"Topeka" is one of the better westerns in "Wild Bill" Elliott's Monogram/Allied Artists series.
It starts off with Jim Levering (Elliott) and his gang (omigod, is that "Wild Bill" robbing a bank?) of Ray Hammond (Rick Vallin), Marv Ransom (John James), Jonas Bailey (Denver Pyle) and Will Peters (Dick Crockett) robbing said bank. Apparently, they have been robbing banks all over the state of Iowa. When Levering is recognized by bank clerk Stanley Price, the gang is forced to flee. They wind up in the town of (you guessed it) Topeka, Kansas.
In casing the town Jim goes to Pop's restaurant where he meets Pop (Fuzzy Knight) and his comely young daughter Marian (Phyllis Coates). There he learns that gambler Mack Wilson (Harry Lauter) has the town all tied up and is exacting tributes from the local merchants. Jim then decides to take over the town himself.
After besting Wilson's henchman Jake Manning (Dale Van Sickel) in a fight, Jim is approached by the town council consisting of Pop, Doc Mason (I. Stanford Jolley) and Banker Corley (Edward Clark) and offered the job of sheriff. Jim feels that this will be the perfect cover for his planned takeover.
When a rancher (Henry Rowland) is cheated out of his bank roll, Jim goes to Wilson and forces him to return the money. However, on riding home the rancher is bushwhacked and his money taken. Meanwhile Marv, Jonas and Will are becoming impatient waiting for Jim to make his move. Jim has taken a shine to Marian and he and Ray change their minds and decide to go straight. Marv, Jonas and Will on the other hand decide to join forces with Wilson and loot the town until....................................
Elliott always gave his characters a little something extra. They were never your typical "B" western heroes. They smoked, drank hard liquor and sometimes stayed to the other side of the law, as in this film. Although frequently falling for the heroine, he never got to kiss her at the end of the picture.
It starts off with Jim Levering (Elliott) and his gang (omigod, is that "Wild Bill" robbing a bank?) of Ray Hammond (Rick Vallin), Marv Ransom (John James), Jonas Bailey (Denver Pyle) and Will Peters (Dick Crockett) robbing said bank. Apparently, they have been robbing banks all over the state of Iowa. When Levering is recognized by bank clerk Stanley Price, the gang is forced to flee. They wind up in the town of (you guessed it) Topeka, Kansas.
In casing the town Jim goes to Pop's restaurant where he meets Pop (Fuzzy Knight) and his comely young daughter Marian (Phyllis Coates). There he learns that gambler Mack Wilson (Harry Lauter) has the town all tied up and is exacting tributes from the local merchants. Jim then decides to take over the town himself.
After besting Wilson's henchman Jake Manning (Dale Van Sickel) in a fight, Jim is approached by the town council consisting of Pop, Doc Mason (I. Stanford Jolley) and Banker Corley (Edward Clark) and offered the job of sheriff. Jim feels that this will be the perfect cover for his planned takeover.
When a rancher (Henry Rowland) is cheated out of his bank roll, Jim goes to Wilson and forces him to return the money. However, on riding home the rancher is bushwhacked and his money taken. Meanwhile Marv, Jonas and Will are becoming impatient waiting for Jim to make his move. Jim has taken a shine to Marian and he and Ray change their minds and decide to go straight. Marv, Jonas and Will on the other hand decide to join forces with Wilson and loot the town until....................................
Elliott always gave his characters a little something extra. They were never your typical "B" western heroes. They smoked, drank hard liquor and sometimes stayed to the other side of the law, as in this film. Although frequently falling for the heroine, he never got to kiss her at the end of the picture.