Dick Tracy vs. Crime Inc. (1941)

Directors:

John English
William Witney

Writers:

Ronald Davidson (original screenplay) and
Norman S. Hall (original screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

27 December 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

DICK TRACY'S CHALLENGE! America's greatest detective hurls defiance into the shadows of the Underworld in his search for murderous criminals who threaten New York's destruction. The top Tracy Serial of all time.

Plot:

Dick Tracy goes up against a villain known as The Ghost, who can turn himself invisible. |

Plot Keywords:

Based On Comic | Good Versus Evil | Detective | Serial | Police Shoot Out

Cast

Ralph Byrd	...	Dick Tracy
Michael Owen	...	Billy Carr
Jan Wiley	...	June 'Eve' Chandler
John Davidson	...	Lucifer
Ralph Morgan	...	J.P. Morton
Kenneth Harlan	...	Police Lt. Cosgrove
John Dilson	...	Henry Weldon
Howard C. Hickman	...	Stephen Chandler
Robert Frazer	...	Daniel Brewster
Robert Fiske	...	Walter Cabot
Jack Mulhall	...	Jim Wilson
Hooper Atchley	...	Arthur Trent
Anthony Warde	...	John Corey
Chuck Morrison	...	Trask
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carol Adams	...	Nurse (uncredited)
George Allen	...	Pier Heavy 2 (uncredited)
Frank Alten	...	Arno Draga (uncredited)
John Bagni	...	Pete (uncredited)
Griff Barnett	...	Plant Watchman (uncredited)
Ray Bennett	...	Brownstone Heavy 1 (uncredited)
Sam Bernard	...	Ambulance Thug QR14 (uncredited)
Edward Biby	...	Grill Patron (uncredited)
Lynton Brent	...	Telephone Serviceman (uncredited)
Benny Burt	...	Nick (uncredited)
Wheaton Chambers	...	Dr. Henderson (uncredited)
Edmund Cobb	...	Police Guard at Chandler's Gate (uncredited)
John Webb Dillon	...	Government Inspector (uncredited)
Mike Donovan	...	Jail Guard (uncredited)
Douglas Evans	...	Police Broadcaster (uncredited)
James Fawcett	...	Plant Heavy 2 (uncredited)
Terry Frost	...	Drake (uncredited)
Bud Geary	...	Plant Heavy 7 (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton	...	Tear Gas Cop (uncredited)
William Hamner	...	Intern (uncredited)
Ray Hanson	...	Armored Car Chief / Corporal with Message (uncredited)
Barry Hays	...	Chester (uncredited)
Edward Hearn	...	Cutter Captain (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson	...	Army Officer (uncredited)
Warren Jackson	...	Junction Heavy 3 (uncredited)
John James	...	Davis, Patrol Guard (uncredited)
Marjorie Kane	...	Cigarette Girl (uncredited)
Jack Kenney	...	Police Lt. Berke (uncredited)
Richard Kipling	...	Customs Inspector (uncredited)
Joe Kirk	...	Brownstone Heavy 3 (uncredited)
Fred Kohler Jr.	...	House Heavy (uncredited)
Richard LaMarr	...	Canfield (uncredited)
Nora Lane	...	Trent's Secretary (uncredited)
Bert LeBaron	...	Pete Collins / Plant Heavy 1 (uncredited)
Carl M. Leviness	...	Airport Passenger (uncredited)
Alexander Lockwood	...	Smith (uncredited)
Jacques Lory	...	Brownstone Heavy 2 (uncredited)
Julian Madison	...	Ranger (uncredited)
Charles McAvoy	...	Police Guard at Chandler's Gate (uncredited)
Walter McGrail	...	Junction Heavy 1 / Marine Captain (uncredited)
Charles McMurphy	...	2nd Yard Guard (uncredited)
Frank Meredith	...	Army Messenger (uncredited)
John Merton	...	Brent (uncredited)
Charles Miller	...	Cmdr. Haees (uncredited)
Walter Miller	...	Launch Heavy (archive footage) (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell	...	Officer Riley (uncredited)
Frances Morris	...	Phone Operator (uncredited)
Pat O'Shea	...	Car Heavy (uncredited)
Eddie Parker	...	Hideout Heavy (uncredited)
George Peabody	...	Driver (uncredited)
Charles Phillips	...	Plant Heavy 10 (uncredited)
Stanley Price	...	Barn Heavy QR10 (uncredited)
Hugh Prosser	...	Patrol Captain (uncredited)
Bob Reeves	...	Plainclothesman (uncredited)
Robert Robinson	...	Plant Heavy 5 (uncredited)
Buddy Roosevelt	...	Pier Heavy 3 (uncredited)
Wally Rose	...	Roof Heavy (uncredited)
Dick Rush	...	Tom (uncredited)
Fred Schaefer	...	Dawson (uncredited)
Cy Schindell	...	Plant Heavy 8 (uncredited)
David Sharpe	...	Pier Heavy 1 (uncredited)
C. Montague Shaw	...	Dr. Jonathan Martin (uncredited)
Al Taylor	...	Launch Heavy (uncredited)
Duke Taylor	...	Deck Heavy / Plant Heavy 6 (uncredited)
Forrest Taylor	...	Netzikoff's Butler (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	Junction Heavy 2 (uncredited)
Ken Terrell	...	Plant Heavy 4 (uncredited)
Edward Thomas	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Evan Thomas	...	Plant Heavy 9 (uncredited)
Sid Troy	...	Guard in Alley / Decoy Driver (uncredited)
Archie Twitchell	...	Radio Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
Max Waizmann	...	Telegrapher (uncredited)
Robert J. Wilke	...	Cutter Helmsman (uncredited)
Bill Wilkus	...	Chuck / Plant Heavy 3 (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe	...	Grill Room Heavy (uncredited)

