The Phantom Stagecoach is a 1957 American Western film directed by Ray Nazarro and starring William Bishop, Kathleen Crowley, Richard Webb, Hugh Sanders, John Doucette, and Frank Ferguson.

[1][2][3] A stagecoach with sole passenger, Glen Hayden, is being driven at breakneck speed by driver Sam, when it is stopped by 3 masked men.

Stage line owner Joe Patterson tells the passenger it is the third holdup in 2 months.

Maroon is concerned that if Patterson's line is a success he will be bought out by Wells Fargo it will mean the end of his business.

Hayden suggests to the sheriff Ned Riordan, that the dead bandit's horse, which he brought with the stage, might lead them to the gang's hideout.

Patterson's two other drivers, Tom Bradley and Maroon's niece Fran, arrive and are told of the holdup and Sam's death.

Maroons plan is to run Patterson out of business and control the freight and passenger services.

When Maroon puts some of his freight on the stage the townsfolk are reassured about the future of Patterson's business.

When the holdup, using a phantom coach, starts, Hayden takes over the stage and they escape, but they lose all the freight and passenger Mrs Wiggins is slightly wounded.

Mr and Mrs Wiggins want to return home and Hayden agrees, despite Bradley's protests.

When a dozen bandits approach and start shooting, Riordan recognizes them as Maroon's men.

Farrow starts to beat Riordan to death but when he pulls a knife, Bradley intervenes and disarms him.

The bandits move the phantom coach to Maroon's farm and remove all the evidence from the hideout.

Hayden and Patterson suspect Maroon and when the posse heads to his farm to question him, Fran accompanies them.

In town, while Maroon, Bradley and the rest of the gang are taken to jail, Paterson says he is selling to Wells Fargo, but only if they hire Hayden as office manager.

"[4] Critic Mark Franklin described the film as "far short of great, but not as bad as the title might imply," noting that it is "marred by some silliness" but that "the smoky voiced Crowley makes for a feisty leading lady.