Arthur Franz: John Wayne, "Hey Abbott", Martians and a Neanderthal Man (1947 through 1959)

Unless you're a true 1950's Science Fiction Movie Fanatic, you probably don't recognize the name Arthur Franz, but you will after reading this article.

Arthur Sofield Franz was an Army Air Force Navigator on a "B-24 Liberator" during the Second World War. His plane was shot down over Romania and he escaped from a German Prisoner of War camp. 

As actor Arthur Franz, he made his first on-screen appearance on early American television's "Kraft Theatre", June 25, 1947, in the episode entitled "I Like It Here". As with most early television shows, the cast list, he was billed fifth, remains, but not the roles they played. During the 1950's, television dramas would become Franz's main source of income.

Four months later, on October 1, 1947, the 27-year-old actor appeared in the 6th billed role of Army Air Force "Captain Lucius Jenks", in the premier of the play, "Command Decision", set during the Second World War, at the Fulton Theatre, on Broadway, in New York City. In the cast was 2nd billed James Whitmore, and the play would run through September 18, 1948. However, Franz had left before that date to make his first motion picture for "20th Century Fox", in Culver City, California.

Of course, it was about the United States Army Air Force during 1942. "Jungle Patrol" aka: "West of Tomorrow", starred "B" actress, Kristine Miller as "Jean Gillis", and her co-star was Arthur Franz as "Lieutenant 'Mace' Willard". The picture premiered, on September 24, 1948, at the national convention of the "Air Force Association", held at the "Hotel Commodore" in New York City.

In this article I will be selecting examples of Arthur Franz's film work through 1959. As with his first motion picture, not all will be Science Fiction, and I start with a short look at his appearance with "The Duke". In a picture that follows one Marine squad from boot camp to one of the most famous battles of the Second World War.

SANDS OF IWO JIMA premiered in San Francisco, California, on December 14, 1949

This was the motion picture that earned John Wayne, in the role of "Marine Sergeant John M. Stryker", his first, of three nominations for the "Academy Award for Best Actor". His second nomination came for the 1960 motion picture "The Alamo". My article, "John Wayne's 'THE ALAMO': A Fan Reflects on Seeing the Road Show Engagement", may be read at:

http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2016/12/john-waynes-alamo-fan-reflects-on.html

The picture was also the first time John Wayne and John Agar, who portrayed Marine Private First- Class Peter Conway", had met since working on director John Ford's 1948 "Fort Apache" and Agar's marriage to Shirley Temple. My article, "John Agar His Fall That Led to Science Fiction Cult Status", is available for reading at:

http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2015/03/john-agar-his-fall-that-led-to-science.html

Arthur Franz was eighth billed as "Marine Corporal Robert Dunne". He is also the narrator of the story of "Stryker's Squad", and his voice is heard throughout the motion picture. Just prior to the pictures release, Franz portrayed "Nat Parker", on the December 8, 1949, episode of televisions, "The Lone Ranger", entitled "Finders Keepers".

Of note in the squad are:

Third billed Forrest Tucker as "Marine Private First-Class Al Thomas".

Sixth billed James Brown, below on the left, as "Marine Private First-Class Charlie Bass". Brown would co-star on televisions 1954 through 1959, "The Adventures of Rin-Tin-Tin". That show is part of my article, "The Mystery of "Sky King's' Dog: Remembering the Dog Stars of 1950's Television", found at:

http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2015/05/the-mystery-of-sky-kings-dog.html

Seventh billed Richard Webb, to John Wayne's right, below, was "Marine Private First-Class 'Handsome' Dan Shipley". Webb starred as televisions "Captain Midnight", from 1954 through 1956.

Twelfth billed Richard Jaeckel was "Marine Private First-Class Frank Flynn".

Seventeenth billed Martin Milner, center below, was "Marine Private First-Class Mike McHugh". Milner would go on to co-star on televisions "Route 66" from 1960 through 1964, and, "Adam 12" from 1968 through 1975.

Above, Arthur Franz speaks to John Wayne as James Brown listens in. Below, Richard Webb and James Brown are to the right of Forrest Tucker and Arthur Franz is standing behind John Wayne. You can barely make-out Richard Jaeckel sitting by the tent pole.

In 1948, Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney, Jr. portrayed "Count Dracula" and "Lawrence Talbot" aka: "The Wolf Man" in "Universal Pictures" "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein". The powers to be at the studio decided on teaming up the duo with another of their famous monsters "The Invisible Man", but more toward comedy as they did with 1940's "The Invisible Woman". 



BUD ABBOTT AND LOU COSTELLO MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN released March 14, 1951

The motion picture was Directed by Charles Lamont, who started directing in 1923. "Universal Pictures" made him the assigned director to the comedy duo. Just before this picture, Lamont directed 
1950's "Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion". He would follow this feature with 1952's "Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd', co-starring Charles Laughton, 1953's "Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jeykll and Mr. Hyde", co-starring Boris Karloff and Craig Stevens, 1953's "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars", actually Venus, 1955's "Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Cops", and, 1955's "Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy", co-starring Marie Winsor and Michael Ansara.

My article, "Abbott and Costello Meet the Universal Studio Classic Monsters", is available for reading, if you dare, at:

http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2015/04/abbott-and-costello-meet-universal.html

Bud Abbott portrayed "Bud Alexander".
Lou Costello portrayed "Lou Francis".

 

Nancy Guild portrayed "Helen Gray". Guild started out as a contract player for "20th Century Fox" in 1946 and ended her film career, eight movies and seven television appearances, later in 1971. In 1949 she co-starred with Orson Welles and Tyrone Power in "Black Magic". 

Arthur Franz portrayed boxer "Tommy Nelson". Just prior to this feature, Arthur Franz had tenth billing in 1950's "Three Secrets" starring Eleanor Parker, Patricia Neal, and Ruth Roman.

Above, Nancy Guild and Arthur Franz.

Adele Jergens portrayed "Boots Malone". Tough "B" leading and support actress Jergens had just been seen co-starring with Randolph Scott and Raymond Massey in the 1951 Western "Sugarfoot".

Sheldon Leonard portrayed "Morgan". Tough guy Leonard would turn to producing and create, among others television programs, "The Danny Thomas Show" 1953 through 1963, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" 1961 through 1966, "The Andy Griffith Show" 1960 through 1968, and, "Gomer Pyle :USMC" 1964 through 1969.

Above, Adele Jergens and Sheldon Leonard


"Bud Alexander" and "Lou Francis" have just graduated from Detective School and their first case is boxer "Tommy Nelson", who escaped jail to prove his innocence in the murder of his manager. He asked the two detectives to accompany him to his fiancée "Helen Grey's" house. There, he tells the three he wants "Helen's" uncle, "Dr. Philip Grey", played by Gavin Muir, to inject him with the doctor's invisibility formula to enable hm to track down the real murderer.

