I joined cubs) The story is about a Wolf Cub (who presumably is shortly due to move from cubs into the scout troop) who attends a scout camp. The scouts try to scare him by telling a spooky story and then acting it out after lights out. Overall I didn't think terribly much of the story itself; but I really found it interesting seeing what I have been told was a fairly accurate depiction of a typical scout camp from another era. (Source: Grant O'Neil)

FOLLOW ME BOYS!

Starring Fred MacMurry, Lillian Gish, Vera Miles, Elliot Reid, Charles Ruggles, and Kurt Russell; Directed by Norman Tokar; Disney (1966) (Source: Michael F. Bowman)

By the way, the movie "Follow me boys" was based on MacKinlay Kantor's book "God and my country" which is not bad,although a little sentimental. Disney didn't follow the plot too closely (but when does Disney ever follow the plot very closely?). (Source: Mark W. Arend)

Our review of the movie:
 

Follow Me Boys starring Fred MacMurray as Scoutmaster Lem Siddons is the best inspirational Scouting movie ever made. If you are involved in Scouting, this is a "must see" movie. If you are burning out as a leader and watch this movie, chances are that you will suddenly find yourself motivated and enthused all over again. Its one of those movies that grabs your heartstrings and makes you laugh, cry, and cheer. Based on the book God and My Country by MacKinlay Kantor, this movie is a delightful trip down memory lane for Scouters and parents and an inspiring story for everyone. Spanning decades, this is a wonderful story of a Scoutmaster and his Scouts. As the movie opens, Lem Siddons is a traveling musician who steps off the bus in a small town. He falls in love at first sight with Vida Downey played by Vera Miles and decides to stay, taking a job at the local general store. Before long Lem has become the local Scoutmaster. There is a memorable scene of the Troop hiking past the town drunk's house where a boy named Whitey (Kurt Russell) jeers the Scouts. Lem invites Whitey to join the Troop. Later Whitey steals a Scout handbook from Lem's store to read it in secret and find out about Scouting and eventually joins the Troop. There are wonderfully funny moments when the Scouts find their campout site is in the middle of an Army war game and they end up capturing a tank. And there are sad moments like the scene where Whitey's dad has passed away and he's become an orphan. Your heart soars when Lem and Vida adopt Whitey as their own son. Lem helps build the first Scout Camp for the Troop and later must fight in court to keep the property when a greedy relative of the wonderful lady that donated the land tries to have the Court find her incompetent to manage her affairs and take the land. The court drama in some ways is a trial of Scouting. The picture below is from the Troop's camp with Lem and Frankie, the Senior Patrol Leader, saluting at flag raising.   Photo courtesy of Big Ed Henderson. Distributed by Disney in 1966 as part of set of publicity photos for theaters to use to promote the movie. Through his adult life Lem runs the Scout Troop as its Scoutmaster and you'll just about want to cry when his son Whitey back from the war as an Army doctor has to tell him that its time to step down. But just as soon as your eyes tear, there is a wonderful ending with a grand parade through the town by all the Scouts that have ever been in the Troop including the state's governor. For nearly a decade Scouters and Scouting families have been writing to Disney to ask for a video release of this wonderful movie. Thanks to Disney, the movie was made available on DVD in February 2004. Please click the link below and order your copy. It is a movie for the entire family. Follow Me, Boys! - DVD Follow Me Boys! - VHS

GANG, THEE

1938 (Source: Larry Faust)

GIRL AND THE BUGLER, THE

1967 (Source: Larry Faust)

THE GREAT LOVER

Bob Hope, Rhonda Fleming, Jim Backus; Disney (1949) A Boy Scout leader falls for a duchess while on a cruise. (Source: Randy Worcester)

HENRY ALDICH, BOY SCOUT

Starring Richard Haydon, James Lydon & Olive Blakeney; Directed by Hugh Bennett; Paramount Pictures (1944, b&w) (Source: Michael F. Bowman)

As a boy scout leader, Henry (James Lydon), repeatedly takes the blame for problems caused by a scout in his patrol.(Source Randy Storms)

IT HAPPENED TO JANE

This is an old Doris Day movie called "It Happened to Jane". The character played by Doris Day is a cub scout den mother. The movie shows Jack Lemmon in a scout uniform also. Doris and the cubs do a cute song called "Be Prepared". (Source: Dawn Walters)

