The Great Salvos
An Incorporated Television Corporation (ITC) Production
Distributed by: Television Programs of America, Inc.
Sound facilities: Ryder Sound Services, Inc.
Running Time: 26 minutes
“Filmed in Hollywood”
Production Code: 405
First aired: 1957
Executive Producer: Leon Fromkess
Producer: Rudolph Flothow
Director: Jack Gage
Assistant Director: Ivan Volkman
Story: Barry Shipman
Story Editor: Jerry Sackheim
Director of Photography: Stuart Thompson
Film Coordinator: Alex Horwitz
Film Editor: Aaron Stell
Sound: Philip Mitchell
Script Supervisor: Bobbie Sierks
Set Decorator: Herman N. Shoenbrun
Makeup: Don Cash
Wardrobe: Einar Bourman
CAST:
J. Carrol Naish: Charlie Chan
James Hong: Barry Chan
Maria Palmer: Reeno Salvo [Salvonic]
Hans Conried: Carlo Salvo [Salvonic]
Grandon Rhodes: Douglas Fenton
Gertrude Michael: Joyce Fenton
Ralph Moody: Dr. Kruger
Damian O’Flynn: Lt. Delaney
William Tregoe: Dick Rand
Pat Colby: Agent
LOCATION: Washington, District of Columbia (Title reads: “Washington D.C.”)
PROBABLE DATE: Early 1957
DURATION: Two days
SUMMARY:
Douglas Fenton is attacked in his home and plans for a secret jet engine – Project 5 – are stolen. At Lt. Delaney’s office, Fenton is questioned and cautioned about frequenting Dick Rand’s club which is a known center for espionage in Washington. It turns out that Fenton is throwing a going away party for Charlie Chan, an old friend of Delany’s. That night, at Rand’s club, Fenton and his wife, Joyce, are entertaining Chan and Number One Son, Barry, who are scheduled to fly to Madrid later that night. The act that they are there to see is a European brother and sister mentalist act known as the Great Salvos. Tested by Barry, Reena Salvo, working with her brother, Carlo, reveals an intimate knowledge of Chan, including the mental reading of an inscription on the back of his pocket watch. Later, Dr. Kruger, who found Fenton unconscious the night before, arrives to join the party. A suspicious Barry Chan feigns a headache, requesting – and palming – one of the fills that the doctor had given to Mrs. Fenton. Chan receives a phone call from Lt. Delaney, which is listened to by Rand on another line. Delaney requests that Chan delay his departure and meet with him the next morning.
Returning to his hotel room, Chan is attacked. Barry arrives in time to chase away the attacker. Later that night, Reena Salvo calls Chan and requests a meeting at a nearby park. Reena states that her brother is in great danger. Suddenly, a masked man robs Reena at gunpoint, searching Chan, but takes nothing. During the robbery, Chan notices a familiar ring worn by the thief. Chan tells Reena that he knows that the thief was Carlo. Questioning her, Chan finds that Carlo and Reena are from Hungary and that their parents are still there. The Salvos are being blackmailed in order to assure the safety of their parents. Chan surmises that during the performance that night, Carlo had placed microfilm into his pocket watch which would have been retrieved later by a contact in Madrid. The next morning at Dealany’s office, Chan hatches a plan to unmask the mastermind of the espionage plot.
CONCLUSION:
At Dick Rand’s club that evening, the Fentons and Dr. Kruger are all perplexed as to who it was that had arranged their meeting at the club. An arriving Barry announces that it was his father’s idea as he wished to reciprocate for the kindness shown him the previous evening. Barry finds that he has accidentally brought along his father’s watch, which he lays on the table. Suddenly, as Chan observes from backstage, the lights fade to black. In a few moments, the lights are turned on again. Chan then joins the group, as Barry notes that the watch is now missing. The Salvos now begin their performance, and Chan hands a note to Carlo who is asked to be mentally read by Reena. As she recites the contents, is revealed that the Salvos parents are safe and sound in Austria. Chan then requests that Reena reveal the location of the missing watch, which turns out to be inside Mrs. Fenton’s handbag. Chan then discloses that it is she who is the head of the espionage ring.
OF NOTE:
Dupont Circle Park – This park is situated within a traffic circle in the “Old City” of Washington, D.C. that is located at the convergence of Massachusetts Avenue NW, Connecticut Avenue NW, New Hampshire Avenue NW, P Street NW, and 19th Street NW.
CHARLIE CHAN’S APHORISMS:
The inscription from Charlie Chan’s pocket watch as mentally read by Reena Salvo: “The patient man accomplishes much. For the impatient man, there is never time enough.”
As obvious as bull trying to remove teacup from china shop.
When the door to one’s mind is left unlocked, strangers bearing rich gifts are often visitors.
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