What follows is the typical comic goings on that the audience expected from Abbott and Costello. 

Everything leads to "Morgan" and the climax is a boxing match with "Lou" as the fighter and the Invisible "Tommy" doing the hitting. In the end "Tommy" needs a transfusion to return to normal and "Lou's" blood type is perfect, but the film ends with "Lou" going invisible. A similar gag would be used in "Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", with "Lou" fist becoming a mouse-man and later, "Mr. Hyde".

FLIGHT TO MARS released November 11, 1951

This low budget picture was released by "Monogram Pictures" and produced by Walter Mirisch. Six years before joining his brothers Marvin and Harold to form the "Mirisch Corporation", leading to films such as 1960's "The Magnificent Seven", 1961's "West Side Story", and the "Pink Panther Film Series".

The story that the screenplay was based upon, "Aelita", is a Science Fiction story written in 1923 by Aleksei Tolstoy, a second-cousin of Leo Tolstoy. It had been filmed in the Soviet Union in 1924 as "Aelita, Queen of Mars".

This adaptation was written by Arthur Strawn. His writing career between 1935 and 1952, consisted of only thirteen screenplays, but his first was 1935's "The Black Room" starring Boris Karloff.

The motion picture was directed by Lesley Selander. Who started out in 1936 with "B" Westerns in the "Hopalong Cassidy Series" starring William Boyd and ended with over 145 motion pictures and  television programs in 1968. His last was "Arizona Bushwackers" starring Howard Keel, Yvonne DeCarlo and John Ireland.


Five Earthlings and Two Martians:

Marguerite Chapman portrayed "Alita". Should her name not be familiar to my reader, the following examples of her career ask why not? In 1940 Chapman was in "Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum" starring Sydney Toler, in 1941 it was the forgotten Jane Wyman Science Fiction "The Body Disappears", in 1942 she co-starred with Kane Richmond in the Cliff-Hanger, "Spy Smasher", 1943 saw Marguerite Chapman co-starring with George Sanders in "Appointment in Berlin", the same year she co-starred with Glenn Ford and Edward G. Robinson in the World War 2 war drama "Destroyer", and in 1950 it was the Western "Kansas Raiders" co-starring with Audie Murphy and Brian Donlevy.

Cameron Mitchell portrayed "Steve Abbott". After being in the 1948 motion picture version of "Command Decision" Mitchell was appearing on early television drama programs, and would follow this picture with the Western "Man in the Saddle" starring Randolph Scott, Joan Leslie, and Ellen Drew.

Above, Cameron Mitchell and Marguerite Chapman.

Arthur Franz portrayed "Dr. Jim Baker". He had just been seen in the cast of the Ezio Pinza and Janet Leigh, 1951 musical comedy, "Strictly Dishonorable". Franz would follow this film with the 1951 World War 2 feature, "Submarine Command" starring William Holden, Nancy Olsen, and William Bendix.

Above, Arthur Franz and Marguerite Chapman

Virginia Huston portrayed "Carol Stafford". Huston only appeared on-screen thirteen times, but that started with 1946's "Nocturne" co-starring with George Raft and Lynn Bari, followed by 1947's "Out of the Past" starring Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas, and, 1949's "Flamingo Road" starring Joan Crawford and Zachary Scott.

Above, Virginia Huston with Cameron Mitchell


John Litel portrayed "Dr. Lane". Litel started on-screen in 1929, and among his supporting roles are "Jean La Cour" in 1938's "Jezebel" starring Bette Davis and Henry Fonda, playing "Carson Drew" the father of "Nancy Drew" in the 1938 through 1939 movie series, and, "Dr. Francis Flegg" in 1939's "The Return of Doctor X" starring Humphrey Bogart as a man brought back to life. Litel was also "General Sherman" in the Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland's 1941 "They Died with Their Boots On".

Richard Gaines portrayed "Professor Jackson". Like Litel, whose face you would recognize but not his name, Richard Gaines was a solid supporting actor. Among his films is Cary Grant's 1940 "The Howards of Virginia" portraying "Patrick Henry", 1944's "Double Indemnity" starring Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson, 1946's "Humoresque" starring Joan Crawford and John Garland, and, Cecil B. DeMilles 1947 "Unconquered" portraying "General George Washington".

The above is the only still I could locate with Richard Gaines on the left, being spoken to by John Litel.

Morris Ankrum portrayed "General Ikron". Among Ankrum's other Science Fiction films are 1952's "Red Planet Mars" starring Peter Graves, and 1956's "Earth vs the Flying Saucers" starring Hugh Marlowe and Joan Taylor. Along with the next picture I will mention! My article, "Morris Ankrum the Face of 1950's Science Fiction/Horror Movies", can be found at:

http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2016/02/morris-ankrum-face-of-classic-1950s.html

Physicist "Dr. Lane" has organized the first flight to Mars and his selected crew includes, scientist "Professor Jackson", the engineer and designer of the space craft "Jim Barker", "Barker's" assistant "Carol Stafford", "who earned her degree in three-years", along with journalist and Korean War correspondent "Steve Abbott".

 

The space craft is launched on its mission to the Red Planet, but in a meteor storm they lose their radio antenna and now have damaged landing gear. Should they return to Earth, or continue and probably crash land on Mars?

After making a crash landing on Mars, they are met by five Martians whose leader is named "Ikron".

Note above, the Earthlings have no space suits to walk in the Martian atmosphere, but the Martians are wearing the space suits from producer George Pal's 1950 "Destination Moon".

The Martians speak perfect English, learned, according to "Ikron" from years of hearing Earth's broadcasts, but he informs the visitors that the Martian return signals were received as unintelligible.

The space explorers are taken to a vast underground city, where the Martians remove their space suits, and like the five Earth visitors need no special breathing equipment. The city's life-support system is fueled by a mineral called "Corium". 

 

Next, the space crew meets "Tillamar", played by Robert Barrat, a past council president and now trusted advisor of the current council. They're also introduced to "Terris", played by Lucille Barkley, who shows them to their quarters and how to get meals from an automated system. Amazed at the Martian technology, the space explorers ask for help repairing their ship.

"General Ikron" is all for assisting the Earth explorers, but reveals his real motivation to members of the council. Apparently, the supply of "Corium" on the planet is almost depleted and he wants "loyal to his cause" engineers to be creating plans for "Barker's" space craft while repairing the original. After a fleet of such ships are created, "Ikron" will lead a complete evacuation of Mars to take over Earth. 

