100 YEARS OF TUCK: His Television Best

COLUMBO (1972)

February 12, 1919, one hundred years ago today.  An historic day that saw the birth of acting's G.O.A.T.   That's right: today is the Centennial for The Horn Section's patron saint, Forrest Tucker.

THE GHOST BUSTERS (1975)

In the thirteen years I've been writing here, we've explored much of the man's work.  Some of the greatest of his 99 feature films were covered here when we saluted him on the twentieth anniversary of his untimely passing.   In the years since, we've been pleased to see several of big screen sleepers released on DVD and BluRay.  Particularly so to see BARQUERO and THE QUIET GUN readily available for all to see after decades of obscurity.

With Linda Darnell on CLIMAX! (1957)

Tuck had a fine run in the decade following his SANDS OF IWO JIMA breakthrough, starring in classics ranging from THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN to AUNTIE MAME.  After the latter, he became quite familiar to theatre patrons nationwide, playing Professor Harold Hill in THE MUSIC MAN some 2,038 times from 1958-1963.  When that highly successful run ended, Tuck hosted an instantly popular morning drive time show on WCFL-AM in Chicago beginning in November 1964.

And you thought Howard Stern was the King of All Media.

Tuck's newfound radio career had to be set aside six months into his run when television came calling with what would turn out to be his signature role:  Sergeant Morgan O'Rourke in the enduringly popular F TROOP.  Such was the show's impact that it has overshadowed not just a quarter century of memorable performances on stage and screen, but also the remainder of Tuck's TV resume, which he'd already been busily compiling for over a decade when F TROOP premiered in September 1965.

You're obviously enjoying the F TROOP Fridays installments here at the Section, so I won't dwell on Tuck's most famous contribution to the boob tube today.  In celebrating his Centennial, I'd like to give Tuck the same tribute we paid his frequent co-star Larry Storch last month and highlight just some of his finest moments on the small screen away from the friendly confines of Fort Courage.  A dozen to be exact, plus bonus YouTube links at the end:

WAGON TRAIN: The Rex Montana Story (May 28, 1958) as Rex Montana

Five years after playing Wild Bill Hickok opposite Charlton Heston's Buffalo Bill Cody in PONY EXPRESS, Tuck essays the Codyesque Rex Montana in this drama concerning a Wild West show.  The hero is a womanizer offstage and, as it turns out, living a lie on it.  He's a capable rider and shooter, but one with a past that catches up with him as this Story unfolds.  The first of many television western appearances for future Golden Boot Winner Tucker (he was one of the inaugural class, in 1983).  A tour de force near the end of this classic's freshman season.

CELEBRITY GOLF: March 19, 1961 

Forrest Tucker's prowess on the links could be the subject of its own post.  Hell, maybe it will be sometime.  Fortunately, we have this episode as an artifact of his avocation, in which Tuck battles golfing legend Slammin' Sammy Snead.  How good was Tuck at his hobby?  Snead was on a ten match winning streak against celebrity opponents with intent to make Forrest his eleventh victim.  How did it go?  Mike Connolly had the scoop three months before the episode aired:

That'll learn him to mess with The Sarge.

HOLLYWOOD PALACE:  November 27, 1965

Forrest Tucker, Larry Storch and Ken Berry appeared with host Janet Leigh on ABC's venerable variety series.  Of course, the stars of the network's hottest new show were on for sweeps month.  Ken's dancing was highlighted, Larry did some standup, and Tuck paid tribute to Jimmy Durante and demonstrated some of the singing and dancing talents that had largely been limited to his stage work.

HONDO: Hondo and the Judas (November 3, 1967) as William Clarke Quantrill

"Man can live with one wing, but not with gangrene."

Tuck is the top billed guest star in what might be the best-known episode of the longtime TNT Saturday morning cult favorite (currently being rediscovered on GetTV where it has aired on Sundays since 2015).  While I don't consider this to be one of the stronger installments, Tucker's performance as the Civil War guerilla leader is a bold one, worthy of the larger audience it has attained in reruns.  This dubious Colonel is no one-dimensional villain.  Manipulative yet charming one moment, exploding with rage at his handicap the next, then bravely taking on three gunmen with only one arm to protect a longtime friend just when you think you've figured him out.  Tucker's Quantrill inspires obedience and loyalty from the James brothers, the Younger brothers, the Fords and one Hondo Lane despite some serious fissures in his personality which have intensified since the loss of a wing and a war.

