Hostage Copter (1957)

The Highway Patrol helicopter is ordered into action when the botched robbery of a roadside diner results in the shooting of the proprietor and the abduction of his daughter.

Director:

Jack Herzberg

Writer:

William Driskill (screenplay)

Stars:

Broderick Crawford, Brad Trumbull, Ray Quinn

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Broderick Crawford	...	Chief Dan Mathews
Brad Trumbull	...	Ed Kane
Ray Quinn	...	Ted Ellis
Stuart Whitman	...	Sgt. Walters
Glenn Dixon	...	Ralph O'Shea (as Glen Dixon)
Barbara Eden	...	Kathy O'Shea
Guy Prescott	...	Witness
Yvonne White	...	Lady in Convertible
Joe Patridge	...	Officer 3280
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Art Gilmore	...	Narrator (voice)

Storyline

Ted Ellis and Ed Kane's planned robbery of Ralph O'Shea's roadside diner goes awry when Ellis nervously shoots O'Shea after he sees him reaching for a gun. The two are forced to flee, taking O'Shea's 22-year-old daughter Kathy along as a hostage. The area is rough and mountainous, so Dan Mathews elects to use the Highway Patrol helicopter to pursue the two felons and their hostage. When Ellis and Kane see that they are being followed, they abandon Kathy and steal another woman's convertible in a panic-stricken attempt to escape the helicopter. After Dan finds that the women are unharmed, he forces a showdown with Ellis and Kane by ordering the helicopter to land on a dirt road just ahead of their stolen vehicle.

---

Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1957 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

ZIV Television Programs

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Officer 3280 exchanges gunfire with Ed Kane during a car chase. Both men fire approximately twice the number of bullets that their respective pistols can possibly hold without reloading.

---

Soundtracks

"Oh My Darling, Clementine"
(uncredited)
Written by Percy Montrose
Sung by Barbara Eden

User Reviews

in your face policing from the fifties

I watched my first two episodes tonight of Highway Patrol...my first viewing since childhood I hasten to add. One episode told the story of a new stretch of highway and driving infractions. I have to say they took speeding seriously then...the car as murder instrument. No kidding around, we could use this sort of training TV these days because clearly something has to be done to help people learn how to drive safely. The second episode involved a robbery and kidnapping. There were lots of good helicopter scenes and the beautiful Barbara Eden was the damsel in distress. And they actually gave you almost a full half hour each. Guess they didn't know the value of commercial overkill in them days.