Not the queen of Mars, but a leading Martian scientist, "Alita", is placed in charge of the repairs. While, "Terris" spies for "Ikron" on what the Earth explorers are doing and gives him daily reports.

Above, Arthur Franz speaks to Robert Barrat as Marguerite Chapman and Lucille Barkley listen attentively to his instructions for the repair of his space craft.

"Jim" becomes suspicious of "Terris", but he discovers an ally in "Tilamar" and another in "Alita". 

"Jim" suspecting what might happen, if they announce the ship is ready to return to Earth, fakes an explosion causing a delay on the repairs. He now informs the others to be on the ship in the morning and that "Alita" and "Tillamar" will be joining them. The others are on board and after a brief encounter with some of "Ikron's" guards, the two Martians and "Jim" get on board and blast-off to Earth.

Between "Submarine Command" and the next movie I want to speak about, Arthur Franz appeared in four motion pictures. One of these was the underrated and now forgotten 1952 "The Sniper", in which he played a deranged man with an obsession to murder women with an M1-A1 carbine.

INVADERS FROM MARS premiered in Detroit, Michigan, on April 9, 1953

The picture is a classic piece of Science Fiction, but it's also a reflection of what is known to history as "The Second Red Scare", or:

 a fear in the United States of the Communist next door!

When our Second World War ally, from late 1939 until September 3, 1945, the Soviet Union, became, once more, the enemy of Democracy and the United States of America, the "Second Red Scare" began.

A fear pushed by Wisconsin Senator Joseph Raymond McCarthy, since the day he entered the Senate on January 3, 1947, which to history became known as "McCarthyism". 

While at the same time, in the "House of Representatives", the representatives set-up the "House Committee On Un-American Activities". A feared committee that was "Blacklisting" and "Branding" members of the motion picture industry as either a Communist, or at the minimal, a Communist Fellow Traveler.

However, it was known to members of the committee, that some within the motion picture industry, like in the country, only joined the Communist Party to show their support for the ally the United States government was promoting at the time.

To prove their loyalty to the United States, and in a attempt to avoid political repercussions from the 'House Committee". The motion picture industry actually started making what were known as "Safe Motion Pictures". Dominating the first half of the 1950's were Musicals, Westerns, and especially Historical dramas and Bible based films. Because who would argue that the Bible was a Communist work, or "King Arthur and Camelot" were under the influence of Joseph Stalin?

However, there seemed to be one motion picture genre that, through subtlety, could question the actions of Congress during the "Red Scare" and address  America's fears, Science Fiction! Look at 1950's "Rocketship X-M", and both 1952's "Invasion U.S.A.", and, "The Red Planet Mars", as early examples right under the eyes of the United States Congress.

My article, "Invaders from Mars (1953), It Came from Outer Space (1953), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956): Reflections of the Second 'Red Scare", can be read at:

http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2020/08/invaders-from-mars-1953-it-came-from.html

Which brings me to the 1953 motion picture the "Invaders of Mars", but not with the emphasis or the  details of the "second Red Scare" I mention in the above linked article.

The motion picture was directed by William Cameron Menzies. Who also designed the entire "Production's" look! Between 1917 and 1956, Menzies worked in several motion picture areas. Examples of his work start as the "Art Director" on Douglas Fairbanks, 1924, "The Thief of Bagdad", "Production Designer" on 1939's "Gone with the Wind" and directing the burning of Atlanta sequence. William Cameron Menzies directed one of only two motion pictures with a screenplay written by H.G. Wells, 1936's "Things to Come", and in 1945 reshot the dream sequence, first shot by Salvador Dali, to make sense of it in director Alfred Hitchcock's "Spellbound".

Most of my readers have no idea who John Tucker Battle is, but it was Battle that came up with the actual story idea for Invaders from Mars". In total, he only worked on seven movies.

A similar total of work can be said for the screenplay writer, Richard Blake. Whose total credits were nine films, between 1936 and 1959 according to IMDb. The problem is, also according to IMDb, that Blake died in 1954, but they credit him with two original screenplays, one in 1957 and one in 1959, talk about a "Ghost Writer"!

The Six Main Roles:

Helena Carter portrayed "Dr. Pat Blake". Carter's on-screen credits only total thirteen films and "Invaders from Mars" was her last. She had just co-starred with George Montgomery in the 1952 version of James Fennimore Cooper's "The Pathfinder" and proceeded it co-starring with Rhonda Fleming and Sterling Hayden in the pirate film, "The Golden Hawk".

Arthur Franz portrayed "Dr. Stuart Kelston" and "The Narrator". Franz had just appeared in another World War 2 feature, 1952's "Eight Iron Men" co-starring with Lee Marvin. Arthur Franz would follow this picture with a Korean War motion picture, 1953's "Flight Nurse" co-starring with Joan Leslie and Forrest Tucker.

Jimmy Hunt portrayed "David MacLean". This was his thirty-third motion picture since 1947 playing a "Little Boy" in MGM's version of the building of the Atomic Bomb, "The Beginning or the End". Hunt had just been in the Joel McCrea, Barbara Hale, and Alex Nichol, 1953 Western, "The Lone Hand" and would follow this film with the Robert Mitchum, Jean Simmons, and Arthur Hunnicutt comedy, 1953's "She Couldn't Say No".

Above left to right, Arthur Franz, Jimmy Hunt, and Helena Carter.


Leif Erickson portrayed "Mr. George MacLean". Erickson, who would have the lead on televisions "The High Chaparral" from 1967 through 1971. He had just been seen in the John Wayne, Donna Reed, and Charles Coburn, 1953 comedy "Trouble Along with Way" and would follow this picture with the Yvonne De Carlo 1953 "Fort Algiers".

Hillary Brooke portrayed "Mrs. Mary MacLean". Brooke's became a semi-regular on televisions "The Abbott and Costello Show" 1952 through 1953, and, "My Little Margie" 1952 through 1955 starring Gail Storm.  Hillary Brooke was just in 1953's "The Lady Wants Mink" a comedy starring Dennis O'Keefe, Ruth Hussey, and Eve Arden, and she followed this picture with the 3-D Horror film, 1953's "The Maze" starring Richard Carlson and directed by William Cameron Menzies.

Above, Hillary Brooke and Leif Erickson.

 

Morris Ankrum portrayed "United States Army Colonel Fielding". Ankrum was cast in several Native American roles and just before this feature he was "Chief Crowfoot" in the 1953 Western "Fort Vengeance" starring James Craig, Rita Moreno, and Keith Larsen. Morris Ankrum followed this motion picture with several roles on the 1953 television series "Cowboy G-Men".

One overlooked actress:

Luz Villalobo (Luz Potter aka: Luce Potter) was a Mexican actress. Below she is seen with Billy Curtis, 1973's "High Plains Drifter", on the 1955 television show "The Great Gildersleeve". 

