Topeka ( 1953 )

Overview

Bill Elliot emulates his idol William S. Hart in the superior western Topeka. Elliot plays the archetypal Good Bad Man, hired to kick the crooked element out of a small town. A hard-drinking, hard-living man, Elliot entertains thoughts of taking over the town himself for the benefit of his own gang. After several reels of soul-searching, Elliot decides to honor his promise to clean up the town for its decent citizens. Evidently director Thomas Carr rented a camera crane for this Allied Artists production, since the camera performs remarkable calisthenics, the kind not normally seen in a medium-budget western.

Top Cast

Bill Elliott

Jim Levering

Phyllis Coates

Marian Harrison

Rick Vallin

Ray Hammond

Fuzzy Knight

Pop Harrison

John James

Marv Ronsom

Denver Pyle

Jonas Bailey

Dick Crockett

Will Peters

Harry Lauter

Mack Wilson

Dale Van Sickel

Henchman Jake Manning

Ted Mapes

Henchman Cully

Henry Rowland

Cheated Gambler

Edward Clark

Banker Corley

I. Stanford Jolley

Doc Mason

Bill Coontz

Bill (uncredited)

George Sowards

George (uncredited)

Michael Vallon

Bartender (uncredited)

Stanley Price

Bank Teller (uncredited)

Whitey Hughes

Henchman (uncredited)

Leonard P. Geer

Townsman (uncredited)