Desert Legion

Desert Legion
Desert Legion
Directed by	Joseph Pevney
Written by	Irving Wallace; Lewis Meltzer
Produced by	Ted Richmond
Starring	Alan Ladd; Arlene Dahl; Richard Conte
Cinematography	John F. Seitz
Production; company	Universal
Distributed by	Universal
Release date	1953
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1,650,000 (US)

Desert Legion is a 1953 American action film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Alan Ladd, Arlene Dahl, Richard Conte and Akim Tamiroff.

Plot

Ladd stars as a soldier in the French foreign legion who stumbles across a lost city in the mountains of Algeria.

Cast

Alan Ladd as Paul Lartal
Richard Conte as Crito [also known as Omar Ben Khalif]
Arlene Dahl as Morjana
Akim Tamiroff as Pvt. Plevko
Oscar Beregi as Khalil
Leon Askin as Major Vasil
Anthony Caruso as Lt. Messaoud
George J. Lewis as Lt. Lopez
Sujata as Dancer
Asoka as Dancer
Ted Hecht as Tubban
Don Blackman as Kumbaba

Production

The film was made by Universal Pictures, and based on a 1927 novel The Demon Caravan by Georges Arthur Surdez.

It was Alan Ladd's first film for Universal since becoming a star. It was a one picture deal and gave Ladd a percentage of the profits, a relatively novel thing at the time.^[2]^[3] (He split profits with the studio 50-50.^[4]) Joseph Pevney was assigned to direct.^[5]

Ladd had broken his hand during a fight scene towards the end of his most recent film The Iron Mistress, but recovered to begin work on Desert Legion on 7 July 1952.^[6]

Akim Tamiroff joined the support cast. It was his first Hollywood film in three years.^[7]

References

^ 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', Variety, January 13, 1954
^ Kramer Will Film Story of Airplane Pioneers; Ladd in 'Desert Legion' Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 02 May 1952: B9.
^ KRAMER WILL FILM STORY OF WRIGHTS: Producer Buys Book by Fred Kelly About Air Pioneers as Basis for New Movie By THOMAS M. PRYORSpecial to THE NEW YORK TIMES.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 02 May 1952: 21.
^ HOLLYWOOD REPORT: Plan to Aid Smeared Scenarists Is Voted Down by the Writers Guild -- Addenda By J. D. SPIROHOLLYWOOD.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 20 July 1952: X5.
^ CHARLES LAUGHTON SIGNS FOR 'SALOME': Arrives in England but Will Return Soon to Play Herod Opposite Rita Hayworth By THOMAS M. PRYORSpecial to THE NEW YORK TIMES.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 31 May 1952: 13.
^ Ladd Ready to Go in 'Desert Legion' Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 15 June 1952: D2.
^ TV COMEDY STARS SIGNING FOR FILM: Lucille Ball and Her Husband, Desi Arnaz, May Do Sequence in Billy Rose's Picture By THOMAS M. PRYORSpecial to THE NEW YORK TIMES.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 17 June 1952: 23.

External links

Desert Legion at IMDb
The Desert Legion at TCMDB

This 1950s drama film-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', Variety, January 13, 1954

[2] Kramer Will Film Story of Airplane Pioneers; Ladd in 'Desert Legion' Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 02 May 1952: B9.

[3] KRAMER WILL FILM STORY OF WRIGHTS: Producer Buys Book by Fred Kelly About Air Pioneers as Basis for New Movie By THOMAS M. PRYORSpecial to THE NEW YORK TIMES.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 02 May 1952: 21.

[4] HOLLYWOOD REPORT: Plan to Aid Smeared Scenarists Is Voted Down by the Writers Guild -- Addenda By J. D. SPIROHOLLYWOOD.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 20 July 1952: X5.

[5] CHARLES LAUGHTON SIGNS FOR 'SALOME': Arrives in England but Will Return Soon to Play Herod Opposite Rita Hayworth By THOMAS M. PRYORSpecial to THE NEW YORK TIMES.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 31 May 1952: 13.

[6] Ladd Ready to Go in 'Desert Legion' Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 15 June 1952: D2.

[7] TV COMEDY STARS SIGNING FOR FILM: Lucille Ball and Her Husband, Desi Arnaz, May Do Sequence in Billy Rose's Picture By THOMAS M. PRYORSpecial to THE NEW YORK TIMES.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 17 June 1952: 23.

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