Below, Luce Potter, portraying "The Great Martian Intelligence".

According to Bill Warren, Volume One, of his 1982 "Keep Watching the Skies, American Science Fiction of the 50's". William Cameron Menzies planned to film "Invaders from Mars" as the first of two features in the Third-Dimension, but it wasn't followed through, budget? He did shoot the aforementioned "The Maze" in that format. This fact explains his set designs and angles used to shoot the picture.

The motion picture opens with "David MacLean" and his loving father looking through his telescope and his loving mother enters to tell the two it's past "David's" bed time.

"David" wakes-up from the sounds of a large storm and going to close the open window in his bedroom.

Through the storm, "David" sees what looks like a flying saucer landing in the sandpit area near his house. 

He goes and wakes-up his father, who listens to what might be nothing more than a boy's nightmare, but decides to go to the sandpit to investigate.

In the morning, "George" is nowhere to be seen, and "Mary" calls the police. Afterwards, "George" walks into the kitchen as "David" is eating his breakfast and "Mary" is cleaning up the dishes. However, he doesn't really say anything, is given a cup of coffee, and starts to drink it.

"David" notices a "Red X" on his fathers neck and when he starts to ask him about it, "George" slaps his son. A action that shocks "Mary", because it is so out of character with her husband toward his son. "George" pulls up his collar to attempt to cover the "Red X".

Two police officers arrive, who had been looking for "George MacLean", as they start to leave, the two mentions and "George" acknowledges "THEIR MISSION!".

Later, looking at the sandpit, "David" notices his neighbor's daughter, "Kathy Wilson", played by Janine Perreau, at the sandpit and she just disappears down into the sand. "David" goes to "Kathy's" house and speaks to her mother, "Mrs. Wilson", played by Fay Baker, talking about something happening to "Kathy", but just then "Kathy Wilson" appears at her home. On her face is a blank stare, but instead of concern for her daughter, "Mrs. Wilson" lectures "David" about making-up stories. The audience sees a chilling looking smile come across "Kathy's" face.

Wanting to get his warning out and find someone who will believe him, "David" goes to the local police station. Which may be a clue to the endin, as it appears to look like something out of nightmare and an example of what William Cameron Menzies was planning for 3-D. There he tells his fears to the officer at the desk, "Sergeant Mack Finlay", played by Walter Sande.

"Police Chief A.C. Barrows" played by Bert Freed, comes out of his office and tells "Finlay" to put "David" in a cell and he's calling his parents. The Chief returns to his office, sits down at his desk, and adjusts his shirts collar to cover the "Red X", and picks up the phone.

"Sergeant Finlay" also calls "Dr. Patricia Blake" the protection of health-department physician. She arrives before "David's" parents and goes to his cell, but before he will speak to her. "David" asks to see "Dr. Blakes's" neck and then tells his story. As strange as it sounds, she kind of believes the boy, but his parents enter the police station.

"Dr. Blake" confronts "Mary" and "George MacLean" saying she's taking "David" to the local hospital as he is very sick. "Mary" wants to interfere, but "George" stops her, reminding his wife of "The Mission", and the two leave.

"Dr. Blake" doesn't take "David Maclean" to a hospital, she was using his illness as a diversion, but the observatory to speak with "Dr. Stuart Kelston". "Kelston" hears "David's" story and doesn't react negatively, but as if its a real threat. He explains that "Kathy Wilson's" father works with "David's" on a secret project and adjusts the observatory's telescope. Through it, "Dr. Kelston" reveals to both "David" and "Dr. Blake" a rocket ship with the potential capability of interplanetary travel.

"David" is concerned for his parents, who are apparently under the control of the Martians.

As "Dr. Kelston" contacts the Pentagon, "David MacLean" realizes the flying saucer is the vanguard of a possible invasion from Mars and they are taking over American's connected with the rocket project for acts of sabotage.

The pentagon assigns "Colonel Fielding" to the defense of the rocket ship project, to destroy the flying saucer, and whomever is inside. 

"Fielding", and "Kelston" join "David" on his house's roof for a clear view of the sandpit area. Noticed by "David" is that the fence used to reach through the entire area, but is now almost gone. "Colonel Fielding's" aide, "Army Sergeant Rinaldi", played by Max Wagner, against orders, goes over to the sandpit and is taken by the Martians.

Below, events start moving at a fast pace, speaking to Morris Ankrum on the far right is "Army Captain Roth", played by Milburn Stone, two-years before he became "Doc" on televisions "Gunsmoke". Orders are given to surround the sandpit with tanks and a large contingent of troops.

"Kathy Wilson" suddenly dies from a brain hemorrhage and a device is found attached to her brain stem.

Sabotage starts on the rocket site, the two police officers are killed, "General Mayberry", played by William Forrest, and another are killed when their explosives are set off in a fire fight with army guards.

The guards open fire on "Mary" and "George MacLean's" car and it hits a wall and they burn to death. The rocket ship is safe and the army is digging into the sandpit, to enter and destroy the Martians.

"Dr. Kelston" goes to speak to "Colonel Fielding" and there are no eyes on "Dr. Blake" and "David". Suddenly, the sand they're standing upon opens up, the two fall through the hole made by the Martians, and the sand seems to reseal itself.

Standing in front of "Dr. Blake" and "David" are two Green Martians, "Dr. Blake" faints, is lifted up by one of the Martians, and they're taken into the flying saucer. 

They now meet the controlled "Sergeant Rinaldi", who explains about "The Great Martian Intelligence" in the glass sphere and that the mutants are actually synthetic creations of the Martians. 

Meanwhile, the army has broken into the Martian tunnel system, created by a heat beam from a Martian weapon, and are heading for the flying saucer as they meet minimal resistance.

"Dr. Blake" is placed upon a table to have a control device inserted into her brain stem, but just then the army breaks into the saucer and pulls her off the table.

The army had placed some timed explosive charges on the flying saucer and head into the tunnel system. "Colonel Fielding", "Dr. Blake", "David" and the soldiers reach a dead end and appear trapped, but "David" finds one of the Martian devices that can melt the rock to create an opening.

Everyone makes it to the surface, but must clear the area as the flying saucer is starting to take off for Mars with the explosive charge counting down.

"David" keeps running as the flying saucer comes out of the ground and heads for outer space and Mars. There is a loud explosion of the flying saucer, sounding like the storm at the films beginning, and "David" is back in his bed, he runs to his parent's room, he's had a terrible nightmare.

"David" returns to this bed and falls asleep, but is awakened by the storm, goes to the window, and sees the flying saucer landing.


