''Who's Guilty?'' is a 1945 American

film serial A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, gene ...

. It was the 28th of 57 serials released by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

. ''Who's Guilty?'' was a rare attempt at a

whodunit A ''whodunit'' or ''whodunnit'' (a colloquial elision of "Who asdone it?") is a complex plot-driven variety of detective fiction in which the puzzle regarding who committed the crime is the main focus. The reader or viewer is provided with the cl ...

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 ...

in serial form. The serial's villain (The Voice) was designed to look like

The Shadow The Shadow is a fictional character created by magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator, and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by writer Walter ...

on the poster. The film co-starred some well-known actors, such as Charles Middleton,

Wheeler Oakman Wheeler Oakman (born Vivian Eichelberger; February 21, 1890 – March 19, 1949) was an American film actor. Early years Oakman was born as Vivian Eichelberger in Washington, D.C., and educated in that city's schools. He grew up in Fairfax, Virg ...

and

Minerva Urecal Minerva Urecal (born Florence Minerva Dunnuck; September 22, 1894 – February 26, 1966) was an American stage and radio performer as well as a character actress in Hollywood films and on various television series from the early 1950s to 19 ...

. Robert Kent played the lead role of Detective Bob Stewart.

Plot

Walter Calvert (Clark) calls upon his brother Henry at his eerie old house and demands a share of the family fortune, threatening to kill Henry if he doesn't get it. Within days, Henry's car goes over a cliff. Bob Stewart (Kent), a detective Henry asked to investigate the matter if he should die, begins his investigation and Duke Ellis, a newspaper reporter friend, is with him. Bob meets the family at its mansion and questions Henry's sister, his half-brother, his nephew and his nephew's bride, along with Ruth Allen (Ward), whose father was in business with Henry. Henry's brother Patton (Middleton) and a shadowy figure known as The Voice plan to kill all the relatives and divide the fortune. As the murder attempts multiply, Bob, Ruth and Duke endeavor to track down the masterminds and bring them to justice.

Cast

* Robert Kent as Bob Stewart, detective *

Amelita Ward Amelita Ward (July 17, 1923 – April 26, 1987) was an American film actress. She played supporting roles in over 20 films between 1943 and 1949, generally in B Pictures such as ''Gangway for Tomorrow'' and '' The Falcon in Danger'' (1943). She w ...

as Ruth Allen,

love interest ''Gli Innamorati'' (, meaning "The Lovers") were stock characters within the theatre style known as commedia dell'arte, who appeared in 16th century Italy. In the plays, everything revolved around the Lovers in some regard. These dramatic and pos ...

* Tim Ryan as Duke Ellis * Jayne Hazard as Rita Royale *

as Mrs Dill, the housekeeper * Charles B. Middleton as Patton, the Butler/Walter Calvert *

Davison Clark Davison may refer to: *Davison (surname) Places in the United States *Davison, Michigan, a suburb of Flint *Davison Township, Michigan *Davison Freeway, a highway in Detroit, Michigan *Davison County, South Dakota Other uses *Davison Design & Deve ...

as Henry Calvert, the murder victim *

Sam Flint Sam Flint (born Samuel A. Ethridge; October 19, 1882 – October 17, 1980) was an American actor. Flint appeared in more than 230 films, often as a "judge, lawyer, military officer, senator, sheriff, chief of police, or doctor." Flint was ...

as Horace Black, the victim's lawyer *Bruce Donovan as Curt Bennett *

Jack Ingram Jack Owen Ingram (born November 15, 1970) is an American country music artist formerly signed to Big Machine Records, an independent record label. He has released eleven studio albums, one extended play, six live albums, and 19 singles. Although ...

as Sergeant Smith *

Milton Kibbee Milton Kibbee (January 27, 1896 – April 17, 1970) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 360 films between 1933 and 1953. He was the brother of actor Guy Kibbee and his daughter was actress Lois Kibbee. He died in Simi Valle ...

as Morgan Calvert *Nacho Galindo as Pancho *

Robert Tafur The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

as Jose *

as Smiley * Charles King as Burke

Reception

In the opinion of Cline, Robert Kent, as Police Investigator Bob Stewart was the only sane characterisation. The serial was a "complicated melange of victims and suspects...

ther characters Ther may refer to: *''Thér.'', taxonomic author abbreviation of Irénée Thériot (1859–1947), French bryologist *Agroha Mound, archaeological site in Agroha, Hisar district, India *Therapy A therapy or medical treatment (often abbreviated ...

seemed lost in a swirl of plots, counterplots and cross plots that none of them could understand."

Chapter titles

# Avenging Visitor # The Unknown Strikes # Held For Murder # A Killer at Bay # Human Bait # The Plunge of Doom # A Date with Fate # Invisible Hands # Fate's Vengeance # The Unknown Killer # Riding to Oblivion # The Tank of Terror # White Terror # A Cry in the Night # The Guilty One _Source:

References

External links