gordonl56 Reviews

Code 3: The Search (1957) Season 1, Episode 37

Child lost in the Woods

[6/10 · 6 July 2017]

CODE 3 "The Search" 1957 CODE 3

CODE 3 was a Police procedural series about the LA County Sheriff's Department. The series ran for 39 episodes during 1957. The start and finish of each episode begins with Richard Travis giving a short blurb about the episode.

A young girl, Beverly Washburn, has gone missing and the Police are called in. A female detective, Jeanne Cooper, and her male partner, Douglas Kennedy draw the assignment. The missing girl's mother, Dorothy Green is losing her mind worrying about her daughter.

The Sheriff's department comb the area houses and start on the surrounding hills. The problem here is that night has arrived making searching difficult. The next morning the boys call in a chopper to overfly the wooded hills nearby. The girl is found with a busted ankle and rescued.

Some of the episodes are quite good, but this one is not exactly what one would call a burn burner. They cannot all be winners. Jeanne Cooper was the mother of actor, Corbin Bernsen.

Dragnet: The Big Lamp (1952) Season 1, Episode 14

Excellent bit of Television

[8/10 · 25 June 2017]

DRAGNET "The Big Lamp" 1952

This is the 14th episode of the 283 episode run of the original Police Detective series, DRAGNET. This series ran from 1951 to 59.

Sgt Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and Detective Ed Jacobs (Barney Philips) are working the day watch out of Robbery Division. They are up for a day in court to testify against safe-cracker, Eddie Firestone. The Detectives and the Police forensics man, Herb Butterfield, do their bit. The jury though for some reason decides to find the crook, not guilty. Firestone blows town after his release.

Some months later there is another string of break-ins and safe robberies that fit with Firestone's style. The Detectives check out the known haunts of Firestone and soon pick up his trail. The man now seems to be married, has a fine car and a rather nice house. The Detectives wonder how he is paying for all this.

After conferring with Webb's boss, Tol Avery, the Police set up an around the clock watch on Firestone's movements. They soon discover he has a small apartment downtown. A quick look inside said flat finds a set of burglary tools and such.

Forensics Detective Butterfield has an idea on how to get clear cut proof on Firestone's next robbery. The Detectives cover Firestone's tools and garments at his apartment with a special dust. This dust will only show up under ultra violet light.

The next time a safe cracking that fits with Firestone's tactics happens, the Detectives have a look at the scene. Sure enough, there is dust on the safe etc that shows up under the ultra violet lamp. Firestone is grabbed up and shown the proof. They have him for sure this time.

This is a pretty entertaining bit of television. The cast and crew are far enough into the series, to have worked out the bugs.

The D.A.'s Man: A Girl's Best Friend (1959) Season 1, Episode 9

Sgt Schultz as a Crook

[6/10 · 23 June 2017]

The D.A.'s Man "A Girl's Best Friend" 1959

The D.A.'s Man was a Police drama series from Jack Webb's Mark VII production company. The series ran for 26 episodes during 1959. It starred John Compton, Herb Ellis and Ralph Manza . Compton is an ex-private eye who now works undercover for the New York District Attorney's office. He gets the goods on various mob and criminal types and hands the info to D.A. Ralph Manza. His contact is Herb Ellis. This episode is number 9 of the production run.

There has been a string of jewel robberies at the homes of upscale types. The robbery always happens during a party at the home. The main suspect is Regina Gleason, who has been at all of the parties. Miss Gleason is the squeeze of a wealthy business man, so why would she be involved with the robberies? The DA, Ralph Manza, sends his main undercover operative, John Compton to check out Miss Gleason. Compton touches base with several of his contacts, and soon digs up some dirt on Gleason. It seems that whenever her sugar daddy is out of town, she is seen on the arm of crook, Charles Franc. Franc and his brother, John Baxter, are known to dabble in the odd jewel heist.

Compton soon makes contact with the two brothers posing as an underworld jewel fence. He offers the pair a good return on their next heist. The two, Franc and Baxter like the sound of more cash and bite. Needless to say this does not go in the brother's favour as the Police swoop in at the exchange.

I'm starting to see why this series only ran for 26 episodes. The stories and acting is really a relic of 7-8 years earlier. The series uses a narrator to explain the action and it is rather annoying. Audiences were expecting a little more mystery and suspense in their entertainment.

John Baxter would hit gold in the mid 1960's on the popular HOGAN'S HEROES as Sgt Schultz.

The D.A.'s Man: Iron Star (1959) Season 1, Episode 13

Not much to see here

[5/10 · 21 June 2017]

The D.A.'s Man "Iron Star" 1959

The D.A.'s Man was a Police drama series from Jack Webb's Mark VII production company. The series ran for 26 episodes during 1959. It starred John Compton, Herb Ellis and Ralph Manza . Compton is an ex-private eye who now works undercover for the New York District Attorney's office. He gets the goods on various mob and criminal types and hands the info to D.A. Ralph Manza. His contact is Herb Ellis. This episode is number 13 of the production run.