According to Bill Warren:

The Martian heat-ray effect showing the bubbling, melting walls of the tunnels was created by shooting a large tub of boiling oatmeal from above, colored red with food coloring and lit with red lights. The cooled, bubbled-up effect on some areas of the blasted tunnel walls was created by first using inflated balloons pinned to the tunnel walls. In film tests they looked like balloons stuck to the walls, so the effects crew tried smaller inflated latex condoms. Further testing showed these looked much more convincing, and the crew wound up inflating more than 3,000 and then sticking them to portions of the tunnel set's walls; in some shots, the condoms can be seen moving slightly as the Martian mutants rush down the tunnels.

Below is the poster for the "British Lion" release of the picture in the United Kingdom.

In 1954, "British Lion" felt that the 77-minute running time was not long enough and did not like the idea of the "Dream-Nightmare" ending. They shot new footage, changed the ending, and extended the scene in the observatory. Additionally, framed pictures on the walls that were not in the original scene, appear and disappear between the two different footages. While, Arthur Franz and Helena Carter looked like they did in 1953, Jimmy Hunt didn't. He was taller, looked older, and had a different haircut in the added scenes. Hunt also wore a sweater and not a vest, and Arthur Franz's tie changes from tied to untied to tied again.

Arthur Franz next found himself with the fictional fourth billing character of "Harry Harris". In the typical 1953, McCarthy Era, Hollywood fictional musical biography, "The Eddie Cantor Story" starring Keith Brasselle. The uncredited real Cantor was an audience member in one scene.

Six television roles on five dramatic anthology series followed the motion picture and then came a story all about a can of strawberries:

THE CAINE MUTINY premiered on June 24, 1954 in New York City

Arthur Franz portrayed "Lieutenant Junior Grade H. Paynter, Jr.". 

After "The Cain Mutiny", Arthur Franz was in a picture set in a prison, as the Warden and his Wife tell three true stories. The picture was 1954's "The Steel Cage", and Franz's segment was entitled "The Face" and featured Kenneth Tobey, and George Chandler.  Next, was a 27-minute 1954 made for television story, "The County Doctor", from executive producers Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball. 

Back to the motion picture screen co-starring with Sterling Hayden and Marshall Thompson in "Battle Taxi" released in January 1955.

 

Above, Arthur Franz and Sterling Hayden in "Battle Taxi", about an ex-fighter pilot, Franz, taking to many risks saving pilots who had to ditch or were shot down in enemy territory during the Korean War. 

On the television anthology series the "Hallmark Hall of Fame", Arthur Franz portrayed the title character in 1955's "A Story About Henry Ford".

Before he was into Horror movies with gimmicks, William Castle was a contract director at "Columbia Pictures" and made the Film-Noir crime drama, "New Orleans Uncensored", released on April 30, 1955.

This is an excellent example of a low budget picture with the right script, cast, and a director rising above the material The story is about an ex-sailor joining the Long Shoremen on the docks of New Orleans and standing up against racketeer boss "Zero Saxon", played by Michael Ansara. Actually, he is working under cover with the New Orleans Police Department to bring down "Saxon".

Above and below, Arthur Franz as "Dan Corbett", and Beverly Garland as "Marie Reilly".

My article on Beverly Garland, Honor Blackman, Ann Francis, and Barbara Stanwyck, "Four Actresses Challenging TV's Stereotyped Women's Roles", can be read at:

http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2016/05/four-actresses-challenging-tvs-stereo.html

For those fans of director William Castle, my article, "A Tale of WILLIAM CASTLE the Motion Picture 'GIMMICK KING", is found at:

http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2017/10/a-tale-of-william-castle-motion-picture.html



Between 1955 and 1956, Arthur Franz made television his home with roles starting with two forgotten television series "Appointment with Adventure" and "Justice". Along with multiple roles on several major dramatic anthology series that, next to Westerns with as many as 46 in one week, dominated television. Franz was seen on "Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre", "The Whistler", "The Philco Television Playhouse", two more roles on the "Kraft Theatre", "Four Star Playhouse", "Celebrity Playhouse", "TV's Readers Digest", "Schiltz Playhouse", "Cavalcade of America", "Omnibus", and "The Ford Television Theatre".

SCIENCE FICTION THEATRE

This was a science fiction anthology series produced by Ivan Tors and Maurice Ziv, beginning on April 9, 1955 and endimg on April 6, 1957. The program was hosted by Truman Bradley.

Arthur Franz appeared in five episodes:

"Marked 'Danger", June 18 1955, a mining engineer, Franz is "Fred Strand", comes upon a container in the desert from a high altitude rocket experiment containing two mice. He brings it home to his wife, Nancy Gates as "Lois Strand", and goes to get the authorities. "Lois" opens the container and lets out a toxic gas.

"The Strange People at Pecos", October 1, 1955, Franz is "Jeff Jamison", a radar expert at a secret military base that test rockets. He becomes convinced his neighbors, who have a young daughter that cannot feel pain, are spies from Outer Space.

"Man Who Didn't Know", June 29, 1956, flying over the Pacific Ocean an experimental atomic aircraft explodes and the crew is thought dead. Six months later, a scientist and captain of the aircraft, Franz is "Mark Kender" is found in a Singapore hospital after surgery by an unknown doctor. He returns to work and the military discovers that the enemy has copies of their secret meetings. Kendler has been turned into a human transmitter.

"Brain Unlimited", September 14, 1956, a scientist Franz is "Dr. Jeff Conover", on a test flight to develop brain-acceleration technology. "Dr. Conover" experiences sudden increased brain activity, just prior to blacking-out. He decides to take two-weeks off his current project in an attempt to accelerate his brain's activity to solve the problem he faces in his current project.

"Facsimile", one source gives the date as December 21, 1956, another the date as January 5, 1957, Franz is "George Bascomb". Three members of a team developing an ultra-sensitive transistor are all stricken, on the same day, at the same moment, by serious medical conditions requiring immediate operations. The operations are performed and all three are found normal without any signs of the medical conditions they showed. At a nearby hospital there are three patients with the medical conditions thought to belong to the three team members.

HELLCATS OF THE NAVY released in May 1957

This was a typical Second World War submarine motion picture being turned out at the time. Arthur Franz had third billing as "Lieutenant Commander Don Landon" of the USS Starfish.

  

This routine movie would have gone into obscurity, if it wasn't for the first and second billed actors.

Ronald Reagan portrayed "Commander Casey Abbott".

Nancy Davis portrayed "Nurse Lieutenant Helen Blair". Technically she was "Mrs. Ronald Reagan" since March 2, 1952.

