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Bill Elliott Detective Mysteries Five-Film Collection



Dial Red "0" (1955)         Sudden Danger (1955)         Calling Homicide (1956)


Chain of Evidence (1957)         Footsteps in the Night (1957)

 

Superstar cowboy actor "Wild Bill" Elliott traded in his boots for gumshoes at Allied Artists for a series of crackling crime dramas playing a Los Angeles County Sheriff's department detective lieutenant Andy Doyle whose dogged determination and canny mind lead him past the obvious suspects to nab the real killers before fade-out. Unhinged war veterans, not-so-innocent blind men, baby racket blackmail, kidnapped cons and careless stranglers all appear in intrepid lieutenant's case files. Tough guy character actor Don Haggerty appears in the final three films as sidekick Sgt. Mike Duncan.

 

Two disc, Five-film collection includes:

Dial Red "0" (1955) A traumatized vet triggers a citywide manhunt when he goes AWOL from the bughouse and his soon-to-be-ex-wife gets bumped off.


Sudden Danger (1955) Lt. Andy investigates a suspicious suicide and the prime suspect is a blind man.


Calling Homicide (1956) Andy must connect the dots between a cop-killing and a model's murder.


Chain of Evidence (1957) Andy comes to the aid of a reform school grad accused of murder.

 
Footsteps in the Night (1957) A high-stakes poker game ends in murder - and Lt. Andy must figure out why before he can figure out who

Theatrical Release: July2rd, 1943

Posters

 

DVD Review: Warner Home Video (Bill Elliott Detective Mysteries) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!

DVD Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

 

Distribution

Warner Home Video

Region 0 - NTSC

 

Comments

Warner Archive keep surprising us with many films from Monogram and Allied Artists library making their home video debut in proper aspect ratio. Gordon Elliott, born Gordon Nance, has been hanging around the Hollywood since the silent days, but his star hasn't risen until Columbia serial The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1937, hence his new stage name, Wild Bill Elliott). After that he became one of the most popular western stars making B and Z westerns for Columbia, Republic, Monogram/Allied Artists. Starting in 1955, he appeared in 5 crime dramas for Allied Artists as a Police Detective Andy Flynn (in Dial Red O)/Andy Doyle (in the other 4 films) solving mysteries and bringing criminals to justice. Some of them are whodunnits, others are "how would they solve it", but all mysteries keep our interest up and don't overstay their welcome with each film running just a bit over 60 minutes. In Calling Homicide we even see Elliott on the Western film set investigating a Hollywood mystery. After Footsteps in the Night, Wild Bill retired from the movies to his Las Vegas ranch, only filming a few TV pilots that were never picked up and pass away in 1965.

Warner Archive presents all 5 films on 2 dual-layered discs with first 2 films featured on disc 1 and 3 films on disc 2. All films are presented in 1.78:1 aspect ratio, progressive and newly remastered. There is slight damage on prints, but it's never intrusive and the contrast is excellent. The mono audio is decent and per usual standard, there are no subtitles or any extras. With 5 rare crime dramas, this set can be easily recommended to the fans of dark cinema.

  - Gregory Meshman


DVD Menus
 

 


 

directed by Daniel B. Ullman
USA 1955

 

The first of the five films where Bill Elliott played a detective lieutenant in the L.A Sheriff's department, Dial Red "O" (the correct title with the number 0 (zero), as on a telephone dial, shown in ") opens with war-torn veteran Ralph Wyatt (Keith Larsen) getting word that his wife is divorcing him, and he flees the psychiatric ward of the veteran's hospital, wanting to talk to her. His escape touches off an all-out manhunt, led by Lieutenant Andy Flynn (Bill Elliott) of the sheriff's department. Wyatt's wife, Connie (Helene Stanley) is having an affair with Norman Roper (Paul Picerni), a judo expert in Wyatt's old Marine unit. When Roper refuses to divorce his own wife (Regina Gibson) to marry Connie, they have a violent quarrel in Connie's apartment. Roper kills Connie and incriminates Wyatt, who is arrested and held on suspicion of homicide. Convinced that Roper is the real murderer, Wyatt escapes from his cell in the Hollywood Sheriff's office, and goes to Roper's home. Lt. Flynn has discovered evidence pointing to Roper as the killer, and arrives in time to prevent Wyatt from killing him. Jazzman Shorty Rogers (and his Giants) are also on hand as part of the Hollywood night life. The Elliott role name was changed to Andy Doyle for the following four films in the series, as there was a real Andy Flynn working in law enforcement in Los Angeles.
 

Theatrical Release: 13 March 1955 (USA)

Reviews             DVD Reviews

 

Runtime 1:03:42
Video

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 7.95 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate

Audio Dolby Digital Mono (English)
Subtitles None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Warner Home Video

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1

Edition Details:
• 5 films on 2 discs

DVD Release Date: January 28th, 2014
2 discs in Keep case

Chapters 7

 

Screen Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 
Damaged frame

 


(aka "Calculated Risk" )

 

directed by Hubert Cornfield
USA 1955

 

Having forsaken westerns for detective melodramas in Dial Red O, William "Wild Bill" Ellliot continues in this vein in Sudden Danger. Elliot is cast as detective lieutenant Doyle, who at present is investigating the alleged suicide of a clothing manufacturer. Doyle suspects that the victim was murdered, and that the perpetrator was the dead man's blind son, Curtis (Tom Drake). Hoping to clear himself, Curtis begins searching for clues on his own, and by fadeout time he and Doyle have cornered the actual killer. Though obviously made in a hurry, Sudden Danger is elevated by better-than-usual scripting and a well-chosen supporting cast.