GUNSMOKE: The War Priest (January 5, 1970)

Tuck was a particular favorite on the longest-running western on U.S. network television, making a half-dozen segments between 1965 and 1972.  His most impactful character arrived in the first GUNSMOKE of the Seventies: Sergeant Emmett Holly, a whiskey-soaked racist in hot pursuit of an escaped Native to protect his "perfect record" days before his retirement.  And, eventually, also in hot pursuit of Miss Kitty, perhaps even more intensely.  Holly even returned to woo her in an ill-conceived, farcical sequel a season later.  Some say The War Priest reminds you of his most famous role, which IMO is completely false outside of the uniform he's wearing.  Myself, I wonder if they've actually watched this one, or if they confused it with Holly's second installment.  Tuck carries this one, with James Arness mostly absent (a frequent occurrence during the show's anthology-like final years).

NIGHT GALLERY: Dr. Stringfellow's Rejuvenator (November 17, 1971) as Dr. Stringfellow

"You see, I give them a little peek over the pigsty, a view of heaven."

Another old west con man, this one far less fun than Fort Courage's Sergeant.  Dr. Stringfellow peddles the titular serum from town to town, and while there are hints of a conscience buried underneath the bluster, something clearly died in this man a long time ago.  It's a tribute to Tuck's skill that he is able to instill a man who has no redeeming qualities (this fraud sells false hope to a dying six year old girl) with a hint of humanity here and there.  Forrest Tucker's only journey into Rod Serling-land, which is a shame.

BONANZA: Warbonnet (December 26, 1971) as Frank Ryan

In contrast to his ubiquity on GUNSMOKE, it is truly a surprise that one of the busiest actors in the genre made only one appearance on the second longest running television Western of all time, and not until the show's next-to-last season!  Fortunately, Forrest's lone BONANZA gave him a meaty character to essay, a retired cavalry officer who is not all that he seems to be.  His facade is threatened by the arrival of Chief Dan George, who claims the titular headdress was stolen from him.  A romance with Linda Cristal (HIGH CHAPARRAL) is an added bonus.  Tucker later made another memorable appearance with Michael Landon on LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE in 1975.

WELCOME HOME, JOHNNY BRISTOL (January 30, 1972) as Harry McMartin

Excellent Made-for-TV movie deserves a standalone review, and will get one now that I've had a chance to revisit it.  Martin Landau is a Vietnam POW convalescing in a VA hospital looking for his Vermont hometown--which no one has ever heard of and appears to no longer exist.  Forrest gets to show his avuncular side as a wheelchair bound WWII vet who meets Landau at the hospital and sympathizes with his plight.  Fine acting from all involved, including Jane Alexander, Martin Sheen and Brock Peters.  One hell of a final scene for the venerable star too.

KOJAK:  On the Edge (January 11, 1976) as Detective Paul Zachery

If you could steal an episode of KOJAK from Telly Savalas, you were doing something right.  Tucker played plenty of aging professionals facing mortality literally or figuratively in prime time during the Seventies, and this is one of his strongest.  Nearing retirement, Forrest is a Detective longing to recapture his glory days.  Fifteen years after he received a ton of recognition for cracking a high-profile case, Tuck's thirst for the limelight has led him to alienate wife Verna Bloom personally and Captain MacNeil professionally.  The latter wants Tuck's badge.  For good reason it turns out, since Tuck is willing to break the rules in a big way to go out a winner.  Nuanced performance, both at home and the office.  But once again, Tuck went sadly unnoticed by the Emmys.

ALICE: Flo Finds her Father (April 14, 1979) and FLO: A Castleberry Thanksgiving (November 24, 1980) as Edsel Jarvis Castleberry

Tucker proved such a popular guest star that many of his characters were invited back:  Sergeant Emmett Holly on GUNSMOKE and Joe Snag on DANIEL BOONE were two examples.   Tucker had this opportunity again after his introduction as Flo's wealthy, estranged father on ALICE.

