The Forum at Handcuffs.Org

Alfred Hitchcock Handcuffs and Oregon Boot

23 visible archived posts · 23 preserved total · topic ID 3292

mark lyons 06 Dec 2009

Good Evening,

Two years ago I presented an Alfred Hitchcock Presents at the Cannon Show.
The story was about a prisoner being transported by a Sheriff's Sargent and has to be restrained by some cuffs and an Oregon Boot.

I search for about 2 years to find this before I presented this at the show. I aked, but not even the president of the Alfred Hitchcock Fan Club was not aware of it. He suggested that I try the Twilight Zone Fan Club.
Well, fast forward to today: I just found the show online.
For those that saw it 2 years ago, here it is again, and those who never saw it, I hope you like it!

http://www.fancast.com/tv/Alfred-Hitchc ... led/videos

Mark
O--O

atlanta*casting 06 Dec 2009

Thanks Mark.

Mark Lyons 06 Dec 2009

Good Evining Ladies and Gentleman,

http://www.fancast.com/tv/Alfred-Hitchc ... led/videos

I tried to view this video from the link but I got a message that it is no longer available.
If you scroll down to the episode called "The Manacled" you will be able to click on it to bring it up. The episodes are arrainged by date so find it by looking for the date January 27, 1957.
There is a couple of commercials, but they are not overwhelming.

mark
O--O

Mark Lyons 06 Dec 2009

Hi
I wonder if any of you found the train station's announcers voice familiar.
I sure did and now I know why.
I did some research and noted that this is the same voice as the Talking Rings from the movie The Time Machine.
The voice belongs to Paul Frees and he also did voice over work for a multitude of Disney cartoons.
He was Boris Badenov from Rock and Bullwinkle, Crusty from the movie The Incredible Mr. Limpit, and did some TV work for shows like My 3 Sons,Get Smart and millions others.
He is uncredited in The Manacle but I knew that voice when I heard it.
Beside Mel Blanc, he is Hollywood's "other" man of a thousand voices.

mark
O--O

atlanta*casting 06 Dec 2009

The vid comes right up for me on comcast.

Were the handcuffs the perp had on Darley's?

I watched part of it a second time to see the grandma put the envelope into the

cops pocket but she has her back to the camera and I didn't really see much arm movement.

Thanks again, anything by Alfred Hitchcock is always high quality.

Mark Lyons 06 Dec 2009

Yes, I do believe they are Darley's.
They may be the Japanese or German version as well.
The waitress was staring at them for a quite a long time, so I figure that she was trying to figure out which model they were too.

I never weighed my boot. Could it bee 40 pound and the good Sargent stated?

mark
O--O

atlanta*casting 06 Dec 2009

"The waitress was staring at them for a quite a long time, so I figure that she
was trying to figure out which model they were too."

I couldn't tell either, I was too busy staring at the waitress.

She looked like she was being hypnotized by Fontaine's "Bad Boy" rap.

Martin 07 Dec 2009

Hi Mark,

luckily I was able to see your presentation 2 years ago - great work finding this jewel of restraints-in-the-media history!

Although already back then I thought the presentation of the prisoner, being unable to raise his foot from the floor, was a little exaggerated. I can't find my oregon boot right now but I once was able to handle one and I would estimate it to be around 20pounds at most, more like 15.

But it really is time for some reliable information on the weight, so could someone please go to his scales and do some measurements? My sources vary a lot:

First we have 7 pounds, which I'd say is too little:
http://www.mthoodmagazine.com/2008-12/7 ... nality.htm
"Each man had a seven pound weight attached to an ankle called an Oregon Boot."

The other extreme comes from Popular Science Magazine, August 1922:
http://books.google.de/books?id=tCkDAAA ... q=&f=false

"...with a 50-pound collar above the ankle".

And then we have something in between, found in the Book "Aunt Phil's Trunk: Early Alaska" page 320:
http://books.google.de/books?id=koffcFS ... q=&f=false

"circular disks of iron, weighting 30 pounds...¨

So either there were really very different versions around (which I doubt) or at least 2 of these 3 are wrong. I'd say they all are. My personal guess would be 15.

Greetings,
Martin
P.S.: I'm in possession of the modern version of the Oregon Boot, the Humane Restraint Leg Weight 20lbs, and that for sure is a jogger's nightmare, but it's still possible to walk normally and even run shorter distances... I was told... So the Hitchcock movie for sure is not very realistic in the presentation of the boot.

