Billy the Kid Trapped (1942) User Reviews

"Am I dreamin' or who am I?"

[classicsoncall · 5/10 · 31 January 2008]

I've never seen a Western before where the hero and his sidekick pals start out in jail! It turns out to be a set up for the good guys getting sprung by a trio of look alike outlaws. Billy the Kid (Buster Crabbe) and his partners, Fuzzy (Fuzzy St. John) and Jeff Walker (Bud McTaggart) spend the rest of the picture attempting to get the goods on Mesa City town boss Stanton (Glenn Strange) and his gang of henchmen. It's actually a pretty creative idea that Stanton's gimmick is providing protection for outlaws in Mesa City with the help of a crooked town judge (Milt Kibbee). Beyond that, what you have is a fairly standard 'B' Western shoot 'em up, complete with a pretty female (Anne Jeffreys) who eyes up The Kid, but the hint of a romance is never really brought to the fore.

"Billy The Kid Trapped" is the third in a series of films Buster Crabbe did for Producers Releasing Corporation in the early 1940's. Later on, because of it's negative connotation, the name of Crabbe's character was changed to Bill Carson. However even in his Billy the Kid stories, Crabbe was never portrayed as a bad guy, rather as a hero wrongfully accused of a crime.

As for Anne Jeffreys, she appears in the story as a blond, and looking nothing like the character she portrayed in the Topper TV series of the mid 1950's. I just took a quick look at her stats on IMDb and nearly jumped out of my seat to learn that she's still alive!, and will be appearing in a movie to be released this year!!! Holy cow, maybe she really is the ghost of Marion Kerby!

Keep a keen eye on Fuzzy in the picture and you might catch the only time you'll ever see a bearded sidekick actually spit a chaw in the face of a bad guy! Fuzzy had quite the staying power of a loyal pardner, and his career at PRC took him through a host of saddle pals, beginning with Bob Steele in the Billy the Kid series, followed by the stint with Buster Crabbe. Later, he teamed with George Houston and Bob Livingston in the Lone Rider pictures, and then a new PRC series with Lash LaRue.

Closing out with a bit of trivia - Buster Crabbe rode a palomino in the Billy the Kid series, even though the horse appeared white. The horse's name was Falcon.

Will the real Billy stand up and take responsibility?

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 16 June 2012]

Billy The Kid and his intrepid sidekicks Al St. John and Dave O'Brien start the film in a real pickle, in less than a day they're to be hung at sunrise. But a miracle happens, a shooting fracas starts, their guns are tossed through a window, the key as well, and horses left outside. Now who could be such a guardian angel?

Well it ain't no angel. It's Glenn Strange who is the local outlaw boss and three of his guys dress like Buster Crabbe, St. John, and O'Brien. And if they're dead or locked up indefinitely, that part of Strange's action is closed down indefinitely.

It's a devil's choice for Strange because when our three heroes get out they set to find out who's been framing them and you know the result won't be good for the bad guy.

The most important leading lady that Crabbe ever had is in this film in the series. Anne Jeffreys is the sister of the sheriff of an outlaw town who Crabbe saves and she's grateful. Of course her fame came later in television as Marion Kerby in Topper.

Definitely one of the better of the Billy The Kid series.

The real Trio outfox the fake trio.

[weezeralfalfa · 6/10 · 24 June 2018]