A man, Ed Prentiss, answers a knock at his apartment door and is surprised by a pair of push-in robbers. One of the masked pair, Fred Dale, gives Prentiss the butt end of a pistol knocking him to the floor. Robber Dale then rifles through various closets and drawers for valuables. The other robber, Rodd Redwing, helps Prentiss to a chair and wipes away the blood. Several minutes later the pair head out with their swag.

This robbery is one of a series that has the New York DA most annoyed. They assign their undercover man, John Compton to look into it. The only real clue is that Prentiss says that the second man, the one who helped him was a Native American.

Compton hits the local hangouts looking for the man. Compton is soon put on the trail of Redwing. He finds Redwing at a bar and the man gives up without a fight. The only reason he was involved in the last robbery, was because his wife and him were broke. He just wanted to go back to the Dakotas. Redwing gives the Police the name of the other man, Dale, who is quickly grabbed up.

This is one slow and dull episode. The poor story does not give the actors much to do besides stand around and talk. Also in the cast with a small bit, is veteran big screen man, Ted de Corsia. Actor Rodd Redwing was a firearms and quick draw expert. He was often hired to teach other actors the quick draw. His students included, Alan Ladd, Henry Fonda and Glenn Ford.

The Adventures of McGraw: Vivian (1958) Season 1, Episode 29

Trouble finds McGraw in Havana

[6/10 · 20 June 2017]

MEET MCGRAW "Vivian" 1958

MEET MCGRAW was a Private Investigator television series that starred Frank Lovejoy as P.I. McGraw. The show started as a stand-alone episode of the popular FOUR -STAR PLAYHOUSE in 1954. It took till 1957 before the actual series hit the airwaves. It ran for 42 episodes between 1957 and 1958. This particular episode is the 29th of the series run.

Lovejoy is down Havana way doing some marlin fishing when he gets involved in a case. He sees a pretty young woman, Joan Elan, who seems to be in a spot of trouble. The woman is a survivor off a liner that had struck a reef and sank. Elan suffered some head trauma and has lost her memory.

Seedy underworld type, Sebastian Cabot has zeroed in on the woman. He wants to use the woman as cover to help him smuggle various goods into the U.S. Lovejoy soon becomes a thorn in the side to Cabot. Lovejoy collects a sound beating for his troubles from several large gentlemen in Cabot's employ.

The Cuban Police are soon involved as they are most interested in talking to Miss Elan. She is the main suspect in a murder. While all this is going on, Lovejoy cannot help but notice a man, Kevin McConnell, hanging around everywhere he goes.

Lovejoy is rather upset with the beating and continues to annoy Cabot. Guns are soon pulled and various nasty types find themselves with a bit of un-needed extra ventilation. The woman, Elan, gets wounded and is rushed for medical aid. The new trauma has jogged her memory and she is united with her husband, McConnell. He had been trying to find her since the sinking of the ocean liner they had been on. Of course the murder Elan was suspected of had been the work of Cabot and his henchman.

This episode really misses the mark with a silly story and slip shod direction. The series as a whole is quite entertaining, so I guess the odd stumble can be forgiven.

The D.A.'s Man: The Witness (1959) Season 1, Episode 10

A Mob Murder

[7/10 · 19 June 2017]

The D.A.'s Man "The Witness" 1959

The D.A.'s Man was a Police drama series from Jack Webb's Mark VII production company. The series ran for 26 episodes during 1959. It starred John Compton, Herb Ellis and Ralph Manza . Compton is an ex-private eye who now works undercover for the New York District Attorney's office. He gets the goods on various mob and criminal types and hands the info to D.A. Ralph Manza. His contact is Herb Ellis. This episode is number 10 of the production run.

This one starts off with the murder of a man in a New York apartment. The man doing the killing is mobster Robert Stevenson. There is a slight hitch though, Stevenson's 8 year old godson, Greg Irvin, is a witness to the killing. Stevenson gets the kid to promise never to say a word about the matter. Irvin likes Stevenson and agrees.

Stevenson now gets on the horn to his shyster lawyer, Robert Cornthwaite. Cornthwaite quickly shows with mobster Charles Maxwell in tow. Cornthwaite says they need to call the Police and report the shooting. Stevenson is not amused with this idea, that is, till the lawyer explains that Maxwell will lie and say he was a witness to the killing. Maxwell will of course swear it was all in self defence. Stevenson will get off in court and double jeopardy will attach. Then even if the kid, Irvin ever mentions the shooting in the future, it will not matter.

The D.A. sends in their undercover investigator, John Compton to see if he can dig up any concrete evidence on the killing. He poses as a magazine salesman and hits Stevenson's apartment building. He tries various apartments looking to find someone who heard or saw the killing. This soon finds Compton on the wrong end of a beating delivered by gangster, Maxwell.

The D.A. now decides to dismiss the charges against Stevenson. This causes the mobster to get itchy about the boy, Irvin. "What if he talks?", says lawyer Cornthwaite. The boy's mother, Maxine Cooper is now drawn into the discussion. Needless to say she is not happy with any idea of killing her son. It looks like she might be in line for a rub-out as well.

