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33-697: Actor Chester Morris played the character in 14 Columbia Pictures films (1941–1949) and in a 1944 NBC radio series. Writer Jack Boyle was born in Oakland, California, and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. While working as a newspaper editor in San Francisco, he became an opium addict and was drawn into crime to support his habit. He was sent to San Quentin for writing bad checks. Later convicted of robbery in Denver, Colorado, Boyle

66-645: A German river. Morris was married twice. He first married Suzanne Kilbourne on November 8, 1926. They had two children, John Brooks and Cynthia. Kilbourne was granted an interlocutory divorce in November 1939 which was finalized on November 26, 1940. On November 30, 1940, Morris married socialite Lillian Kenton Barker at the home of actor Frank Morgan . They had a son, Kenton, born in 1944. The couple remained married until Morris's death in 1970. Kenneth MacDonald (American actor) Kenneth MacDonald (born Kenneth Dollins ; September 8, 1901 – May 5, 1972)

99-690: A member of the court martial board in The Caine Mutiny (1954), and had a bit role as Jerry Lewis 's father in The Ladies' Man (1961). MacDonald began working in television in 1949, in The Lone Ranger (episode eight; he would return to the series in episode 173, 1955). From 1951 to 1953 MacDonald was a frequent guest star, mostly as a sheriff, in the syndicated television series , The Range Rider , with Jock Mahoney and Dick Jones . He appeared six times as Colonel Parker in

132-549: A role in the 1956 science-fiction horror film The She-Creature . In 1960, he had recurring role as Detective Lieutenant Max Ritter in the CBS summer replacement series, Diagnosis: Unknown . The series lasted a year, after which Morris appeared in the NBC television film A String of Beads . In November 1960, he returned to Broadway as Senator Bob Munson in the stage adaptation of the 1959 novel Advise and Consent . Morris remained with

165-403: Is still haunted seven years later by what happened that night. Drawn back into the case, he finds that the truth of what happened that night is awash in a watery grave. A sequel to the graphic novel was published years later. Informational notes Citations Bibliography Radio shows Chester Morris John Chester Brooks Morris (February 16, 1901 – September 11, 1970)

198-529: The ABC western series Colt .45 . In 1960 MacDonald appeared as Duggan on the TV western Laramie in the episode titled "Duel at Parkinson Town.". He also appeared in a number of episodes of the TV western Bat Masterson with Gene Barry (MacDonald appeared with Dyan Cannon in "The Price of Paradise" in 1961.) MacDonald's most prolific work in television was in 32 episodes of CBS 's Perry Mason . He played

231-647: The Boris Karloff manner. Also, like Karloff, he seldom raised his voice, making his characters both dominant and dangerous. This quality made MacDonald an effective villain in Columbia's adventure serials like Mandrake the Magician , The Phantom , and Black Arrow . He was also adept at playing sympathetic roles, usually as calm authority figures (police official, prison psychiatrist, judge, etc.). Actors in Columbia's stock company almost always worked in

264-466: The 1927 play Crime , he was spotted by a talent agent and was signed to a film contract. Morris made his sound film debut in the 1929 film Alibi , for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor . He followed with roles in Woman Trap (1929), The Case of Sergeant Grischa (1930) and The Divorcee , starring Norma Shearer in 1930. Later that year, Morris was cast as one of

297-651: The Columbia Pictures films, a Boston Blackie radio series—also starring Chester Morris—aired on NBC June 23 – September 15, 1944, as a summer replacement for Amos 'n' Andy . Lesley Woods played Blackie's girlfriend Mary Wesley; Richard Lane played Inspector Farraday. Harlow Wilcox was the announcer for the 30-minute program. A new incarnation of the Boston Blackie radio series aired April 11, 1945 – October 25, 1950, starring Richard Kollmar . Maurice Tarplin played Inspector Farraday; Jan Miner

330-513: The Rackets (1938) and Five Came Back (1939). In 1941, Morris' career was revived when he was cast as criminal-turned-detective Boston Blackie . Morris appeared in a total of 14 Boston Blackie films for Columbia Pictures , beginning with Meet Boston Blackie . He reprised the role of Boston Blackie for the radio series in 1944. During World War II , Morris performed magic tricks in over 350 USO shows. He had been practicing magic since

363-450: The Runt, was always on hand to help his old friend. George E. Stone played Runt in all but the first and last films. Charles Wagenheim and Sid Tomack, respectively, substituted for Stone when he was not available. Blackie's friendly adversaries were Inspector Farraday of the police (played in all the films and the radio series by Richard Lane ) and his assistant, Sergeant Matthews. Matthews