For my readers interested in the actor not the politician, and the story behind Nancy Davis almost being "Blacklisted". My article, "Ronald Reagan Motion Picture and Television Actor", will be found for your reading enjoyment at:

http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2016/03/ronald-reagan-motion-picture-and.html

BACK FROM THE DEAD released on August 12, 1957

Charles Marquis Warren was a "B" director and screenplay writer. In 1951, he wrote and directed a classic "B" Western "Little Big Horn" with Lloyd Bridges, John Ireland, Marie Windsor, Jim Davis, and Hugh O'Brien. For this feature, he was just directing and had just directed another 1957 "B" Horror film, "The Unknown Terror" starring John Howard, Marla Powers, and Paul Richards.

The screenplay was written by Catherine Turney based upon her own novel "The Other One". Turney had written the screenplays for the 1946 version of W. Somerset Maugham's "Of Human Bondage" starring Paul Henreid, Eleanor Parker, and Alexis Smith, and in 1947, "Cry Wolf" starring Errol Flynn and Barbara Stanwyck.

Peggie Castle portrayed "Mandy Hazelton Anthony". Castle had been in 1952's "Invasion U.S.A.", and had just been seen opposite Peter Graves in Bert I. Gordon's 1957 "Beginning of the End". She is part of my article, "Peggie Castle, Allison Hayes, Gloria Talbott and 1950's Science Fiction Movies", ready to be read at:

http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2015/04/peggie-castle-allison-hayes-and-gloria.html

Arthur Franz portrayed "Dick Anthony". He had just appeared in the episode, "The People vs Anne Tobin" on the 1957 television anthology series, "The George Sanders Mystery Theatre". Franz would next co-star with Cornel Wilde and his wife actress Jean Wallace in the 1957 race car story, "The Devil's Hairpin".

Marsha Hunt portrayed "Kate Hazelton". Hunt should have been an "A" List actress, but she was "Blacklisted" by the "House Committee on Un-American Activities", because she was a member of "The Committee for the First Amendment", and supported the "Hollywood Ten". 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Committee_for_the_First_Amendment

Eventually Marsha Hunt was able to return to "B" films. As of the date of this writing, Hunt is the oldest member, at 104-years of age, of the "Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences". 

Above left to right, Hunt, Franz, and Castle

Don Haggerty portrayed "John Mitchell". Haggerty had first appeared on-screen in 1947 and was a solid "B" supporting actor in several genres. In 1952 he started to supplement his film work with television.

 

Above, Don Haggerty and Marsha Hunt.


This is an excellent, but forgotten Horror entry. "Dick Anthony" and his pregnant wife, "Mandy Hazelton Anthony" are on a vacation along the California coast, and joined by "Mandy's" sister "Kate Hazelton". "Mandy" suddenly has a seizure, miscarries, and loses consciousness. 

When "Mandy" regains consciousness, she tells "Dick" and "Kate" that she is "Felicia" and calls "Dick", "Dickens". A stunned "Dick" tells "Kate" that "Felicia" was his first wife and "Dickens" her pet name for him, but that he never told "Mandy" about "Felicia", or her death six-years earlier.

"Felicia" demands to see the "Bradley's" an elderly couple and "Dick" tells "Kate" that "Mrs. Bradley" was an evil women and so was his wife, "Felicia".

This is all I want to say about the picture, and as of this writing, my reader can go to the following link to watch Peggie Castle at her best. Not the best copy, but the film is 65-years old.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&ei=UTF-8&p=videos+of+1957+movie+back+from+the+dead&type=E211US662G0#id=51&vid=0d646b44147607834586463cc90a3c73&action=click

By the title, my reader might think Arthur Franz's was stuck in Horror films about wives. However, "The Unholy Wife" is a 1957 crime Film-Noir starring the British Marilyn Monroe clone, "Diana Dors", Rod Steiger is her husband and owner of a vast vineyard and winery, Tom Tryon is her lover and conspirator in a plot to kill her husband for a fortune. Sixth billed Arthur Franz is the family priest who listens to Dors' confession in prison. The twist at the end won't be seen coming!

THE FLAME BARRIER released on April 2, 1958

Television director Paul Landres directed the motion picture. He would follow this feature with the somewhat overlooked 1958 "The Return of Dracula", with a very low keyed performance by Francis Lederer in the title role. The problem was "Hammer Films" released the "Horror of Dracula" in 1958 and the Landres, Lederer modern day setting film was ignored and classified as a Teen Horror movie.

The story and main screenplay for this Science Fiction entry was from George Worthing Yates. Yates did the same with 1954's "THEM!", and 1955's "It Came from Beneath the Sea". He also co-wrote the screenplay for 1956's "Earth vs the Flying Saucers", and rewrote Willis O'Brien's screenplay "King Kong vs Frankenstein" into what became 1962's "King Kong vs Godzilla", among other classic Science Fiction films. My article, "George Worthing Yates: From 1927's 'Lightning Lariats' to 1962's 'King Kong vs Godzilla", can be enjoyed at:

http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2021/01/george-worthing-yates-screenplays-from.html

Arthur Franz portrayed "Dave Hollister". Franz had just been seen with twelfth billing in the Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, and Dean Martin Second World War film, 1958's "The Young Lions".

Kathleen Crowley portrayed "Carol Dahlmann". Crowley co-starred with Richard Denning in 1954's "Target Earth", co-starred with Fess Parker and Jeff York in Walt Disney's 1956 "Westward Ho, the Wagons", and was appearing on television Westerns just prior to this motion picture.

Robert Brown portrayed "Matt Hollister". Between 1948 and his last on-screen appearance in 1994, Brown's roles total 31, but they include Roger Corman's 1962 "Tower of London" starring Vincent Price, "The Alternative Factor" on 1967's "Star Trek", and being the star of the one-season television series "Primius" in 1971.

Left to right, Franz, Crowley, and Brown,

American satellite X-117, with a chimpanzee inside, unexpectedly returned to Earth, having gone into the fictional "Flame Barrier", located 200 miles above the planet. The satellite has apparently crashed in the Mexican jungle and rich industrialist and amateur space program follower, "Howard Dahlmann", played by Dan Gachman, went after X-117, but disappeared in the jungle. His wife, "Carol", went to Mexico to find him, and meets the ill-tempered "Dave Hollister" and his drunken, but good-natured brother "Matt". Both are guides for tourists into the jungle, but "Matt" doesn't want anything to do with a search for "Carol's" husband. That is until, unexpectedly, she accepts his price of $7,000 1958 dollars, as of this writing equal to $70,026, for each brother if her husband is found alive, or ten-percent of the entire estate if they find him dead.

"Carol", "Dave", "Matt", arrange for porters and leave the city following a copy of "Howard Dahlmann's" map. 