Of course our undercover man, Compton, breaks up the meeting and delivers a return beating to thug Maxwell. The Police rush in and put the grab on Stevenson and the crooked lawyer, Cornthwaite. Miss Cooper will be more than happy to tell the DA all about Stevenson's plans.

This is the second episode of the series that I have seen so far. It is starting to look a bit like a poor twist on the producer's (Jack Webb) earlier DRAGNET series. This episode was written by Webb and Bruce Gellar. Gellar was the creator of the 60's hit series, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE.

Maxine Cooper is best recalled by film noir fans as Velda in the Robert Aldrich directed noir, KISS ME DEADLY from 1955.

The D.A.'s Man: Moonshine in Manhattan (1959) Season 1, Episode 12

Whiskey, a showgirl, and the Mob

[6/10 · 18 June 2017]

The D.A.'s Man "Moonshine in Manhattan" 1959

The D.A.'s Man was a Police drama series from Jack Webb's Mark VII production company. The series ran for 26 episodes during 1959. It starred John Compton, Herb Ellis and Ralph Manza . Compton is an ex-private eye who now works undercover for the New York District Attorney's office. He gets the goods on various mob and criminal types and hands the info to D.A. Ralph Manza. His contact is Herb Ellis. This episode is number 12 of the production run.

The mob is running an illegal distillery to avoid the tax man and the government want it shut down. There has been explosion with the operation and 4 people have been killed. The Feds know the mob will just set up again at a new location. The Feds seek help from the New York end and Compton is soon pounding the streets looking for leads.

His first clue is a showgirl, Nina Vaughn, who hangs with a mid-range gangster, Johnny Seven. He stakes out the club where Vaughn works hoping to latch onto gangster, Seven. He of course takes in Vaughn's act while he waits.

By spreading a bit of cash he is soon introduced to said gangster. He tells the mob guy he has 50 grand and is looking for an "investment" opportunity. Seven's ears prick up of course at the sound of cash. He tells Compton he has such an "investment" that he could cut Compton into. 50 large will get him a 10 percent share in the next illegal still the mob sets up.

Compton agrees to the deal and tells Seven he will have the cash the next day. Compton quickly lets the D.A. and the Police in on the set-up. Compton is soon wired for sound so the Feds can have the proof they need. The meeting happens, the Feds get their evidence and Seven and company are rounded up.

This is the first episode of the series that I have seen. I'll need to see a few more before saying it is a keeper or not. The series has most of the same behind the camera crew as Webb used his earlier, DRAGNET series.

Also in the cast is long time bit player, Joey Forman. Nina Vaughn, who was only on screen between 1958 and 1961, does make an impression. Her dance routine is something to behold. What a set of pins this woman has.

Hong Kong: The Innocent Exile (1961) Season 1, Episode 25

Slow mover

[6/10 · 17 June 2017]

HONG KONG "The Innocent Exile"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 25th episode in the production run.

Reporter Rod Taylor thinks he has latched onto a big story involving the ward of a deposed South American dictator. The ward, Susan Kohner is being pursued by Secret Police types from back home. The main nasty here is, Joe De Santis. De Santis is following Kohner because he is trying to get a lead on the ex-dictator, Jay Novello. Novello it seems skipped out with 10 million belonging to the country. The new government wants it back.

Our man, Taylor, is soon mixed up in a three way mess with Kohner, De Santis and Novello. Taylor's pal, Hong Kong Police Inspector, Lloyd Bochner, is soon involved as well. Taylor has fallen for the pretty Miss Kohner and tries to keep her hidden away from the other two.

There is soon a bit of rough and tumble and a kidnapping that has Taylor chasing first one side, and then the other. Of course Miss Kohner is rescued in the nick of time and the villains are soon under lock and key.

While not a waste of time, this one really has too much story for the run-time. This cuts down on the action, and that is why people watch this series.

Dragnet: The Big Show (1953) Season 2, Episode 11

Whose baby is it?

[7/10 · 17 June 2017]

DRAGNET "The Big Show" 1953

This is the 25th episode of the 283 episode run of the original Police Detective series, DRAGNET. This series ran from 1951 to 59.

Sgt Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and Detective Frank Smith (Ben Alexander) are working the day watch out of Juvenile Division. They get a call to the bus station about an abandoned baby. The Detectives find a woman, Virginia Gregg, at the station with a 7 week old baby. She tells the cops that a young woman off the same bus she had been on, asked her to look after the child for a minute. That had been several hours earlier.

The child is taken into care and Gregg is asked for details about the woman who left the child. After interviewing several others, including the bus driver who had been driving the bus Gregg was on, they realize that there is no other woman. The child had been travelling with Gregg.

It is off to the Police Station for some more questions. Gregg soon admits the child is hers. She then tells the Detectives that she could not take care of the child because her husband was returning from Army duty overseas. The problem here is that he has been gone two years. The child would get in the way when the husband returned in several days. She had decided that the child would get a home as an abandoned baby, and she would get her husband.

The story might sound silly to today's viewers, but at the time it was semi scandalous. Anyways, all is settled for the best for all involved. Miss Gregg is quite good here and runs up and down a whole range of emotions. It is a better episode that I make it sound.

Like most of the early episodes, the story is taken from one of the DRAGNET radio programs.

