Robert Clarke Movies
Making an appearance on the 1950 TV anthology series Magnavox Theater, American actor Robert Clarke was billed as "that fast-rising leading man." What audiences didn't know was that Clarke had been on a very slow ascension for nearly six years. Signed to an RKO contract in 1944, Clarke was seen in such budget-conscious productions as The Body Snatcher, Bedlam, and Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome. Beginning with 1951's The Man From Planet X, he became a fixture of inexpensive horror and sci-fi epics. His film manifest includes such jewels as Captive Women (1952), The Incredible Petrified World (1962), and Terror of the Bloodhunters (1962). Upon completing The Astounding She-Monster (1958), Clarke, by now convinced that any film could attain a release no matter how wretched, made his directorial debut with The Hideous Sun Demon (1958). With such lofty credits to his name, Clarke was bound to achieve cult-idol status at some point or another; he became a much sought-after interview subject and movie-convention guest speaker during the 1980s and 1990s. In 1995, Robert Clarke, in collaboration with film historian Tom Weaver, penned an entertaining autobiography, To "B" or Not to "B": A Filmmaker's Odyssey. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1959
A transient finds the corpse of a murdered policeman and decides to steal his clothing and his identity to find the killers and bring them to justice. What makes this routine crime drama out of the ordinary is that it was shot in "Psychorama" a process in which subliminal messages were inserted to heighten the suspense. Used once before in director Harold Daniels' Terror in the Haunted House, it wasn't all that effective. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) are assigned to round up a bookie ring. The trail of clues leads the detective to a major metropolitan hospital. Can it be that one of the bookies has infiltrated this establishment--posing as a doctor? This episode features a fascinating performance by familiar horror-film habitue Robert Clarke. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Sunblock can't save you from the solar-powered monster in this sci-fi cult item. Dr. Gilbert McKenna (Robert Clarke) is a research scientist who is exposed to dangerously radioactive materials during a visit to an atomic power plant. The radiation causes McKenna to mutate into a strange and murderous half-man, half-reptile when he comes into contact with the rays of the sun. The isotopes also have another effect on him; he begins to forget about his loyal girlfriend Ann Russell (Patricia Manning) and starts taking up with blonde bombshell Trudy Osborne (Nan Peterson), who brings out the beast in him as surely as the sun. The Hideous Sun Demon was co-produced, co-written, and co-directed by leading man Robert Clarke; it was his first and last effort as a writer and director, though he was to remain active as an actor for another 30 years. In 1983, a group of comedians re-edited the film and dubbed in a new soundtrack; the results were released as What's Up, Hideous Sun Demon? ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1959
In this routine business-story-cum-romantic-comedy, James Garner is Cash McCall, a wheeling and dealing tycoon, and Natalie Wood is Lory Austen, the daughter of failing businessman Grant (Dean Jagger). McCall's expertise lies in acquiring businesses about to go belly up, attaching them to successful enterprises and then taking a large tax deduction on the resultant equation. Those deals are enhanced when the once-failing business is then sold at a profit. This is a savvy gambit for late '50s movie fare, but its proponent begins to have second thoughts when he comes up against the attractive Lory -- who is not afraid of baring all for a good cause. The well-known co-stars and others like Nina Foch and E.G. Marshall do their best with a limited script. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Garner, Natalie Wood, (more)
- 1958
The conflict between duty and conscience is explored in the WWII drama The Deep Six. Alan Ladd stars as Naval gunnery officer Alec Austin, a Quaker whose sincere pacifist sentiments do not sit well with his crew members. When he refuses to fire upon an unidentified plane, the word spreads that Austin cannot be relied upon in battle (never mind that the plane turns out to be one of ours). To prove that he's worthy of command, Austin volunteers for a dangerous mission: the rescue of a group of US pilots on a Japanese-held island. The ubiquitous William Bendix costars as Frenchy Shapiro (!), Austin's Jewish petty officer and severest critic. If the film has a villain, it is Keenan Wynn as ambitious Lt. Commander Edge, who seems to despise anyone who isn't a mainline WASP.The Deep Six was based on a novel by Martin Dibner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Ladd, William Bendix, (more)
