''Danger on the Air'' is a 1938 American
mystery film directed by
Otis Garrett
Otis Garrett (1905–1941) was an American film editor, screenwriter and film director.Shelley p.150
Filmography Director
* ''The Last Express'' (1938)
* '' Danger on the Air'' (1938)
* '' The Black Doll'' (1938)
* ''Personal Secretary'' (1938) ...
. The film was based on the novel ''Death Catches Up with Mr. Kluck'' by author Xanthippe.
Plot summary
Nan Grey, as Christina "Steenie" MacCorkle, a radio advertising executive, is suspected of murdering her client as Caesar Kluck, a soda magnate.
Loathed by all who met him, or forced to work, with his underhanded business machinations, the victims, and suspects, start piling up. Including thug,
Joe Downing
Joe Downing (June 26, 1903 in New York City, New York – October 16, 1975 in Canoga Park, California) was an American stage, TV and B-movie actor who made more than 70 appearances.
Downing's early acting experience included work with the Thea ...
, as Gangster Joe Carney;
Lee J. Cobb
Lee J. Cobb (born Leo Jacoby; December 8, 1911February 11, 1976) was an American actor, known both for film roles and his work on the Broadway stage. He often played arrogant, intimidating and abrasive characters, but he also acted as respectabl ...
as Tony Lisotti, trying to protect his daughter,
Louise Stanley
Louise Stanley (born Louise Keyes; January 28, 1915 – December 28, 1982), was an American actress.
Early years
Born in Springfield, Illinois, Keyes was the daughter of Alvin Keyes, who was assistant director of the Illinois State Depa ...
, as Maria Lisotti, from being another notch on Kluck's belt; and,
Peter Lind Hayes, as Harry Lake, who is desperate to get on the air, seemingly at any cost.
Cast
Production
''Danger on the Air'' was based on
The Crime Club
''The Crime Club'' was an imprint of the Doubleday publishing company, which later spawned a 1946-47 anthology radio series, and a 1937-1939 film series.
Literature
Many classic and popular works of detective and mystery fiction had their fir ...
novel ''
Death Catches Up with Mr. Kluck'' by Xantippe. Production on the film began in mid May 1938.
Release
''Danger on the Air'' was released on July 1, 1938 by
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...
.
Reception
From retrospective reviews, the authors of ''Universal Horrors'' declared the film to be "One of the better
Crime Club entries" noting that "
Nan Grey contributes a particularly ingratiating performance."
References
Footnotes
Sources
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Danger On The Air
1938 films
1938 mystery films
American black-and-white films
Films based on American novels
Films based on mystery novels
American mystery films
Films directed by Otis Garrett
Universal Pictures films
1930s English-language films
1930s American films