Kraft Suspense Theatre One Tiger to a Hill (1963–1965) Online

– One Tiger to a Hill – 1964 An episode of the 1963-65 series, Kraft Suspense Theatre.

There is a string of high-end jewelry thefts happening involving wealthy homeowners. The clues all point to Barry Nelson, a well-known (to the police) second story man. The only problem is that Nelson has a great alibi for all the break-ins.

The Detective in charge, James Gregory, assigns his best man, Warren Stevens to watch Nelson. And watch him he does. Stevens follows Nelson everywhere. To the store, to the bar, he even follows Nelson to his girl, Diane McBain's apartment. This starts to wear a bit thin with Nelson who complains to Gregory about the coverage.

Another break-in happens while Nelson is being tailed. The burglar is caught in the act by the homeowner. Police are called. The boys in blue just happen to parked on the corner and are there instantly. The burglar pulls a piece and wounds the one officer making good his escape. Detective Gregory pulls Stevens off Nelson and puts him on the new suspect.

The "new" suspect is Peter Brown. Brown is an apprentice of Nelson. Nelson knew that the Police would look at him every time there was a job. So he trained Brown to taker over the heavy lifting end of the business. Nelson would establish an alibi while Brown did the job. He would use Nelson's m.o. and leave clues pointing to Nelson. Nelson of course would be in a bar etc with a room of witnesses at the time the robberies happened.

They would then split the take. Brown however has tired of his end of the split. He wants to branch out into bigger jobs and keep Nelson's end as well.

Nelson might be a thief, but he has never hurt anyone during a robbery. Time to end the arrangement and put Brown in his place. Nelson tracks Brown that night as he heads out on a job. And who should be following both of them, Detective Gregory.

Having reached the site of tonight's job. Brown prepares to break in. Nelson jumps him and the two engage in a spirited round of flying fists. Nelson comes out the loser of the bout and goes down for the count. Brown laughs, and then pulls out his revolver and aims at Nelson. A flash of light and a gunshot splits the night. Brown crumples to the ground as Detective Gregory steps up.

This is a pretty good episode of a rather unseen series.

The director here is Jack Arnold. Before landing in television, Arnold made several films during the 50's. These include, GIRLS IN THE NIGHT, THE GLASS WEB, OUTSIDE THE LAW, THE TATTERED DRESS and MAN IN THE SHADOW. He also directed several of the very best 50's Sci-Fi films such as, THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE, TARANTULA and THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN. (colour)

Barry Nelson stars as an expert cat burglar, very good in his art. But, for avoiding going in jail for the third time, he teaches a younger man (Peter Brown) all the tricks so that the assistant can commit robberies while he has an alibi. But the apprentice burglar thinks that he can do all by himself... so avoiding the competition. Meanwhile James Gregory and Warren Stevens (as two cops) investigate but Gregory thinks that they'll never catch Colin, because he is an old fox!

The acting is great, and that's why I scored this a 8. My problem is that the plot was very tangled and too rushed in some points... too rushed.

I have to point out that the director of the episode is Jack Arnold, that directed 1950s' classics like ''Creature of the Black Lagoon'', ''Revenge of the Creature'' and ''Bullet with no Name''. It's a worth seeing episode!

Colin Neal (Barry Nelson) has been sent to prison twice. He's a career cat burglar...a sophisticated one who is very good at his craft. However, to throw the cops off his trail, he's decided to teach another man all his trademarks so that the assistant can commit robberies when Colin has an air-tight alibi. The problem with this plan is that it works too well and the young guy decides that he can go into business for himself...and that means eliminating the competition!

At the same time, two cops (James Gregory and Warren Stevens) are on the case and the younger cop (Stevens) is determined to capture Colin...whereas his older and more experienced partner in this (Gregory) thinks there's more to the case and they'll never capture Colin, as he's too smart.

This was an enjoyable show with some nice acting. My only gripe is that the ending was a bit too difficult to believe...way too difficult.

Barry Nelson plays a suave jewel their who is breaking in an apprentice (Brown). Unfortunately, the apprentice decides to go into business for himself and eliminate his boss one way or the other. The two begin to play a deadly cat and mouse game, and caught in the middle of their struggle is the master thief's longtime girlfriend (McBain) whom the apprentice not surprisingly covets. Two detectives (Gregory and Stevens) are watching the master thief very carefully, although the older cop suspects early on someone else is involved with some of the thefts, especially after a cop gets shot. The detective knows the master thief never carries a gun. Some good moments, and a delightful twist ending.

****SPOILERS**** Wanting to go out on his own in the second story or cat bugler business apprentice bugler Chris Forrester, Peter Brown, plans to take over his teacher Colin Neal, Barry Nelson's, job as the "One Tiger to a Hill" or neighborhood in the bugler business as well as his girl Diana Weston, Diane McBain,at the same time. The flat footed and not too bright Forrester plans to frame his boss & teacher Coiln Neal by pulling off a number of second story jobs making it look like he did it.

This hair brain plan on Forrester's part backfires when he tries to burglarize an apartment where he's caught red handed with his hand in the cookie jar, or jewelry box, and makes his getaway empty handed. During his escape he shoots and wounds a pursuing police officer putting the rap of attempted murder on his head as well as breaking and entering. It becomes obvious to the cop in charge of the case Let. Wade, James Gregory, that Neal who never carries a gun and uses non violence, as well as always as an alibi, didn't do it. As for Neal he knows who did and plans to give the police, under the table, all the information they need to trap and catch his former student, in the art of crime, Chris Forrester.

****SPOILERS**** Going partners with Let. Wade Neal has Forrester set up when he pulls his latest heist and is quickly, after slugging it out with him, gotten into police custody just before he was about to plug Neal. Neal now a changed man and planning to both marry Diana and get an honest job, as an insurance salesman,shows his gratitude for all that Let. Wade did for him, by not having him busted , that he returns in the US mail the $400,000.00 worth of jewelry he, or Forrester, stole from Mrs. Alicla Wainwright, Linda Burton, that initially brought Let. Wade in on the case.