Hong Kong: Love Honor and Perish (1961) Season 1, Episode 24

Not one of the better Episodes

[6/10 · 16 June 2017]

HONG KONG "Love, Honor and Perish" 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 24th episode in the production run.

Reporter Rod Taylor has just landed in Hong Kong on a flight from the States. Also on the flight is Joan Caulfield who is Hong Kong to meet her husband, Warren Stevens. The deal here is that Stevens had skipped out of Caulfield four years before and Caulfield wants to know why. Stevens is a no show but there is a note for her to go to a local hotel and wait.

The next thing the viewer sees is Caulfield lying on the floor of her room after a beating. Taylor, being the only person she knows in town, is soon called. Then the Hong Kong Police are called in for a look see. Turns out there is no US Embassy record of Caulfield's husband being in Hong Kong. A quick look at the Police files though turns Stevens up under another name. Steven is a noted smuggler of gold and such based across the bay in Macao.

Needless to say Taylor and Miss Caulfield end up in Macao up to their necks in trouble. Stevens is wanted by a rival gang for killing one of their members. The leader of this group is John Marley. There is now a whole series of flying fists, chairs and lead exchanged before the matter is closed. Stevens had called Caulfield so he could use her as cover for an escape. The swine however ends up suffering from a lead overdose.

This one really suffers from a rather slip-shod story and poor direction. It is the weakest episode of the series. The look of the episode though 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. Also in the cast are Aki Leong, Joseph Sargent and Joseph Ruskin.

Hong Kong: The Woman in Grey (1961) Season 1, Episode 23

A Guilty Redhead

[7/10 · 15 June 2017]

HONG KONG "The Woman in Grey" 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 23rd episode in the production run.

Reporter Rod Taylor is called to the local woman's prison to see a woman on a hunger strike. The woman, Pat Li, is doing a long stretch for a murder committed three years before. Li has always claimed that she was innocent, and that another woman dressed in grey had done the crime. The Police never found any such person and Li was convicted. Now Li claims that an American businesswoman, Rhonda Fleming, is the mysterious woman in grey. There was a photo of Fleming in one of the local papers. Taylor decides to look into the case and see what he can find out.

Taylor talks with his pal, Hong Kong Police Inspector, Lloyd Bochner, who had been on the original case. No joy there, or with Li's lawyer, J Pat O'Malley. Last on the list is Miss Fleming. Fleming has an import business in the States and calls in Hong Kong several times a year. Taylor pays the woman a visit, but is seems that Miss Fleming had been in the States at the time of the murder.

Taylor, though, believes Miss Li and continues to dig around. This soon has some nasty types coming out of the woodwork. A Hong Kong exporter, Leonard Strong, has a thriving sideline in smuggling Chinese antiques into the States hidden in goods going to Fleming's business. Strong and several large gentlemen with a definite anti-social bent, pay Taylor a visit. The message is that Taylor's health could take a turn for the worse if he continues to dig into Fleming.

Taylor is not sure what to make of this, but he again dives in to look for clues. He is lucky to survive a car crash after his sports car is sabotaged. Needless to say, Taylor and the Police soon get to the bottom of the case. Strong, O'Malley and Fleming were all involved in some rather unsavoury deeds. Miss Li is soon off her hunger strike and out of jail.

While it is a watchable episode, it is not a barn-burner by any means. The story could have been a bit tighter. The director, Stuart Rosenberg, would strike gold in 1967's COOL HAND Luke.

Hong Kong: With Deadly Sorrow (1961) Season 1, Episode 21

A Threat of Murder

[7/10 · 14 June 2017]

HONG KONG "With Deadly Sorrow" 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 21st episode in the production run.

Reporter Rod Taylor and his pal, Hong Kong Police Inspector, Lloyd Bochner, are taking is a show at an upscale Hong Kong club. The show headliner is American singer, Anne Francis. After her last song, Miss Francis joins the two men for drinks and a smoke. After some light chatter and a few drinks, Bochner offers to give Francis a ride to her hotel. She accepts and thanks Bochner with a kiss after being dropped off. Bochner makes a mental note to take in the woman's show the next night.

The meeting happens faster than that. Miss Francis finds an unwanted visitor in her room. The man, Benson Fong, roughs her up and tells her she best leave Hong Kong inside the next 24 hours or else! After Fong leaves, Francis calls the Police and Inspector Bochner is soon at her rooms. He whisks her downtown to look at some mug books. Francis says she has no idea why the man "insisted" she leave town.

After a night of mug book looking with no success, she is returned to her hotel with a Police guard posted outside her room. The next morning Bochner arrives with more mug books. There is however no Miss Francis. It seems that someone had lifted her from under the Police guard's nose. She is found in a hospital some hours later, suffering from various bumps and bruises. It seems that thug Fong had entered from the next door suite and clobbered Francis. He then carted her out of that suite and dumped her in an alley. He then told her this was her last warning, leave Hong Kong or die.

