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One of the reasons for the enduring appeal of the Hopalong Cassidy series is the easy camaraderie and obvious affection between William Boyd and his various sidekicks, in the present case Russell Hayden and relative newcomer to the series Andy Clyde. In fact, Pirates on Horseback remains a showcase for Clyde, who had filled a vacuum left by the departure of George "Gabby" Hayes. A lesser actor, perhaps, than Hayes, Clyde's comedy schtick is nevertheless as funny today as it was in 1941 and his popularity with the small fry made him a Hopalong Cassidy mainstay for the duration of the series. Also in the cast of Pirates on Horseback is Morris Ankrum, one of Hollywood's better villains making his second-to-last of 13 appearances in the series. We shall probably never know if Ankrum regarded his Hopalong Cassidy stint as more than merely another job but the series always benefited from his presence.