Film Snail

5.2

Dial Red O

NR·1955·63m

Crime

Drama

Mystery

Crime

Drama

Mystery

Summary

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 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 of the sheriff's department.

Cast

Bill Elliott

Andy Flynn / Andy Doyle

Helene Stanley

Connie Wyatt

Keith Larsen

Ralph Wyatt

Paul Picerni

Norman Roper

Jack Kruschen

Lloyd Lavalle

Elaine Riley

Policewoman Gloria

Robert Bice

Sgt. Tony Columbo

Rick Vallin

Deputy Clark

George Eldredge

Major Sutter

John Phillips

Deputy Morgan

Regina Gleason

Mrs. Roper

Rankin Mansfield

Coroner

Mort Mills

Newspaper Photographer

William Tannen

Devon

Shorty Rogers

Bandleader

Gregg Barton

Attendant (uncredited)

Larry J. Blake

Wayne - Waiter (uncredited)

Doyle Brooks

VA Patient (uncredited)

Cecil Combs

Sidewalk Passerby (uncredited)

Walter Conrad

Second Patrolman (uncredited)

John Hart

Uniformed Deputy (uncredited)

Lars Hensen

Bar Patron (uncredited)

Scott Lee

Deputy Warren (uncredited)

Forrest Lewis

Captain (uncredited)

Sydney Mason

Waiter (uncredited)

Leighton Noble

Charlie - Dispatcher (uncredited)

Sam Peckinpah

Cook in Diner (uncredited)

Mike Ragan

Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)

Lee Roberts

First Patrolman (uncredited)

John Phillips

Deputy Morgan (uncredited)

Crew

Director, Screenplay

Daniel B. Ullman

Reviews

Geronimo1967

June 11, 2022

Bill Elliott ("Det. Flynn") works quite well in this quickly-paced, more cerebral, hour long detective mystery. He must investigate the murder of "Connie" (Helene Stanley) who was having an affair with "Roper" (Paul Picerni). The finger for the crime is initially pointed at her somewhat shell-shocked husband "Wyatt" (Keith Larsen) but we know the truth (we've known all along) and so now we get to follow as both "Flynn" and "Wyatt" try to fathom out the truth. At times the photography goes too obviously out of it's way not to show us anything of the violent themes here. The code? Sure, but also a distinct lack of imagination from director Daniel Ullman didn't help either. From a production perspective, there is nothing special about any of this - indeed, Stanley is pretty terrible - but the story has plenty of twists and turns before an ending that does this cheap and cheerful B-feature just enough justice to make it worth a gander.