Needless to say, the threat does not take. Miss Francis is made of stern stuff and wants to know what this mess is about. She soon identifies Fong from a mug book. A thoroughly annoyed Bochner pays the man a visit and hands the swine a beating. This is followed by some intense face to face conversation. It turns out that a woman had paid Fong 500 US dollars to put a scare into Francis. Anyways, there is a real attempt made on Francis' life before the real villain of the piece is collared. That villain turns out to be Mary Murphy.

Murphy was an old college chum of Miss Francis. The woman had gotten hooked up with a mobster who was murdered. Murphy had then fled the States with a cool 250 large of the dead gangster's cash. She had been living in Hong Kong ever since. The deal here is that Murphy was using Francis' name. Murphy was scared that she might have her new life ruined.

Not bad at all, this one features Bochner throughout with Taylor only appearing in the opening and closing bits. The director is former actor turn helmsman, Paul Henreid. Henreid of course is best known for his role in the wartime thriller, CASABLANCA.

Johnny Ringo: Cave-In (1960) Season 1, Episode 38

Decent ending to the Series

[7/10 · 13 June 2017]

JOHNNY RINGO "Cave-in" 1960

JOHNNY RINGO was a western series that ran for 38 episodes during 1959-60. The series starred Don Durant as the title character with Karen Sharpe, Mark Goddard and Terence De Marney as series regulars. The series follows Durant, (Ringo) a former gunfighter who decides to go straight. He becomes the Sheriff in the small town of Velardi in the Arizona Territory. The series was one of several (Rifleman, Wanted Dead or Alive, Shotgun Slade etc) with a "gimmick gun". Durant carries a special LeMat revolver equipped with a shotgun barrel under the six gun barrel.

This episode is the 38th and last episode of the series.

In this episode, Robert Culp guest stars. Culp is a famous fast gun that Sheriff Durant knew from years before. The two had been friends back in Durant's wild days. Following Culp is a trio of gun-hands out to collect a $1000 bounty on the man.

Needless to say this leads to a whole slew of events including a spirited gun fight, and a cave-in at an old mine. Deputy Goddard ends up being the hero of the day, arriving just in time to put paid to the gun-hawks, and rescue Culp and Durant from the old mine.

All and all this is a pretty good episode imo. Culp never put in a bad performance in anything if one asks me. Culp had just finished a three year run on the excellent western series, TRACKDOWN. The series ran for 71 episodes between 1957 and 1959.

Johnny Ringo: Lobo Lawman (1960) Season 1, Episode 37

Duty or Revenge

[6/10 · 13 June 2017]

JOHNNY RINGO "Lobo Lawman" 1960

JOHNNY RINGO was a western series that ran for 38 episodes during 1959-60. The series starred Don Durant as the title character with Karen Sharpe, Mark Goddard and Terence De Marney as series regulars. The series follows Durant, (Ringo) a former gunfighter who decides to go straight. He becomes the Sheriff in the small town of Velardi in the Arizona Territory. The series was one of several (Rifleman, Wanted Dead or Alive, Shotgun Slade etc) with a "gimmick gun". Durant carries a special LeMat revolver equipped with a shotgun barrel under the six gun barrel.

This episode is the 37th episode of the series.

In this episode, a Federal Marshal hits town with a notorious Mexican bandit in tow. The lawman, Karl Swenson, is attempting to reach Yuma Prison with his prisoner. There are several problems with this idea. First is the fact that the outlaw, Rodolfo Hoyos Jr has his gang close behind. They of course want to free their leader from Swenson. The second problem is that Sheriff Durant hates Swenson, and blames him for killing a friend of his years before.

Swenson wants to hole up in the jailhouse and fight it out with the pursuing bandits. Durant figures they should hit the road and save the town from becoming a battleground. He offers to help take Hoyos to Yuma. Then he and Swenson can settle their beef.

Needless to say this idea likewise becomes unravelled as Swenson gets cut up badly by Hoyos during an escape try. They hole up in some rocks and wait for the trailing bandits to arrive. Maybe they can ambush them and even out the odds. This plan does not work either and a raging gun-battle ensues. Durant manages to flank the bandits and scare off their horses. Durant, Swenson and prisoner now ride off for Yuma.

Durant now decides that he has lost any desire for revenge against Swenson.

By no means is this one a barn-burner, but it passes the time well enough.

Dragnet: The Big Grandma (1953) Season 2, Episode 9

A Granny Crime Spree

[6/10 · 13 June 2017]

DRAGNET "The Big Grandma" 1953

This is the 23rd episode of the 283 episode run of the original Police Detective series, DRAGNET. This series ran from 1951 to 59.

Sgt Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and Detective Frank Smith (Ben Alexander) are working the day watch out of Forgery Division. They are assigned a case known as the "Granny Forger". It seems that for the last 9 years an elderly woman shows up three times a year and passes a barrage of bad paper. She has taken various businesses for 20 grand over the 9 years.

The woman is hitting stores again and everyone just says it was a sweet old woman passing the checks. It takes the Detectives several months of pounding the sidewalks etc before they catch a break. They track the lead to a woman, Gwen Delano, who is the culprit. It turns out the woman was using the crime spree to drum up some cash to give to charity. Charity or not, it is off to see a judge.

