The popular BBC Radio bobby on the beat. P.C.49, is given the chance to do a spot of plain clothed sleuthing in his screen debut. Taking the identity of a dead criminal, he tours transport cafes(!) in search of a gang of particularly nasty armed robbers. He eventually bumps into shady character Fingers, who introduces him to the villainous Barney, a top member of the gang. But 49 has bigger fish to fry – he is after the ringleader, a mysterious figure known only as “The Boss”. Will our pal Archibald and his plucky girlfriend Joan survive the dangers ahead?
Production Details
A Hammer production released by Exclusive Films
Recorded by United Programmes
Black & White 67 minutes
Filming Began: February 1942
UK Release: 2nd January 1950
Studio:
Dial Close Court, Winter Hill, Cookham, Berkshire.
Stills from film
Click an image for enlarged slideshow
Cast & Crew
Cast – Complete awaiting verification
Crew – Verified complete
Red = Uncredited
Crew | Name | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Credits | Uncredited | Total Hammer | |
Art Director | James Marchant | 5 | 5 | ||||||
Assistant Director | Leon Bijou | 35 | 25 May 1914 | 3 | 3 | ||||
Camera Operator | Moray Grant | 32 | 13 Nov 1917 | 17 Sep 1977 | 59 | 29 | 29 | ||
Carpenter | Fred Ricketts | 37 | 1913 | 19 Jan 1968 | 55 | 4 | 4 | ||
Casting | Mary Harris | 5 | 2 | 7 | |||||
Composer Stock Music | Len Stevens | 1989 | 1 | 1 | |||||
Composer Stock Music | Philip Green | 38 | 18 Jul 1911 | 6 Oct 1982 | 71 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Composer Stock Music | Ronald Hanmer | 32 | 2 Feb 1917 | 23 May 1994 | 77 | 1 | 1 | ||
Continuity | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/renee-glynne/# | 23 | 3 Aug 1926 | 6 Apr 2022 | 95 | 41 | 3 | 44 | |
Director | Godfrey Grayson | 36 | 2 Aug 1913 | 1 Jun 1998 | 84 | 11 | 11 | ||
Director of Photography | Cedric Williams | 37 | 1913 | 1999 | 86 | 7 | 7 | ||
Editor | Clifford Turner | 36 | 27 Jun 1913 | Jan 1997 | 83 | 2 | 2 | ||
Electrician | Jack Curtis | 3 | 24 | 27 | |||||
Focus Puller | Neil Binney | 18 | Jun 1931 | 01.06.1931 | 93 | 17 | 10 | 27 | |
Hair Stylist | Monica Hustler | 22 | 21 Nov 1927 | 96 | 18 | 18 | |||
Make-up | Frank Turner | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Make-up | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/phil-leakey/# | 41 | 4 May 1908 | 26 Nov 1992 | 84 | 50 | 50 | ||
Music | Frank Spencer | 38 | 19 Jun 1911 | Feb 1975 | 63 | 22 | 1 | 23 | |
Musical Director | Frank Spencer | 38 | 19 Jun 1911 | Feb 1975 | 63 | 22 | 1 | 23 | |
Musical Director | Rupert Grayson | 8 | 8 | ||||||
Post-production Sound | Ray Pitt | 5 | 3 | 8 | |||||
Pre-production | Prudence Sykes | 11 | 2 | 13 | |||||
Producer | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/anthony-hinds/# | 27 | 18 Sep 1922 | 30 Sep 2013 | 91 | 87 | 3 | 90 | |
Production Manager | Arthur Barnes | 64 | 1886 | 1956 | 70 | 20 | 20 | ||
Screenplay | Alan Stranks | 46 | 7 Aug 1903 | 18 Jun 1959 | 55 | 3 | 3 | ||
Screenplay | Vernon Harris | 44 | 26 Feb 1905 | Feb 1999 | 93 | 2 | 2 | ||
Sound | Edgar Vetter | 36 | 27 Jan 1913 | 15 Dec 1988 | 75 | 15 | 15 | ||
Still Photographer | Edgar Wrather | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||
Supervising Editor | Ray Pitt | 5 | 3 | 8 | |||||
Cast | Name | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Credits | Uncredited | Total Hammer | |
Barney | John Penrose | 35 | 5 May 1914 | 22 May 1983 | 69 | 2 | 2 | ||
Bill | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/arthur-lovegrove/# | 36 | 15 Jul 1913 | 7 Nov 1981 | 68 | 3 | 6 | 9 | |
Carrots | Annette Simmonds | 32 | 20 Apr 1917 | 28 Oct 1959 | 42 | 1 | 1 | ||
Fingers | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/michael-ripper/# | 36 | 27 Jan 1913 | 28 Jun 2000 | 87 | 34 | 2 | 36 | |
Inspector Wilson | Arthur Brander | 51 | 22 Jul 1898 | 7 Aug 1980 | 82 | 1 | 1 | ||
Joan | Patricia Cutts | 23 | 20 Jul 1926 | 6 Sep 1974 | 48 | 1 | 1 | ||
Lorry Driver | Jim O’Brady | 42 | 13 May 1907 | 1 Jan 1991 | 83 | 18 | 18 | ||
Ma Brady | Pat Nye | 41 | 11 Feb 1908 | 11 Apr 1994 | 86 | 1 | 1 | ||
P.C. Archibald Berkley Willoughby | Hugh Latimer | 36 | 12 May 1913 | 12 Jun 2006 | 93 | 3 | 3 | ||
Sergeant Wright | Eric Phillips | 41 | 6 Jul 1908 | 1966 | 57 | 1 | 1 | ||
Skinny | Martin Benson | 31 | 10 Aug 1918 | 28 Feb 2010 | 91 | 4 | 4 | ||
Ted | Billy Thatcher | 28 | 28 Apr 1921 | 7 Oct 1964 | 43 | 1 | 1 |
Footnotes
This is the second Hammer film to feature Michael Ripper, the first being The Dark Road (1948). Ripper became one of the mainstays of the Company’s supporting cast and holds the record for the Hammer actor appearing in the most of their productions – 34 (plus 2 uncredited).
Patricia Cutts appears to have fled the country after this film, popping up years later as Vincent Price’s faithless wife in William Castle’s notorious 1959 shocker The Tingler.
Two other regular names turn up for the first time here – Phil Leakey, later responsible for some memorable gruesome make-up creations, and Moray Grant, Camera Operator and, later, a Director of Photography.
Actress Annette Simmonds was killed in a road accident on the A1 Barnet Way to the north of London, on 28th October 1959. She was 32.