Frank Gruber wrote and produced "Twenty Plus Two", which was released in 1961.
Gruber also wrote a novel version of the film that was published the same year.
The novel was set in 1960.
The central mystery of the novel involved the disappearance of 16-year old Doris Delaney in 1938.
Wealthy young Doris vanished without a trace "twenty plus two" years ago.
If Doris is still alive she would be 38 years old in 1960.
Forty-one year old Tom Alder is an investigator who follows the case as sort of a hobby. Or is it an obsession?
Alder was an infantry captain who was severely wounded in World War II.
While Alder was recuperating from his injuries in Honolulu in 1944, he meets a prostitute who may be key to unraveling the Doris Delaney mystery.
David Janssen ("Richard Diamond") was cast as investigator Tom Alder.
Janssen was born in March 1931.
He would have been 29 in 1960. He wasn't old enough to have served in World War II.
Gruber changed the movie so that Alder was a veteran of Korea rather than WW II.
In the film Alder recuperated in Tokyo rather than Honolulu.
Doris now disappeared in 1947, not 1938. That would make Doris 29 in 1960, if she is alive.
The changes weren't really necessary.
Janssen was a mature looking guy who could have passed for older. In 1962 he convincingly played a troubled World War II veteran in an episode of "Route 66".
Jeanne Crain, Dina Merrill, Agnes Moorehead, and Brad Dexter were all close to the 1960 ages of their characters in the novel.
Frank Gruber was a veteran pulp fiction writer who wrote hundreds of western and detective stories. He even wrote for "Black Mask". At one time he was writing four novels a year. He is credited with 60 novels. Gruber was a creator of "Tales of Wells Fargo" with Dale Robertson, "Shotgun Slade" with Scott Brady, and "The Texan" with Rory Calhoun.
Maybe Dale Robertson would have made a better Tom Alder than Janssen. Robertson was 38 in 1960 and he was an officer during World War II who was wounded in action. Scott Brady or Rory Calhoun could have been intriguing as movie star Leroy Dane.
The last scene should have shown Alder reuniting Doris with her mother after 22 years. That would have given the film an ending with a real emotional punch. And you would have had to wonder whether Tom and the already married Doris stayed together.
Gruber also wrote a novel version of the film that was published the same year.
The novel was set in 1960.
The central mystery of the novel involved the disappearance of 16-year old Doris Delaney in 1938.
Wealthy young Doris vanished without a trace "twenty plus two" years ago.
If Doris is still alive she would be 38 years old in 1960.
Forty-one year old Tom Alder is an investigator who follows the case as sort of a hobby. Or is it an obsession?
Alder was an infantry captain who was severely wounded in World War II.
While Alder was recuperating from his injuries in Honolulu in 1944, he meets a prostitute who may be key to unraveling the Doris Delaney mystery.
David Janssen ("Richard Diamond") was cast as investigator Tom Alder.
Janssen was born in March 1931.
He would have been 29 in 1960. He wasn't old enough to have served in World War II.
Gruber changed the movie so that Alder was a veteran of Korea rather than WW II.
In the film Alder recuperated in Tokyo rather than Honolulu.
Doris now disappeared in 1947, not 1938. That would make Doris 29 in 1960, if she is alive.
The changes weren't really necessary.
Janssen was a mature looking guy who could have passed for older. In 1962 he convincingly played a troubled World War II veteran in an episode of "Route 66".
Jeanne Crain, Dina Merrill, Agnes Moorehead, and Brad Dexter were all close to the 1960 ages of their characters in the novel.
Frank Gruber was a veteran pulp fiction writer who wrote hundreds of western and detective stories. He even wrote for "Black Mask". At one time he was writing four novels a year. He is credited with 60 novels. Gruber was a creator of "Tales of Wells Fargo" with Dale Robertson, "Shotgun Slade" with Scott Brady, and "The Texan" with Rory Calhoun.
Maybe Dale Robertson would have made a better Tom Alder than Janssen. Robertson was 38 in 1960 and he was an officer during World War II who was wounded in action. Scott Brady or Rory Calhoun could have been intriguing as movie star Leroy Dane.
The last scene should have shown Alder reuniting Doris with her mother after 22 years. That would have given the film an ending with a real emotional punch. And you would have had to wonder whether Tom and the already married Doris stayed together.