Character Relationship Map: Oklahoma Blues

Characters

• Jimmy Wakely - Posing as The Melody Kid (played by Jimmy Wakely) — protagonist

  Jimmy Wakely is a law-abiding cowboy who poses as the outlaw known as The Melody Kid at Cannonball's suggestion. He agrees to help clean up Rainbow's End while Sheriff Sam Oldring recovers, confronts...

• Cannonball Taylor (played by Dub Taylor) — protagonist

  Cannonball is Jimmy Wakely's friend and the one who tells Rainbow's End that the notorious Melody Kid is coming, unaware at first that his story will draw Jimmy into danger. He helps Jimmy drive off g...

• Judy Joyce (played by Virginia Belmont) — supporting

  Judy runs the restaurant where Jimmy Wakely tangles with Slip Drago. She asks Jimmy not to let her sell her business, as he likes her home cooking, and later joins Judge Emerson in asking him to retur...

• Beasley (played by I. Stanford Jolley) — supporting

  Beasley is Rainbow's End's undertaker and secretly leads the gang responsible for the town's lawlessness. He wants Yuba Junction, where he owns land, to become the county seat, and he arranges Jimmy W...

• Fake Sheriff (played by Charles King) — supporting

  The fake sheriff is an accomplice of Beasley who has Jimmy Wakely arrested on false murder and robbery charges when Jimmy is about to take the town's money to the commissioner. Cannonball and Oldring...

• Matt Drago (played by Zon Murray) — supporting

  Matt Drago is identified in the story through the Drago brothers' involvement in the gang's attempt to seize Jimmy and the town's money. The Drago gunmen try to force Jimmy to reveal where he hid the...

• Slip Drago (played by George J. Lewis) — minor

  Slip Drago is a gunman who clashes with Jimmy Wakely in Judy Joyce's restaurant. He reports his encounter with the Melody Kid to Beasley, prompting the gang to go after Jimmy. Slip is part of the outl...

• Sheriff Sam Oldring (played by Steve Clark) — minor

  Sheriff Sam Oldring is an ailing lawman who has failed to capture the gunmen bringing trouble to Rainbow's End and is preparing to leave town. He is an old friend of Jimmy Wakely, who agrees to help u...

• Judge Emerson (played by Frank LaRue) — minor

  Judge Emerson is a Rainbow's End official who hears State Commissioner Walton's decision that the town is no longer suitable to become the county seat because of lawlessness. He suggests hiring the Me...

• Walton - State Commissioner (played by J.C. Lytton) — minor

  Walton is the state commissioner who initially considers Rainbow's End as a possible new county seat. After the stagecoach carrying him and Sheriff Oldring is held up, he tells Judge Emerson that the...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Judge Emerson → Jimmy Wakely - Posing as The Melody Kid (Professional Employer) — Emerson helps recruit Jimmy as the town's law-enforcement solution.

  Emerson suggests hiring The Melody Kid to clean up Rainbow's End, and Jimmy agrees to take the job.

• Walton - State Commissioner → Judge Emerson (Professional Counterpart) — Walton evaluates the town while Emerson represents its local political interests.

  Walton tells Judge Emerson that Rainbow's End is no longer suitable as county seat because of the holdup and lawlessness.

• Matt Drago → Slip Drago (Family Brother) — The two Drago characters are presented as brothers involved in the same criminal operation.

  The plot states that Drago and his brother ride up to stage a holdup, and the character list identifies both Matt Drago and Slip Drago.

• Beasley → Fake Sheriff (Professional Criminal Associate) — The fake sheriff carries out Beasley's scheme against Jimmy.

  Beasley has Jimmy arrested on false murder and robbery charges by a phony sheriff.

• Beasley → Matt Drago (Power Gang Leader) — Matt is part of the outlaw force controlled by Beasley.

  Beasley leads the gang, and Matt Drago participates in the gang's attempt to force Jimmy to reveal the hidden money.

• Jimmy Wakely - Posing as The Melody Kid → Judy Joyce (Professional Business Associate) — Their connection is tied to Judy's restaurant and Jimmy's desire for a stable local refuge.

  Jimmy becomes involved with Judy's restaurant and insists that she not sell her business because he likes her home cooking.

• Beasley → Slip Drago (Power Gang Leader) — Slip operates as one of Beasley's gang members and reports information to him.

  Slip reports to Beasley after his encounter with Jimmy, while the plot identifies Beasley as the leader of the gang of gunslingers.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Sheriff Sam Oldring → Beasley (Conflict Lawman Versus Outlaw) — Oldring's unsuccessful investigation places him in opposition to Beasley's criminal network.

  Oldring is described as having failed to capture the gang responsible for the town's misfortunes, while Beasley secretly leads that gang.

• Judge Emerson → Beasley (Alliance Political Collaborator) — They are linked by the county-seat crisis and by their shared involvement in the money inquiry.

  Emerson and Beasley receive Oldring's information together, and Beasley seeks to have Yuba Junction named county seat while owning land there.

• Jimmy Wakely - Posing as The Melody Kid → Slip Drago (Conflict Opponent) — Their confrontation exposes Jimmy to the gang and escalates the danger around him.

  Jimmy tangles with Slip in Judy's restaurant, and Slip subsequently reports the encounter to Beasley.

• Beasley → Jimmy Wakely - Posing as The Melody Kid (Conflict Primary Antagonist) — Beasley works to stop Jimmy and protect the gang's control of the town's political future.

  Beasley arranges Jimmy's false arrest, later confronts him over the town funds, and is ultimately captured by Cannonball and Oldring.

• Cannonball Taylor → Sheriff Sam Oldring (Alliance Rescue Partner) — They cooperate directly to locate and save Jimmy.

  Cannonball and Oldring follow the fake sheriff to Jimmy's location and rescue Jimmy in a shootout.

• Jimmy Wakely - Posing as The Melody Kid → Sheriff Sam Oldring (Social Old Friend) — Their prior friendship gives Jimmy a trusted connection in Rainbow's End.

  Jimmy visits Oldring, who is described as Jimmy's old friend.

• Jimmy Wakely - Posing as The Melody Kid → Cannonball Taylor (Social Friend) — They are longtime companions whose deception and cooperation drive the central cleanup effort.

  Cannonball identifies The Melody Kid as Jimmy Wakely, explicitly describing Jimmy as his friend. They later drive off the gang together and plan to re...

Story Analysis

A disguised cowboy and his allies confront a criminal scheme threatening Rainbow's End and its county-seat ambitions.

Plot Progression

1. A Town Under Siege — Walton considers Rainbow's End for the county seat, but a stagecoach holdup exposes the town's lawlessness. His decision threatens the town's political hopes despite its courthouse fundraising.
2. The Melody Kid Arrives — Cannonball announces the arrival of the feared Melody Kid, concealing that the outlaw is actually his law-abiding friend Jimmy. Jimmy's restaurant confrontation with Slip brings the gang's attention o...
3. A Dangerous Contract — Jimmy and Cannonball repel the gang, encouraging Walton to keep Rainbow's End under consideration. Emerson recruits Jimmy to clean up the town while Oldring remains ill.
4. The Missing Town Funds — Jimmy prepares to deliver the town's funds, but Beasley uses a fake sheriff to frame and arrest him. Jimmy escapes, distrusts Beasley and Emerson, and takes the money at gunpoint before being captured...
5. The Gang's Last Stand — Oldring exposes Cannonball's deception while the Dragos pressure Jimmy for the hidden money. Cannonball and Oldring rescue him, capture Beasley and the gang, and Jimmy departs with Cannonball.