BEST OF TV NOIR another dozen
Posted by Gordon Gates on 1/19/2021, 1:17 am
Some more television noir that I found quite watchable.
DRAGNET: The Big Casing 1952
77 SUNSET STRIP: All our Yesterdays 1958
KING OF DIAMONDS: Wizard of Ice 1961 - Brod Crawford
INNER SANCTUM: Face of the Dead 1954
JOHNNY MIDNIGHT: X Equals Murder - 1960 Edmond O'Brien
HONG KONG: Murder by Proxy 1961 Nancy Gates
ADVENTURES OF McGRAW : McGraw in Reno - 1957 Angie Dickinson
G.E. THEATER: A Little White Lye 1961 Dorothy Malone
FOR THE PEOPLE: Seized, Confined and Detained 1964 Ellen Burstyn
77 SUNSET STRIP: A Well Selected Frame 1958 Peggy Castle
HONG KONG: Double Jeopardy 1961 Felicia Farr
NAKED CITY: Fallen Star 1959 Robert Alda
DRAGNET "The Big Casing" 1952
This is the 13th episode of the 283 episode run of the original Police Detective series, DRAGNET. This series ran from 1951 to 1959.
Sgt Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and Detective Ed Jacobs (Barney Philips) are working the day watch out of Homicide Division. They get a call to an apartment building about a possible murder. A woman has been found shot and it looks like the husband did it. The man, Harry Bartel, swears that the wife had put a gun to her head and blew out her brains. They had been arguing and the woman had grabbed up Bartel's ex-army .45 and did the deed.
The problem here is that the evidence does not jive with what Bartel is saying. The main bit is the shell casing which is in the other room from the gun, too far to have ejected there. The boys from the crime lab are called in to take a look. The forensic boy's early investigation seems to agree with the Detective's take, it is murder. Bartel is cuffed and hauled off downtown for a bit of "face to face".
The Detectives lay into the man with how they see the event happening. They figure that Bartel had become upset during the argument with his wife and shot her. Other people in the apartment building are interviewed and they all say the couple were always screaming and yelling. The Detectives are sure they have their man.
However, the take on the crime scene changes as the forensic team completes their exam. It now looks like Bartel was telling the truth about the woman killing herself. Gunpowder residue tests and ballistics work prove Bartel innocent.
This is a rather interesting episode featuring an early take on what would become the CSI type program of the future. Jack Webb also directs and shows a firm hand on the material.
77 SUNSET STRIP "All our Yesterdays" 1958
This is the seventh episode of the 1958 to 1964 Private Eye series. The series ran for a total of 206 episodes. Series regulars were, Efrem Zimbalist Jr, Roger Smith, Edd Byrnes and Jacqueline Beer.
This episode starts with Private Investigator, Stuart Bailey (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) being hired by Herbert Rudley. Rudley wants Zimbalist to keep tabs on his wealthy aunt, Doris Kenyon. Kenyon is a former silent film star who wants to produce a new silent remake of one of her films. (Kenyon was actually a fairly big star during the silent era)
Zimbalist meets Kenyon and is hired by her to help produce her new film. She intends to spend at least a million on the film. Zimbalist is assigned by Kenyon to find her old director, writer and leading man from the first film. Now we find out that, Rudley, and several other members of Kenyon's family, want to have her committed. They are afraid that Kenyon will spend their inheritance.
The episode follows Zimbalist as he finds Kenyon's old friends and hires them. These includes several actual silent stars, Francis X Bushman, Owen McGiveney, Snub Pollard, Joyce Compton as well as John Carradine. All are pretty well down on their luck and can use the work.
Zimbalist, finally tumbles to Rudley's plan to have Kenyon put away. Rudley was hoping to use Zimbalist's reports as evidence in a commitment hearing. Now there is some rough stuff involving Zimbalist and some mob bookies. One of Kenyon's relatives is in big with a gambling debt. The sooner the aunt is committed, the quicker he can pay the bookies.
Zimbalist soon discovers that Kenyon will not see the completion of her new film. She is terminally ill and will soon die. She was doing all this to help out her former acting friends etc. The family members back off now as they could not win in court.
