Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946)

Chester Gould created the Dick Tracy comic strip in 1931. Originally published through the Detroit Metro, the strip moved to the Chicago Tribune where it made the paper and Gould rich through syndication. It was only a matter of time before Dick Tracy made his debut on the silver screen.

Ralph Byrd played Dick Tracy in four 15 chapter serials between 1937 and 1941. World War II interrupted the series but it returned to the screen in 1945. The first two films were Dick Tracy (1945) and Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946) (affiliate link). Morgan Conway played Dick Tracy in these two films.

Dick Tracy fans could not get used to Conway in the role and demanded Byrd’s return. RKO was happy with Conway’s performance but reluctantly hired Byrd back for the final two films, Dick Tracy’s Dilemma (1947) and Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (1947).

Chester Gould reportedly preferred Morgan Conway. I have to agree. I thought Morgan Conway was closer to the ideal Dick Tracy than the more brawny Ralph Byrd.

In this film, Dick Tracy is tracking down a jewel thief named Cueball. Cueball murders a jewel courier aboard a ship. Cueball is aided by a couple of insiders who refuse to help him. Cueball’s overzealous actions cause an intense manhunt making the fencing of the jewels almost impossible. Cueball must fence the jewels and get out of town.

The film has a jeweler named Jules Sparkle and an antique dealer named Percival Priceless, a common Gould touch from the comic strip. The film is a compact 62 minutes.

What do you think of these films? Did you prefer Morgan Conway or Ralph Byrd? Why or why not? You can leave a comment or ask a question about this or any post on my Facebook page, Twitter profile and Google+ page.

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