Running Wild (1955 film)

Running Wild
Running Wild
	Theatrical release poster; by Reynold Brown
Directed by	Abner Biberman
Screenplay by	Leo Townsend
Based on	Girl in the Cage; 1954 novel; by Ben Benson
Produced by	Howard Pine
Starring	William Campbell ; Mamie Van Doren ; Keenan Wynn ; Kathleen Case
Cinematography	Ellis W. Carter
Edited by	Edward Curtiss ; Ray Snyder
Color process	Black and white
Production; company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release dates	November 11, 1955(New York City); December 1, 1955(United States);
Running time	81 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Last updated April 26, 2025

Running Wild is a 1955 American film noir crime film directed by Abner Biberman and starring William Campbell, Mamie Van Doren, Keenan Wynn, and Kathleen Case. The film was often paired with Tarantula as part of a double feature.^[1]

Plot

Ralph Barton is a young rookie cop who goes undercover to infiltrate an auto-theft ring run by juvenile delinquents.

Cast

William Campbell as Ralph Barton
Mamie Van Doren as Irma Bean
Keenan Wynn as Ken Osanger
Kathleen Case as Leta Novak
Jan Merlin as Scotty Cluett
John Saxon as Vince Pomeroy
Walter Coy as Lieutenant Ed Newpole
Grayce Mills as Osanger's Mother (as Grace Mills)
Chris Randall Arkie Nodecker
Michael Fox as Delmar Graves
Will J. White as State Trooper
Richard Castle as Herbie
Otto Waldis as Leta's Father

Production

It was the first significant role for John Saxon, put under contract to Universal.^[2]

The film is notable for a sequence where Van Doran and others dance to a recording of "Razzle-Dazzle" by Bill Haley and His Comets. This came not long after the film Blackboard Jungle had featured "Rock Around the Clock" and actually predated films such as The Girl Can't Help It and Rock Around the Clock which were among the first rock and roll musicals.

Reception

Variety called it "okay".^[3]

References

↑ "'Guys and Dolls' Jingly Pre-Xmas; December Pretty Downbeat; 'Trap,' 'Tarantula,' 'Rebel' 3-4-5". Variety . January 11, 1956. p. 7. Retrieved August 25, 2019– via Archive.org.
↑ Vagg, Stephen (July 29, 2020). "The Top Twelve Stages of Saxon". Filmink.
↑ Review of film at Variety

External links

Running Wild at IMDb
Running Wild at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
Running Wild at the TCM Movie Database

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[1] "'Guys and Dolls' Jingly Pre-Xmas; December Pretty Downbeat; 'Trap,' 'Tarantula,' 'Rebel' 3-4-5". Variety . January 11, 1956. p. 7. Retrieved August 25, 2019– via Archive.org.

[filmink-2] Vagg, Stephen (July 29, 2020). "The Top Twelve Stages of Saxon". Filmink.

[3] Review of film at Variety

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