This is a rather enjoyable episode, which has director Richard Bare handling the action. Bare won a "Directors Guild of America" award for helming this episode.
Francis X Bushman was a huge star of silent films with at least 175 films to his credit during the era.
KING OF DIAMONDS "The Wizard of Ice" 1961
KING OF DIAMONDS was a one season private detective/crime drama with Broderick Crawford as a rough and tumble hard case. Crawford is also the head of security for a large diamond company. He goes anywhere in the world to combat jewel thieves and smugglers. He works with Ray Hamilton who does most of the leg work. The series ran for 38 episodes during 1961-62. This was Crawford's first big gig after his 1955-59 run on HIGHWAY PATROL.
In this episode, the first of series, we have it all, robbery, murder, double dealing and a gorgeous femme-fatale. This one starts with Crawford at the New York airport waiting for a flight to London. He is paged and told that he is needed back in the city. The 2 million in diamonds that Crawford had delivered earlier that day have been stolen. The new courier and his driver had been killed during the robbery.
Crawford calls up his man Hamilton to meet him at the jewel wholesaler's office. The office manager, Telly Savalas, is despondent over the murders and theft. He tells Crawford and Hamilton that no one besides the dead men and himself knew about the delivery plans. Crawford and Hamilton head out to beat the bushes for any underworld chatter on the robbery. They will also look into any local jewel fences.
The viewer is filled in on the four men who had pulled the robbery and murders. The two main thugs are Bert Freed and John Marley. We also find out that mister Savalas is not so upset with the crime as he said. In the back room of his office, he is now swapping spit with blonde bombshell, Lola Albright. The whole deal had been set up by Miss Albright.
Albright suggests that Savalas go over to Marley's apartment and collect the diamonds. Albright shows some cleavage and smiles while suggesting that Savalas take his automatic pistol along. She does not trust Marley completely she coos to Savalas. In true femme-fatale fashion, Miss Albright now gets on the horn to Marley and tells him Savalas is coming over, and intends to cut him out of his share. She mentions that she had emptied Savalas' weapon of live ammo. What Savalas and Marley don't know is that Miss Albright has also been stepping out with gang member, Bert Freed. Freed had switched fakes for the real gems during the getaway.
Marley, feeling safe knowing Savalas has no ammo, lets the man into his place. Savalas now discovers the fakes and yards his piece. Marley does not believe the diamonds are not the real deal. He figures this is Savalas making his play to cut him out of his cut. Boy is Marley surprised when the gun Savalas has, proves, to be anything but, empty.
By this time Crawford and Hamilton have narrowed the robbery suspects down to 4 or 5 men, including Marley. They arrive just as Marley is hitting the floor with the added weight of a couple of .45 slugs. They break in while Savalas is beating the feet down a handy fire escape. Meanwhile, back with our femme, Miss Albright, she is now with Freed and licking his ear and telling him he needs to bump off the diamond detective,Crawford. Then it will be a life of tall cool drinks in a nice southern climate somewhere. Albright of course has relieved Freed of the bag of diamonds. Once Freed has went out on his mission, Miss Albright heads to her place to back a bag and split without "any" male companionship.
Freed however fumbles his job and is collared by Crawford and his aide, Hamilton. By now Crawford and company have also figured out that Savalas is in the robbery mix as well. They catch Savalas and several other men coming out of his office and going to the car park. Savalas has likewise made a discovery. He knows that Albright has played him like a world class chump. He wants payback.
Crawford and Hamilton tail Savalas to Albright's place. Savalas has the pair of hired guns turn over Miss Albright's room for the stones. Albright had been a bit slow off the mark in her packing, and is now being "nicely questioned" by Savalas. Crawford and Hamilton burst in with drawn guns exchanging rounds with the two hired thugs. The two are dispatched quickly while Savalas and Albright are collared for a long stay on the State's dime.
Also in the mix with a small bit are John Anderson as a Police Detective, and Joan Tabor as a lounge piano player and info tout. (Tabor and Crawford were married at the time) Look close and you will see Richard Kiel in an early role as a club doorman. Lola Albright had just completed an 86 episode run on the popular PETER GUNN series.
