Category: John Payne

  • Ripped From the Headlines, Part II: A Feast of Murder, Robbery and Exploitation

    Ripped From the Headlines, Part II: A Feast of Murder, Robbery and Exploitation

    Cecil Kellaway, John Garfield, Lana Turner, “The Postman Always Rings Twice” (1946). By Paul Parcellin As you’ve probably gathered by now, the 1940s and ’50s saw a bumper crop of sensational tales ready-made for the screen. It was an era when Hollywood greedily harvested stories from news tabloids’ front pages.   In the last post, we…

  • He Directed Gripping Noirs … But You May Not Recognize His Name

    He Directed Gripping Noirs … But You May Not Recognize His Name

    John Payne, Lee Van Cleef, Neville Brand, Preston Foster,  “Kansas City Confidential” (1952). By Paul Parcellin Everything seemed to come together for Phil Karlson in the 1950s. It was an era in which his talent, energy and unique sensibilities were made to order for a  public with an insatiable appetite for raw, gritty crime films.…