WB "Clue Club" Mysteries

[Jack Theakston]

Around 1935, WB started releasing a series of tie-in films with Black Mask Magazine (run by editor Joseph Shaw)called the "Clue Club"-- mystery films released under the First National banner that youngsters could join a card club and win prizes by going to see the pictures.

WB announced 12 films for release and last night I watched Robert Florey's THE FLORENTINE DAGGER (1935). I was disappointed by what could have been an eerie little horror-mystery, particularly from Florey, but after watching the trailer, was wondering if any of the other WB-FN "Clue Club" series are worth tracking down.

The other titles in the series I've turned up are:

CASE OF THE LUCKY LEGS (1936, w/ William Warren)
THE MURDER OF DR. HARRIGAN (1936, w/ Ricardo Cortez)
MURDER BY AN ARISTOCRAT (1936, w/ Lyle Talbot)

What were the others?

[Harold Aherne]

Here are some additional titles described as being "Clue Club" mysteries in newspapers of the time:

The Case of the Black Cat (R. Cortez, J. Travis, J. Bryan)
--Spokane Daily Chronicle, 31 Oct. 1936

The Case of the Curious Bride (W. William, M. Lindsay, D. Woods)
--Palm Beach Post, 2 May 1935

While the Patient Slept (A. MacMahon, G. Kibbee, L. Talbot)
--LA Times, 9 Mar. 1935, said to be the second entry in the series

The White Cockatoo (J. Muir, R. Cortez)
--LA Times, 28 Jan. 1935

Looks like the CC series overlapped with the contemporaneous Perry Mason series. Was this just a generic tag applied to the films, or was it actually licensed from a group with that name? There appears to have been a series of CC books and a radio series around the same time.

-Harold

[Jack Theakston]

Thanks for the additions.

It seems to be a tie-in name, with no relation to the book series (which were not being published by Black Mask Magazine). Interesting to see that similar casts were being used for the films, though.

[FrankFay]

While the Patient Slept is a reasonably good film from one of Mignon G. Eberhardt's Nurse Keate novels. Aline MacMahon is quite appropriate as the sensible middle-aged heroine (with Guy Kibbee to spark with) and as usual in a Warner picture there's a nice supporting cast.

The Murder of Dr Harrigan is more of the same- BUT- Nurse Keate has had a decade (or more) removed from her age and has Ricardo Cortez as her love interest.

[Frederica]

I think I've seen something called a "Crime Club" movie, but I don't remember the title. Was this a similar series? Or am I getting the name of what I saw wrong?

[boblipton]

I've seen at least one 'Crime Club' movie with Ralph Bellamy as a detective. Definitely a B.

Bob

[Jack Theakston]

"Crime Club" was Universal's series from the late '30s.

[Frederica]

"Crime Club" was Universal's series from the late '30s.

Aha. Couldn't tell you which one I saw, not for the life of me.

[Ed Hulse]

It seems to be a tie-in name, with no relation to the book series (which were not being published by Black Mask Magazine). Interesting to see that similar casts were being used for the films, though.

The "Clue Club" label was strictly a Warners invention. Doubleday published the "Crime Club" books, and there was a Crime Club radio show, although it didn't have any relationship to the books.

Interestingly, the Nurse Keate stories adapted by Warners as Clue Club mysteries were originally published as Crime Club books. (The Perry Masons were originally published by Morrow.)

I can't say for certain without doing a little checking, but I think the Clue Club series did not extend to 12 entries as originally announced. In fact, I think those named above are the only releases to bear the Clue Club trademark. There were a couple Nurse Keate movies released in 1938, but I don't think they were designated Clue Club entries.

Universal released eight Crime Club movies, four each during the 1937-38 and 1938-39 seasons. Ralph Bellamy appears in none of them.

[Jack Theakston]

Good info, Ed, but there was a tie-in with Black Mask-- they were the folks that exhibitors ordered the poster paraphernalia for the Clue Club, not WB.

[boblipton]

Hmph. The title I was htinking about was BEFORE MIDNIGHT (1933).

Bob

[TARNEVERRO]

There were 8 films in Universal's Crime Club series (The Last Express appears to be lost):


THE WESTLAND CASE (1937, based on Jonathan Latimer's "Headed for a Hearse")
THE BLACK DOLL (1938, based on William Edward Hayes novel of same title)
THE LADY IN THE MORGUE (1938, based on Latimer novel of same title)
DANGER IN THE AIR (1938, based on "Xantippe" novel, "Death Catches Up with Mr. Kluck")

THE LAST EXPRESS (1938, based on Baynard Kendrick novel of same title)
THE LAST WARNING (1938, based on Latimer's "The Dead Don't Care")
MYSTERY OF THE WHITE ROOM (1939, based on James G. Edwards' "Murder in the Surgery")
THE WITNESS VANISHES (1939, based on James Ronald's "They Can't Hang Me")

[JoJo]

I just watched another "Clue Club" selection, THE CASE OF THE VELVET CLAWS - 1936, Warren Willam, Claire Dodd, a Perry Mason mystery.

[Mike Gebert]

I'm not a traditional mystery fan but While the Patient Slept had what you want from one, which is better stars with better chemistry than plot. What I don't understand is, if they were making a series of these, why didn't they just make four of them back to back with the same stars. How much risk could there be in a B series? Instead they waited a year, got different stars... seems like if there was any momentum, they killed it off as soon as it started.

[entredeuxguerres]

What I don't understand is, if they were making a series of these, why didn't they just make four of them back to back with the same stars.

I particularly hate the transmutations of Della Reese in Warren William's Perry Masons...Genevieve Tobin being far & away the best.

[Paul Penna]

I particularly hate the transmutations of Della Reese in Warren William's Perry Masons...Genevieve Tobin being far & away the best.

I would have gone with someone like Ella Fitzgerald to play Della Reese.

[Hal Erickson]

I particularly hate the transmutations of Della Reese in Warren William's Perry Masons...Genevieve Tobin being far & away the best.

I would have gone with someone like Ella Fitzgerald to play Della Reese.

Speaking of which, whatever happened to Helen Trenholme, the first "Della" in the movies? And why do so many sources credit Dorothy Tree (who played a different character in CASE OF THE HOWLING DOG) in the role of Della?