Ronnie Ashcroft, an editor-turned-producer, made his directorial debut with The Astounding She-Monster, a shoestring-budgeted sci-fi film that was shot in a total of about eight days. Kenne Duncan, Ewing Miles Brown, and Jeanne Tatum play a trio of hoods who kidnap an heiress (Marilyn Harvey) and try to elude the police by hiding out in a lonely mountain cabin, holding geologist Robert Clarke hostage. They arrive just as a mysterious alien visitor (Shirley Kilpatrick) lands in the nearby countryside; totally mute, clad in a shimmering silver suit, and possessing a lethal radioactive touch, she wanders around the woods, and the kidnappers and their victims are now trapped, Key Largo-style, in the cabin. The film isn't terribly good but it is diverting and moves at a reasonably brisk pace, and it has a certain appeal unique to its low budget. Shirley Kilpatrick -- who some sources claim later changed her name and became a more substantial actress as Shirley Stoler -- was a well-endowed performer (a real-life stripper, in fact) who split the back of her skin-tight costume on the first day's shooting, which is why her character only backs out of scenes, her front to the camera, for the entire movie. The budget was so low that a break-away window intended for an important stunt got broken prematurely and couldn't be replaced, and was used in already broken form. The script was being written as the movie was being shot, according to Robert Clarke in his autobiography, the writer delivering the pages as they worked. And Ashcroft was so new to directing, and his skills were at such a low level, that he reportedly asked Edward D. Wood Jr., of Plan 9 From Outer Space fame, to serve as a consultant -- and, strangely enough, the plot does have a pacifist angle to its science-fiction element that is also reflected in some of Wood's work. Shot for a total of $18,000, the movie's distribution rights were purchased by American International Pictures for $50,000. Robert Clarke, who got a percentage of the profits for his work acting in the movie, was inspired by this experience to produce and direct his own science-fiction thriller, The Hideous Sun Demon, which is actually a much better movie. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- 1957
The Depression-New Deal subtext of the original 1936 My Man Godfrey was understandably dispensed with in this so-so 1957 remake. David Niven steps into the old William Powell role as hobo-turned-butler Godfrey, while June Allyson does her best in the Carole Lombard part as Irene Bullock, the spoiled, impulsive heiress who brings Godfrey into her zany household. The remake follows the original with reasonable fidelity so far as the basics are concerned, with Godfrey, a wealthy lawyer who dropped out of society after an unhappy romance, rescuing the screwball Bullock family from bankruptcy and self-destruction simply by applying a soupcon of common sense. The supporting cast is able, though not as "perfect" for their roles as their 1936 counterparts: the most interesting bit of casting is Jay Robinson, who rose to fame as Caligula in The Robe, as the parasitic "protégé" originally portrayed by Mischa Auer. In keeping with the custom of the times, My Man Godfrey is fitted out with an opening theme song, written by Peggy Lee and Sonny Burke, and performed by Sarah Vaughan. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- June Allyson, David Niven, (more)
- 1957
Martha Bradford (Nancy Gates) was blissfully unaware that her husband Joe (Bruce Cowling) is leading a double life until she meets a woman named Rita (Doris Singleton), who insists that she is Mrs. Joe Bradford. Soon afterward, Joe is found murdered, and Rita's fingerprints are found at the scene. The dilemma facing Perry Mason (Raymond Burr): did his client Martha kill Joe, or is Wife Number Two the guilty party--or neither of the above? This episode is based on a 1944 novel byPerry Mason creator Erle Stanley Gardner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Previous film versions of Moby Dick insisted upon including such imbecilities as romantic subplots and happy endings. John Huston's 1956 Moby Dick remains admirably faithful to its source. "Call me Ishmael" declares itinerant whaler Richard Basehart as the opening credits fade. Though slightly intimidated by the sermon delivered by Father Mapple (Orson Welles in a brilliant one-take cameo), who warns that those who challenge the sea are in danger of losing their souls, Ishmael nonetheless signs on to the Pequod, a whaling ship captained by the brooding, one-legged Ahab (Gregory Peck). For lo these many years, Ahab has been engaged in an obsessive pursuit of Moby Dick, the great white whale to whom he lost his leg. Ahab's dementia spreads throughout the crew members, who maniacally join their captain in his final, fatal attack upon the elusive, enigmatic Moby Dick. Screenwriter Ray Bradbury masterfully captures the allegorical elements in the Herman Melville original without sacrificing any of the film's entertainment value (Bradbury suffered his own "great white whale" in the form of director Huston, who sadistically ran roughshod over the sensitive author throughout the film).Cinematographer Oswald Morris' washed-out color scheme brilliantly underlines the foredoomed bleakness of the story. Moby Dick's one major shortcoming is its obviously artificial whale-but try telling a real whale to stay within camera range and hit its marks. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gregory Peck, Richard Basehart, (more)
- 1955