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396-464: The actual culprit to justice, sometimes using disguises. An undercurrent of comedy runs throughout the action/detective series. In one of these films, After Midnight with Boston Blackie , the character's real name was revealed to be Horatio Black. Morris gave the Blackie character his own personal charm: he could be light and flippant or stern and dangerous, as the situation demanded. His sidekick,

429-443: The age of 12 and was considered a top amateur magician. While appearing in the Boston Blackie series, Morris continued to appear in roles in other films mostly for Pine-Thomas films for Paramount Pictures . After appearing in 1949's Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture , the final Boston Blackie film, Morris largely retired from films. During the 1950s, he focused mainly on television and theatre, returning to Broadway in 1954 in

462-437: The comedy The Fifth Season . During this time, Morris also appeared in guest spots for the anthology series Cameo Theatre , Lights Out , Tales of Tomorrow , Alcoa Premiere , Suspense , Danger , Robert Montgomery Presents , The Web , Phillip Morris Playhouse , Studio One , and Kraft Television Theatre . He briefly returned to films in 1955 with a role in the prison drama Unchained , followed by

495-482: The comedy in the Columbia shorts became even more physical under producer-director Jules White , and MacDonald obligingly got plastered with pies, fruit, and other missiles. He also returned to Columbia's serial unit, which was then filming low-budget remakes of his older serials using much of the original footage; MacDonald appeared in new scenes to match his old ones. He left the Columbia shorts department in 1955, but still appeared occasionally in feature films; he played

528-405: The early 1930s, where he played small roles in low-budget, independent productions. In 1939 Kenneth MacDonald was signed by Columbia Pictures for the studio's Charles Starrett westerns. MacDonald perfected a cool, debonair demeanor, which usually masked an evil side as a con man, outlaw, or thief. His speaking voice was rich and well modulated, often being gentle and ominous at the same time, in

561-447: The leads (with Wallace Beery and Robert Montgomery ) in the MGM prison drama The Big House . For the next two years, he worked steadily in films for United Artists and MGM and was cast opposite Jean Harlow in the 1932 comedy-drama Red-Headed Woman . By the mid- to late 1930s, Morris' popularity had begun to wane and he was cast as the lead actor in such B-movies as Smashing

594-421: The normal criteria of expensive production and famous stars." Scripter Stefan Petrucha and artist Kirk Van Wormer created the graphic novel Boston Blackie ( Moonstone Books , 2002) with a cover by Tim Seelig. A jewel heist at a costume ball goes horribly wrong, and the five-year-old son of the wealthy Greene family disappears and is presumed dead; the body is never found. The main suspect is Boston Blackie, who

627-565: The production until it closed in May 1961. In October, he reprised his role for the touring production. In the early to mid-1960s, Morris appeared in guest spots for the dramas Route 66 , The Defenders , and Dr. Kildare . In 1965, he replaced Jack Albertson in the Broadway production of The Subject Was Roses . He reprised his role in the play for the touring production in 1966. In mid-1968, Morris starred opposite Barbara Britton in

660-477: The property in 1941 with Meet Boston Blackie , a fast, 58-minute B movie starring Chester Morris . Although the running time was brief, Columbia gave the picture good production values and an imaginative director, Robert Florey . The film was successful, and a series followed. In the Columbia features, Boston Blackie is a reformed jewel thief who is always suspected when a daring crime is committed. In order to clear himself, he investigates personally and brings

693-520: The role once), and the streetwise pawnbroker Jumbo Madigan (played by Cy Kendall or Joseph Crehan ). A variety of actresses including Rochelle Hudson , Harriet Hilliard , Adele Mara and Ann Savage took turns playing various gal Friday characters. The films are highly typical of Columbia's B movies of the 1940s, with an assortment of veteran character actors (including Clarence Muse , Marvin Miller , George Lloyd , Byron Foulger ), new faces on

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726-525: The screen, Boyle edited the Red Book magazine stories into a book, Boston Blackie (1919). He revised and rearranged the order of the stories to create a cohesive narrative—a common practice at the time known in publishing as a fixup . This was the only appearance of Boston Blackie in book form, but his adventures continued to appear in periodicals. The earliest Boston Blackie film adaptations were silent, dating from 1918 to 1927. Columbia Pictures revived

759-941: The silent comedy-drama film An Amateur Orphan (1917). After appearing in several more Broadway productions in the early 1920s, Morris joined his parents, sister, and two brothers, Gordon and Adrian, on the vaudeville circuit. From 1923, they performed William Morris' original sketch called All the Horrors of Home , which premiered at the Palace Theatre , New York, then on the Keith-Orpheum circuit for two years, including Proctor's Theatre, Mount Vernon, New York, and culminating in Los Angeles in 1925. Morris returned to Broadway with roles in The Home Towners (1926) and Yellow (1927). While appearing in

