First Offenders
Cast & Crew
Frank Mcdonald
Walter Abel
Beverly Roberts
Iris Meredith
Johnny Downs
Diana Lewis
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Fred Gray, a teenager, is on trial for the murder of his sweetheart, Ann Blakeley. Gregory Stone, the assistant district attorney, obtains a confession from the boy which weaves a story of adolescent love and a murder-suicide pact following their parents rejection of their marriage. Stone, a believer in leniency for youthful first offenders, shows no mercy in Fred's prosecution, which results in a sentence of life in prison. Susan Kent, a newspaper reporter familiar with Stone's theories of merciful justice, is not surprised when he resigns in a bout of self-recrimination. Finding Stone in a mood of utter dejection, Susan suggests that he work with her friend, Sheriff Slavin, to establish a trade school for wayward youths. Enthusiastic about the idea, Stone raises money from a group of wealthy businessmen, who warn that they will withdraw their support at the first sign of failure. The school becomes an instant success, with Susan, her younger sister Mary, Stone and Slavin acting as faculty. Meanwhile, Fred, who has been pardoned from prison, vows revenge on Stone and goes to the school to shoot him. Stone convinces the youth to enroll as a student instead, and as the weeks pass, Fred seems to reform, although he associates with Lew Haskell, a known criminal. In reality, Fred has decided to exact his revenge by discrediting Stone, so at a school dance attended by the businessmen and their wives, Fred robs the women's purses and flees to join Haskell in a holdup. Discovering what Fred has done, Stone pursues the boy and saves him from being slain in a police trap. The robbery causes the sponsors to withdraw their support, but Fred, who has now really reformed, returns their stolen money and pleads with them to allow Stone to continue his work. Touched, the sponsors agree to let Stone carry on, and the reformed Fred goes home to a hero's welcome at the school.
Director
Frank Mcdonald
Cast
Walter Abel
Beverly Roberts
Iris Meredith
Johnny Downs
Diana Lewis
John Hamilton
Forbes Murray
Pierre Watkin
John Tyrrell
George Offerman Jr.
Robert Sterling
Warren Douglas
Donald Barry
Stanley Andrews
Michael Conroy
Eddie Laughton
Cecil Weston
James Farley
Gladden James
Walter Soderling
Ferris Taylor
Milt Kibbee
Warren Mccollum
Dick Rush
E. L. Dale
Lee Shumway
William Worthington
William Marceau
Louis Caits
Ed Randolph
Ed Featherston
Sam Ash
Cy Ring
Bob North
Royce Jewell
Tom Seidel
Ray Stewart
Gene Anderson Jr.
Crew
Louis Appleton
Bill Beckford
Cecil Bellerino
Ed Bernds
Irving Briskin
Henry Freulich
Wilbur Mcgaugh
J. Edward Slavin
M. W. Stoloff
James Sweeney
Walter Wise
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
According to a news item in Los Angeles Examiner, Rita Hayworth was originally slated for the female lead. Although the reviews and copyright records credit the role of Tony to Michael Conroy, the Call Bureau Cast Service credits Gene Anderson, Jr. with the role.
