Henry Aldrich, Editor (1942) DVD-R

Starring Jimmy Lydon, Charles Smith, John Litel, Olive Blakeney, Rita Quigley
Directed by Hugh Bennett

Print: black/white
Runtime: 72 min.
Genre: comedy
Print Quality: B

Regarded by many aficionados as the best of the "Henry Aldrich" series, Henry Aldrich,
Editor is a master blend of laughs and suspense. Appointed editor of his high school
newspaper, hapless Henry (James Lydon) becomes intrigued by a series of mysterious
fires. A mild, timid little fellow named Nero Smith (Francis Pierlot) shows up to tip off Henry
as to the time and place of the next conflagration. Never suspecting that Nero is the
pyromaniac who's been setting the blazes (the man's first name should have given it away
from the get-go), Henry prints the story-and is immediately accused of being the firebug
himself! The climax finds our hero trapped with his pal Dizzy (Charles Smith), his girl friend
Martha (Rita Quigley) and the ubiquitous Nero Smith in the middle of a burning building-and it
sure looks like he's not going to be able to extricate himself from his dilemma this time.