Johnny Ringo: Coffin Sam (1960) Season 1, Episode 36

The Skipper as a Gunfighter

[7/10 · 12 June 2017]

JOHNNY RINGO "Coffin Sam" 1960

JOHNNY RINGO was a western series that ran for 38 episodes during 1959-60. The series starred Don Durant as the title character with Karen Sharpe, Mark Goddard and Terence De Marney as series regulars. The series follows Durant, (Ringo) a former gunfighter who decides to go straight. He becomes the Sheriff in the small town of Velardi in the Arizona Territory. The series was one of several (Rifleman, Wanted Dead or Alive, Shotgun Slade etc) with a "gimmick gun". Durant carries a special LeMat revolver equipped with a shotgun barrel under the six gun barrel.

This episode is the 36th episode of the series.

In this episode, a well-known gunslinger by the name, "Coffin Sam" hits town. The man, Alan Hale Jr, has 11 notches on his gun and always gets the other man to draw first. This saves him from any legal entanglements as he can say he was defending himself.

The gag here is that he pays some poor sucker to go up against him with the offer of 100 dollars. Hale promises the man that he will just "wing" him in the arm. The wound Hale says will make the man famous for going up against "Coffin Sam". Needless to say Hale always shoots to kill.

He offers the deal to Sheriff Durant but the Sheriff refuse to bite at the cash. He tells Hale to leave town. Of course Hale does no such thing and soon kills a local rancher.

Durant straps on his gun and goes looking for Hale. Hale is less than happy to engage in a real gunfight. Hale does go for his iron when Durant turns his back on Hale. Durant though had figured on such a play by Hale and still beats him on the draw.

This is a watchable episode that fills the time well enough. It is always a hoot to see Hale Jr in a non- GILLIGAN'S ISLAND role.

Dragnet: The Big Seventeen (1952) Season 2, Episode 4

Early Say no to drugs Episode

[6/10 · 12 June 2017]

DRAGNET "The Big Seventeen" 1952

This is the 18th episode of the 283 episode run of the original Police Detective series, DRAGNET. This series ran from 1951 to 59.

Sgt Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and Detective Frank Smith (Herb Ellis) are working the day watch out of Juvenile Division. They receive a call about a group of teens running wild at a local movie house, destroying property and attacking the staff.

The Detectives arrive and survey the damage while interviewing the manager and staff. They manage to get the names of several of the teens involved. There is also a small box containing a couple of reefers. The Detectives pay a visit on the one boy identified, and bring him in for questioning. He quickly caves under a bit of third degree and spills more names.

The trail soon leads to a further up the chain dealer, Herb Vigran. Vigran happens to be in the hospital with a severe head wound. It seems one of the teens he sold to, came back and wanted some stronger stuff. There are more interviews with parents and the girlfriend of the teen suspect. Anyways, this all leads to a park where they find the boy dead of an overdose.

While a bit laughable by today's standards, it most likely scared the hell out of viewers at the time.

All in all, this one comes off as a mid-range episode that kills the time well enough. The copy I watched had all the original "Chesterfield Cigarette" ads in it. The show's star, Jack Webb is even hawking the items in one of the ads.

Dragnet: The Big Casing (1952) Season 1, Episode 13

Murder, or Not?

[8/10 · 10 June 2017]

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 59.

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.

Dragnet: The Big Phone Call (1952) Season 1, Episode 12

Some heavy Third Degree

[7/10 · 9 June 2017]

DRAGNET "The Big Phone Call" 1952

This is the 12th episode of the 283 episode run of the original Police Detective series, DRAGNET. This series ran from 1951 to 59.

Sgt Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and Detective Ed Jacobs (Barney Philips) are working the day watch out of Robbery Division. They have just brought in a suspect on a 6 month old robbery of a jewellery salesman.The suspect, Vic Perrin, is a cool one and denies the evidence against him.

The Detectives lay on the 3rd degree but Perrin seems to have an answer to everything thing the Detectives say. The Police have piles of evidence tying Perrin to the robbery, including wire taps of Perrin and the man he hired to help, and the fence he used to dispose of the diamonds.

But, no matter how hard the cops lean into him, Perrin plays the wrong man game. He does not waver till he asks to make a phone call. He wants to call the wife but the line is busy. Perrin keeps calling but he never gets through. He finally caves to the forceful in his face interviewing and confesses. He blames it all on the wife. She wanted a fur coat, a better car and good schools for the kids etc says Perrin. The cuffs are slapped on the man and he is led to the cells.

A much better than it sounds example of an early Police drama. The rapid fire delivery of dialogue by the Detectives is particularly effective. Considering that the entire episode takes place in one room, the camera work is quite good with various angles being used to good effect. This one is a keeper in my book.

Dragnet: The Big September Man (1952) Season 1, Episode 11

A brutal Murder

[7/10 · 28 May 2017]

DRAGNET "The Big September Man" 1952

This is the 11th episode of the 283 episode run of the Police Detective series, DRAGNET. This series ran from 1951 to 59.

Sgt Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and Detective Ed Jacobs (Barney Philips) are working the night watch out of Homicide Division. They are called out to a downtown office building where a dead female has been found. The woman had been beaten to death with a piece of steel pipe. The fingerprint boys are called in but are no help.

