Monday, May 29 - Beach Ball

Beach Ball (1965)

This movie follows a kooky college drop out surf band named "the Wigglers" as they party and watusi it up non-stop! They need some bread man, cause this old grump from the music store named Mr. Wolf wants his instruments back! So Edd Kooky Burns and his Wigglers try to con these nurdy college chicks out of some bread! The square chicks get hip to their plan and since they're such nurds, try to devise a plan to get these college drop outs to return to school...

Sunday, May 28 - Tex Ritter's Ranch Party - 2 Episodes

Tex Ritter's Ranch Party (1957)

Johnny Cash, Bobby Helms & Patsy Cline; Carl Perkins & the Collins Kids.

Saturday, May 27 - Crime of the Century

Crime of the Century (1946)

Ex-con Michael Browne blows into town and arranges to meet his brother, reporter Ray Walker. Walker doesn't show. He seems to have vanished. His editor isn't worried, certain Walker is pursuing a story. As Browne investigates, he winds up entranced by Stephanie Bachelor. He finds his brother's disappearance connected somehow with the father of Betty Shaw. He has an important shareholder's meeting coming up, but his daughter can't get in to see him.

Friday, May 26 - Hoodlum Girls

Youth Aflame (1944)

Katy White, is at death's door in an emergency hospital but is hanging on long enough to tell her story. In flashback, Katy tells of her widowed father, a bank guard trying to raise two teen-age daughters...Katy the nice girl and her sister, Laura the not-quite-nice girl. Katy tries to guide her sister away from bad company, but isn't having much success. Al, Laura's hoodlum boyfriend, asks her to steal her father's gun.She does so. Meanwhile, under the guidance of Helen Clark, a kindly policewoman, the better-supervised kids open up a JIVE Club in order to keep off of the Mean Streets and not drift into juvenile delinquency. Joy and Laura join the club but Laura only in order to keep late hours with Al. But Katy is keeping a watchful eye on Laura.

Thursday, May 25 - Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Sybilla & The Man with Two Faces

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Sybilla (Season 6 Episode 10 - aired Dec 6, 1960)

In this episode, a man reflects back to when he brought his new wife to his mansion. On that day, Horace, a writer, received a desk from his bride, Sybilla, as a wedding present. It's the first in a long series of events that Horace comes to believe are eerily manipulative on his wife's part. These circumstances have such an effect on Horace's nerves that he considers murdering Sybilla. Not surprisingly, things don't go according to plan.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Man with Two Faces (Season 6 Episode 11 - aired Dec 13, 1960)

On her way home from an outing with a friend, Alice Wagner is mugged and has her purse stolen. She got a good look at her attacker and, being a good citizen, reports the incident to the police in the hopes that they might prevent him from striking again. Looking at mugshots, however, she sees a photo of someone who resembles her son-in-law, Leo. She returns to the police where she learns the man in the mug book is wanted for a variety of theft-related charges.

Wednesday, May 24 - Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Money

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Money (Season 6 Episode 9 - aired Nov 29, 1960)

A bookie named Larry Chetnik is hired by an exporter named Bregornick who was once a friend of his father. Larry embezzles money from his new employer, but has a change of heart when Cash Bregornick talks to him about Larry's father. Larry goes to his girlfriend's and tells her that he now has Bregornick's trust and that they can bilk even more out of him later.

Tuesday, May 23 - Parole Fixer

Parole Fixer (1940)

This expose of the U.S. parole system, as seen through the eyes of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, takes dead aim on lawyers who manipulate the justice system in order to get undeserving convicts parole from prisons. The point is made when FBI agents Scott Britton (William Henry) and Ross Waring (Lyle Talbot) are assigned to track down "Big Boy" Bradmore (Anthony Quinn), who after getting an undeserved parole, via the efforts of a shyster lawyer, promptly murders an FBI agent.

Monday, May 22 - Country Music Holiday

Country Music Holiday (1958)

Verne Brand, a G. I. from Tennessee with a good singing voice, is talked into going to New York City after he and his buddies, Al Fisher and Lou Marks, are discharged from the U. S. Army. There, they talk former-bookie-turned-record-company-head "Sunny" Moon into signing Verne. Moon and his vice-president, 'Rocky" Graziano, give Verne a publicity build-up by getting his name into the newspaper gossip columns, and movie-star Zsa Zsa Gabor shows some interest in Verne. This causes Verne's home-town sweetheart, Marietta (played by June Carter long before she became June Carter Cash), to come to the big city and check the situation out...

