Pier 23 (1951)

Private detective finds himself framed for the murders of a wrestler and a crooked referee, then for the murder of a mystery man posing as a new parolee from Alcatraz.

Director:

William Berke

Writers:

Herbert H. Margolis (story), Lou Morheim (story),

Stars:

Hugh Beaumont, Ann Savage, Edward Brophy

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hugh Beaumont	...	Dennis O'Brien
Ann Savage	...	Ann Harmon
Edward Brophy	...	Prof. Shicker
Richard Travis	...	Police Inspector Lt. Bruger
Margia Dean	...	Flo Klingle
Mike Mazurki	...	Ape Danowski
David Bruce	...	Charles Giffen
Raymond Greenleaf	...	Father Donovan
Eve Miller	...	Norma Harmon
Harry Hayden	...	Dr. Earl J. Tomkins
Joi Lansing	...	The Cocktail Waitress (as Joy Lansing)
Peter Mamakos	...	Nick Garrison
Chris Drake	...	Mike Greeley - aka Joe Harmon
John Indrisano	...	Mushy Cavelli (as Johnny Indrasano)
Bill Varga	...	Willie Klingle

Storyline

In the first of two separate stories, Private-Detective Dennis O'Brien becomes involved with a gang that uses a rigged wrestling match as a means for murder. In the second story O'Brien tries to discourage a convict from making an escape-attempt from Alcatraz. Later O'Brien mistakes another man for the convict, and winds up charged with a murder.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | convict | alcatraz | private detective | wrestling | 

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Taglines:

GANGLAND GALAHAD! He's a cop's pet peeve... and a gal's pet passion!

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Sport

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 May 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

Flesh and Leather

Company Credits

Production Co:

Spartan Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

58 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Edited down to each of its two segments, each of them re-titled, this was sold to television in the early 1950's as two parts of a syndicated half hour mystery show.

User Reviews

If you must

I like Edward Brophy. He was best playing a mug with a twinkle in his eye. But he is miscast here as the "intellectual who likes the sauce". He just can't make it work. He sounds cardboard trying to play the professor. Likewise, I enjoy Hugh Beaumont. To me Beaumont was similar to Alan Ladd, great in the right role, but with a rather cold screen persona.

Let's be honest, these were made on the cheap and relied heavily on the stars to bring life to very average scenarios. Personally, I think the Brophy/Beaumont team fails. I like them both, but it doesn't work here. Compared with the TV detectives series of the era the Dennis O'Brien mysteries are fine, but if you are looking for a lost gem from the detective genre you won't find it here.