# Suicide Battalion > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Suicide_Battalion > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Suicide_Battalion.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_Battalion > Source revision: 1347291450 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1958 film by Edward L. Cahn Suicide Battalion Original film poster by Albert Kallis Directed by Edward L. Cahn Written by Lou Rusoff Based on story by Rusoff Produced by Lou Rusoff executive Samuel Z. Arkoff James H. Nicholson Starring Mike Connors John Ashley Russ Bender Bing Russell Walter Maslow Robert Tetrick Cinematography Floyd Crosby Edited by Robert S. Eisen Music by Ronald Stein Production company Zuma Productions[1] Distributed by AIP (US) Anglo-Amalgamated (UK) Release date February 28, 1958 (1958-02-28) (US[1]) Running time 79 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $100,000 est.[2] ***Suicide Battalion*** is a 1958 World War II film directed by [Edward L. Cahn](/source/Edward_L._Cahn) and starring [Mike Connors](/source/Mike_Connors), [John Ashley](/source/John_Ashley_(actor)) (who made the film while on leave from the [United States Army](/source/United_States_Army)), [Russ Bender](/source/Russ_Bender), [Bing Russell](/source/Bing_Russell), [Walter Maslow](/source/Walter_Maslow) and [Robert Tetrick](/source/Robert_Tetrick). In 1968, it was remade for television by [Larry Buchanan](/source/Larry_Buchanan) as *[Hell Raiders](/source/Hell_Raiders)*, which was the film's original [working title](/source/Working_title).[1][3] [American International Pictures](/source/American_International_Pictures) originally released it as a [double feature](/source/Double_feature) with *[Jet Attack](/source/Jet_Attack)*.[4] ## Plot The story takes place during World War II in the [Philippines](/source/Philippines). A group of American soldiers are recruited for a dangerous mission to destroy an enemy base and keep strategic documents out of the reach of the invading [Imperial Japanese Army](/source/Imperial_Japanese_Army). ## Cast - [Mike Connors](/source/Mike_Connors) as Major Matt McCormack - [John Ashley](/source/John_Ashley_(actor)) as Pvt. Tommy Novello - Jewell Lain as Elizabeth Ann Mason - [Russ Bender](/source/Russ_Bender) as Sgt. Harry Donovan - [Bing Russell](/source/Bing_Russell) as Lt. Chet Hall - Scott Peters as Pvt. Wally Zagorsky - [Walter Maslow](/source/Walter_Maslow) as Pvt. Marty Green - John McNamara as Colonel Craig - Clifford Kawada as Colonel Hiosho - [Robert Tetrick](/source/Robert_Tetrick) as Pvt Bill - [Marjorie Stapp](/source/Marjorie_Stapp) as Beverly - [Jan Englund](/source/Jan_Englund) as Annette - [Isabel Cooley](/source/Isabel_Cooley) as Julie - [Hilo Hattie](/source/Hilo_Hattie) as Mama Lily - [Sammee Tong](/source/Sammee_Tong) as Papa Lily - [Art Gilmore](/source/Art_Gilmore) as Captain Hendry - [Jackie Joseph](/source/Jackie_Joseph) as Cho-Cho ## Production The film was an original story by Lou Rusoff reportedly based on the capture of [General William Dean](/source/William_F._Dean) during the [Korean War](/source/Korean_War). It was announced for production in November 1955 as *Hell Raiders*. It was to star [Lance Fuller](/source/Lance_Fuller) who had made *[Apache Woman](/source/Apache_Woman_(1955_film))* for producer Alex Gordon and had signed a ten-film deal with AIP (or ARC as it was then known), to make two films a year for five years. Filming was to begin January 1956.[5] Filming was pushed back and Fuller did not make the movie. In April 1956 AIP announced that [Richard Denning](/source/Richard_Denning) would star and that [Edward L. Cahn](/source/Edward_L._Cahn) would direct.[6] Denning ended up not appearing in the film either, which was not made until late 1957. Filming began on 12 November 1957.[7] Star John Ashley was doing a six-month stint in the army at the time. The producers got him an early release to make the movie.[8] Ashley later had a noted association with filmmaking in the Philippines.[9] ## Reception *Variety* called it "well produced".[10] "A very poor man's half-Naked half-dead," wrote the *[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)*. "The good basic idea is hopelessly messed up with tritisms."[11] Jackie Joseph called it "this B minus war movie."