As they start out, "Dave" advises "Carol" that if her husband went off the maps route, they might not find him.

In the jungle they come upon a badly burned skeleton, but "Dave" tells "Carol" it is not her husband.

They make camp and "Dave" asks a question that had been bothering him about "Carol" from the moment they first met, "Does she love her husband". Her reply is that she really doesn't know and that may be the real reason she wants to find out what happened to him and confront that question. "Dave" replies that he also had an unhappy marriage and that's how he figured "Carol" is having the same situation.

At their camp, "Dave" and "Matt" take some of the porters and go out to scout the surrounding area. They return with a badly burned native, try and treat him, but he dies according to the porters from the will of the "God of Fire". To everyone surprise, the body burst into flames, leaving a skeleton like the one they first encountered.

As they plan their next leg of the journey, it has become apparent that both "Dave" and "Carol" are attracted to each other, during the night they kiss, but in the morning some of the porters are gone.

As they move along the route on the map, the remaining porters slip away leaving "Dave", "Carol", and "Matt". The three now come upon "Howard's" camp, and find that everything is solar-powered and the chimpanzee is there, but there is no sign of "Howard Dahlmann". "Carol" is convinced that her husband is dead, but "Dave" says they must find his body to prove he is legally dead. Out of the jungle, a native appears and tells them of the nearby cave with contains the "Fire God". He will guide the three there, but the native will not enter.

Inside the cave is the X-117 surrounded by an alien blob and within the blog is the perfectly preserved head of "Howard Dahlmann".

The chimpanzee walks into the cave and disintegrates in a electronic force field around the satellite. "Dave" and "Matt" calculate the blob is doubling in size every two hours and at that rate will leave the cave and overtake them, even if they attempt to out run it. The decision is made to somehow destroy alien blob, before it can leave the cave. 

"Dave" notices that the X-117 is setting on two veins of metallic ore, one below and one above the blob, and voices the idea of connecting one of "Dalhman's" solar batteries to both ore veins. Only then, may they have a chance to electrocute the blob. The three succeed in connecting the battery to the lower vein, but there is only eight-minutes before the blob will double in size and cover the cave. "Matt" climbs to the upper vein and connects the battery, but the three have miscalculated the time and the blob starts to double. "Matt" sacrifices himself jumping into the blog with the connected wire as "Dave" electrocutes it.

The picture ends with "Dave" and "Carol" walking away hand and hand.



Back on June 19, 1953, actor Robert Shayne, "Inspector Henderson" on televisions "The Adventures of Superman", portrayed "Professor Clifford Groves", in "The Neanderthal Man". He injects himself with a serum he uses to turns cats into sabretooth tigers and becomes the title character.

Now it was Arthur Franz's turn in a variation of the story.

MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS released December 17, 1958

The director was Jack Arnold, 1953's 3-D, "It Came from Outer Space", 1954's, 3-D, "The Creature from the Black Lagoon", both, 1955's 3-D, "Revenge of the Creature", and "Tarantula", 1957's, "The Incredible Shrinking Man", and, 1958's, "The Space Children".

The screenplay was written by David Duncan, the English language version of 1956's "Rodan", both 1957's, "The Monster That Challenged the World", and, "The Black Scorpion", seven episodes of the 1959 television series "Men Into Space", and in 1960, George Pal's version of H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine".


Arthur Franz portrayed "Professor Donald Blake". Franz had appeared on the 1958 television programs "Target", "The Silent Service", and "The Millionaire" prior to the release of " Monster on the Campus". He would follow this picture with appearances on the 1959 television series "Men Into Space" and six episodes of the television series "World of Giants".

Joanna Moore portrayed "Madeline Howard". Moore had fifth billing in the Audie Murphy "B" Western, 1958's "Ride a Crooked Trail", and followed this picture with roles of television programs.

Troy Donahue portrayed "Jimmy Flanders". The unknown Donahue was appearing on television shows, but in 1959 he had seventeenth billing in 1959's "Imitation of Life" starring Lana Turner, John Gavin, and Sandra Dee. However, thar was a very minor role and he was back to television appearances until his next motion picture, 1959's "A Summer Place", starring Richard Egan, Dorothy McGurie, and Sandra Dee. This time sixth billed Donahue was paired with Dee and his career as a teen heartthrob began.

Above, Donahue with Nancy Walters as his girlfriend "Sylvia Lockwood".


Science Professor "Dr. Donald Blake", at Dunsford University, receives a coelacanth, they still are found as of this writing, and confirms  to "Jimmy Flanders" that the species is millions of years old without evolutionary change.

"Dr. Blake" lectures his students that man is the only creature that can decide to go forward, or backward and that:

unless we learn to control the instincts, we've inherited from our ape-like ancestors, the race is doomed.

After his class is finished, "Dr. Blake" is putting the coelacanth away and scratches himself on its teeth, accidently sticking his bleeding hand into the water containing the fish. "Molly Riordan", played by Helen Westcott the classic Gregory Peck 1950 Western "The Gunfighter", the assistant to "Dr. Cole Oliver", played by Whit Bissell 1954's "The Creature from the Black Lagoon" and 1957's "I Was a Teenage Werewolf", offers "Dr. Blake" a ride home.

 

As they get into "Molly's" car, "Dr. Blake" feels ill and passes out. "Dr. Blake's" fiancée, "Madeline Howard" and her father, "Dr. Gilbert Howard", played by Alexander Lockwood, arrive at "Dr, Blake's" to speak to him, but find the body of "Molly" hanging in a tree, "Blake" is on the ground moaning, and the inside of the house is in shambles. The two call the police and "Detective Lieutenant Mike Stevens", played by Judson Pratt, and "Detective Sergeant Eddie Daniels", played by Ross Elliott, arrive on the scene.

The detectives find a deformed hand print on a window and "Dr. Blake's" tie clip in "Molly's" hand, but the doctor cannot remember anything after entering her car. The two detectives take "Dr. Blake" downtown to the police station to continue questioning him.

"Lieutenant Stevens" concludes that someone is attempting to implicate "Dr. Blake" in "Molly's" murder and must hold a grudge against the doctor. However, he is assigning "Daniels" as "Blake's" bodyguard and informed him that the autopsy indicated "Molly" died from fright.

Back in his lab, "Dr. Blake" shoos away a small dragonfly that had landed upon the coelacanth.

"Jimmy Flanders", "Dr. Blake's" student lab assistant has arrived and the two hear a high-pitched sound and are attacked by a prehistoric dragonfly.

