Summary
Roy Martin aka Roy Morgan is a burglar and former war-time Radio & Electronics Engineer who listens in to radio police calls, allowing him to stay one step ahead of the cops.
Cast
Richard Basehart
Roy Martin / Roy Morgan
Scott Brady
Police Sgt. Marty Brennan
Roy Roberts
Police Captain Breen
Whit Bissell
Paul Reeves
James Cardwell
Police Sgt. Chuck Jones
Jack Webb
Lee Whitey
Reed Hadley
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Frank Cady
Pete Hammond
Dorothy Adams
Milk Customer
Jane Adams
Nurse Scanion (uncredited)
Jack Bailey
Witness in Pajamas and Robe (uncredited)
Alma Beltran
Miss Montalvo (uncredited)
Robert Bice
Detective with Capt. Breen (uncredited)
Dolores Castelli
Witness (uncredited)
George Chan
Chinese Suspect (uncredited)
Garrett Craig
Patrolman (uncredited)
John Dehner
Assistant Bureau Chief (uncredited)
Ann Doran
Dispatcher (uncredited)
Rex Downing
Young Hoodlum (uncredited)
Michael Dugan
Patrolman (uncredited)
Paul Fierro
Spanish-Speaking Detective (uncredited)
Byron Foulger
Freddie (uncredited)
Kay Garrett
Doctor (uncredited)
Tim Graham
Uniformed Sergeant (uncredited)
Kit Guard
Suspect (uncredited)
Harry Harvey
Liquor Store Proprietor (uncredited)
Thomas Browne Henry
Dunning (uncredited)
Peter Hobbes
Milkman (uncredited)
Virginia Hunter
Miss Smith (uncredited)
Felice Ingersoll
Records Clerk (uncredited)
Anthony Jochim
Liquor Store Proprietor (uncredited)
Stan Johnson
Artist (uncredited)
Louise Kane
Mrs. Rawlins (uncredited)
Tommy Kelly
Redhead (uncredited)
Donald Kerr
Mailman (uncredited)
Charles Lang
Policeman (uncredited)
Lyle Latell
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Rory Mallinson
Detective with Harry (uncredited)
Billy Mauch
Handsome (uncredited)
John McGuire
Officer Robert Rawlins (uncredited)
Charles Meredith
Hollywood Police Official (uncredited)
Carlotta Monti
Miss Montavio (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse
Detective (uncredited)
Howard Negley
Lt. Greeson (uncredited)
James Nolan
Harry (uncredited)
John Parrish
Liquor Store Proprietor (uncredited)
Steve Pendleton
Detective (uncredited)
John Perri
Young Hoodlum (uncredited)
Paul Scardon
Liquor Store Proprietor (uncredited)
Kenneth Tobey
Detective Questioning Pete (uncredited)
Wally Vernon
Postman (uncredited)
Harlan Warde
Police Operator 27 (uncredited)
Mary Ware
Reeves' Secretary (uncredited)
Robert B. Williams
Detective (uncredited)
Harry Wilson
Prison Inmate (uncredited)
Crew
Director
Alfred L. Werker
Screenplay
John C. Higgins
Screenplay, Story
Crane Wilbur
Reviews
John Chard
May 30, 2015
8
Lone bandit evades police clutches.
This is a true story...
It's known to the Police Department of one of our largest cities as the most difficult homicide case in its experience. Principally because of the diabolical cleverness, intelligence and cunning of a completely unknown killer.....The record is set down here factually-as it happened. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Cracking little noir picture this one. Richard Baseheart is Davis Morgan, a cold and calculated thief and murderer. He is not only unknown to the police, but also to the Los Angeles underworld. Something which made him a terrifying ghost on the streets. Based on the real life case of cop-killer come thief Erwin Walker, who in 1946 struck terror into the heart of LA, He Walked By Night zips along at a frenetic pace but maintains all the darkness requisites of the Film Noir genre. Directed by Alfred Walker (aided by one uncredited Anthony Mann) and also starring Jack Webb (who used the piece as inspiration for the popular "Dragnet" TV series), the picture has excellent use of shadows and a brilliant finale down in the Los Angeles drainage system. Where the sound of guns and running feet is just ferocious.
Baseheart is suitably chilling as a man coming unhinged by the day, whilst a home surgery sequence shows Baseheart to have had no small amount of ability. It's notable with Morgan's character that it's people he just doesn't like, there's a very telling scene with his dog that is sweet but at the same time saying so much about the man himself. This film reminded me very much of Edward Dmytryk's similarly fine 1952 film, The Sniper. So much so I'd say that as a double bill they be perfect for each other. With added plot worth in the form of early police forensics (check out the photo fit technique) and a largely unknown support cast adding a raw reality to proceedings, He Walked By Night comes highly recommended to fans of the Noir and Crime genres. 8/10
Media
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$0.00
Revenue:
$0.00
