

Calling Philo Vance
Synopsis
Philo is in Vienna working for the US Government to see if Archer Coe is selling aircraft designs to foreign powers. He grabs the plans with Archer's signature, but is captured by police before he can escape. Deported he comes back to America and plans to confront Archer, but Archer is found dead in his locked bedroom with a gun in his hand. While it looks like a suicide, Vance knows better and the coroner finds that Archer has been shot, hit with a blunt instrument and stabbed - making suicide unlikely. But Vance is on the case and is looking to see if government secrets have been sold and who has murdered Coe. This is a remake of "The Kennel Murder Case" using aircraft designs and espionage instead of Chinese porcelain and dog shows.

Part of the Philo Vance Collection
Stream the entire interconnected saga and experience every installment in chronological storyline order.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →James Stephenson
Philo Vance
Margot Stevenson
Hilda Lake
Henry O'Neill
Markham
Edward Brophy
Ryan
Sheila Bromley
Doris Delafield
Ralph Forbes
Tom McDonald
Donald Douglas
Philip Wrede
Martin Kosleck
Gamble
Jimmy Conlin
Dr. Doremus - Coroner
Edward Raquello
Eduardo Grassi
Creighton Hale
Du Bois - Fingerprint Man
Harry Strang
Hennessey - Markham's Assistant
Richard Kipling
Archer Coe
Wedgwood Nowell
Brisbane Coe
Bo Ling
Ling Toy
Terry
MacTavish (uncredited)
Herbert Anderson
First Reporter (uncredited)
Henry Blair
Hans Snauble (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
Los Angeles, California
Festival / Special Debut
February 3, 1940
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- William Clemens
- Screenplay & Story
- Tom Reed
- Original Title
- Calling Philo Vance
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 2m
- Production Studios
- Warner Bros. Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
William Clemens
Tom Reed, S.S. Van Dine
L. William O'Connell
Louis Lindsay, Ben G. Liss
Department Leadership Roster
L. William O'Connell
Director of Photography
Louis Lindsay
Editor
Ben G. Liss
Editor
Howard Shoup
Costume Design
William Clemens
Director
Tom Reed
Screenplay
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Calling Philo Vance.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Calling Philo Vance.
Movies
MovieLens[20K:30K]
Spy
My DVDs
my movies 1940s
Similar Titles to Calling Philo Vance
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
More Like Calling Philo Vance
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.












Frequently Asked Questions About Calling Philo Vance
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Calling Philo Vance about?
Philo is in Vienna working for the US Government to see if Archer Coe is selling aircraft designs to foreign powers. He grabs the plans with Archer's signature, but is captured by police before he can escape. Deported he comes back to America and plans to confront Archer, but Archer is found dead in his locked bedroom with a gun in his hand. While it looks like a suicide, Vance knows better and the coroner finds that Archer has been shot, hit with a blunt instrument and stabbed - making suicide unlikely. But Vance is on the case and is looking to see if government secrets have been sold and who has murdered Coe. This is a remake of "The Kennel Murder Case" using aircraft designs and espionage instead of Chinese porcelain and dog shows.
Who directed Calling Philo Vance?
Calling Philo Vance was directed by William Clemens.
Who stars in Calling Philo Vance?
The principal cast of Calling Philo Vance includes James Stephenson, Margot Stevenson, Henry O'Neill, Edward Brophy, Sheila Bromley.
When was Calling Philo Vance released and how long is it?
Calling Philo Vance was released in 1940 with a total runtime of 1h 2m.
Is Calling Philo Vance based on a book or true story?
Calling Philo Vance is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "S.S. Van Dine".


