[12] ## See also - [List of American films of 1958](/source/List_of_American_films_of_1958) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AIF_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AIF_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-AIF_1-2) [AIF Database: *Suicide Battalion*](http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=52755) Linked 2014-06-24 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Lamont, John (1990). ["The John Ashley Filmography"](https://archive.org/stream/TrashCompactor0205Starbrite/Trash_Compactor_0205_%28Starbrite%29#page/n25/mode/1up/search/%22john+ashley%22). *Trash Compactor* (Volume 2 No. 5 ed.). p. 26. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Scheuer, Philip K. (November 28, 1955). "Drama: Betta St. John Beguiles Tarzan; Hayden Bedded; Actor Set for Five Years". *Los Angeles Times*. p. A11. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** "SUICIDE BATTALION". *Monthly Film Bulletin*. Vol. 25. 1958. p. 78. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [1305819789](https://www.proquest.com/docview/1305819789). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Scheuer, P. K. (November 28, 1955). "Drama". *Los Angeles Times*. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [166867337](https://www.proquest.com/docview/166867337). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Schallert, E. (April 11, 1956). "Drama". *Los Angeles Times*. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [166927373](https://www.proquest.com/docview/166927373). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Schallert, E. (November 6, 1957). "Unique shaw play slated". *Los Angeles Times*. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [167138746](https://www.proquest.com/docview/167138746). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Schallert, Edwin (October 23, 1957). "George Pal to Delve Into Space Again; Akim Tamiroff Aids 'Colonel'". *Los Angeles Times*. p. B11. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-vagg_9-0)** Vagg, Stephen (December 2019). ["A Hell of a Life: The Nine Lives of John Ashley"](https://diaboliquemagazine.com/the-nine-lives-of-john-ashley/url=https://diaboliquemagazine.com/the-nine-lives-of-john-ashley/). *Diabolique Magazine*.[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*] 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Suicide Battalion"](https://archive.org/details/variety210-1958-03/page/n268/mode/1up?). March 26, 1958. p. 14. {{[cite magazine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_magazine)}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#missing_periodical)) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Stinson, C. (March 20, 1958). "War films lacking realism". *Los Angeles Times*. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [167237389](https://www.proquest.com/docview/167237389). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Weaver, Tom (2004). [*Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Flashbacks: Conversations with 24 Actors, Writers, Producers and Directors from the Golden Age*](https://books.google.com/books?id=tMBYAIrVGNgC&q=%22suicide+battalion%22+1958&pg=PA350). McFarland. p. 190. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780786420704](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780786420704). ## External links - [*Suicide Battalion*](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/52755) at the *[AFI Catalog of Feature Films](/source/AFI_Catalog_of_Feature_Films)* - [*Suicide Battalion*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052257/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) - [*Suicide Battalion*](https://web.archive.org/web/1/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/91841/enwp) at the [TCM Movie Database](/source/Turner_Classic_Movies#TCMdb) (archived) - [*Suicide Battalion*](https://web.archive.org/web/20171228174121/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7746cdaa) at BFI - [*Suicide Battalion*](https://letterboxd.com/film/suicide-battalion/) at Letterbox DVD - [Review of film](https://archive.org/stream/harrisonsreports40harr#page/67/mode/1up/search/%22john+ashley%22) at Harrison Reports - [Review of film](https://archive.org/details/variety210-1958–03/page/n268?q=%22john+ashley%22+%22dot+records%22) at Variety 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) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Suicide Battalion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_Battalion) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_Battalion?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.