After Florence Jean Castleberry was spun off into her own series, Forrest got a second go-round in a special one hour episode (shown in two parts in syndication and streaming), in which the blustery yet sympathetic absentee father tried to make amends with the rest of the family members he's hurt one year after reconnecting with his daughter.  Practically tailor-made to Tucker's flamboyant, extroverted personality: a good showcase for both Tuck and series star Polly Holliday.  FLO was recently released on DVD by Warner Archive and remains an entertaining series throughout its too-short 29 episode run.

TIMESTALKERS (March 10, 1987 TVM) as Texas John Cody

Forrest Tucker's swan song was released posthumously, in this overlooked but entertaining time travel tale starring William Devane, Lauren Hutton and Klaus Kinski.  It's appropriate that Tuck ended his forty-six year career on the tube and that his character is closely connected to the old West. As "Texas" John Cody, an expert on the subject, Tuck provides some key information for Devane and also finds time to flirt with Hutton.  Hell, who wouldn't?

Happy Birthday, Tuck, and R.I.P.  You can find many of Forrest Tucker's television AND film performances on YouTube, such as this 1957 episode of FORD TELEVISION THEATRE:

And, this 1958 installment of G.E. THEATRE, with Bette Davis and HIGH CHAPARRAL star Leif Erickson.  Happy hunting!

Film Review: HONOLULU LU (1941)

"Why the Hell isn't this on DVD/Blu yet?"--Number 101









HONOLULU LU (1941 Columbia) Starring Lupe Velez, Leo Carrillo, Bruce Bennett, Forrest Tucker, Marjorie Gateson, Don Beddoe, George McKay, Nina Campana, Adele Mara, Lloyd Bridges.  Written by Paul Yawitz, Eliot Gibbons and Ned Dandy.  Directed by Charles Barton.


As Consuelo, Velez arrives in the titular town with uncle Carrillo--a confidence man with a penchant for hot checks and wealthy widows.  Tiring of his schemes, Velez ditches her uncle and, with Campana's help, gets a job at the Blue Chip Cabaret with a simple name change to "Lu". The headstrong Latina also inadvertently costs three Navy men (Tucker, Bennett and McKay) their dates for the evening.

The surly sailors attend Lu's show with intent to heckle but are won over by her risqué act of songs, dancing and comedy impressions.  Lu is soon being wooed by Bennett, and her popularity is on the rise.  In fact, Lu is a heavy favorite in the upcoming Miss Honolulu contest, with the new burlesque Queen's likely victory causing great consternation for bluenose Gateson.  Facing exposure for a previous Atlantic City swindle and seeking to win Gateson's favor, Carillo enters his niece in the contest to defeat "Lu".  Without Velez's knowledge, of course, and Carillo is equally in the dark about his niece's alter ego.  So much that, in his attempt to throw the upcoming contest Consuelo's way, Carillo throws shade at Lu by claiming the burlesque beauty is a spy!

HONOLULU LU captures the inimitable Lupe Velez at the height of box office power. Velez was halfway through her highly successful run as RKO's MEXICAN SPITFIRE and headlining comedies for Universal (SIX LESSONS FROM MADAME LA ZONGA, with SPITFIRE co-conspirator Leon Errol) and Columbia in away from her home studio.  HONOLULU LU is the latter and (much) better vehicle for the unique, memorable Mexican-American starlet.

With the dapper Carillo replacing Errol as the scheming Uncle and sticking to a singular characterization, Lupe gets the dual role in HONOLULU LU.  As Consuela's stage persona, the former vedette showcases her varied talents: singing, dancing, and--as she previously demonstrated onscreen in HIGH FLYERS--impressions.  Velez' Gloria Swanson is uncannily accurate, and her Katherine Hepburn equally spot-on.  A distant third is her Dietrich, which is no threat to Madeline Kahn's IMO.  To be fair, Kahn's pastiche was much more affectionate: Velez was Dietrich's contemporary and one-time romantic rival (for Gary Cooper).

Eerily released on the same day that Germany declared war on the U.S. (and just four days after Pearl Harbor was attacked), HONOLULU LU proved prescient by rounding out Lupe's quartet of imitations with you-know-who.  I can't think of a better Fuehrer within Velez' gender, and the predominantly military audience eats it up.