A drunk, Eddie Firestone, is grabbed up several blocks away mumbling about a murder. The man is given a severe bout of the old third degree. The man keeps saying it is his fault the woman is dead. Do the detectives have their man? Once Firestone sobers up, it turns out he is no murderer, but had seen a man who could be the killer.

Files are pulled and mug books are slapped down in front of Firestone. A man is soon picked out of the mug books. More files are searched and a name and address are soon found. It is not long before the suspect, Stacy Harris, has replaced Firestone in the interview chair.

A little bit of intense face to face time soon has Harris admitting to the brutal murder. And as a bonus, he also admits to one that took place the year before. Harris has found "The Lord" and is doing God's work disposing of sinners.

Not the best of the series, but still worth a look.

Dragnet: The Big Cast (1952) Season 1, Episode 5

Lee Marvin is worth the price of Admission.

[8/10 · 27 May 2017]

DRAGNET "The Big Cast" 1952

This is the 5th episode of the 283 episode run of the Police Detective series, DRAGNET. This series ran from 1951 to 59.

Sgt Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and Detective Ed Jacobs (Barney Philips) are working the night watch out of Homicide Division. They are checking out the possible murder of a man who had gone missing 6 months earlier. Through tracking the missing man's movements they had come up with a suspect. Said suspect, Lee Marvin, is found at a fleabag hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

When the detectives move in to question the man, they are met by a less than friendly round of flying fists. Once Marvin is subdued, he is hauled off to the station for a few rounds of third degree.

This is only two years into Marvin's Hollywood career and he gives an outstanding performance. The back and forth between Webb and Marvin is truly excellent. It was writing like this that made DRAGNET the best Police procedural of early television. Marvin's own series, M-SQUAD was another top flight Police drama.

This is an episode well worth hunting up just to see Marvin.

Hong Kong: The Jade Empress (1960) Season 1, Episode 5

Is it the real One?

[7/10 · 23 May 2017]

HONG KONG "The Jade Empress" 1960

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 5th episode in the production run.

A fellow reporter pal of Rod Taylor is shot and badly wounded. The Police and Taylor are soon on the scene. The man, Richard Grey, hands Taylor a room key and whispers to go and retrieve a small package hidden in the television there. Grey wants Taylor to deliver the package to a woman flying in from Japan the next day. Grey then expires.

Taylor takes the key and hits the apartment said key belongs to. Inside he finds that the place has been thrashed and there is a woman, Madlyn Rhue, hiding in the bedroom. Questions are soon asked and Miss Rhue claims that it is her apartment, and that Grey is her boyfriend. The room is a mess because two rather nasty oriental types had broken in and ripped up the place looking for something. She says that whatever it was, they never found it.

Taylor, knowing where the item is soon retrieves a small wooden case from inside the TV set. Inside the package is a jade figurine. Miss Rhue's eyes go wide when she sees the statue. Taylor grabs up the box and contents and heads off. Several minutes later another man, Michael David, enters the apartment. Now the viewer finds out that Miss Rhue and David are in cahoots. She is not the dead man, Grey's girlfriend. She sends David after reporter Taylor.

Michael David follows Taylor to an art dealer friend of the reporter, Richard Loo. Loo has a look at the figurine and laughs. He points at a shelf holding 7 or 8 of the same figure. They are glass copies of a 700 year old statue of a Chinese Empress, worth 15 bucks. Loo's tune quickly changes when he handles the item. "It is the real deal" he now says, adding that it is worth a cool 150,000 dollars.

Needless to say, there is a series of beatings, break-ins and a couple of murders ensuing before the figurine can be returned to its rightful owner.

In the cast we have, Richard Ermhardt doing his best Sydney Greenstreet impression from THE MALTESE FALCON, James Hong as a swine of a Red Chinese agent also after said jade piece. The female lead is played by Pat Crowley.

The director is former actor turn helmsman, Don Taylor. The screenplay was by Jonathan Latimer. Latimer is well known to noir fans as screenplay writer on films like, PLUNDER OF THE SUN, THE BIG CLOCK, ALIAS NICK BEAL, NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES and THE GLASS KEY.

This is a good looking episode 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.

This is an entertaining entry in the series.

Hong Kong: To Catch a Star (1960) Season 1, Episode 10

It is a Kidnapping

[7/10 · 22 May 2017]

HONG KONG "To Catch a Star" 1960

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 10th episode in the production run.

This one begins with Taylor at the Hong Kong airport watching what could be a big story. An American movie company is on an airliner from the States with landing gear problems. The film company is coming to Hong Kong to make a movie. If the plane crashes it will of course be big news. Also at the airport are Edward Andrews and John Newton. The two men are the producer and the director of the upcoming film. Beside the film crew on the aircraft, there is the film's star, Luciana Paluzzi.

Anyways, the plane makes a safe landing and all seems OK. Producer Andrews is pleased as punch with the incident. "Nothing like free publicity" he tells director Newton. Reporter Taylor thinks the whole thing was a gag pulled by Andrews. Andrews has a less than stellar reputation in the trades. He pumps out low end garbage for the drive-in crowd.