The whole episode is smartly made with plenty of action and great b/w photography, supplied by the sure hand of director, Irving Lerner. Lerner is well known to noir fans as the helmsman on the excellent b-noir, MURDER BY CONTRACT and CITY OF FEAR.
The only problem here is that the series is 5-6 years too late on the air. The hard-boiled no nonsense detective phase was over on television. It was being replaced with shows like 77 SUNSET STRIP, HAWAIIAN EYE, BOURBON STREET and SURFSIDE 6. These series featured a more, shall we say, urbane take on the detective genre.
For a ZIV production it is quite good.
INNER SANCTUM "Face of the Dead" 1954
INNER SANCTUM was a television series that ran for 40 episodes during 1954. It was based on the long running radio program (1941-1952) of the same name. It presented various mystery, terror and thriller stories. (There was also a b-film series released by Universal Studios in the 40's)
In this one, we have a man pulling a pistol out and shooting Everett Sloane, then staggering out of the room. The viewers do not get to see the gunman's face. The next scene has a Police Detective, Jack Klugman in an early role, standing over the mortally wounded Sloane. Sloane is well known to the Police as he is a local crime boss.
Klugman asks who shot him, not really expecting an answer. Sloane does respond and tells Klugman that it was number one henchman. Sloane had found out that his wife, Gloria McGehee has been stepping out with said henchman. Sloane had just beaten the man up and destroyed his face before getting shot. Sloane then smiles and dies.
Now the story cuts to a shady plastic surgeon's office. In the waiting area is Miss McGehee and minor thug, Harry Bellaver. The surgeon exits his operating room and says that his patient is a mess. It will take 4-5 days to fix the damage and create a new face. The doc wants to head out to get some air, but a pistol stuck in his ribs ends that idea. Back to work is the implied suggestion.
Several days later the doc is finished with his work. The man he has operated on has his face completely bandaged. The man staggers out and is hugged by McGehee. He then turns on the surgeon and pulls a gun. The surgeon, John McGovern, says that he was expecting a move like this. He says that the last laugh will be his as he is shot dead.
Bellaver and McGehee load the bandaged man into a car and they head for San Francisco. The plan is to hide out for a while so the bandaged man can heal up. They are then going to take a boat to warmer climes.
When the bandages come off all are in for a rude shock. The doc has indeed had the last laugh, he has given man the face of his murdered boss, Everett Sloane. This needless to say turns Miss McGehee right off any idea of a south-seas trip. Of course we all know this is going to end up with more dead bodies.
Considering that the whole production was filmed in just two rooms, it works rather well. Old pros Sloane and Bellaver are quite good here. Sloane was on the big screen and television from 1941 till 1965. Bellaver some will recall from his 136 episode run on the top flight (1958-63) cop show, NAKED CITY. He also had bits in various film noir like, KISS OF DEATH, SIDE STREET,NO WAY OUT, THE BROTHERS RICO and SLAUGHTER ON TENTH AVENUE.
JOHNNY MIDNIGHT "X Equals Murder" 1960
Edmond O'Brien stars in this 1960 series, "Johnny Midnight." The series ran for 39 episodes during 1960. O'Brien plays an ex-actor who is now a New York based private detective.
Answering his apartment buzzer, O'Brien finds a weeping Viveca Lindfors on the other side of the door. Lindfors tells O'Brien she needs his help to prevent a murder. The victim? Lindfors' husband. Lindfors informs O'Brien that her husband and herself are refugees from East Germany. The East Germans want her husband, a skilled engineer, back, or else dead.
The husband is on a train heading to Quebec City to offer his services to a West German company. Lindfors is sure the East German's are going to kill him before hubby gets to Quebec. O'Brien hops a plane to Montreal in order to get ahead of the train. He meets the train but is too late. The man is dead.
He grabs a flight back to N.Y. to inform the wife. Lindfors takes the news rather too calmly which gets O'Brien to thinking. He checks around and finds out the newly departed had left 3 different insurance policies to Lindfors. Our man Edmond digs a little deeper and up pops a boyfriend. O'Brien now figures Lindfors has played him for a chump. She has used him to set up an alibi for herself while the boyfriend disposed of the husband.
