Name unknown.

Made by prolific filmmaker Sid Davis, whose cautionary films for young people were shown in classrooms around the USA, "Name Unknown" (0:12), is a movie that sternly warns teenage women against the dangers of trusting strangers that may turn out to be sexual predators. This is a black and white version of the film; it was also released in color. Plot summary: Juvenile court judge William B. McKesson speaks to a young runaway named Edie and her parents about the fate that often awaits girls like her -- human trafficked, sold into white slavery, assaulted and even murdered. The Judge also rails against the parents, who he believes are too permissive and trusting. The Judge places Edie into juvenile detention hellhole for her own good so she can think about "whether showing off is worth a lifetime of regrets." The title card at 0:18 acknowledges the cooperation and assistance of real-life Judge William B. McKesson of the Los Angeles Juvenile Court for appearing in the film. Judge McKesson speaks with Edie Adams and her parents (0:42). Just one in the hundreds of cases he’s handled as judge of the Juvenile Court. Edie ran off with a stranger that promised to marry her, but he has robbed the building and the loan office. Carnival music is heard at a fair (1:11); a low angle shot of a Ferris wheel (1:17). A carnival pitchman plays the old shell game with a gullible man (1:22), who falls prey to the con (1:33). Judge McKesson, in a voiceover, tells the family that teenagers can be such "suckers." The judge pulls out a folder from his filing cabinet (1:37). He tells Edie and her parents about a teenage couple, parked alone in a car on a lonely road (2:03). A shadowy man in a hat approaches the car (2:17). He knocks on their window. With gun in hand, he forces the couple out of their car (2:34). He demands money and jewelry (2:50). But it isn’t over. He then locks up the boy in the trunk of the car, as his girlfriend looks on in terror (3:07). Back at the judge’s desk, he looks through another file (3:30). A teenage babysitter and a child waves goodbye to parting parents (3:45). There’s nothing wrong with babysitting as long as you, and your parents, know the people. But Mary Hansen put an ad in the newspaper for sitting jobs. She runs to her mother with a newspaper in her hand (3:56). A man in a hat comes to their home, and speaks to both Mary and her mother (4:09). The judge warns that the idea of going away with a stranger to his home is plain idiotic. Being under the guise of babysitting doesn’t make it right. The stranger gives Mary’s mother a phone number at which she can supposedly reach Mary, then leaves with her daughter (4:37). It’s 12:32—an hour and a half past the time—but Mary isn’t home yet (4:51). Looking worried, Mrs. Hansen puts down her book and dials the number to reach her daughter. But the woman who answers the phone has no idea where the man got this number (5:14). Mrs. Hansen hangs up her phone (5:37). Cut to a newspaper headline reading: "BABY SITTER SLAIN BY UNKNOWN ASSAILANT" Hollywood Tribune (5:46). The next grim case is Ethel Ryan’s incident (5:57). Ethel and her friend, Lynn, run to catch a bus, but they are left behind. Two older men pull up next to them in a convertible (6:08), and after a short chat, the young girls get in their car (6:47). Although they make it home (6:57), Lynn’s mother is disappointed that her daughter got in a car with strangers (7:21). Though Lynn is not permitted to come for the double date (7:35), Ethel stills gets in the car (8:06). Lynn watches them go (8:29). When one of the men leaves the car at 8:33, Ethel is left on her own with a total stranger (8:44). Their car passes a sign reading "MOUNTAIN ROADS CLOSED AT SUNSET" (8:44). Ethel starts to feel uncomfortable, but when she tries to leave the car, the man stops her (9:02). Cut to another Hollywood Tribune headline: "SCHOOL GIRL FOUND UNCONSCIOUS IN HILLS" (9:13) Judge McKesson can tell Edie and her parents hundreds of such cases (9:21). Edie is now sobbing (9:28). She will be sent to a detention home for three months—plenty of time to think about whether a few minutes of showing off, or feeling sharp, is worth a lifetime of regrets. The film ends with yet another person losing at the unscrupulous shell game (9:56). "Don’t be a sucker," says Judge McKesson.

Complete catalog record

Through several episodes involving a lovers’ lane, baby sitting and a pickup, warns boys and girls against becoming victims of sexual criminals by pointing out the necessity of being aware of and avoiding possible dangers.