Excerpt from All Movie located HERE

Theatrical Release: 14 December 1955 (USA)

Reviews            DVD Reviews

DVD Review: Warner Home Video (Bill Elliott Detective Mysteries) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!

Runtime 1:05:28
Video

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 7.85 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

Audio Dolby Digital Mono (English)
Subtitles None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Warner Home Video

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1

Edition Details:

DVD Release Date:
2 discs in Keep case

Chapters 7


Screen Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 


 

directed by Edward Bernds
USA 1956

 

The third of five films (Dial Red-O, Sudden Danger, Calling Homicide, Footsteps in the Night and Chain of Evidence in release order and released across a full period of two years) in which Bill Elliott played a detective lieutenant (Andy Flynn in the first one, Doyle in the others) in the Los Angeles homicide department) with all five produced by Ben Schwab but a different director on each one. Lieutenant Andy Doyle (Bill Elliott) of the Los Angeles Sheriff;s homicide department, while investigation the mysterious dynamiting death of a young policeman, discovers that the strangling-murder of Francine Norman, owner of a modeling school, is linked with the first killing. While questioning those connected with the school, manager Darlene Adams (Jeanne Cooper), and executives Allen Gilmore (Thomas B. Henry) and Tony Fuller (Lyle Talbot), Lt. Doyle and his aide, Detective Sergeant Mike Duncan (Don Haggerty), find there is a blackmailing "baby racket" being run in conjunction with the school. Suspicion points to construction company owner Jim Haddix (Myron Healey) who had been in love with Francine. All evidence of the baby extortion racket is destroyed by an explosion, and the hunt narrows down to one man.

Excerpt from TCM located HERE

Theatrical Release: 30 September 1956 (USA)

Reviews           DVD Reviews

DVD Review: Warner Home Video (Bill Elliott Detective Mysteries) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!

DVD Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

 

Distribution

Warner Home Video

Region 0 - NTSC

Distribution

Warner Home Video

Region 0 - NTSC

Runtime 1.01.02
Video

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.64 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

Audio Dolby Digital Mono (English)
Subtitles None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Warner Home Video

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1

Edition Details:

DVD Release Date:
2 discs in Keep case

Chapters 7


Screen Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 


 

 


 


 

directed by Paul Landres
USA 1957

 

After twenty-five-year-old Steve Nordstrom is released on probation after serving a brief sentence in the Los Angeles County Honor Rancho for assaulting a man who insulted his girl friend, he visits police lieutenant Andy Doyle to thank him for arranging for Steve to serve his time at the Rancho instead of in jail. Later, Harriett Owens, Steve's girl friend, arranges an interview for him with her boss at a trucking company and Steve is hired to do a trial run. That night, on his way home from Harriett's apartment, Steve is attacked by Carl Fowler, the man he assaulted, who is seeking revenge for a scar Steve inflicted on him. Mindful of the terms of his probation, Steve offers little resistance and is badly beaten. When he recovers consciousness, Steve has amnesia and finds himself in a strange town, where Polly Gunther, a truck stop café owner, tries to help him and names him Eddie Thornton. Meanwhile, Harriett and Andy try to find out what has happened to Steve and suspect that Fowler may be behind Steve's disappearance, but Fowler has established an alibi for the time of the attack.

Excerpt from TCM located HERE

Theatrical Release: 6 January 1957 (USA)

Reviews           DVD Reviews

DVD Review: Warner Home Video (Bill Elliott Detective Mysteries) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!

Distribution

Warner Home Video

Region 0 - NTSC

Runtime 1.02.46
Video

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.64 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

Audio Dolby Digital Mono (English)
Subtitles None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Warner Home Video

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1

Edition Details:

DVD Release Date:
2 discs in Keep case

Chapters 7


Screen Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 


(aka "Night Target" )

 

directed by Jean Yarbrough
USA 1957

 

The fifth and last of the Ben Schwab productions starring Bill Elliott as a L.A. sheriff's department detective begins with Henry Johnson (Douglas Dick) being sought by the sheriff's office for the murder of his neighbor and friend,Fred Horner (Robert Shayne), whose strangled body was found in Johnson's motel apartment. Lieutenant Andy Doyle (Bill Elliott) of the Los Angeles sheriff's department learns that Johnson had been an avid card-playing gambler, and had frequently argued violently with the deceased. Trailing Johnson's fiancee, Mary Raikin (Eleanore Tanin), the police capture Johnson, who insists he did not kill Horner, but fled in panic when he discovered Johnson's body in his room after an absence of only a few minutes. It is discovered that a wealthy tenant of an adjacent motel, Bradbury (James Flavin), bears a resemblance to the murdered man, and in order to set him up as a decoy...

Excerpt from TCM located HERE

Theatrical Release: 14 April 1957 (USA)

Reviews              DVD Reviews

DVD Review: Warner Home Video (Bill Elliott Detective Mysteries) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!

Distribution

Warner Home Video

Region 0 - NTSC

Runtime 1:01:34
Video

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.64 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

Audio Dolby Digital Mono (English)
Subtitles None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Warner Home Video

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1

Edition Details:

DVD Release Date:
2 discs in Keep case

Chapters 7


Screen Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 


DVD Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

 

Distribution

Warner Home Video

Region 0 - NTSC

 




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