 Actor Ken Clark, DeWitt Bodeens close friend made him discover  Louis LAmours book. Being himself a friend of Cukors he told him  about the book, who proved enthusiastic. DeWitt Bodeen was planned  to write the script with Louis LAmour himself but LAmour showed  himself too greedy and was not hired. The final screenplay is signed  Dudley Nichols and Walter Berstein. Cukor thanked Ken Clark by  casting him as a soldier warning the traveling company about the  presence of Indians in the surroundings.