''The Crimson Key'' is a 1947 American
mystery film
A mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur Detective, sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means ...
directed by
Eugene Forde
Eugene Forde (1898–1986) was an American film director.
Selected filmography
* ''Daredevil's Reward'' (1928)
* ''Painted Post (film), Painted Post'' (1928)
* ''Son of the Golden West'' (1928)
* ''Charlie Chan's Courage'' (1934)
* ''Charlie Ch ...
and written by Irving Elman, starring
Kent Taylor
Kent Taylor (born Louis William Weiss; May 11, 1907 – April 11, 1987) was an American actor of film and television. Taylor appeared in more than 110 films, the bulk of them B-movies in the 1930s and 1940s, although he also had roles in more p ...
,
Doris Dowling
Doris Dowling (May 15, 1923 – June 18, 2004) was an American actress of film, stage and television. Best known for the films ''The Crimson Key'' (1946) and ''Bitter Rice'' (1949). Also known for playing Irene Adams on ''My Living Doll'' (196 ...
and
Dennis Hoey
Dennis Hoey (born Samuel David Hyams, 30 March 1893 – 25 July 1960) was a British film and stage actor, best known for playing Inspector Lestrade in six films of Universal's Sherlock Holmes series.
Early life
Hoey was born Samuel David ...
. It was released on July 2 by
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
.
Plot
Private detective Larry Morgan is hired by a Mrs. Swann to investigate her husband, who is soon found dead in the studio of Peter Vandaman, an artist. Mrs. Swann is concerned about a missing key belonging to her husband.
Morgan encounters a receptionist, Miss Phillips, who was in love with Swann, and a man, Steven Loring, who suspected his wife and Swann of having an affair. Loring's alcoholic wife, Margaret, mentions a Key Club with a special red key to a locker, but before he can check it out, Mrs. Swann is murdered and Morgan is beaten by thugs and nearly drugged by a woman named Heidi. He eventually discovers Loring's wife to be the murderess.
Cast
*
Kent Taylor
Kent Taylor (born Louis William Weiss; May 11, 1907 – April 11, 1987) was an American actor of film and television. Taylor appeared in more than 110 films, the bulk of them B-movies in the 1930s and 1940s, although he also had roles in more p ...
as Lawrence 'Larry' Morgan
*
Doris Dowling
Doris Dowling (May 15, 1923 – June 18, 2004) was an American actress of film, stage and television. Best known for the films ''The Crimson Key'' (1946) and ''Bitter Rice'' (1949). Also known for playing Irene Adams on ''My Living Doll'' (196 ...
as Margaret Loring
*
Dennis Hoey
Dennis Hoey (born Samuel David Hyams, 30 March 1893 – 25 July 1960) was a British film and stage actor, best known for playing Inspector Lestrade in six films of Universal's Sherlock Holmes series.
Early life
Hoey was born Samuel David ...
as Steven Loring
*
Louise Currie
Louise Currie (born Louise Gunter; April 7, 1913 – September 8, 2013) was an American film actress, active from 1940 into the early 1950s.
Biography
Currie was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the daughter of Charles W. Gunter, a banker, ...
as Heidi
*
Ivan Triesault
Ivan Triesault (born Johann Constantin Treisalt; in Reval (now Tallinn) – January 3, 1980 in Los Angeles) was an Estonian-American actor. His parents were from the island of Hiiumaa.
Life
His first stage appearance was at the German Theat ...
as Peter Vandaman
*
Arthur Space
Charles Arthur Space (October 12, 1908 – January 13, 1983) was an American film, television and stage actor. He was best known as Doc Weaver, the veterinarian, in thirty-nine episodes of the CBS television series ''Lassie''.
Early years
Born ...
as Det. Capt. Fitzroy
*
Vera Marshe
Vera Marshe (July 15, 1905 – March 25, 1984) was an American film and television character actress.
Biography
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 15, 1905. She began her career by appearing in a number of short films during the 30 ...
as Daisy 'Dizzy' Nelson
*Edwin Rand as Jeffrey Regan III
*
Bernadene Hayes
Bernadene Hayes (March 15, 1912 – August 29, 1987) was an American film and television actress.
Early years
Hayes was born at 3855 Lindell Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Hayes. She had three brothers an ...
as Mrs. Swann
*
Victoria Horne
Victoria Horne (November 1, 1911 – October 10, 2003) was an American character actress, appearing in 49 films (uncredited in 25 of these) during the 1940s and 1950s.
Early years
Horne was born on November 1, 1911, in New York City, to Ig ...
as Miss Phillips
*
Douglas Evans as Dr. Kenneth G. Swann
*
Ann Doran
Ann Lee Doran (July 28, 1911 – September 19, 2000) was an American character actress, possibly best known as the mother of Jim Stark ( James Dean) in ''Rebel Without a Cause'' (1955). She was an early member of the Screen Actors Guild and ser ...
as Paris Wood
*
Victor Sen Yung
Sen Yung, later known professionally as Victor Sen Young (born Sen Yew Cheung; October 18, 1914 – c. November 9, 1980); one source lists his given name as Victor Cheung Young with the birth year 1915)) was an American character actor, best kn ...
as Wing
*
Ralf Harolde
Ralf Harolde (born Ralph Harold Wigger, May 17, 1899 – November 11, 1974) was an American character actor who often played gangsters. Between 1920 and 1963, he appeared in 99 films, including '' Smart Money'' with Edward G. Robinson and ...
as Gunman
References
External links
*
1947 films
1940s English-language films
20th Century Fox films
American mystery films
1947 mystery films
Films directed by Eugene Forde
American black-and-white films
1940s American films
{{mystery-film-stub