REDHEAD FROM MANHATTAN

REDHEAD FROM MANHATTAN (1943). Director: Lew Landers.

The delightful Lupe Velez from the Mexican Spitfire series plays dual roles in this fairly amusing musical: Rita, whose boat is sunk as she reaches New York; and her identical cousin Maria, who is now known as Broadway star Elaine Manners. Maria has hid her marriage and pregnancy from the boss because he doesn't hire married women, so lookalike Rita's arrival is a godsend -- she can take Maria's place in the musical while the latter goes off to have her baby. Complications include a lover boy (Gerald Mohr from Angry Red Planet) who wants to marry Elaine, and a saxophonist named Jimmy (Michael Duane), who was on the same boat as Rita. [This whole business with the boat torpedoed, sunk, or whatever is sort of glossed over.] Velez is excellent in two roles, making them reasonably distinct, and shines in her snappy production numbers which feature some lively songs. In his second film Michael Duane is good-looking but betrays little real acting ability; still he amassed a few more credits up until 1948. Lewis Wilson, the first actor to play Batman, is cast as Elaine's husband. Shirley Patterson,/Shawn Smith --who was also in the Batman serial with Wilson --  is a switchboard operator. This was released by Columbia on the Port Pictures label.

Verdict: If you enjoy Velez, you may get a kick out of this. **1/2.

CRAIG KENNEDY, CRIMINOLOGIST

CRAIG KENNEDY, CRIMINOLOGIST 1952 half hour television series.

Craig Kennedy, Criminologist lasted one season and 26 episodes. Donald Woods [13 Ghosts] is excellent in the title role, solving mysteries with the aid of reporter Walter Jameson (Lewis Wilson) and police inspector J. J. Burke (Sydney Mason). At first all three seem like good friends, but as the series progresses the last two characters have more of an adversarial relationship somewhat similar to the later Spock/Bones friendly enemy business on Star Trek. Some of the more memorable episodes of the series include "Formula for Murder," in which  a dead scientist turns out to have two fiancees; and "The Trap," featuring skullduggery in a show business household and a very exciting climactic fight scene. In "The Case of Fleming Lewis," Jack Mulhall  plays an aged millionaire with a sexy young wife -- guess who gets murdered? Gloria Talbot [The Cyclops] guest-starred in the less interesting "Kid Brother." The show used the same actors over and over again in different supporting parts. Other guest-stars included Mara Corday [Girls on the Loose] and Phyllis Coates [Panther Girl of the Kongo and Incredible Petrified World], both of whom are quite good.

Verdict: Unexceptional but entertaining, with some snappy stories. **1/2.