Miss Paluzzi is whisked off to her hotel where of course, Taylor soon has her talked into dinner and drinks. While this is going on, we find out that there is indeed some skulduggery going on. It seems that Andrews is broke and needs some cash. He has hired several Hong Kong thugs led by, H.M. Wynant, to kidnap Miss Paluzzi for 100 grand in ransom from the film's investors.

The Police soon receive a report that the actress has been taken by force and tossed in a car. Taylor tells his Police Inspector pal, Lloyd Bochner, that he thinks this too is a set-up by Andrews for publicity. The Police however have to take the report at face value and investigate.

Needless to say there are more than a few complications to Andrews' plan. First is that H.M. Wynant and crew are planning on making their own play for the cash. They plan on killing Miss Paluzzi once the cash is delivered. When Andrews discovers the double play he makes to go for the Police. Kidnapping he has no problem with, but murder is another whole deal. This action results in a knife applied to his chest, and his corpse dumped in the harbour. They then force the actress to write up the ransom demand.

Alas, there is a fly in the ointment for the kidnappers as well. They had been seen with the actress by a local shoeshine boy. Taylor and the Hong Kong Police are soon kicking in the doors and applying various night sticks and gun barrels to the heads of Wynant and bunch.

This one starts a bit slow, but once the pace picks up, it makes for a decent time waster.

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.

Miss Paluzzi is best remembered from her turn in the 1965 Bond film, THUNDERBALL.

Johnny Ringo: Shoot the Moon (1960) Season 1, Episode 34

Pictures at Night

[6/10 · 29 January 2017]

JOHNNY RINGO "Shoot the Moon" 1960

JOHNNY RINGO was a western series that ran for 38 episodes during 1959-60. The series starred Don Durant as the title character with Karen Sharpe, Mark Goddard and Terence De Marney as series regulars. The series follows Durant, (Ringo) a former gunfighter who decides to go straight. He becomes the Sheriff in the small town of Velardi in the Arizona Territory. The series was one of several (Rifleman, Wanted Dead or Alive, Shotgun Slade etc) with a "gimmick gun". Durant carries a special LeMat revolver equipped with a shotgun barrel under the six gun barrel.

This episode is the 34th episode of the series.

Sheriff Durant receives a letter from the US Government asking for a spot of help. They would like Durant to help a Italian astronomer, Frank Silvera, take pictures of a solar eclipse. The problem here is that the site Silvera wants to use is a Native burial ground on the top of Superstition Mountain.

Needless to say this soon whips up a bit of trouble with several local ranchers who fear an Indian war will be started. Durant and his Deputy, Mark Goddard, escort Silvera and his pretty daughter, Theona Bryant up to the peak. There the astronomer sets up his telescope and camera gear to get shots of the eclipse.

They are soon set upon by a group of men dressed up like Indians who try to run them off. This idea goes sideways when lead starts a flying. One of the men is captured and admits to being hired to frighten them off the mountain. There are several more run-ins with various ranchers etc before the matter is settled with more lead being applied.

Not great, but not a waste of time either.

Johnny Ringo: The Rain Man (1959) Season 1, Episode 9

The Rainmaker Con

[7/10 · 24 January 2017]

JOHNNY RINGO "Rain Man" 1959

JOHNNY RINGO was a western series that ran for 38 episodes during 1959-60. The series starred Don Durant as the title character with Karen Sharpe, Mark Goddard and Terence De Marney as series regulars. The series follows Durant, (Ringo) a former gunfighter who decides to go straight. He becomes the Sheriff in the small town of Velardi in the Arizona Territory. The series was one of several (Rifleman, Wanted Dead or Alive, Shotgun Slade etc) with a "gimmick gun". Durant carries a special LeMat revolver equipped with a shotgun barrel under the six gun barrel.

This episode is the 9th episode of the series.

Velardi is in the middle of a massive heat wave and there is a severe water shortage happening. The local ranchers are watching there hay crops dry up and their cattle starting to die. One afternoon, a man dressed in robes with long hair and a flowing beard drives a wagon into town. The man, John Carradine, swears to be servant of the lord and can make rain.

Needless to say this gets a good laugh from the townsfolk. Carradine says his statement is not an idle boast. He leads a crowd out of town to a nearby ranch. He points to a spot on the ground and hands out several shovels. "Dig, my friends for there is water". Several feet down and lo and behold they strike water. A small spring starts bubbling to the surface.

The crowd follows Carradine back to town and beg him to find more water. He says he will if the town fills a wooden whiskey box from the saloon with gold. He explains that he will use the gold to help other towns that need it. The box is soon filled to the brim with valuables. Carradine leads the townsfolk out to another spot and says that 30 feet down is an underground lake. The menfolk grab every shovel around and start the move earth.

Sheriff Durant and Deputy Goddard of course smell a con game when Carradine heads back to town to grab up the gold, while everyone is digging. They also catch a henchman of Carradine's who was in on the scam. The first water had been a small spring Carradine had known about years before.

This is an entertaining episode with old pro Carradine shining as the confidence man.