Screenwriters Yawitz and Gibbons were much more at home writing westerns, and it shows, with a distinct lack of truly funny lines.  Fortunately Barton's comedic skill keeps you from noticing too much.  Velez sings two songs, That's the Kind of Work I Do and the title track. The screenwriters (assisted by Ned Dandy) do manage to come up with slightly bawdy lyrics for the starlet in the former.  The titular tune is overused a bit (three times) but with Lupe strutting her stuff, it's all good.

Herman Brix was barely a year into his name change as Bruce Bennett, and the former Olympic medalist (shot put) and screen Tarzan is acceptable (if bland).  Forrest Tucker is five films into his Columbia pictures contract as the more vocal of Bennett's wingmen, and look for his future leading lady Adele Mara, making her second screen appearance at age 18.  She's uncredited (two lines), as are future big names Larry Parks (as a sailor) and Lloyd Bridges (a desk clerk).

There's Adele! (L)

Nina Campana IS credited, for once--the delightful character actress was too often unbilled in her forty-four film Hollywood career.  She's stuck with the most clichéd dialogue, but still stands out in scenes with Velez and Carrillo.  Her best remembered film would be her next one-TORTILLA FLAT (1942) with Spencer Tracy.

Carrillo and Campana

Ultimately, though, HONOLULU LU is mostly a chance to get full throttle, uninterrupted Lupe Velez at her best for 72 minutes.  True, she is elevating unremarkable material again, but like her long-time co-star Leon Errol, she was quite good at that.  One of the unsung greats of the twentieth century's first half, Velez deserves to be remembered for her immense charm and considerable talents--not for the tasteless urban legends surrounding her untimely passing.

So....why isn't this on DVD?

The MEXICAN SPITFIRE series is out on DVD, courtesy of Warner Archive, but Columbia owns the rights to this one.  C'mon guys, you've issued far less notable "B" movies than this one.

Why it should be on DVD:

An all-too-rare solo showcase for its tragic star, who would be dead three years to the month after HONOLULU LU was released at age 36.  We can all wonder what might have been.  It's easy to imagine Velez eventually conquering a television medium that brought Lucille Ball and Joan Davis (among other comediennes) to new career heights just a decade later.  

HONOLULU LU aired on TCM in August during the channel's 24 hour Lupe Velez marathon, so it seems likely it will turn up there again at some point for your DVR space.

Television Review: HONDO: "Hondo and the Judas" (1967)

"Your lives are meaningless compared to HONDO!"  













HONDO: "Hondo and the Judas" (1967 ABC-TV/Batjac/MGM) Episode 9: Original Air Date November 3, 1967.  Starring Ralph Taeger as Hondo Lane, Noah Beery Jr. as Buffalo Baker, Gary Clarke as Captain Richards.  Guest Stars: Forrest Tucker as Colonel William Quantrill, Ricky Nelson as Jesse James, John Agar as Frank James, John Carradine as Dr. Leonard Zeber, Roger Perry as Johnny Reno, Richard Bakalyan as Cole Younger, Roy Jenson as Bob Ford, Fritz Ford as Charlie Ford, Kip Whitman as Jim Younger, Ken Mayer as Marshal Bragg, Charles Maxwell as Leek Harker, Pete Dunn as Bottles.  Teleplay by Frank Chase; Story by Andrew J. Fenady.  Directed by Lee H. Katzin.

Series Overview for HONDO: TV's Unlikeliest Cult Hit at this link



Mail call at Fort Lowell.  Hondo Lane receives a terse letter that simply reads: "New Canaan.  Life or Death.  Now."  Signed with the letter Q.  The scout mysteriously and abruptly rides out alone, leaving Sam with Buffalo Baker as he begins a multi-day journey east.  Along the way, Lane is recognized from afar by the Harker brothers.  Unaware that Emberato has been pardoned, the aspiring bounty hunters trail the scout when he departs.

"A man can live with one wing, but not with gangrene."

Once Hondo arrives in New Canaan, he finds an almost deserted ghost town.  Inside the saloon: Lane's former Confederate commander, Colonel William Clark Quantrill.  Thought to have died four years earlier, Quantrill is alive but not particularly well--he's missing his left arm and prone to ill-tempered outbursts.  Lane also discovers that the Colonel sent the same cryptic note to all of his former Raiders: the James brothers, the Youngers, Bob and Charlie Ford, and late arrival Johnny Reno. 