O'Brien sets out to prove his theory which needless to say ends in violence. The boyfriend does not come easy and an exchange of shots followed by fisticuffs and a general curb-stomping is needed. Things are wrapped up and Lindfors and her cohort are handed over to John Law.
O'Brien is very good here and fits the p.i. role like a glove. The rest of the cast includes Richard Coogan, Harry Townes, Alan Calliou, Jean Allison and Tom Palmer.
The director was vet TV helmsman Robert Stevens. The story and screenplay are by Edmond's brother, Liam O'Brien. Liam wrote the Bogart film, Chain Lightning.
The d of p was Oscar nominated Ellsworth Fredericks. Fredericks started out as a cameraman for Warners where he worked on Flamingo Road, Key Largo, The Damned Don't Cry, The Breaking Point. He was d of p on Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, Sayonara, 7 Days in May.
HONG KONG "Murder by Proxy" 1961
Rod Taylor headlines this 1960-61 series as a newsman who is stationed in Hong Kong. Taylor is constantly in trouble with various shady types who are always involving him in their troubles. It usually takes several round of fisticuffs, a dead body or two and a gun battle before things get settled. This is the 22th episode.
This one begins with Taylor out for drinks with and old friend, Nancy Gates and her new husband, Gene Lyons. Also in the mix is another old pal, Hong Kong banker, Richard Anderson, and a not so friendly Paul Richards. Taylor and Richards are at odds over the affection of a woman.
Taylor is sure Richards is behind a series of close calls the reporter has had the last few weeks. Someone fiddled with the brakes on his car, then, the gas at his apartment sprung a leak. Now as the group leaves the club, a taxi nearly runs him down and then speeds off. Now a new problem pops up, Lyons, the hubby of Taylor's long-time friend, Miss Gates, seems to think that the two are having an affair.
Taylor's pal, Hong Kong Police Inspector, Lloyd Bochner wants to assign a detective to keep an eye on Taylor. Bochner is sure that Taylor has annoyed someone with one of his news stories and they are looking for some pay back.
Taylor is thinking the same thing, but believes it is Paul Richards behind the trouble. He pays Richards a visit for a "friendly" discussion. The talk leads to more than a few left hooks and right crosses being exchanged between the two, with Richards ending up on the losing end of the conversation.
That evening there is a large dinner party thrown by Nancy Gates and husband Lyons. While most of the group are out on the balcony enjoying drinks, someone shots Lyons dead from an upstairs window. The deal here is that Lyons was standing beside Taylor when killed. The Police suspect that it was a hit that was meant for reporter, Taylor.
Inspector Bochner quickly puts the grab on the most likely suspect, Paul Richards. Both Bochner and Taylor are sure that Richards was smarting from the beating Taylor had given him, and wanted revenge. Richards swears he is innocent of the murder, and with no evidence, he is released.
The Police and Taylor now go looking for the cab driver who had nearly creamed Taylor. There is a whole plethora of red herrings tossed out for the viewer to chew over. But the suspects are soon thinned out and it turns out that it is the dear wife, Miss Gates. Gates was involved in an affair all right, but it was with Hong Kong banker, Richard Anderson. The two wanted Lyon's millions. All the close calls on Taylor had been to make the Police think it was a messed up hit against Taylor.
Taylor finally tumbles to the ploy when the cab driver is found with a large knife in his ribs. There is a showdown at Taylor's apartment with Anderson blasting away with a revolver. Unfortunately for Nancy Gates, her paramour, Anderson's aim is off and she collects a fatal dose of lead. Anderson gets a sound thrashing from Taylor and is handed over to the local constabulary.
This is an entertaining episode, with lots of nice work from both the cast, and crew. The story is from veteran big-screen writer, Jonathan Latimer. His work includes the screenplays for the noir, THE GLASS KEY, THEY WON'T BELIEVE ME, NOCTURNE, ALIAS NICK BEAL and THE BIG CLOCK.
The look of the episode is really top rate with twice Oscar nominated cinematographer, Philip Lathrop at the controls. He also handled the lensing duties for 61 episodes of the popular series, PETER GUNN.
Responses