Directed by
John English
William Witney

Writing credits
Ronald Davidson		(original screenplay) and
Norman S. Hall		(original screenplay) and
William Lively		(original screenplay) and
Joseph O'Donnell		(original screenplay) and
Joseph F. Poland		(original screenplay) (as Joseph Poland)
Chester Gould		(based on cartoon strip by)

Produced by
William J. O'Sullivan	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Cy Feuer
Ross DiMaggio		(uncredited)
Mort Glickman		(uncredited)
Paul Sawtell		(uncredited)
Arnold Schwarzwald		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Reggie Lanning

Film Editing by
Tony Martinelli
Edward Todd

Art Direction by
John Victor Mackay		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Morris Braun		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Bob Mark	....	makeup supervisor (uncredited)

Production Management
Mack D'Agostino	....	unit manager
Al Wilson	....	production manager

Art Department
Fred C. Brannon	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Roy Wade	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Daniel J. Bloomberg	....	sound (uncredited)
Charles L. Lootens	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Howard Lydecker	....	special effects
Theodore Lydecker	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Chuck Hamilton	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Sharpe	....	stunt double: Forrest Taylor [Ch. 2], Michael Owen & Jack Mulhall [Ch. 5] (uncredited)
Duke Taylor	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ken Terrell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe	....	stunt double: Ralph Byrd (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Lee Lukather	....	chief grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Adele Palmer	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)
Robert Ramsey	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Republic Pictures (I)

Distributors

• Republic Pictures (I) (1941) (USA) (theatrical)
• Republic Pictures (I) (1952) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• Image Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• United Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• VCI Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Dick Tracy vs. the Phantom Empire" - USA (reissue title)

Runtime:

263 min (15 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch - 1 Iverson Lane, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Republic Pictures (I)

Trivia:

Chapter Titles: 1) The Fatal Hour, 2) The Prisoner Vanishes, 3) Doom Patrol, 4) Dead Man's Trap, 5) Murder at Sea, 6) Besieged, 7) Sea Racketeers, 8) Train of Doom, 9) Beheaded, 10) Flaming Peril, 11) Seconds to Live, 12) Trail by Fire, 13) The Challenge, 14) Invisible Terror, 15) Retribution.

Quotes:

Dr. Jonathan Martin [Ch. 1]:The Amsterdam Fault, a volcanic fissure opening into the subterranean fires miles below New York. Sea erosion has sealed up that vent, but a few depth charges will smash through and bring about an earthquake and a tidal wave that will be catastrophic. The Ghost isn't bluffing! He *can* destroy New York!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Body Fever (1969)

Tracy vs. the Man He Can Not See

In the last, and in my opinion the best, Dick Tracy serial, the ace detective matches wits with the Ghost, a villain who can make himself invisible. In reality the Ghost is one of 8 members of a city crime council ( 3 members have already been killed when the serial begins ) who sent Rackets Regan to the death chamber ( its is revealed that the Ghost is in reality the brother of Regan, ergo the revenge motive ). Brilliant special effects and amazing chapter sequences make the serial a pure joy to watch and the final fight sequence between Tracy and the Ghost, I believe ranks as one of the greatest fight scenes in film history. In terms of serials, 10 out of 10.