Once all are present for the surprise (to Hondo at least) reunion, Lane learns the all-important situation he's been summoned for is Quantrill's planned robbery of an Army payroll wagon.  But that isn't the ex-commander's only project: he also has vengeance on his mind against the "Judas" among them who cost him an arm and left him for dead in a ditch.  Wanting no part of either idea, Lane leaves a note and begins the long trek back--with three would-be assassins hot on his trial and the Colonel not far behind.

We discover in Hondo and the Judas that the protagonist's search for his wife's killer took him all the way to the Kansas-Missouri conflict.  There, the man General Sheridan hailed as "the best scout and infiltrator on either side" gained that reputation in the South's most notorious guerrilla unit.  That is, two years before he was "late of the Texas 7th".  While not necessarily contradicting what we were told before, this revelation still seems improbable for a number of reasons.

Fenady provided the story but assigned this teleplay to Frank Chase (Hondo and the Savage), whose heavy-handed approach marred that interesting FORT APACHE variation.  In his sophomore installment, BONANZA veteran Chase is uncharacteristically sloppy, blundering badly before the opening credits.  Lane leaves Sam at Fort Lowell, explaining that "this is something before you--before Destarte, even."  Uh, not according to Hondo's long-cited reason for joining the South in the first place, which was avenging her death!  Katzin should have cut this, particularly since it is contradicted later in the episode by Quantrill.

Going against the show's entrenched universe is a no-no for any episode, but it's of utmost importance to have Lane's impetuses clear here.  We're about to learn that Hondo fought under a notorious bushwhacker who led attacks targeting civilians--not unlike the one in which Lane's wife, unborn child, and "sick old men" were massacred.  Positing Hondo Lane (whose commission was legitimate, unlike Quantrill's) as a loyal follower of this sociopathic opportunist takes a considerable leap of faith.  Lane's reputation also takes a hit with the disclosure that he was captured in Lawrence on the eve of Quantrill's most flagrant raid.

Consistent inconsistency with both the series' established backstory and this episode's reigns throughout Hondo and the Judas.  In one particularly blatant example, Robert Ford objects vociferously to riding with a madman (Quantrill); barely thirty seconds later he charges Hondo with being "the only one who wants to get out of this deal"(!) and is angry enough to fight about it.

Exercising artistic license on the highly chronicled figures in Hondo and the Judas is a given; the decisions on when and what are as questionable as all the rest.  As you'd expect from a Fenady production, research is evident: William Quantrill was once a schoolteacher, and in a key moment, Chase neatly makes the point that many of the guerrillas killed by his reckless actions were teenagers.  But Quantrill's claim to be a Southerner who fought for the South as a matter of "duty and love"?  Well...

"I used to be like you, I could forgive my enemies...…"

Quantrill was born in Ohio and spent subsequent pre-War years in Illinois, Utah, Kansas...Hell, practically everywhere but a Southern state.  A northerner who fought for the South, in reality.  Just like Hondo--a commonality, if presented, would create understandable circumstances for Lane ending up a Raider.  Not the only missed opportunity along these lines--the real Cole Younger was also motivated to become an underground fighter by the death of his father at Union hands, for example.

The presence of so many infamous rogues seems more liability than asset, since the misdeeds of the James-Younger gang and Quantrill's Raiders are much more widely known than those of (say) the Apache Kid.  That said, with Hondo and the Judas being such an outlier for the show in premise and quality, it's seeing those figures played by a cultist's dream cast that provides most of the entertainment value.

"Say it clearer than that, Ford!"

Bob Ford is Hondo's lone antagonist among his fellow Raiders, and also the only one showing overt allegiance to the Gray.  Since Hondo is now working for the hated Blue Bellies, the younger Ford accuses the scout of being the Judas--frequently.  Johnny Reno is Hondo's closest friend of the Raiders, with Cole Younger also consistently supportive.  Notably, Frank James ensures Hondo gets a fair fight once things come to a head with Ford.

"People think he died a hero in the War, let it stay that way."