Sunday, May 21 - Hootenanny Hoot

Hootenanny Hoot (1963)

A television director from New York travels to Missouri and learns about the hootenanny craze; he works to telecast a production of the event while his ex-wife works to win him back.

Saturday, May 20 - Dick Tracy - Episodes 14 & 15

Episode 14: The Devil in White

Dick Tracy is the Devil in White in this chapter as Dick Tracy survives the burning ship that was the Spider's hideout and looks for a new lead. Learning that Mr. Coulter (from a previous chapter) is getting out of the hospital he wraps himself in bandages like the engraver. The Spider's men take Tracy as planned and G-Men trail the vehicle until a car switch loses them. Tracy is captured in the Spider's hideout and finally meets his brother Gordon. Dr. Moloch prepares to perform the same mind altering operation on Dick Tracy.

Episode 15: Brothers United

Steve and Mike track down the Spider's hideout and call a huge raid down on the hideout. Evil Dr. Moloch is killed when the hideout is destroyed by a bomb and Gordon and the Lame One escape out a secret tunnel and race away in a car, chased by Tracy. Junior and Gwen are on the road, having landed their bi-plane nearby and Gordon swerves at the last-minute to avoid running them down. Both he and the Spider are killed.

Friday, May 19 - London by Night

London by Night (1937)

A London-based newspaperman is about to head for Paris for his first vacation in three years when he becomes embroiled by the murder of a shopkeeper in the square where he lives, followed shortly afterwards by the shooting of a police constable.

Working alongside Inspector Jefferson of Scotland Yard he encounters a spirited socialite when he accosts her family's butler whom he wrongly suspects is the killer. Public alarm rises further when a barmaid at a nearby pub is also killed.

Thursday, May 18 - Dick Tracy - Episodes 12 & 13

Episode 12: The Trail of the Spider

In this recap chapter, Dick and his team meet with witnesses and determine that a lame man (the Lame One) leads the Spider Ring and that Gordon Tracy was captured alive by the ring. At the end of the episode, lights go out and the Lame One marks Dick Tracy with a spider mark and fires a revolver at him.

Episode 13: The Fire Trap

Tracy searches for the Lame One in headquarters but can't find him, although Junior snaps a picture. A man named Kraft is sent to destroy the film negative, which he does but Tracy tracks him back to the Spider's hideout in the harbor, briefly capturing the leaders and demanding whereabouts of his brother Gordon. Dick is overtaken and tied up as the ship begins to burn around him.

Wednesday, May 17 - Criminal Investigator

Criminal Investigator (1942)

Robert Lowery is an aspiring reporter who gets his job because of his policeman father's pull. But actually he's a good reporter and soon stumbles (almost literally) over the body of a murdered showgirl who has just been released from prison. While investigating the murder he meets the dead woman's sister who unknowingly holds the key to her sister's murder.

Tuesday, May 16 - Dick Tracy - Episode 11

Episode 11: Harbor Pursuit

Tracy arrests the Spiders men on the Atlantis and finds the stolen gold in the ship's hull. Mike McGurk makes a goofy radio broadcast and while recording it, Junior records a secret broadcast made by Gordon Tracy who's counterfeit ring has captured engraver Henry Coulter. Tracy and Steve track the signal source to the harbour where Tracy rescues Coulter and escapes on a boat. While chased and under fire, Tracy's boat heads straight for the hull of a large ship.

Monday, May 15 - No Hands on the Clock

No Hands on the Clock (1941)

Humphrey Campbell is a private detective working for a small agency specializing in missing persons cases. In his latest case, he has tracked down a missing heiress and calls his boss, Oscar Flack, and tells him that he won't be bringing the heiress, Louise, home because he and Louise just got married and they're going on a honeymoon. 

Oscar tells Humphrey that an important case has come up - a rancher in Nevada's adult son has gone missing. Oscar convinces Humphrey to investigate and on their way to Reno, Humphrey and Louise stop at a bank and end up in the middle of a bank holdup led by one Red Harris. 

Then in Reno, Oscar convinces Humphrey to take the case even though Humphrey is disinclined to do so because the FBI are involved but Oscar sweetens the deal by promising Louise a fur coat. The whole plot becomes increasingly complicated with a slew of suspects...

Sunday, May 14 - Midnight Limited

Midnight Limited (1940)

The Phantom Robber gets a fortune in jewels and some valuable papers from a robbery on the crack train "The Midnight Limited" and Val Lennon and his pretty assistant, Joan Marshall, are on his trail. But the Phantom strikes three more times and adds murder to his list. Val decides to use himself as bait, although Chief Harrigan and Joan beg him not to risk his life. But Val, disguised as a wealthy Canadian, boards the train for a rendezvous with a killer.

