The Checkered Coat


1h 6m 1948

Brief Synopsis

Psychiatrist Dr. Michael Madden (Tom Conway) is visited by a man, Steve "Creepy" Bolin (Hurd Hatfield), wearing a weird checkered coat, and when Madden learns that Creepy is subject to death-like trances and the fear of being buried alive, Madden concludes Creepy is obviously a psychopath (at least, until a real one comes along)with possible criminal tendencies. When leaving, Creepy tells Madden he is a friend of the doctor's no-good brother Fred (Marten Lamont),while also throwing a few sinister-and-leering glances in the direction of Madden's wife Betty (Noreen Nash.) Madden wastes no time in notifying the police to pick up Creepy, evidently on a general nuisance charge of looking like Dorian Gray. But Creepy is also sneaky and eludes the police and, when next seen, he and Fred are robbing the Anson Jewelry store across the street from Dr. Madden's office and he shoots and kills both the owner (John Hamilton) and his son (Fred Browne) in the process. Dr. Madden hears the shots and rushes over but is slugged by Creepy and he and no-good Fred carry off Madden in their get-away. The police show up and immediately tab Dr. Madden as the prime suspect based, evidently, on him having an office across the street.

Film Details

Also Known As
Fall Guy
Release Date
Jul 1948
Premiere Information
Los Angeles opening: 16 Jul 1948
Production Company
Belsam Productions, Inc.; Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.
Distribution Company
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 6m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
6,018ft (7 reels)

Synopsis

In Los Angeles, psychiatrist Michael Madden is visited by patient Stephen Bolan, who walks into his office unannounced and says that Michael's brother Fred, an ex-convict, has sent him. Bolan, also known as "Creepy," tells Michael that once in a while he blanks out completely. Michael thinks Bolan is probably cataleptic and wants to hospitalize him for observation, but Bolan refuses to go. Michael tells him that one day he may have an attack which will make him appear to be dead and gives him a letter to carry with him at all times, which states that if he is found in a state resembling death, under no circumstances should an autopsy or embalming be performed before Michael is notified. When Creepy asks for some pills, Michael goes to prepare some and tries to phone a psychiatric hospital about admitting Creepy. Before Michael returns with the pills, Creepy leaves and goes across the hall to the office of a manufacturing jeweler, Marcus Anson, and "cases" it. Later, he tells Fred, who resents his brother's success, about the place and suggests they go back and rob it. After Michael's wife Betty, who is waiting at a restaurant for Michael, phones his office, Creepy phones to say that Betty has been in an accident in order to get Michael out of the building. Michael suspects that Creepy made the call, and as he leaves, sees Fred and Creepy heading toward the jeweler's door. While Michael tries to call the police, Anson and his brother Bill are shot by Creepy. Michael, gun drawn, enters the jeweler's premises and is slugged by Creepy. Creepy and Fred take him with them. Later, while police captain Dunhill is interrogating the building's caretaker, Betty phones again wondering where Michael is. Meanwhile, Creepy plants a jewel and an Anson envelope in Michael's car to incriminate him. Michael escapes from Fred and Creepy but, discovering he is under suspicion in the murders, phones Betty at the restaurant and arranges to meet her at a Mexican café. Although a police officer is following her, he does not realize that the cab she takes is being driven by Fred and that Creepy is in the back seat. At the café, Michael receives a note stating that if he wants to see his wife alive he should stay clear of the police for twenty-four hours. Michael phones Dunhill and tells him that Betty is being held prisoner by a "psycho." After Creepy takes the jewels to a fence named Skinner, he shoots Fred behind Skinner's store and takes off with Betty. Michael finds Fred but he dies before revealing where, on Main Street, Creepy may be hiding Betty. Creepy, who plans to disfigure Betty, leaves her gagged in a closet, then goes out to buy something and collapses in the street. An ambulance is summoned and an intern tells an officer that Creepy has died of a heart attack. A bum, Prince, then picks up Creepy's checkered coat with Michael's letter inside and makes off with it. At the morgue, two doctors prepare to perform an autopsy on Creepy to discover why the usual signs of a heart attack are not evident. At the same time, Michael spots Creepy's checkered coat in a bar and thinks he has found Creepy. However, he is recognized by some bar patrons after they see a television announcement about him and they chase after him. Michael then chases Prince, believing he is Creepy, and eventually catches him. After Michael finds the letter in the coat, Prince tells him that he took the coat from a dead man. As Creepy can still clear him of the Anson shootings, Michael rushes to the morgue in time to stop the autopsy. The doctors bring Creepy "back to life," and the crook tells Michael where he can find Betty. Michael and Betty reunite, and he is able to clear himself with the police.

Film Details

Also Known As
Fall Guy
Release Date
Jul 1948
Premiere Information
Los Angeles opening: 16 Jul 1948
Production Company
Belsam Productions, Inc.; Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.
Distribution Company
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 6m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
6,018ft (7 reels)

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

According to documents in the Twentieth Century-Fox Produced Scripts Collection at the UCLA Arts-Special Collections Library, Seeleg Lester and Merwin Gerard's original story May have been based on their radio play Fall Guy, which was also a working title for the film.