Despite that eyebrow-raising line, Quantrill isn't glorified here.  The Colonel we meet tricks Hondo Lane into meeting him under false pretenses.  He saves Hondo's life (for a second time)--but as we later learn, mainly because he needs Lane's current employment to serve as cover for the robbery.  A self-serving opportunist to the end, Quantrill uses these loyal ex-soldiers with little regard for lives besides Zeber's--and his own.  Manipulative?  When Lane makes it known that he'd like to pass on "the plan", the Colonel shames him, asserting that he led the Lawrence raid solely to save Hondo's neck!  Hondo's reaction is a wordless and priceless combination of disgust and disbelief:

What if Quantrill had lived?  Hondo and the Judas posits that he would have applied his "hit and run" tactics to robberies--just like the James-Younger gang ended up doing, only on a larger scale.  Nothing noble there.  Nevertheless, loyal Zeber gives a rebuttal, implying more than once that Quantrill was ethical before he was corrupted by the horrors of war and betrayal.

After nearly a decade of affability between THE MUSIC MAN and F TROOP, Tucker reminds you just how frightening he could be as a villain.  Roger Perry is equally impressive as tortured loner Reno, but Ricky Nelson is merely adequate at best in his stunt-casting as Jesse James.  The most intriguing character is the fictional Zeber, essayed by old pro Carradine.  A broken-down yet hard to read physician, he appears at various times to be the Judas or the real brains behind the mad mastermind.  In the end, the Doctor seems inspired by Hondo's forgiveness towards his former adversaries.

In reality, Bob Ford was exactly eighteen months old when the Lawrence massacre took place, his brother Charles was all of six years of age, and John Reno was never anywhere near the South or Quantrill.  Suffice to say it took far more than the typical number of liberties to get all these malefactors together and the advisability of doing so turned out to be rather dubious.  When all is said and done, Hondo and the Judas is a misfire.

MISSING FROM SYNDICATION:

Television prints and the version streaming on the late Warner Archive Instant missed two key conversations between Ford, Zeber and Hondo.  The missing minutes are restored to the complete series DVD version from Warner Archive.

HOW MANY CANS OF WHOOPASS?

The coward Robert Ford (whose future assassination of Jesse is subtly referenced in the tag) is Hondo's main antagonist here, angry at Lane for his current job and eventually getting his ass kicked after throwing a punch at a disabled Hondo.  It's the titular one's only fracas of the episode, but it's a really good one as Ford fights dirty, then finds the ante upped considerably by his temporarily one-winged adversary.  One of the finest fistfights of the entire series and easily the best minute of this episode.

A DOG'S LIFE:

Chase apparently wasn't much on writing for canines.  Sam was absent from both of his teleplays after the teaser.

IS THE CANTINA STILL STANDING?

Fort Lowell's cantina barely gets a scratch from Buffalo's losing effort in an arm wrestling match, but the deserted watering hole in New Canaan gets quite a workout after Ford edges too close in his commentary.

In Bruce Eder's excellent bio of The Horn Section's patron saint for All Movie Guide, he singles out Tuck's "very effective" performance here in "one of the better episodes" of the series.  I agree with half of Eder's assessment.  One of very few missteps for what was usually a very good-to-excellent series, Hondo and the Judas is a questionable idea poorly executed.  (** out of four)

HONDO airs every Sunday morning at 10:15 A.M. Central Time on getTV.

HONDO: THE COMPLETE SERIES is also available on DVD from Warner Archive.

Film Review: FINGER MAN (1955)

Why the Hell isn't this on DVD (or Blu) yet? -- Number 100








FINGER MAN (1955 Allied Artists) Starring Frank Lovejoy, Forrest Tucker, Peggie Castle, Timothy Carey, Evelynne Eaton, John Cliff, Hugh Sanders, Glen Gordon, John Close, William Leicester, Joi Lansing, Lisa Montell, Henry Kulky, Dorothy Green.  Written by Warren Douglas.  Directed by Harold D. Schuster.

Three-time loser Frank Lovejoy is facing prison for life after he leaves incriminating evidence behind while robbing a liquor truck.  In lieu of becoming a four-time loser, U.S. Treasury agents needing a titular informant offer Lovejoy amnesty if he agrees to help them bring down the empire of mafioso Forrest Tucker.  It's a no-win situation to the petty criminal: life behind bars or a grisly end at the hands of Tucker's goons once the Don finds out.  Nevertheless, Lovejoy eventually decides a slim chance at a new life is better than none, a desire that intensifies after he visits sister Eaton, formerly one of Tucker's "working girls" and now a discarded, suicidal addict.

