"Escape From San Quentin" is a fast moving low budgeted little film noire about a daring escape of three prisoners from the famed prison.
Mike Gilbert (Johnny Desmond), Roy Gruber (Richard Devon) and Hap Graham (Roy Engel) have been model prisoners at San Quentin's main prison. As a result, they are transferred to a low security facility where they have greater freedom. Gilbert is a former fighter pilot and Gruber tries to get him to go in with him in stealing a plane from a nearby airfield, on the premise that he has $119k stashed with his father in Los Angeles. When he receives notice that his wife is divorcing him, Gilbert reluctantly agrees to the escape. Graham muscles his way into the break but is left behind as Gilbert and Gruber take off.
Gilbert and Gruber arrive safely in L.A. and hide out in a seedy motel. Unbeknownst to them is the fact that Hap Graham has also made it to town and is out for revenge and the $119k prize. Graham has his men stake out Curley Gruber's (Ken Christy) garage with a view to trapping Gruber when he comes for his money.
Meanwhile Mike Gilbert tries through his wife's sister Robbie (Merry Anders) to meet with his estranged wife without success. Ritchie (William Bryant) a friend of Gruber's aides the pair. Mike unwittingly draws Robbie into the foray. Then Hap Graham confronts Gruber and Gilbert and.................................................
Columbia Pictures was churning out a series of "bottom half of the double bill" little features at this time. Most were entertaining and were a good bet to be teamed up with one of the studio's 80 minute color westerns of the day, usually starring George Montgomery. Johnny Desmond was a popular singer/songwriter of the day who made a couple of movies and many TV appearances. Richard Devon was one of those "whatshisnames" who would go on to a lengthy career in both movies and TV.
Just as an aside, two of my favorite "B" movie actors, Tristram Coffin and Dennis Moore appear in one short scene as cops but have no connection to any of the other characters in the story. They're just dropped in, perhaps to lengthen the running time. Who knows?
Mike Gilbert (Johnny Desmond), Roy Gruber (Richard Devon) and Hap Graham (Roy Engel) have been model prisoners at San Quentin's main prison. As a result, they are transferred to a low security facility where they have greater freedom. Gilbert is a former fighter pilot and Gruber tries to get him to go in with him in stealing a plane from a nearby airfield, on the premise that he has $119k stashed with his father in Los Angeles. When he receives notice that his wife is divorcing him, Gilbert reluctantly agrees to the escape. Graham muscles his way into the break but is left behind as Gilbert and Gruber take off.
Gilbert and Gruber arrive safely in L.A. and hide out in a seedy motel. Unbeknownst to them is the fact that Hap Graham has also made it to town and is out for revenge and the $119k prize. Graham has his men stake out Curley Gruber's (Ken Christy) garage with a view to trapping Gruber when he comes for his money.
Meanwhile Mike Gilbert tries through his wife's sister Robbie (Merry Anders) to meet with his estranged wife without success. Ritchie (William Bryant) a friend of Gruber's aides the pair. Mike unwittingly draws Robbie into the foray. Then Hap Graham confronts Gruber and Gilbert and.................................................
Columbia Pictures was churning out a series of "bottom half of the double bill" little features at this time. Most were entertaining and were a good bet to be teamed up with one of the studio's 80 minute color westerns of the day, usually starring George Montgomery. Johnny Desmond was a popular singer/songwriter of the day who made a couple of movies and many TV appearances. Richard Devon was one of those "whatshisnames" who would go on to a lengthy career in both movies and TV.
Just as an aside, two of my favorite "B" movie actors, Tristram Coffin and Dennis Moore appear in one short scene as cops but have no connection to any of the other characters in the story. They're just dropped in, perhaps to lengthen the running time. Who knows?