Saturday, May 13 - Whistling in Brooklyn

Whistling in Brooklyn (1943)

A murderer, dubbed the "Constant Reader" for sending notes to the police with exact locations and descriptions of victims, eludes Inspector Holcomb (Henry O'Neill). On a radio program called "The Fox," hosted by Wally Benton (Red Skelton), Holcomb hears Wally describe a letter that sounds similar to those from the Constant Reader. Wally, who is about to marry co-star Carol Lambert (Ann Rutherford), is then pursued by the police and determined cub reporter Jean Pringle (Jean Rogers).

Friday, May 12 - Calypso Heat Wave

Calypso Heat Wave (1957)

In this musical, calypso is all the rage when jukebox magnate Barney Pearl (Michael Granger) forces Mack Adams, owner of calypso-friendly Disco Records, to take him on as a partner. Pearl's greed drives away Disco's top singer, Johnny Conroy (Johnny Desmond). Pearl loses his money, and then his girlfriend, when promoter Alex Nash (Joel Grey) makes her a star. Mack quits Disco and tracks down Johnny in the Caribbean, where they record authentic calypso and plan a comeback.

Thursday, May 11 - Dick Tracy's Dilemma

Dick Tracy's Dilemma (1947)

Dick Tracy investigates the theft of a fortune of fur coats, a possible insurance swindle and several murders, all linked to a huge thug who wears a hook in place of his right hand.

Wednesday, May 10 - Dynamite

Dynamite (1949)

Gunner Peterson is a veteran dynamite man working for Jake and is romantically interested in Jake's daughter Mary. Johnny Brown, son of Nellie Brown who operates a boarding house, finds college too tame after his stint with a demolition squad in the army, and decides to quit. Getting a job with Jake, he is soon resented by Gunner when he tries to introduce some new methods and also starts showing an interest in Mary. A truck loaded with dynamite gets away from Hard Rock Mason and the loss of the truck causes Jake to have to borrow money from Nellie to keep his business going. Hard Rock is killed in a blast which Gunner decides was his fault, since he wouldn't listen to Johnny's ideas about how to set the charge, and he leaves. Later, when Johnny is testing charges, there is an unexpected blast and he is trapped in the tunnel.

Tuesday, May 9 - Dragnet

Dragnet (1947)

A dead John Doe is found on the beach and Detective Lieutenant Tony Ricco gets the case to solve. However, there are no clues whatsoever to the dead man's identity and Tony is all out of options to bring the investigation any closer to a finish. An old friend of his from Scotland Yard in London, Geoffrey James, comes to visit him, and Tony asks for some input on the case.

After examining the body and the man's clothes, Geoffrey concludes he wore a Harris Tweed coat and had Sterling pound notes on him, and therefore has to be of English origin. Geoffrey also discovers a fluorescent paint on the coat, which would suggest it is the same paint as the one used to mark floating objects in water to easier spot and rescue them.

Since the dead man had no water in his lungs he hasn't drowned,but maybe got the paint on him picking something up from the water, for example a life jacket.

Geoffrey goes to the site on the beach where the body was found and discovers a life jacket as suggested, in a beachcomber shack...

Monday, May 8 - World Premiere

World Premiere (1941)

Hollywood producer Duncan DeGrasse (John Barrymore) is preparing for the debut of his anti-Nazi film titled "The Earth is in Flames." To gain attention for it, his press agents devise a series of publicity exploits for the Washington, D.C., premiere. One of these plots involves hiring fake spies to make the audience believe they will be in danger, thus increasing the suspense on opening night. Little does Duncan know, the spies -- two Germans and an Italian -- have their own sinister plans.

Sunday, May 7 - George Washington Slept Here

George Washington Slept Here (1942)

Connie Fuller (Ann Sheridan) surprises her stubborn husband, Bill (Jack Benny), by purchasing a dilapidated house in the countryside where George Washington was once rumored to have slept. Moving into the "fixer-upper," the Fullers are joined by Connie's sister, and her rich uncle (Charles Coburn) who turns out to be broke. Nearly broke themselves from all the repair work, the Fullers are further troubled by a neighbor who wants their property at any cost.