The Feds investigate a counterfeit ring operating out of a traveling circus in this 12-part Republic crime serial. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- 1954
1954's The Black Pirates stars Anthony Dexter, who three years earlier hadn't quite set box-office records afire with his portrayal of Rudolph Valentino. Dexter heads a band of pirates who land in a sleepy Mexican village. A buried treasure is rumored to be somewhere in the vicinity, and the pirates want to get their grimy mitts on it. They enslave the villagers and force them to dig for the treasure. Black Pirates was written by Fred Freiberger, the man later responsible for the up-and-down third season of TV's Star Trek. It was filmed on location in Mexico and released stateside by Lippert Films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1954
Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) follow up reports that a shabbily dressed eight-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl have been going door to door in a fashionable Bel-Air neighborhood, begging for food. A tip from a servant in one of the homes indicates that the little beggars are two of three severely malnourished youngsters who are living in squalor in a large, decaying house. The detectives find out that the children have been abandoned (and not for the first time) by their alchoholic mother--and that the youngest of the three kids is dying of a skull fracture. This episode is based on the Dragnet radio broadcast of February 1, 1951. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Released by RKO, Sword of Venus was independently produced by "B"-flick mavens Aubrey Wisberg, Jack Pollexfen and Albert Zugsmith. Set in the early 19th century, the film stars Robert Clarke as Dantes, the son of the legendary Count of Monte Cristo (the film, in fact, was released in Britain as Island of Monte Cristo). Like his father before him, Dantes is cheated out of his vast estate by villainous conspirators. This time, however, Dantes is able to turn the tables on the bad guys before too much damage can be inflicted. The heroine of Sword of Venus is played by Catherine McLeod, whom baby-boomers of the 1960s will recall as the woman in the Anacin commercials who uttered the immortal phrase, "Mother, PLEASE! I'D RATHER DO IT MYSELF!" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Clarke, Catherine McLeod, (more)
- 1953
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Whether true or not (evidence indicates "not"), the legend of Captain John Smith and Pochahontas is one of history's great romantic stories. This 1953 filmization of the story was made on a near-nonexistent budget. Anthony Dexter, who two seasons earlier had starred in the unsuccessful biopic Valentino, plays Captain Smith, while Jody Lawrence, a Columbia all-purpose heroine, is Indian maiden Pocahontas. After rescuing Smith from the wrath of her father (Douglass Dumbrille), Pocahontas is presented to the court of Britain's King James II. In flashback, Captain Smith attempts to explain why Pocahontas chose not to marry him, but his best friend Rolfe (Robert Clarke) instead. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Dexter, Jody Lawrance, (more)
- 1953
Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) investigate when a "Jane Doe" is found dead of chloroform poisoning. It looks like a case of suicide until the victim's 16-year-old son (Jeff Stevens) identifies the woman, and reveals that she had been wearing an expensive necklace which is now missing. The clues lead to a San Diego pawnshop--and a hitherto unsuspected killer. Lee Marvin makes a meal of his minor role as a red-herring suspect with a morbid lack of self-esteem. This episode is based on the Dragnet radio broadcast of June 5, 1952. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1953
The Dumas-inspired Blades of the Musketeers began life as an hour-long TV show, produced by Hal Roach Jr. as a possible series pilot. Robert Clarke, who'd previous headlined a pilot for a never-sold "Robin Hood" series, plays D'Artagnan, while the rest of the Musketeers are portrayed by John Hubbard (Athos), Mel Archer (Porthos) and Keith Richards (Aramis). The plot follows the traditional "Queen's Necklace" portion of Dumas' The Three Musketeers, with D'Artagnan and his brothers in arms defending Queen Anne (Marjorie Lord) against the machinations of Cardinal Richelieu (Paul Cavanaugh) and Rochefort (Peter Mamakos). Rounding out the cast are Don Beddoe as a comic-relief King Louis, Lyn Thomas as the courageous Constance, and Kristine Miller as the scheming Milady De Winter. Within the limitations of its tiny budget and 54-minute time span, Blades of the Musketeers is a not-bad rendition of a familiar adventure yarn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Clarke, John Hubbard, (more)
- 1953
Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) go after a particularly vicious gang of con artists who prey on the grieving relatives of recently deceased servicemen. The crooks' M.O. involves scanning the obituary columns, then persuading the families of dead soldiers to spend huge amounts of money on cheap merchandise which was ostensibly purchased by the decedents (a variation of this scam was later used by door-to-door Bible salesman Ryan O'Neal in the theatrical feature Paper Moon). The final scene finds Joe and Frank catching up with gang leader Betty McGraw (Gloria Saunders) during a party in her apartment. This episode is based on the Dragnet radio broadcast of November 23, 1950. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1953
