Lightning Strikes West
Cast & Crew
Harry Fraser
Ken Maynard
Claire Rochelle
Robert Terry
Michael Vallon
Charles King
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Lightning Ken Morgan re-enlists in the ranks of the United States Marshals to pursue escaped convict Butch Taggart. Taggart has hidden a stolen strong box of money needed to complete an irrigation project, and Ken agrees to find Taggart and the money in order to save the families that will perish unless the dam is built. Posing as a hobo, Ken stumbles into the town of Blue Mesa, where Taggart's partner, Joe Laiken manages the El Dorado saloon. Ken's hunch pays off when Taggart also rides into Blue Mesa. At the El Dorado, Ken finds allies in his old flame, Mae Grant and her brother Tad, who resent the abuses of Laiken, their uncle and legal guardian. Ken and Joe capture Taggart and take him to Tad's cabin, but before they can question him, Laiken and his men show up and Tad hides Taggart in the attic. In the ensuing scuffle, a gun goes off, wounding Taggart, and Laiken and his gang overpower Tad and Ken and tie them up. On Taggart's boot, Laiken discovers a map leading to the strong box, and the gang rides off to recover the loot, leaving Tad and Ken behind. The two manage to free themselves of their bonds and follow Laiken to the strong box, but they arrive too late. Meanwhile, the sheriff and his posse find Taggart's dead body and follow Ken's trail, but Ken and Tad escape the sheriff's clutches and ride to the El Dorado, where Ken arrests Laiken. Just as Joe is about to do in Ken, the sheriff and his men burst in and shoot Joe. Ken then explains that he is a U.S. Marshal. With Laiken eliminated, Mae closes down the saloon and reconciles with Ken.
Director
Harry Fraser
Cast
Ken Maynard
Claire Rochelle
Robert Terry
Michael Vallon
Charles King
Reed Howes
Dick Dickinson
George Chesebro
John Elliott
William Gould
Tarzan
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Although the onscreen credits bill Charles King's role as "Larkin," the characters in the film refer to him as "Laiken." The opening title card of the film features a copyright statement, but the film was not listed in the Copyright Catalog. Modern sources add Chick Hannon, Tex Palmer and Carl Mathews to the cast.
