The Phenix City Story

TCM's Alicia Malone introduces The Phenix City Story, 1955.

Ben Mankiewicz introduces The Phenix City Story, 1955.

Genuine newsman Clete Roberts introduces himself and local reporter Ed Strickland on old-fashioned 16mm film in the first part of the prologue to director Phil Karlson's The Phenix City Story, 1955.

Hostess and informant Ellie (Kathryn Grant), still working for crime boss Tanner (Edward Andrews) calls lawyer Paterson (John McIntire), newly nominated as Alabama Attorney General, with his son (Richard Kiley), observed by casino runner Cassie (Jean Carson), trouble brewing, in The Phenix City Story, 1955.

Big spoiler here, as Paterson (Richard Kiley) and Zeke (James Edwards) who both had family members murdered, have failed to stop the thugs killing their informant Ellie, and clash over how to deal with the now-exposed local vice boss Tanner (Edward Andrews), in Phil Karlson’s fact-based The Phenix City Story, 1955.

Richard Kiley narrates in the voice of his not-yet-introduced character, framing the story with factual content in director Phil Karlson's The Phenix City Story 1955.

Pinup girl and later soap opera actress Meg Myles (as "Judy") is plenty plausible as a draw for the patrons of the "Poppy Club," (who came largely from Fort Benning, in Georgia) performing "Phenix City Blues" by Harold Spina in director Phil Karlson's The Phenix City Story, 1955.

Happy Alabama crime boss Tanner (Edward Andrews) and his sly aide Cassie (Jean Carson) are overseeing affairs at the "Poppy Club," as various characters are introduced in Phil Karlson's The Phenix City Story, 1955.

Newsman Clete Roberts wraps up his prologue to director Phil Karlson's The Phenix City Story, 1955, with an interview with Mrs. Agnes Patterson, whose husband Albert was murdered by local gangsters shortly after being nominated as Alabama Attorney General.

About-to-be crusading Alabama crime fighter John Patterson (Richard Kiley), until recently an Army officer and prosecutor, comes looking for thug Clem (John Larch), crime boss Tanner (Edward Andrews) and hench-girl Cassie (Jean Carson) looking on, in The Phenix City Story, 1955.