The Topeka Terror (1945)

The Topeka Terror: Directed by Howard Bretherton. With Allan Lane, Linda Stirling, Earle Hodgins, Twinkle Watts. The land-rush opening of the Cherokee Strip brings in its wake a scattering of outlaws and claim jumpers. Among these is a crooked promoter. Trent Parker (Frank Jacquet), and his henchmen who plan a huge swindle by compiling falsified reports, putting the claims of honest settlers into the names of various henchmen. Clay Stevens (Allan Lane), a government agent posing as a drifting cowhand, advises the settlers to organize their resistance. Ben Jode (Roy Barcroft), the gang leader, runs for sheriff so he can gain full control of the town.

“This is a fun, respectable B-western from Allan Lane before his days as Red Ryder and also before the Rocky Lane adventures. The film is definitely an action-packed, and has a decent story and a variety of interesting characters. The players do a good job, including the perennial bad guy Roy Barcroft. The fight scenes are notably well-crafted.”