The two first attempt to capture the dragonfly with a net, but when it lands upon the coelacanth, "Blake" stabs it with a knife. "Jimmy" leaves and while examining the body "Dr. Blake" fails to notice that the dragonfly's blood has dripped into his pipe. Lighting up his pipe, the doctor feels ill again, and as the dragonfly shrinks back to its normal size, a huge hairy hand smashes it. "Jimmy's" girlfriend, "Sylvia Lockwood" is killed outside the lab and the police find huge footprints and conclude they're from "Molly's" murderer.

However, "Dr. Blake" now learns that the coelacanth was exposed to gamma rays to preserve its blood plasma and speculates that's why the dragonfly grew. Even more, "Blake" now speculates that somehow, he was turned into a Neanderthal man for a short period by the blood. He takes two-weeks leave and goes to the "Howard's" cabin with some of the coelacanth blood to run some tests upon himself, sets up a camera, and injects himself with the blood.

The Neanderthal now grabs an axe and leaves the cabin as "Madeline" is on the road heading for it. She is run off the road by the fright of the Neanderthal in her car's headlights. A local forest ranger, played by Richard H. Cutting, arrives and sees the Neanderthal carrying off an unconscious "Madeline" and calls the Dunsford police for help, as he purses the two.

 "Madeline" wakes up and starts to struggle with the Neanderthal, she breaks free, and the forest ranger shoots at it, but is killed by the thrown axe. 

The Neanderthal collapses and transforms back into "Dr. Blake". "Blake" returns to the cabin and finds "Madeline", develops a photograph he took, and hands it to "Madeline". The photo is his answer to her question as to why the Neanderthal was wearing his clothing.

"Detective Lieutenant Stevens" and now, "Detective Sergeant Powell", played by Phil Harvey, arrive with "Madeline's" father at the cabin/ "Dr. Blake" says he knows where to find the murderer and will lead the three there, but as they walk. "Dr. Blake" explains to "Dr. Howard" what has been happening, injects himself, goes into the forest, turning into the Neanderthal. The Neanderthal man starts to chase "Dr. Howard", but is killed by the two detectives.

I now come to the final on-screen appearance of actor Arthur Franz I want to speak about in this article.



THE ATOMIC SUBMARINE released on November 29, 1959

The motion picture was produced by the interesting Alex Gordon. As a screenplay writer Gordon co-wrote both Ed Woods, Jr's, 1954 "Jail Bait" with fourth billed Steve Reeves, and, 1955's "Bride of the Monster" with Bela Lugosi. As a producer Gordon's work prior to this feature included Roger Corman's 1955 "Day the World Ended", 1956's "The She-Creature" and 1957's "Voodoo Woman".

The screenplay was by Spencer Gordon Bennet. Bennet would write, or co-write 123 screenplays starting in 1921. These included a large amount of "B" Westerns and he co-wrote Cliff-Hangers such as 1944's "Zorro's Black Whip", 1945's "The Purple Monster Strikes", the first appearance of "Superman" in 1948, 1949's "Batman and Robin", and 1951's "Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere".

Arthur Franz portrayed "Navy Lieutenant Commander Richard 'Reef' Holloway". After this feature, Franz, returned to appearing on television programs, beginning with a January 23, 1960 episode of "Wanted Dead or Alive", entitled, "Most Beautiful Woman".

Dick Foran portrayed "Navy Commander Dan Wendover". To fans of "Universal Pictures" classic Horror, Foran portrayed "Steve Banning" in 1940's "The Mummy's Hand" with "B" Cowboy actor Tom Tyler as the original "Kharis", and repeated the role in 1942's "The Mummy's Hand" with Lon Chaney, Jr. portraying "Kharis".

Brett Halsey portrayed "Dr. Carl Neilson, Jr.". Halsey portrayed the adult "Phillipe Delambre" in 1959's "Return of the Fly" co-starring Vincent Price. Most people know about the original 1958 "The Fly", but are unaware of Halsey's sequel and that there was a third film. My article, "THE FLY: The 1958, 1959, 1965 Original Trilogy of Science Fiction/Horror" can be read at:

http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2021/12/the-fly-1958-19591965-original-trilogy.html

Tom Conway portrayed "Sir Ian Hunt". Conway co-starred in producer Val Lewton's 1942's "The Cat People", 1943's "I Walked with a Zombie", and the possible prequel to "The Cat People", 1943's "The 7th Victim". He took over from George Sanders as "The Falcon" in 1942's "The Falcon's Brother", which was an appropriate title, because Conway was Sander's brother using their real last name.

Above left to right, Tom Conway, Arthur Franz, Brett Halsey, and Dick Foran.

Bob Steele portrayed "Chief Petty Officer 'Griff' Griffin". The popular 1930's and 1940's "B" Cowboy, was still going strong in 1959 on television Westerns and his final, 244th, role was in 1974.

The story starts with the loss of an American atomic submarine near the North Pole and then merchant and passenger ships are being destroyed near the pole. All shipping in that area is stopped and the Pentagon calls an emergency meeting and the decision is to send the atomic submarine "Tigershark" on a United Nations mission to discover what the cause is and stop it.

Tension on the "Tigershark" exists between "Commander Holloway" and "Dr. Neilson", the inventor of the deep dive vehicle the "Lungfish", because "Neilson" unlike his father that "Holloway" knew is a pacificist. 

Also, on the "Tigershark" is Noble Prize-winning scientist "Ian Hunt".

Near the North Pole the "Tigershark" encounters what appears to be an underwater "Unidentified Flying Object" that the crew name "Cyclops", because of its single lighted window.

Two torpedoes are fired at the UFO, but some jelly-like substance comes out and stops them from impacting. "Commander Wendover" orders the "Tigershark" to ram the UFO and the bow becomes stuck in the saucer and the "Lungfish" is ordered to approach and find a way into "Cyclops".

"Dr. Neilson" will remain on the "Lungfish" should a quick escape be required and "Lieutenant Commander Holloway" will lead a party into the UFO to free the "Tigershark".

"Holloway's" team goes to work and he decides to explore "Cyclops".

As "Holloway" moves through "Cyclops", the alien "Cyclops" strikes out at his team.

Hearing that "Cyclops" is the vanguard of a space invasion, "Lieutenant Commander 'Reef' Holloway" shoots the alien in the eye with a flare gun, but watches as the eye starts to heal itself as is the living UFO.

"Holloway" makes it back to the "Lungfish" alone, answers "Dr. Neilson's" question about the others as the "Fortunes of War", and the two head back to the "Tigershark". As the now healed UFO starts to move upwards in the Arctic Ocean to leave Earth, a missile is prepared to intercept it in flight.

The missile is fired and a direct hit destroys "Cyclops".

In the end "Holloway" and "Neilson" have come to respect each other's points of view as friends.

Arthur Franz would continue with mostly television roles until 1982, but that's another story for another day.