# Experiment Alcatraz > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Experiment_Alcatraz > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Experiment_Alcatraz.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experiment_Alcatraz > Source revision: 1339334647 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1950 film by Edward L. Cahn Experiment Alcatraz Theatrical release poster Directed by Edward L. Cahn Screenplay by Orville H. Hampton Story by George W. George George F. Slavin Produced by Edward L. Cahn Starring John Howard Joan Dixon Walter Kingsford Robert Shayne Cinematography Jackson Rose Edited by Philip Cahn Music by Irving Gertz Production company Edward L. Cahn Productions Distributed by RKO Pictures Release date November 21, 1950 (1950-11-21) Running time 57 minutes Country United States Language English ***Experiment Alcatraz*** is a 1950 American [crime film](/source/Crime_film) directed by [Edward L. Cahn](/source/Edward_L._Cahn) and written by [Orville H. Hampton](/source/Orville_H._Hampton). The film stars [John Howard](/source/John_Howard_(American_actor)), [Joan Dixon](/source/Joan_Dixon), [Walter Kingsford](/source/Walter_Kingsford) and [Robert Shayne](/source/Robert_Shayne). It was released on November 21, 1950 by [RKO Pictures](/source/RKO_Pictures).[1][2][3] ## Plot Many [Alcatraz](/source/Alcatraz) prisoners have volunteered to ingest an experimental serum that could cure a fatal blood disease. They have been promised parole in exchange for their participation. During the experiments, notorious racketeer Barry Morgan steals nurse Joan McKenna's scissors and stabs convict Eddie Ganz to death, then escapes. The medical tests are abandoned, and the vaccine is called a failure. Joan is upset because the serum could help her brother Dick, who is afflicted with the disease. Dr. Ross Williams, who invented the medicine, and Joan attempt to understand why Morgan had reacted in a violent manner during the experiment. Ross is beaten by one of Morgan's thugs, Duke Shaw, and threatened to cease his pursuit of Morgan. The trail leads Ross and Joan to [Lake Tahoe](/source/Lake_Tahoe) and lodge owner Ethel Ganz, the dead inmate's stepdaughter, who points a gun at them. Eddie had hidden $250,000 in stolen loot that she found, and she is now married to Morgan, with whom she plotted the murder and prison breakout. Morgan and his henchmen are caught and sent to jail, and the serum is given another chance. ## Cast - [John Howard](/source/John_Howard_(American_actor)) as Dr. Ross Williams - [Joan Dixon](/source/Joan_Dixon) as Lt. Joan McKenna - [Walter Kingsford](/source/Walter_Kingsford) as Dr. J.P. Finley - Lynne Carter as Ethel Ganz - [Robert Shayne](/source/Robert_Shayne) as Barry Morgan - [Kim Spalding](/source/Kim_Spalding) as Duke Shaw - Sam Scar as Eddie Ganz - [Kenneth MacDonald](/source/Kenneth_MacDonald_(American_actor)) as Col. Harris - Dick Cogan as Dan Staley - [Frank Cady](/source/Frank_Cady) as Max Henry - [Byron Foulger](/source/Byron_Foulger) as Jim Carlton - Ralph Peters as Bartender - [Lewis Martin](/source/Lewis_Martin_(actor)) as Asst. District Attorney Walton - [Harry Lauter](/source/Harry_Lauter) as Richard "Dick" McKenna - Raymond Largay as Warden Keaton ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Experiment Alcatraz (1950) - Overview - TCM.com"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140315080012/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/74342/Experiment-Alcatraz/). *Turner Classic Movies*. Archived from [the original](https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/74342/experiment-alcatraz) on March 15, 2014. Retrieved September 21, 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Experiment Alcatraz"](https://movies.tvguide.com/experiment-alcatraz/114165). *TV Guide*. Retrieved September 21, 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Hal Erickson](/source/Hal_Erickson_(author)) (2016). ["Experiment Alcatraz (1950)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160307085446/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/90751/Experiment-Alcatraz/overview). Movies & TV Dept. *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. [Baseline](/source/Baseline_(database)) & [All Movie Guide](/source/All_Movie_Guide). Archived from [the original](https://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/90751/Experiment-Alcatraz/overview) on March 7, 2016. Retrieved September 21, 2014. ## External links - [*Experiment Alcatraz*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042442/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) v t e Films directed by Edward L. Cahn The Homicide Squad (1931) Law and Order (1932) Radio Patrol (1932) Afraid to Talk (1932) Emergency Call (1933) Laughter in Hell (1933) Death Drives Through (1935) Confidential (1935) Bad Guy (1937) Redhead (1941) The Omaha Trail (1942, uncredited) Main Street After Dark (1945) Dangerous Partners (1945) Born to Speed (1947) The Gas House Kids "in Hollywood" (1947) The Checkered Coat (1948) I Cheated the Law (1949) Prejudice (1949) The Great Plane Robbery (1950) Destination Murder (1950) Experiment Alcatraz (1950) Two-Dollar Bettor (1951) Creature with the Atom Brain (1955) Betrayed Women (1955) Silent Fear (1956) Girls in Prison (1956) The She-Creature (1956) Shake, Rattle & Rock! (1956) Runaway Daughters (1956) Flesh and the Spur (1957) Voodoo Woman (1957) Zombies of Mora Tau (1957) Dragstrip Girl (1957) Motorcycle Gang (1957) Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957) Jet Attack (1958) Suicide Battalion (1958) Curse of the Faceless Man (1958) It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958) Hong Kong Confidential (1958) The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake (1959) Guns, Girls and Gangsters (1959) Inside the Mafia (1959) Invisible Invaders (1959) Pier 5, Havana (1959) Riot in Juvenile Prison (1959) A Dog's Best Friend (1959) Vice Raid (1960) Cage of Evil (1960) Gunfighters of Abilene (1960) The Music Box Kid (1960) Noose for a Gunman (1960) Oklahoma Territory (1960) Three Came to Kill (1960) Twelve Hours to Kill (1960) The Walking Target (1960) Boy Who Caught a Crook (1961) Frontier Uprising (1961) Five Guns to Tombstone (1961) Police Dog Story (1961) Operation Bottleneck (1961) Gun Fight (1961) The Gambler Wore a Gun (1961) When the Clock Strikes (1961) You Have to Run Fast (1961) Secret of Deep Harbor (1961) Gun Street (1962) The Clown and the Kid (1962) Incident in an Alley (1962) Beauty and the Beast (1962) This 1950s crime film-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. - [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:1950s-crime-film-stub) - [t](/source/Template_talk%3A1950s-crime-film-stub) - [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:1950s-crime-film-stub) This article related to an American film of the 1950s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. - [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:1950s-US-film-stub) - [t](/source/Template_talk%3A1950s-US-film-stub) - [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:1950s-US-film-stub) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Experiment Alcatraz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experiment_Alcatraz) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experiment_Alcatraz?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.