THE SHADOW TV PILOT

Tom Helmore as Lamont Cranston

THE SHADOW (1954 TV pilot). Director: Charles F. Haas. "The Case of the Cotton Kimono."

Lamont Cranston (Tom Helmore of Let's Do It Again) and his girlfriend and assistant Margo Lane (Paula Raymond of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms) investigate when Commissioner Weston (Frank M. Thomas of Arkansas Judge) asks them to look into the shooting murder of a young woman, Cissy Chadwick (Peggy Lobbin). Detective Harris (Norman Shelly) is convinced that the killer is Cissy's boyfriend, Alex (William Smithers), and even goes so far as to frame him. Another suspect is Cissy's vocal coach. Rollo Grimbauer (Alexander Scourby), who refuses to let Cranston ask him any questions. Then there are more murders ...

Norman Shelly

This failed pilot had the potential to become an interesting series. Although Helmore's British accent is at first disconcerting, he doesn't make a bad Lamont Cranston. He doesn't run around in a mask and cape, but he can "cloud men's minds," possibly seeming to become invisible, and throw his evil laugh around a room in true Shadow fashion. Paula Raymond makes an elegant and adept Margo Lane, far more suitable than the character as portrayed by Barbara Read in the dreadful Monogram features. This half hour program doesn't have a bad script, although there are a few holes in its plot. Smithers, Scourby and Shelly all give very good performances, and Leona Powers also scores as a talkative landlady. Charles F. Haas also directed Girls Town.

Verdict: Interesting curiosity found on youtube. **1/2. 

GIRLS TOWN

Mamie Van Doren and Paul Anka

GIRLS TOWN (1959). Director: Charles F. Haas.

Now here's a weird one. Busty Silver Morgan  (Mamie Van Doren) is accused of killing a guy and sent to "Girls Town," which is not a reform school but a home for young ladies who have gotten in trouble with the law and which is run by nuns! There she meets Mother Veronica (Margaret Hayes of House of Women); Vida (Gloria Talbott); tall, gawky Flo (Peggy Moffitt); and Serafina (Gigi Perreau), who has a semi-demented crush on singer Jimmy Parlow (Paul Anka). Talbott practices judo on Van Doren when the latter gets out of line, and Anka delivers a punch to fellow singer/cast member Mel Torme who is, incredibly, cast as a leather jacket-clad borderline thug who goes drag racing at one point! Torme does not sing, but Anka does his "Lonely Boy" and, unfortunately, takes a pitiful stab at "Ave Maria." He fares much better, however, than Cathy Crosby, who makes little impression as the "girl singer." Other cast members include Sheila Graham, who barely appears as another nun; and offspring Jim Mitchum, Harold Lloyd Jr.,( who is killed off early) and Charles Chaplin Jr., who only have minor roles. Elinor Donahue [Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare] of Father Knows Best shows off serious acting chops as Silver's younger sister; Van Doren is Van Doren. Anka and Torme give adequate performances. The Platters sing one number, but for some inexplicable reason the lead singer's face is never shown -- we only see his hands and his back! The orchestra leader Ray Anthony plays a private eye investigating Van Doren. She and Torme were both in The Big Operator with Mickey Rooney.

Verdict: You won't want to miss a single second, but maybe you should miss it anyway. **.

THE BIG OPERATOR

Steve Cochran and Mamie Van Doren

THE BIG OPERATOR (1959). Director: Charles F. Haas.

Bill Gibson (Steve Cochran) comes afoul of a foul union boss named Little Joe Braun (Mickey Rooney). In his campaign to keep everyone in line and stay out of jail, Braun has Gibson's friend and neighbor -- and an angry union advocate -- Fred McAfee (Mel Torme) beaten, dumped and set on fire. Worse, Braun has Gibson's little boy, Tommy (Jay North), kidnapped, leading to a surprisingly dull and protracted scene when Gibson and his wife, Mary (Mamie Van Doren) drive around -- and around and around -- searching for the kid. The Big Operator is decidedly minor-league film noir of a type, but it is distinguished by some vivid performances. Rooney gets top honors for his sterling portrait of the loathsome mob boss, with Ray Danton also making his mark as Braun's "executioner." Cochran [The Chase], and even Van Doren [Born Reckless], are fine as the parents (in an early scene they express worry over the child and then leave him alone in the house!), and while not a "revelation" as such, Mel Torme [The Fearmakers] is quite good as McAfee. Others in the cast include everyone from Jim Backus and Vampira (Maila Nurmi) to Jackie Coogan and 'Red" Barry, with Ziva Rodann thrown in for good measure.

Verdict: Minor crime film with interesting cast. **.