JOY SCOUTS

With the "Our Gang" crew (1939) The Boys Scouts give a demonstration of their camping skills, but the Our Gang are excluded from participating because they are not yet old enough. Undeterred, the Our Gang head off on their own unsupervised camping adventure, with comically disastrous results. (Source: Randy Storms)

MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

1937 (Source: Larry Faust)

MISTER SCOUTMASTER

Starring Clifton Webb; Directed by Henry Levin (1953 b&w) (Source: Michael F. Bowman)

A reluctant Scoutmaster and his misadventures with a pack of future Eagle Scouts. (Source: Randy Storms).

MR. AND MRS. BRIDGE [Mr. & Mrs. Bridge at Amazon]

1990 (Source: Larry Faust)

ROOM FOR ONE MORE

Staring Cary Grant

Grant's wife (played by Betsy Drake) kept bringing home foster children no one else wanted. This included a handicapped boy with a monster chip on his shoulder. The boy's life was changed by this family and by scouting. The movie details his road to Eagle Scout and how he insisted on fulfilling all requirements despite his handicap. It culminates with his Eagle Scout Court of Honor. The movie is "Room for One More" from 1952. Cary Grant's biography says it is also known as "The Easy Way". (Source: Denise Hayes)

SCOUTS HONOR

Staring Angela Cartwright, Gary Coleman, and Katherine Helmond; Directed by Henry Levine; TV (1980) (Source: Michael F. Bowman)

SANDWICH MAN, THE

1966 (Source: Larry Faust)

SCOUTS TO THE RESCUE

Two Reports on this One:

There is also a serial from 1939 that featured Scouts called Scouts to the Rescue. It starred Jackie Cooper as a plucky Eagle Scout who leads his troop while a G-Man and Eagle Scout from the FBI was pursueing conterfeiters. Indians also become involved in the plot. The credits said that the story was taken from Boy's Life. There are 12 episodes and each is approximately 20 minutes long.(Source: Russ Bader)

In this 1938 release Starring Jackie Cooper as an Eagle Scout, this 12 part series captured on a two video set follows Cooper's Troop which finds a buried treasure in a deserted village. A G-Man investigates and the treasure turns out to be a stash of counterfeit money. Meanwhile, the scouts are captured by a tribe of Indians and taken to an underground temple where they find an even more valuable treasure. Adventure, thrills, breath taking exploits by daring Boy Scouts! Twelve blood chilling chapters of exciting hair raising action and suspense! $19.95.

ITEM # 3052 this can be ordered from 1-800-SCOUTER which I manage for Scouter's Journal Magazine.

We sat down to watch the video and it was actually good. (Source: Ed Henderson)

TEX RIDES WITH THE BOY SCOUTS

Starring Tex Ritter (holder of the Silver Beaver); Directed by Ray Taylor (1937) (Source: Michael F. Bowman)

THAT CERTAIN AGE

1938 (Source: Larry Faust)

THE WRONG GUYS [The Wrong Guys at Amazon]

Starring Louie Anderson, Richard Lewis, Richard Belzer, and John Goodman; Directed by Danny Bilson (1988) (Source: Michael F. Bowman)

YANKEE DOODLE DANDY

The 1942 movie, "Yankee Doodle Dandy," with James Cagney features a scene where the music "You're a Grand Old Flag" is played. And there, marching onto the stage carrying the flag, was a modest-sized (about 20 boys) Boy Scout troop--in full uniform. (Source: Ralph V. Balfoort)

YOUNG EAGLES

Another great movie was a 1937 serial called Young Eagles. The plot in 13 parts was this:

Two Eagle Scouts are on a expidetion to the Amazon (doesn't the BSA hold one every year?) En-route the plane crashed and the boys were stranded in the jungle alone definding themselves against crocidlies, tigers (tons of tigers in the Amazon), and canables (tons of them too) I hope I don't ruin it for anyone who wants to run right out and buy the terrific serial, but the Scouts are rescued in the end. They get a chance to make a raft which looks better than the one in the handbook, practice lots of first aid skills, and even rapell down a mountian using palm leaves. (Source: Brian Walter)