The Shadow Fan

Plot Summary for International Crime (1938):

Lamont Cranston, amatuer criminologist and detective, with a daily radio program, sponsored by the Daily Classic newspaper, has developed a friendly feud that sometimes passes the friendly stage with Police Commissioner Weston (Thomas Jackson.) He complains to his managing editor, Edward Heath (Oscar O'Shea), over the problems that have developed in his department since Phoebe Lane (Astrid Allwyn) has been hired as his assistant. He is advised to forget it since she is the publisher's niece. During his broadcast about Honest John (William Pawley), a famous safe cracker who has served his time, Phoebe gives him a note that the Metropolitan Theatre is to be robbed at eight o'clock and she is so insistent that he adds it as his closing note. Off the air, he learns she got the information from a man she met in a cafe who had an honest face. Cranston goes to the theatre where Weston and his men have gathered and, of course, nothing happens but, across town, a safe is blown at the home of international banker Gerald Morton and the banker is killed.Cranston arrives there ahead of the police and discovers enough evidence to show him that it wasn't just a simple robbery with the banker accidently killed. The irate Weston has him jailed as a material witness, but Phoebe comes through with a habeas corpus in time for him to make his broadcast. Honest John crashes into the studio with a gun and demands that Cranston exonerates him over the air from the police suspicion that he committed the robbery. Weston rushes to the studio but Honest John has escaped. Cranston takes Phoebe on a tour of night clubs hoping she will spot the man who gave her the robbery message. She does and Cranston poses as a new arrival from Europe and learns that the man is Flotow (William von Brincken) and his companion is Starkov (Tennen Holtz.) They make a date for lunch the next day. While they are waiting for him to join them for lunch, Cranston breaks into Flathow's apartment where he meets Phoebe who also has had the same idea. A phone call is answered and Morton's butler (Paul Panzer) says there is a meeting at the Morton home that afternoon.

Summary written by Les Adams {longhorn@abilene.com}

Cast and Crew:

Directed by
Charles Lamont

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Walter B. Gibson story The Fox Hound (as Maxwell Grant)
John W. Krafft additional dialogue
Jack Natteford

Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification
Rod La Rocque .... Lamont Cranston
Astrid Allwyn .... Phoebe Lane
Thomas E. Jackson .... Commissioner Lane (as Thomas Jackson)
Oscar O'Shea .... Editor Heath
Wilhelm von Brincken .... Flotow (as William von Brincken)
William Pawley .... Honest John
Walter Bonn .... Stefan
Peter Potter (I) .... Burke (as William Moore)
Lou Hearn .... Moe Shrevnitz
Tenen Holtz .... Starkhov
John St. Polis .... Roger Morton
Lloyd Whitlock .... Attorney
Jack Baxley .... Inspector Matthews
Paul Panzer .... Morton's Butler
rest of cast listed alphabetically
Harry Semels .... (uncredited)
Will Stanton (I) .... (uncredited)

Produced by
Arthur Alexander (I) .... producer
Max Alexander (I) .... producer

Cinematography by
Marcel Le Picard

Film Editing by
Charles Henkel Jr.

Art Direction by
Ralph Berger

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Henry Spitz .... assistant director

Sound Department
Glenn Rominger .... sound

Other crew
Edward Kilenyi .... musical director

Runtime: 62 min
Country: USA
Language: English
Color: Black and White
Sound Mix: Mono
Release Date: USA 22 April 1938 (premiere)

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