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China Smith

  • TV Series
  • 1952– 1952–
  • 30m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
27
YOUR RATING
Episode guide
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
China Smith (1952)
  • Adventure
Con artist and private eye China Smith works out of a bar in Singapore, roaming Asia in search of beautiful women (who like his tough style) and quick money. His nemeses are the friendly Bri... Read allCon artist and private eye China Smith works out of a bar in Singapore, roaming Asia in search of beautiful women (who like his tough style) and quick money. His nemeses are the friendly British Inspector and the scheming "empress."Con artist and private eye China Smith works out of a bar in Singapore, roaming Asia in search of beautiful women (who like his tough style) and quick money. His nemeses are the friendly British Inspector and the scheming "empress."
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
27
YOUR RATING
  • Stars
    • Dan Duryea
    • Douglass Dumbrille
    • Myrna Dell
Top credits
  • Stars
    • Dan Duryea
    • Douglass Dumbrille
    • Myrna Dell
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 4User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Episodes26

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    1 Season

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    Top cast

    Edit
    Dan Duryea
    Dan Duryea
    • China Smithas China Smith
    26 episodes26 eps • 1952–1953
    Douglass Dumbrille
    Douglass Dumbrille
    • Inspector Hobsonas Inspector Hobson
    13 episodes13 eps • 1952–1953
    Myrna Dell
    Myrna Dell
    • 'Empress' Shiraas 'Empress' Shira
    8 episodes8 eps • 1952–1953
    Clarence Lung
    • Hanas Han…
    6 episodes6 eps • 1952
    Ted Hecht
    Ted Hecht
    • Bank Manageras Bank Manager…
    5 episodes5 eps • 1952
    Nestor Paiva
    Nestor Paiva
    • John Craneas John Crane…
    4 episodes4 eps • 1952
    Jean Willes
    Jean Willes
    • Loretta Traversas Loretta Travers…
    2 episodes2 eps • 1952
    Philip Tonge
    Philip Tonge
    • Chapmanas Chapman…
    2 episodes2 eps
    Gil Herman
    • Sgt. Withersas Sgt. Withers
    2 episodes2 eps
    James Fairfax
    James Fairfax
    • Higginsas Higgins
    2 episodes2 eps
    Martha Roth
    Martha Roth
    • Alma Rosa Perezas Alma Rosa Perez
    1 episode1 ep • 1952
    Kristine Miller
    Kristine Miller
    • Leoraas Leora
    1 episode1 ep
    Irene Vernon
    Irene Vernon
    • Leslieas Leslie
    1 episode1 ep • 1952
    Rita Moreno
    Rita Moreno
    • Mariamanas Mariaman
    1 episode1 ep
    John Hoyt
    John Hoyt
    • Horace Cutburnas Horace Cutburn
    1 episode1 ep
    Marian Carr
    Marian Carr
    • Anya Karenskias Anya Karenski
    1 episode1 ep
    Carmelita Molina
    • June Chonas June Chon
    1 episode1 ep
    Marjorie Lord
    Marjorie Lord
    • Ruth Coltonas Ruth Colton
    1 episode1 ep • 1952
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In Season One, there is a shrewd, charming, and disreputable Irish adventurer called William "China" Smith in Singapore. He can be hired cheap for jobs that require an insider's knowledge of the less polite neighborhoods of the Far East. Inspector Hobson of the Singapore police disapproves of him. To Hobson, Smith is a fellow named Davey Fitzgerald, wanted for treason in Ireland. Smith frequently charms information and money out of a cool and beautiful Eurasian woman known as Madame Shira,whom he calls "Empress. She owns the Trade Winds Hotel, where stolen goods and fugitives often come to rest. In Season Two, Smith is based in Hong Kong and Macao, and there are no other continuing characters. —atash
    • private eye
    • character name in title
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genre
      • Adventure
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This filmed syndicated series was actually produced with a two-year gap. Filming of the first 26 installments began in Mexico in 1952 but almost immediately returned to Los Angeles. The second 26, shot in San Francisco in 1954-55, were sold to stations as The New Adventures of China Smith (1954).
    • Connections
      Followed by The New Adventures of China Smith (1954)

    User reviews4

    Review
    Top review
    Odd how memories happen
    As I sat watching the DVD of the original "The Flight of the Phoenix", I was struck by seeing Dan Duryea. In my mind I kept seeing him in a white suit, on a black and white television screen. One of the joys of the IMDb is that one can find evidence of strange memories. We got our first television set in 1953; I was eight years old. I did not recall until now but I watched "China Smith"! The memories from so long ago include Duryea's insouciance (a word I am sure I did not know in the early 1950s), the exotic locales and the beautiful women. Particularly the beautiful women. *sigh* There was an appeal to the anti-hero China Smith and though this series was hardly as influential, either generally or personally, as something like "Maverick", it still deserves to be remembered by a comment in the IMDb.
    helpful•27
    0
    • skoyles
    • Jul 19, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 1952 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Kína Smith
    • Filming locations
      • San Francisco, California, USA
    • Production company
      • National Telefilm Associates (NTA)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      30 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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