A rather ordinary western story, except for the gimmick of a trio of outlaws dressing up like the Trio of Billy the Kid(Buster Crabbe), Fuzzy(Al St. John), and Jeff Walker(Bud McTaggart). Billy and Fuzzy are constants in the Billy the Kid PRC series. Sometimes, as here, a 3rd buddy is included, so that they more resemble such cowboy trios as Republic's Mesquiteers, and the partners Hopalong Cassidy, Lucky and Windy. Striking blond Anne Jeffries, in her first Hollywood role, at age 19, is the leading(only) lady. She would go on to have a long Hollywood and TV career, and died less than a year ago! She didn't have a lot to do here, mostly becoming convinced that the real Trio weren't committing the crimes they were blamed for...Glenn Strange plays Jim Stanton: the stereotypical-looking gang boss, with small moustache, dark looks, wearing a black hat and outfit. He looked much like I. Stanford Jolley, who sometimes played this role in this series........ Naturally, there is much confusion between who the people are dealing with, , and who is committing crimes. The fakes are part of Stanton's gang, which virtually rules Mesa City, having Sheriff Barton and Judge Clark on their pay. Things start off crazy, as the real Trio are in jail on a murder charge. The fake Trio is outside their cell window throwing them the key to their cell and some guns, and assuring them that their horses are nearby. (They created a shooting diversion in front of the jail to lure the sheriff outside)(How did they manage to get the key??). Stanton had ordered them to do this, because if the real Trio was known to be in jail or executed, they couldn't be blamed for crimes committed by their lookalikes!.......Sometimes things get confusing which sheriff we are dealing with. Sheriff Masters(honest) is sheriff of the county where we begin, but sometimes goes over to Mesa City, out of his jurisdiction, to deal with the real Trio. In one case, he was supposedly taking them back to his county jail, but as soon as he got over the county line, he released them. Sheriff Barton of Mesa City is in with Stanton's gang. There are some legal irregularities committed by the real Trio, when they arrest members of the gang, and put them in jail.......There are enough brawls, horse chases, shootings and stagecoach chases to satisfy most any western fan. It has a surprise humerous ending, which you can see at YouTube(along with the rest of the film.)

Lotta beefin' going on.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 25 November 2022]

For non-b Western fans, there's going to be one real curiosity to watch this film, the presence of the glamorous Anne Jeffreys in an early role as the heroine in this typical entry involving Billy (Charles Starrett) and his familiar sidekicks escaping from jail after being framed for a murder that they didn't commit thanks to once again lookalikes. Good location footage, lots of action and chase sequences, a silly scene of a bunch of men just shooting their guns into the air randomly asks the question as to what happens to those bullet. Jeffreys, years before "Topper" and her glamorous musical comedy career, gets to be quite feisty. A good quality print makes this fast and furious, but it's no different than the thousands of other B westerns made in the 1940's alone. Al St. John and Malcolm McTaggert are good in support. St. John in particular is very funny as he goes through a list of everything that you can do with beef.

This is what a B western should be!

[stevehaynie · 7/10 · 29 September 2004]

Billy The Kid Trapped is one of those western team movies. In this case it is a trio rather than just a hero and a sidekick. Buster Crabbe plays Billy The Kid, as in William Bonney, rather than Billy Carson. He also gets to be a hero in this one instead of letting Fuzzy St. John hog all the scenes. Fuzzy's beard is a little short in this film instead of the full forward thrusting beard he had at other times. The character Jeff Walker (Bud McTaggart) really doesn't do much more than support Billy and Fuzzy, but he adds to the fun. There are no automobiles or radios in this one, either. It's a real western.

The movie starts off with the trio in jail, accused of murder, when someone mysteriously breaks them out. We find out later that there are three imposters posing as Billy The Kid and his gang. They dress just like Billy, Fuzzy, and Jeff. When Fuzzy gets shot at by his "pals" and then "himself" the three so-called outlaws figure out why they have been accused of so many crimes. Sheriff Masters (Ted Adams) recognizes this after Billy saves his life and tells them the bad guys are in Mesa City. As they investigate Mesa City they run into Stanton, the local crime boss running the town.

Stanton is played by Glenn Strange. I've seen Strange play a sheriff in one movie, but he was almost always a henchman. In Billy The Kid Trapped he is the bad guy in the suit. Glenn Strange was good at being the boss in this movie.

The sets are absolutely perfect with the exception of flimsy railing in the bar fight scene. The details and the props in every scene are full of western imagery. The bouncing railing ruins the effect of the stage dressing, but then it wouldn't be a B western without it.

Billy The Kid Trapped is what a B western should be. The action never slows down and the movie has a great western feel to it.

Enjoyable Entry In P.R.C.'s Billy The Kid Series

[FightingWesterner · 7/10 · 8 October 2009]

Awaiting execution for a murder they did not commit, Billy the kid, his sidekick Fuzzy Jones, and their pal Jeff are busted out by the real killers, a group of outlaws who proceed to impersonate them in order to rob and terrorize with impunity.

Billy then trails the killers to Mesa City, run by crooked town boss (and future Frankenstein monster) Glenn Strange, who's turned it into a safe hub for lawbreakers and realizes that in order to clear his name he'll have to clean up the town.

