Super Sleuth

Jack Oakie stars as Bill Martin, an egotistical actor who gets carried away with a role and tries to solve real-life crimes in this comedy-mystery. The always delightful Ann Sothern plays studio publicist Mary Strand, who gently assists the amateur sleuth while smoothing over his missteps, especially with the increasingly aggravated Police Lt. Garrison (Edgar Kennedy in masterful slow-burn mode). When a maniacal writer of poison-pen letters targets Martin for a recent subpar movie performance, murder visits the set, and Martin seeks the sage counsel of criminologist Professor Herman (Eduardo Ciannelli). The professor's advice may just lead Martin into a chamber of horrors -- unless Garrison and Mary can solve the case in time! This fun mix of mirth and murder has the added bonus of an inside look at the RKO lot in its heyday.