792-633: The stage production of The Caine Mutiny Court Martial at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania . On September 11, 1970, Lee R. Yopp, the producer and director of Caine , was scheduled to have lunch with Morris. After Yopp could not reach Morris by phone at his motel room, he went to Morris's room, where he found the actor's body lying on the floor. The county coroner attributed Morris's death to an overdose of barbiturates . His remains were cremated and scattered over

825-554: The studio's two-reel comedy shorts as well as features and serials, but Kenneth MacDonald did not join the short-subject fraternity until 1945, when he appeared opposite comedy stars Gus Schilling and Richard Lane . He is probably best known today for his work with The Three Stooges . MacDonald developed a flair for comedy, and he made memorable appearances in comedy shorts starring The Three Stooges including Monkey Businessmen , Hold That Lion! , Crime on Their Hands , Punchy Cowpunchers , and Loose Loot . Beginning in 1953,

858-496: The touring production of Where Did We Go Wrong? . After the production wrapped, he returned to his home in Manhattan, where his health began to decline. Morris was later diagnosed with stomach cancer . Despite his declining health, Morris began work on what was his last film role, as Pop Weaver in the biographical drama The Great White Hope (1970). The film was released after his death. After filming wrapped, Morris joined

891-642: The way up ( Larry Parks , Dorothy Malone , Nina Foch , Forrest Tucker , Lloyd Bridges ) and stock-company players familiar from Columbia's features, serials, and short subjects ( Kenneth MacDonald , George McKay , Eddie Laughton , John Tyrrell ). The series was also a useful training ground for promising directors, including Edward Dmytryk , Oscar Boetticher , William Castle , and finally Seymour Friedman , who went on to work prolifically in Columbia's television department. The Boston Blackie series ran until 1949. Boston Blackie—enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend. Concurrent with

924-537: Was Mary. More than 200 half-hour episodes were transcribed and syndicated by Frederick Ziv to Mutual and other network outlets. Kent Taylor starred in the Ziv -produced half-hour TV series Boston Blackie . Syndicated in September 1951, it ran for 58 episodes, lasting until 1953, continuing in repeats over the following decade. Lois Collier appeared as Mary Wesley and Frank Orth was Inspector Farraday. The series

957-458: Was an American film actor. Born in Portland, Indiana , MacDonald made more than 220 film and television appearances between 1931 and 1972 . His name is sometimes seen as Kenneth McDonald ; his later roles sometimes credited him as Kenneth R. MacDonald . MacDonald began his career as a stage actor. In 1923 he appeared in his first feature film, Slow as Lightning . He came to Hollywood in

990-950: Was an American stage, film, television, and radio actor. He had some prestigious film roles early in his career, and received an Academy Award nomination for Alibi (1929). Morris is remembered for portraying Boston Blackie , a criminal-turned-detective, in the Boston Blackie film series of the 1940s. Chester Morris was born John Chester Brooks Morris in New York City, and was one of five children of Broadway stage actor William Morris and stage comedienne Etta Hawkins . His siblings who lived to adulthood were screenwriter-actor Gordon Morris, actor Adrian Morris , and actress Wilhelmina Morris. Another brother, Lloyd Morris, had died young. Morris dropped out of school and began his Broadway career at 15 years old opposite Lionel Barrymore in The Copperhead . He made his film debut in

1023-421: Was originally played as a hapless victim of circumstance by Walter Sande ; he was replaced by Lyle Latell , who played it dumber, and then by comedian Frank Sully , who played it even dumber. Blackie and Runt were often assisted in their endeavors by their friends: the cheerful but easily flustered millionaire Arthur Manleder (almost always played by Lloyd Corrigan ; Harry Hayden and Harrison Greene each played

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1056-619: Was serving time at the Colorado State Penitentiary when he created the character of Boston Blackie. The first four stories appeared in The American Magazine in 1914, with Boyle writing under the pen name "No. 6066". From 1917 to 1919, Boston Blackie stories appeared in The Red Book magazine, and from 1918 they were adapted for motion pictures. When Boston Blackie began to find success on

1089-497: Was set in Los Angeles; Mary and Blackie had a dog named Whitie, and comedy sometimes took precedence over crime. Television historian Tim Brooks in The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present described Boston Blackie as "a memorable B-grade television series … The term 'B' is used in all the best senses: a certain vitality and sense of humor substituted more than adequately for

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