Impetuous Lovejoy manages to infiltrate Tucker's inner circle despite friction with his even more hotheaded former cellmate Carey, who is now Tuck's most trusted henchman.  While ingratiating himself to the kingpin, Lovejoy also finds time to bond with hard-shelled ex-moll Castle, who yearns for a fresh start of her own after a more graceful exit from Tuck's employ than Eaton enjoyed.  At first intrigued by Lovejoy's independent attitude, Tuck slowly becomes suspicious, with his misgivings eventually landing both Castle and Lovejoy on the mobster's hit list.

It's quite a domain that Tucker has amassed at the outset of FINGER MAN: operations in nine states spread out coast (California) to coast (New Jersey) emcompassing drug trafficking, liquor sales, nightclubs and quality prostitution.  Did I say quality?  Castle, Eaton and Green are the rejects, gents!

Castle's the "lucky" one who exited the profession gracefully, but that's a relative term.  Tuck's retirement plan is more likely to come with addiction, disfigurement, or literal termination.  Active employment isn't all that, either--being groped by creepy Carey is daily job hazard. To be fair, the customers in Tucker's nightclub seem to be having a great time, but we see plenty of reasons for the Feds to shut him down.

In the middle of a busy 1955 (six features and his first TV series, CRUNCH AND DES), Tucker made his only two noirs for Allied Artists, with this being the better known of the two thanks to a more recognizable cult cast and occasional airings on Encore Mystery some years back.  The 6' 5" actor is suitably low-key, letting his lines and stature give him all the menace he needs.  The no-frills approach only slightly contrasts Lovejoy's barely controlled rage, and the always quirky Carey has a field day filling in the blanks.  Snarling, twitching and letting his hands roam over all the ladies, right hand man Carey is noticeably relegated to an adjacent table when boss Tuck is in female company.

The screenplay for FINGER MAN includes few surprises, but all three actors are convincing, even when the dialogue isn't.   Paul Dunlap's score is a solid plus (particularly during Castle's nighttime walk), as is the consistenly unsentimental approach taken by screenwriter Douglas, who reteamed with Schuster for DRAGOON WELLS MASSACRE.

On the minus side, FINGER MAN fizzles in the final reel, with Castle and Carey removed from the action and a wiring scheme that the smart Mafioso really should not have fallen for.  There's the occasional unintentional laugh, such as Lovejoy getting Sanders' backhanded critique of his intelligence, but on the whole this is a commendably hard-edged B for its era.

Both Joi Lansing and Lisa Montell go uncredited--neither would have happened just a year later.  Lansing barely has two lines in the nightclub, but the latter has a key scene as Tuck's latest fresh face off the bus (to replace Green).   Sadly, Lansing (LOVE THAT BOB), Eaton and Castle (LAWMAN) all left us way too young: Lansing died of breast cancer at 43, and Castle fell victim to alcoholism at 45.

So....why isn't this on DVD?

Not a well-known film, came along rather late in the noir cycle, and leading man Frank Lovejoy (COLE YOUNGER, GUNFIGHTER) has become undeservedly obscure in the years since his untimely death (he was only 50 when he succumbed to heart failure in 1962).

Why it should be on DVD:

Hey, it made to VHS (on Lionsgate in 1990) and made the cable rounds on Encore in the late 1990's.

Forrest Tucker's two Allied Artists noirs (he was the lead in NIGHT FREIGHT, opposite Barbara Britton) would make a nice double feature; that film never even made it to VHS.  And as you know, the official position of the Horn Section is: if Tuck's in it, it needs to be available.

Timothy Carey was one of a kind, and this is the performance that reportedly brought him to the attention of Stanley Kubrick, who then cast him in THE KILLING and PATHS OF GLORY.  If he isn't quite as unhinged as in, say, BAYOU, he's still quite the attention grabber here.  For Carey and Castle alone there's enough value for cultists to make a DVD and/or Blu release worthwhile.