Saturday, May 6 - A Touch of Frost: Conclusions

A Touch of Frost: Conclusions (Season 1 Episode 3 - aired Dec 20, 1992)

Frost investigates a robbery at a local casino and a hit and run accident that may involve Roger Massie, the son of a local Member of Parliament. Massie has previously been charged, but never convicted of reckless driving. Supt. Mullett is concerned that Frost is on a witch hunt but Frost soon realizes there is a connection between Massie and the casino, in the form of Massie's girlfriend, Julia King. Frost also receives a complaint about PC Shelby, who is accused of stealing jewelry but when Shelby turns up dead Frost must solve yet another complex puzzle.

Friday, May 5 - A Touch of Frost: Not with Kindness

A Touch of Frost: Not with Kindness (Season 1 Episode 2 - aired Dec 13, 1992)

Frost investigates the murder of a 15 year old girl who disappeared while completing her newspaper round. He also has to look into vandalism at a local churchyard as Supt. Mullett fears it might be the work of satanists but it is also where the 15 year old's body is found. He also has to deal with Mrs. Compton who has been receiving threatening phone calls. The Comptons are dealers of rare books and keep a large and valuable inventory in their home. When Mr. Compton is killed in a house fire, Frost quickly has a prime suspect. Finally, Frost receives a visit from his late wife's sister who now lives in America and doesn't seem to be in any hurry to return.

Thursday, May 4 - To the Public Danger

To the Public Danger (1948)

While having a quiet drink together in a road house, a young working-class couple Fred and Nancy fall into the company of two raffish motorists including the self-confident Captain Cole. After a game of billiards and a number of drinks, they drive out on the road. While speeding along in the dark they hit what they think to be a man on a bicycle.

Although Fred wants to stop, Captain Cole insists on driving on. Nancy takes Cole's side and begins taunting Fred, who eventually manages to escape and raise the alarm. A police investigation reveals that nobody had been injured in the collision with the bike, which had belonged to a poacher who didn't report the accident. In the meantime, Cole, Nancy and the other passenger have suffered a crash of their own while drunken speeding, killing all three of them.

Wednesday, May 3 - Surf Party

Surf Party (1964)

A young girl travels to California with a couple of friends in order to visit her brother, whom she hasn't seen for some time. After they arrive it doesn't take long for them to get into the swing of things and also to attract the attention of the local police sergeant, who is strictly anti-surfing. Pretty soon there is a falling out between the local surfers and it becomes clear that her brother's reputation is far greater than reality and his lifestyle is not all it appears to be.

Tuesday, May 2 - A Touch of Frost: Care and Protection

A Touch of Frost: Care and Protection (Season 1 Episode 1 - aired Apr 3, 2010)

In this inaugural episode we are introduced to Detective Jack Frost who is living a life of pain, dealing with a wife who is terminal and a police captain who finds him a threat to the department, despite his great successes. We also meet a young man who is to become his partner as well as host of other characters. 

There are two focuses in this episode. The first involves a little girl who goes missing. Her mother is prostituting herself to make ends meet. Because her John comes late (so to speak), she fails to pick the girl up. Because the head detective has medical issues, Frost ends up with the case. We see both his compassion and his insightful way of investigating. There is a second case of a severed arm, handcuffed to a metal box (like the kind in a safe deposit box). This leads to an investigation of a thirty-year-old murder. 

At the same time Frost is dealing with his dying wife who is in the care of a woman.

Monday, May 1 - The Big Clock

The Big Clock (1948)

Magazine publisher Charles Laughton kills his mistress Rita Johnson.

Laughton sees someone leaving Johnson's apartment, it's Milland, but Laughton only glimpses and can't identify him before killing Johnson. With the help of his right hand man George MacReady, Laughton tries to find the stranger to pin the murder on him and enlists Milland to do it. Milland realizes what the game is and it's quite a duel of wits between two very intelligent people.

Sunday, April 30 - Double Exposure

Double Exposure (1944)

Chester Morris as Larry Burke works at a picture magazine called Flick. The company needs photographers, so when his boss sees a plane crash photo done by one Pat Marvin, he has Larry hire him.

When Pat arrives, he's a she, and a very attractive one at that. Pat has left behind a boyfriend, Ben (Terry) to come to New York, except that he shows up. She tells Larry that Ben is her brother. Larry gives him a job as well.

Larry assigns Pat and Ben to a fictional murder mystery case that will involve photos. Pat has attracted a millionaire on his sixth wife or so who is going to Reno to divorce her - he gives Pat the keys to his apartment. So she and Ben set up the murder scene there.

To their surprise, there is a murder at the apartment later - and the pose is exactly like Pat's, face down on the divan. Naturally the police arrive. They believe Pat photographed the murdered woman after killing her, so she's indicted and is stuck in jail. Larry loves the publicity, but he realizes the murder has to be solved to get her out. So he goes to work.