''The Crime Smasher'' is a 1943 American

crime comedy film Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as drama or gangster film, but als ...

directed by

James Tinling James Tinling (May 8, 1889 in Seattle – May 14, 1967 in Los Angeles) was an American film director. He worked during the silent period as a prop boy and stuntman, and directed primarily for 20th Century Fox in the 1930s and 1940s. He has bee ...

and starring

Edgar Kennedy Edgar Livingston Kennedy (April 26, 1890 – November 9, 1948) was an American comedic character actor who appeared in at least 500 films during the silent and sound eras. Professionally, he was known as "Slow Burn", owing to his ability to por ...

Richard Cromwell Richard Cromwell (4 October 162612 July 1712) was an English statesman who served as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1658 to 1659. He was the son of Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell. Following his father ...

and

Gale Storm Josephine Owaissa Cottle (April 5, 1922 – June 27, 2009), known professionally as Gale Storm, was an American actress and singer. After a film career from 1940 to 1952, she starred in two popular television programs of the 1950s, '' My Litt ...

.Tucker p.67 It is based on the Radio program ''Cosmo Jones'' featuring Frank Graham. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

Dave Milton. It is sometimes alternatively titled ''Cosmo Jones in the Crime Smasher''.

Plot

When the dead body of a gangster is tossed out of a moving car in front of Police Headquarters, Police Chief Murphy is annoyed to see meek, mild Cosmo Jones taking photographs at the scene. An arrest and grilling only reveals that Cosmo is an amateur criminologist who has taken an interest in the case. Cosmo gets in deeper when he witnesses a failed kidnap attempt of heiress Susan Fleming. Bystander/witness Eustace Smith, who pronounces himself allergic to bullets and knives, attaches himself to Cosmo for protection. Cosmo is delighted to have an assistant as it makes him feel more professional. A second kidnap attempt on Fleming is successful as she is taken from her bed in her own home. To Chief Murphy's dismay, Fleming's family trusts Cosmo enough to let him handle the ransom drop. After some confusion with lookalike briefcases, Cosmo ends up at the place where Susan is being held captive; sold out by her boyfriend for a cut of the ransom money. Police rescue Susan in a shoot out with Eustace conquering his fears long enough to kayo several hoodlums with a mallet. When it is all over, Cosmo announces he'd like to join the police force. This touches off a typical temper explosion from Chief Murphy.

Cast

as Police Chief Murphy *

as Sgt. Pat Flanagan *

as Susan Fleming *

Mantan Moreland Mantan Moreland (September 3, 1902 – September 28, 1973) was an American actor and comedian most popular in the 1930s and 1940s. He starred in numerous films. His daughter Marcella Moreland appeared as a child actor in several films. Ear ...

as Eustace Smith * Frank Graham as Professor Cosmo Jones * Gwen Kenyon as Phyllis Blake *

Herbert Rawlinson Herbert Banemann Rawlinson (15 November 1885 – 12 July 1953) was an English-born stage, film, radio, and television actor. A leading man during Hollywood's silent film era, Rawlinson transitioned to character roles after the advent of sound f ...

as Mr. James J. Blake * Tristram Coffin as Jake Pelotti * Charles Jordan as Biff Garr *

Vince Barnett Vince Barnett (July 4, 1902 – August 10, 1977) was an American film actor. He appeared on stage originally before appearing in more than 230 films between 1930 and 1975. Early years Barnett was born July 4, 1902, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylva ...

as Henchman "Gimp" *

Emmett Vogan Charles Emmett Vogan (September 27, 1893 – October 6, 1969) was an American actor with almost 500 film appearances from 1934 to 1954, making him, along with Bess Flowers, one of the most prolific film actors of all time. In 1913, Vogan ...

as Police Commissioner Gould *

Maxine Leslie Maxine or Maxene may refer to: People * Maxene Andrews (1916–1995), member of The Andrews Sisters singing trio * Maxine Audley (1923–1992), English actress * Maxine Brown (country singer) (1932–2019), American country music singer * Maxin ...

as Mrs. Jake Pelotti *

Mauritz Hugo Mauritz Hugo (January 12, 1909 – June 16, 1974) was a Swedish-born American film and television actor. Selected filmography * '' Wanted by the Police'' (1938) * ''Criminal Investigator'' (1942) *'' The Crime Smasher'' (1943) * '' Outlaws of ...

as Tony Sandol - Gangster *

Sam Bernard Sam Bernard (born Samuel Barnett, 5 June 1863 – 16 May 1927) was an English-born American vaudeville comedian who also performed in musical theatre, comic opera and burlesque and appeared in a few silent films. Life and career Bernard was born ...

as Gangster

References

Bibliography

* Tucker, David C. ''Gale Storm: A Biography and Career Record''. McFarland, 2018.

External links

* * 1943 films 1943 romantic drama films American mystery films 1943 crime drama films 1940s English-language films American black-and-white films Monogram Pictures films American crime drama films American romantic drama films Films directed by James Tinling 1940s American films Films based on radio series English-language crime drama films English-language romantic drama films {{1940s-US-drama-film-stub