This time, Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) "go Hollywood" to investigate a fatal accident at a movie studio. The victim was film director Henry Wilson, who was killed by a falling arc light. That the accident was no accident is proven when the detectives find a small piece of fabric in the light grid. At the root of the tragedy is a cruel practical joke--but in the end, no one is laughing. Adapted from the Dragnet radio broadcast of November 14, 1952, this episode offers the viewer some tantalizing behind-the-scenes glimpses of the Republic Studios soundstage where the TV series was filmed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1952
The Fabulous Senorita in this frothy musical is Republic's resident Latin bombshell Estelita Rodriguez, here billed simply as Estelita. The story concerns the daughter (Estelita) of a Cuban millionaire who falls in love with a bookish professor (Robert Clarke) rather than the wealthy fiance of her father's choosing. The plot complications require our heroine to pose as twin sisters, with highly contrasting personalities. Meanwhile, a very young Rita Moreno essays one of her fist important screen roles as Estelita's actual sister. Laughs are provided by owl-eyed Marvin Kaplan as a nerdish undergrad. The story and songs are for the birds, but Estelita Rodriguez is always worth watching. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Estelita, Robert Clarke, (more)
- 1952
Though filmed through the facilities of Hal Roach Studios and produced by Hal Roach Jr., Tales of Robin Hood was released by Lippert Pictures. Robert Clarke stars as the young Earl of Huntington, who after losing his property and title to the invading Normans heads to Sherwood Forest. Here he gains notoriety and adulation as beneficent outlaw Robin Hood. Mary Hatcher co-stars as Maid Marian, while Sir Guy of Gisborne and the Sheriff of Nottingham are played respectively by Paul Cavanaugh and Tiny Stowe. Robin's Merry Men are portrayed by Wade Crosby (Little John), Ben Welden (Friar Tuck), Robert Bice (Will Scarlet) and Bruce Lester (Alan A-Dale). Reportedly, Tales of Robin Hood was intended as the pilot film for a TV series; indeed, its structure resembles two half-hour TV episodes cobbled together. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Clarke, Mary Hatcher, (more)
- 1952
Assembled by the same production team responsible for the science fiction mini-classic The Man From Planet X, Captive Women is a mixed-bag post-apocalyptic melodrama. After a windy opening lecture about the dangers of atomic power, the story moves ahead to the year 3000. New York City is now a radioactive, bombed-out shell, populated by three groups: the "Norms," the "Mutes," and the "Uprivers." The Norms are cavedwellers, the Uprivers a barbarous people who demonstrate lawlessness and territorial aggression and live in a tunnel beneath the Hudson River, and the Mutes hideously disfigured yet peaceloving surface dwellers. The groups engage in many violent skirmishes, until the Uprivers are wiped out by a massive flood. Now, the only hope for mankind's future is the romance between Mute-man Riddon (Ron Randell) and Norm-woman Ruth (Margaret Field, the mother of actress Sally Field). Production values are better than one might expect, though the film suffers from rather shoddy special effects. Captive Women was released in England as 3000 AD. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Clarke, Margaret Field, (more)
- 1951
Despite its Latino title, Casa Manana was an all-American production from Monogram studios. The title refers to the nightclub where songstress Linda (Virginia Welles) works. Linda's boyfriend Larry (Robert Clarke) has purchased the nitery, hoping to transform his lady love into a big star. The fly in the ointment is brutish Horace (Robert Karnes), who is also in love with Linda and who isn't too particular about the methods he uses to win her away from Larry. Guest stars in this musical melodrama include the Rio Brothers, Eddie Le Baron Orchestra, Spade Cooley, Yadira Jimenez, Zarco & D'Lores, the Mercer Brothers, Armando & Lita, Betty & Beverly, Olga Perez and Davis & Johnson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Clarke, Virginia Welles, (more)
- 1951
Pistol Harvest starred RKO's "house cowboys" Tim Holt and Richard Martin. In this one, the two heroes are accused of killing their boss. They are saved from the hangman's noose when two other guys are arrested, but Holt feels as though justice is still not being served. On their own, Holt and Chito set about to track down the genuine killer. Joan Dixon, whose previous RKO endeavor was the tense film noir Roadblock, trods a more virtuous path as Tim Holt's romantic interest. Pistol Harvest was budgeted at $93,000, an indication that even a "B" western was a costly proposition in the postwar years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Holt, Joan Dixon, (more)
