Return of Boston Blackie

Having made his screen debut in the 1918 Boston Blackie's Little Pal and survived an indifferent Fox version in 1923, Jack Boyle's dime-novel detective found a temporary berth in 1927 at down-market Chadwick Pictures, who cast screen newcomer Raymond Glenn in the title-role and assigned former serial queen Leah Baird to write a screenplay based on Boyle's original story. Released from prison, former jewel thief Boston Blackie undertakes the reformation of pretty Corliss Palmer, who is suspected of having stolen a valuable necklace from cabaret dancer Rosemary Cooper. As it turns out, Cooper's errant father had given the necklace to the vamp and Boston saves the day by performing one final heist: returning the gem to its owner's safe. Adding a bit of kiddie appeal, Chadwick cast veteran canine star Strongheart as Blackie's sidekick. Raymond Glenn would change his name later that year to Bob Custer and embark on a moderately successful career in B-Westerns. Boston Blackie, meanwhile, had to wait until the 1940s to enjoy his greatest success, in a regular series produced by Columbia Pictures and starring Chester Morris.