Haunted House

Wealthy Mrs. Blake is found brutally murdered, sending shock waves through her small town. Jimmy Atkins, an office boy at the local newspaper, and Mildred, the niece of the paper's editor, become amateur detectives to help Jimmy's friend, Olaf, who was falsely accused of the murder. They suspect the suspicious owner of a local gas station, Mrs. Blake's nephew, to be the real killer. When he is proven innocent, Jimmy is fired from the paper. With help from Olaf, a lucky break leads them to the eerie house where Mrs. Blake once lived. There, Mildred finds the evidence that leads to a hidden fortune and the unexpected identity of the killer.

Known in England as The Blake Murder Mystery, Haunted House is an energetic and light-hearted feature filled with surprisingly savvy dialogue from low-budget Monogram Pictures. The film spotlights young actor Jackie Moran, best known for his role as Buddy, the youthful co-pilot in Buster Crabbe's Buck Rogers serial of 1939. Moran also appeared as Huckleberry Finn in David O. Selznick's adaption of The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer, which featured Haunted House co-star Marcia Mae Jones as well. Director Robert McGowan, is best known for his film work during the late 20s and early 30s and for many "Our Gang" shorts.

• mystery