The Adventures of P.C. 49 – 1949
Investigating The Case of the Guardian Angel

A Hammer production released by Exclusive Films
Recorded by United Programmes
Black & White 67 minutes
Storyline
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?
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Crew
Function | Credited | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Credits |
Art Director | James Mordant | 1 | ||||
Assistant Director | Leon Bijou | 34 | 25 May 1914 | 3 | ||
Camera Operator | Moray Grant | 31 | 13 Nov 1917 | 17 Sep 1977 | 59 | 29 |
Continuity | Renee Glynne | 22 | 3 Aug 1926 | 94 | 38 | |
Directed by | Godfrey Grayson | 35 | 2 Aug 1913 | 1 Jun 1998 | 84 | 11 |
Director of Photography | Cedric Williams | 36 | 1913 | 1999 | 86 | 7 |
Hair Stylist | Monica Hustler | 23 | 1926 | 95 | 18 | |
Make-up | Phil Leakey | 40 | 4 May 1908 | 26 Nov 1992 | 84 | 48 |
Musical Director | Frank Spencer | 37 | 19 Jun 1911 | 1 Feb 1975 | 63 | 21 |
Musical Director | Rupert Grayson | 8 | ||||
Produced by | Anthony Hinds | 26 | 18 Sep 1922 | 30 Sep 2013 | 91 | 84 |
Production Manager | Arthur Barnes | 63 | 1886 | 1956 | 70 | 20 |
Screenplay by | Alan Stranks | 46 | 1903 | 18 Jan 1959 | 56 | 2 |
Screenplay by | Vernon Harris | 43 | 26 Feb 1905 | 1 Feb 1999 | 93 | 2 |
Sound | Edgar Vetter | 35 | 27 Jan 1913 | 15 Dec 1988 | 75 | 15 |
Supervising Editor | Ray Pitt | 5 |
Cast
Character | Actor | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Appearances |
Barney | John Penrose | 34 | 5 May 1914 | 22 May 1983 | 69 | 2 |
Carrots | Annette Simmonds | 31 | 20 Apr 1917 | 28 Oct 1959 | 42 | 1 |
Fingers | Michael Ripper | 35 | 27 Jan 1913 | 28 Jun 2000 | 87 | 34 |
Inspector Wilson | Arthur Brander | 50 | 22 Jul 1898 | 7 Aug 1980 | 82 | 1 |
Joan | Patricia Cutts | 22 | 20 Jul 1926 | 6 Sep 1974 | 48 | 1 |
Ma Brady | Pat Nye | 40 | 11 Feb 1908 | 11 Apr 1994 | 86 | 1 |
P.C. Archibald Berkley Willoughby | Hugh Latimer | 35 | 12 May 1913 | 12 Jun 2006 | 93 | 3 |
Sergeant Wright | Eric Phillips | 40 | 6 Jul 1908 | 1966 | 57 | 1 |
Skinny | Martin Benson | 30 | 10 Aug 1918 | 28 Feb 2010 | 91 | 4 |
Ted | Billy Thatcher | 27 | 28 Apr 1921 | 7 Oct 1964 | 43 | 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 must hold the record for the Hammer actor with the most number of films to his credit.
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.
Details were complied viewing the actual film.
Source of viewing copy – The Hammer Graveyard Collection