Calling Homicide

Calling Homicide is a 1956 American crime drama film directed by Edward Bernds and starring Bill Elliott, Don Haggerty and Kathleen Case. The picture was the third of five films in the Lt. Andy Doyle series, all starring Elliott.[2]

Calling Homicide
Poster for the film
Directed byEdward Bernds
Written byEdward Bernds
Produced byBen Schwalb
StarringBill Elliott
Don Haggerty
Kathleen Case
CinematographyHarry Neumann
Edited byWilliam Austin
Music byMarlin Skiles
Production
company
Release date
  • September 30, 1956 (1956-09-30) (US)[1]
Running time
61 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

When a policeman is murdered by a car bomb, Lt. Andy Doyle is given the case to investigate. On the victim he finds the name of a woman, Francine Norman, who is murdered shortly thereafter, strangled and mutilated. Doyle determines that there is a connection between the two deaths. Norman was a former actress who owned a modeling agency that is now run by Darlene Adams.

Doyle finds many suspects, as Norman was universally hated. He uncovers that the agency was being used as a front for a blackmailing racket most likely run by Norman's love interest Jim Haddix, the owner of a local construction company. However, all the evidence of the blackmail ring is destroyed when the modeling school is destroyed by fire, with the janitor as the main suspect.

Cast list

See also

Production

The working title of the film was House on Lookout Mountain.[1] Production began in the first week of April 1956,[3][4] and was completed before the end of the month.[5][6] In July, the release date was announced as September 30, 1956.[7] The National Legion of Decency gave the film a Class A Section II rating, indicating that it was morally unobjectionable but for adults only.[8] In December, it was announced that Calling Homicide would be part of a two-film deal, along with Friendly Persuasion, booking first-run films directly into "second-run" theaters. It was the first such deal in the nation.[9]

Reception

Motion Picture Daily gave the film a good review, enjoying its action and pace. It complimented the complexity of the plot, the screenplay and Bernds' direction.[10]

References
  1. "Calling Homicide: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on September 5, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  2. "Dial Red O". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
  3. "This Week in Production". Motion Picture Herald. April 14, 1956. p. 25. Retrieved February 18, 2018.open access
  4. "Nine Pictures Start Production on Coast". Motion Picture Daily. April 13, 1956. p. 3. Retrieved February 18, 2018.open access
  5. "This Week in Production". Motion Picture Herald. April 28, 1956. p. 30. Retrieved February 18, 2018.open access
  6. "Production Falls Off To 34; Only 3 Start". Motion Picture Daily. April 26, 1956. p. 3. Retrieved February 18, 2018.open access
  7. "Release Schedule for Features:Allied Artists Features". Harrison's Reports. July 7, 1956. p. 2. Retrieved February 17, 2018.open access
  8. "Legion Approves 9 of 16 New Films". Motion Picture Herald. December 15, 1956. p. 17. Retrieved February 18, 2018.open access
  9. "Book 'Persuasion' in 8 Detroit Second-Runs". Motion Picture Daily. December 3, 1956. p. 2. Retrieved February 18, 2018.open access
  10. "Calling Homicide". Motion Picture Daily. October 15, 1956. p. 5. Retrieved February 18, 2018.open access
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