The ninth film in Producers Releasing Corporation's Billy The Kid series and Buster Crabbe's third, this is well paced and action packed, with some great gun battles, raucous fistfights, and nasty villains, definitely worthwhile for fans of the series.

"Billy the Kid Trapped" is our Treat!

[glennstenb · 8/10 · 25 January 2020]

"Billy the Kid " from 1942 is a most clever, pleasant, and enjoyable B-western excursion, one that features the best of what the genre can offer. The story is fun and well developed... oh sure, there are a few plot devices that the keen observer will have to let pass, but for the most part, the story is attractive and unique, involving as it does a lookalike component that is more intricate and directly responsible for the film's reason for being than any I have heretofore seen. The comedic antics offered by Fuzzy in this one are only some in number, which is really just about right to set the tone for the invitation to the viewer to sit back and take in a relaxed and quite competently performed western whimsy. All this in spite of the fact that this picture comes from the infamously low-budgeted PRC organization.

Buster shows an excellent hero's persona in this one... strong, but yet relaxed and firmly comfortable to the point that he knows he can capably handle any difficulties that may arise, and rest assured plenty of difficulties indeed arise. Because Fuzzy showcases far fewer shenanigans in this film compared to many of the other films in their series, Buster doesn't have to play straight man all that much, which allows him to maintain a more consistent authoritative bearing. This authoritative posture allows the viewer to unquestionably respect his presence in the film. We see Buster firmly take his place as a cowboy hero in this one, one that most other western stars of the era consistently portrayed. And it makes the viewer feel good to see a no-nonsense hero seriously stand up without too much interference to the plentiful bad around him.

The rest of the cast is excellent in their roles, and the cheap sets are appropriately superb... the street scenes have an earthy and rustic feel about them. The interiors look worn and real, and the outdoor scenery is varied. Western movie action abounds, yes, including running horses with eyes aglow and manes afire, but it is the story and its unique bent that propels this PRC western movie to far more than ordinary.

Jail Break

[StrictlyConfidential · 6/10 · 5 November 2021]

"Billy The Kid Trapped" was originally released back in 1942.

Anyway - As the story goes - Outlaw gang leader. Bill Stanton stages a jail break for Billy the Kid and his two sidekicks Fuzzy Jones and Jeff Walker. But Stanton has a hidden agenda for Billy and his partners. He and his gang plan to go on a spree of robbery and murder, laying the blame on our unsuspecting threesome.

Billy the Kid Trapped review

[JoeytheBrit · 6/10 · 15 April 2020]

Billy the Kid must track down three villains who carry out hold-ups disguised as him and his sidekicks Fuzzy and Jeff before he is jailed for the crimes. A serviceable but very minor B-Western which sees Buster Crabbe, the actor forever associated with the character of Flash Gordon, ditching his blonde dye job and pulling on a showbiz cowboy outfit. The film is at pains to emphasise just what a wholsome, All-American guy Billy the Kid is, which seems a bit odd when viewed today. A decent example of its kind, though.

3 Amigos Vs. 3 Banditos

[frank4122 · 10/10 · 3 January 2020]

Interesting storyline headed by the one and only Buster Crabbe with his trio chasing down their evil doppelgangers in a race to the finish. A stellar cast of great western actors set this movie in motion from the get go. Al St. John had some great scenes and good comic relief as usual. None other than Glenn Strange headed the band of outlaws and adeptly kept the tension high throughout. He had the help of a skillful band of henchman which included many great western names. I wish we could've seen more of Anne Jeffreys, but she was stunning in the scenes she was in. Billy The Kid Trapped breaks out to a wonderful adventure.

Great cast, wonderful story

[hines-2000 · 10/10 · 10 July 2020]

Great to see the one and only Buster Crabbe and the outstanding Anne Jeffreys in one movie but that's not where it ends. Glenn "Pee Wee" Strange, Fuzzy St. John, Jack Ingram, Ted Adams, Milton Kibbee and Walter McGrail all put in their usual stellar performances. Bud McTaggart held his own and then some with the stars. Unfortunately, this young talent left us too soon. Great story of Billy the Kid's trio breaking out of jail with the help of mysterious benefactors. But as Phaedrus once said, "Things are not always what they seem." Billy has to work fast to stop the robberies and murders of the nefarious imposters.