Transcription

[Music] so [Music] just another case i suppose you'd call it as judge of the juvenile court i've handled hundreds funny though the way you can never get used to them take edie adams here she tried to prove she had nerve ran off with a stranger who promised to marry her well he robbed the building and loan office the police picked them up and here she is in my chambers a delinquent delinquent in good sense [Music] i can't get over it sometimes how teenagers can be such suckers do you know what a sucker really is ask any carnival pitchman the sucker is the guy who thinks he's smart that he's putting something over on you take the old shell game the sucker never wins why because the pee is really a ball of wax it's never under the shell it's under the operator's fingernail all right what's that got to do with you you never fell for the shell game don't fool yourselves a lot of you have fallen for it thrown away a future like nothing in the history of the world for what a kick or a flame a thrill you think you're smart enough to get away with it but you're just being a sucker what i call being delinquent in good sense like these two parked on a lonely road just looking for trouble and trouble is there alright [Music] if you look hard enough you can always find it especially if you're the sharp one the guy or gal who doesn't have to listen to your parents good sense or follow the rules because you're smart enough to beat the game and take care of yourself [Applause] that's what this couple thought did you read about the case in the newspapers they found out how it feels to be a sucker too late to do any good but they found out what they didn't know was that men like this make a practice of lurking in lonely lovers lanes to prey on young people who don't know any better than to be there sometimes the victims are lucky they lose only money or their jewelry but not this time [Music] these two were fortunate to get out with their lives and that's an experience they'll never forget [Music] just one case and there are hundreds more in my files all normal average kids who saw their lives ruined in a few hours or even in minutes let's take a look at another one mary hansen there's nothing wrong with babysitting in itself it gives parents freedom it gives you a chance to make some money and learn how to handle small children that's true so long as you and your parents know the people but mary put an ad in a newspaper for sitting jobs [Music] but the idea of going to a strange home with someone you never saw before just because he answered an ad well it's plain idiotic you wouldn't go away with a stranger for any other reason and just because it's under the guise of babysitting doesn't make it all right but this time even mary's mother is food you see he gave her a phone number where she could reach her daughter anytime [Music] an hour and a half past time and mary isn't home yet about time to call that number he left you isn't it mrs hansen you think it's silly to worry don't you after all what could happen to mary on a babysitting job but the woman who answers the phone has no family she never even heard of the man or of mary hansen no she has no idea where the man got this number now mrs hansen it is time to worry but i'm afraid it's too late to do any good after letting your daughter drive away with a stranger another headline this one was just last week it's in my files you can read about it now let's take another example ethel ryan's case one of the nicest girls in her school like a lot of juniors and seniors ethel and her friend lynn thought they were too sophisticated for boys of their own age they wanted somebody more glamorous and the two in the convertible were just what they had in mind to me it would seem that the fact they've never seen either of them before should make a difference well it does to lynn for a minute but ethel talks her into it it's daytime ethel says and aren't they grown up and smart enough to handle any situation well why not lynn agrees finally [Applause] both of them got home safely and they're really in luck len tells her mother she and ethel met two of the nicest boys and they're going out with them tonight [Music] who are they and where did they meet them mrs coe asks well then explains they don't know their names yet she and ethel missed their bus and you mean they picked you up and you don't even know them well her daughter is certainly not going out with strangers she may be old-fashioned she tells her daughter but that's final so ethel gets the bad news glenn's mother says no well it's tough [Applause] but ethel certainly isn't going to give up a good time even if she has to go alone lynn wishes she had a mother like ethel's one who never forbids her daughter anything [Music] see you later ethel says maybe well i wish that were all there was to it one girl out on a date the other disgusted at staying home but life is not quite that simple when one breaks the rules we pay for it [Music] walt soon decides that without lynne three's a crowd so tom leaves them alone now ethel is really on her own i suppose just about here the horse laughs are starting in the audience all right go ahead and laugh of course ethel isn't laughing she can almost hear all the warnings she never listened to about being picked up by strangers and here's something really funny [Music] [Applause] go ahead have a good laugh [Music] like mr and mrs ryan and ethel herself and i can tell you about hundreds of cases i hope you're beginning to get the idea mr and mrs adams are an 82 she's going to a detention home for three months [Music] plenty of time to think about whether a few minutes of showing off or feeling sharp is worth a lifetime of regrets if you're willing to risk that you're not the young american men and women i think you are think it over why not get really wise really hip don't be a sucker foreign

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