Unresolved image reference ↗

stan willis 07 Dec 2009

I have 6 authentic Oregon Boots. They range in weight from 10 lb., 4.5 oz. to 15 lb, 1.5 oz (6.4 kg).
Early ads for the Leininger Shackle showed them available in only 2 weights at 11 and 15 lbs. My Brass Burnside Boot is a little heavier at 16 lbs and 5 oz.
Stan

grenchat 07 Dec 2009

#10

That's got to be the best episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents that I've seen!
I own several of these on DVD, but The Manacled isnt in my collection as of yet.

Antique cuffs and a gripping psychological ploy! They just dont write 'em like that anymore.

Thanks for posting this vintage gem...

Cheers!
Jason

holstcollection 07 Dec 2009

#11

My bathroom scale (not very accurate) says 13,2 lbs (6kg)

Lars

Joseph Fox 07 Dec 2009

#12

Thanks, Mark Lyons...great episode.

I'll be watching "Pawn Stars" tonight (History Channel/10PM in America)...and every Monday night - until your episode airs.

Mark Lyons 08 Dec 2009

#13

Hi,

I have been getting all kinds of email thanking me for posting this elusive episode.
I am glad that I was able to find it online and make it available to all the collectors and those interested in restraints. As you know, I have not been very active in the hobby lately, but it makes me feel very good to be able to contribute something of value to you all.
I am a bit embarrased that I did not spell Sergeant correctly in the original post. I for one should know how to spell this rank error free. I am glad no one else noticed it and brought it to my attention and/or teased me about it.

I am excited to see my 2 Pawn Stars episodes in the next couple of weeks.
I have not seen the commercial previews of the mitts or my delightful face yet but many of you have written to say that you spotted it.

Thanks for your very kind words and support.

mark
O--O

holstcollection 08 Dec 2009

#14

No matter what episode I'm trying to access, I get the message "Sorry this video is unavailable".
Does anyone else OUTSIDE the US having the same problem?

Lars

Joe C 08 Dec 2009

#15

The video stream originates from hulu, and that has extensive restrictions on anyone trying to access it from outside of North America due to copyright licencing agreements.

Joe C
(who also can not see the episode )

grenchat 09 Dec 2009

#16

Lars and Joe:

Try the server below and let me know if you can download the episode.

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/weH_RwDrUgc/

Jason

Nils 10 Dec 2009

#17

What a great episode! Thank you for posting!

Joe C 12 Dec 2009

#18

After several attempts over several days, I finally managed to get a fast enough connection on the todou server to be watchable.

A most enjoyable episode. Thanks for the various links to it!

Joe C

Mikeintightpants 15 Dec 2009

#19

Thanks for starting this topic Mark - and thanks a million Jason for providing a link that works for me!

It must be around 30 years ago that I saw this film - my early days of collecting! - BBC TV here in England were running a series of the Hitchcock shorties - and it brings back some fond memories. I have to say that the escorting officer in the film has a lot to learn in the areas of prisoner supervision, handcuff application ..... etc, etc, but the film had plenty of atmosphere, even though it must have been made over 50 years ago. And when I saw it all those years ago, I had no idea of the significance of the "Boot".

And how things move on, I've learned a lot since then - my own collection of cuffs has grown by some hundreds of pairs and yes, I HAVE worn an original Oregon Boot, for which I thank my mate Chris Gower!

Mike Riccard
a.k.a. Mikeintightpants
Birmingham, England

Andy-58 15 Dec 2009

#20

Hello,
yes, it is a very nice episode! Thank to Jason for the link usable for people not living in US. Connection was slow, so i could not see the film, but i have douwnloaded it (Downloadhelper for Firefox) and saw it offline. I needed 3 tries until i had the file, but now it is saved on my harddisc.

A nice film and a typical end for Hitchcock

Best regards

Steve Santini 15 Dec 2009

#21

He wrote practically nothing on his own for his T.V. series.

Many episodes in his T.V. series, and all of the material in the paperback books issued under the "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" moniker were written by others.

Unlike the amazing Rod Serling of The Twilight Zone/Night Gallery/Zero Hour fame who did in fact write much of his own material.

Serling did use the work of other writers, but he produced a ton of original work himself.

And, it was Rod's original work that was the most compelling and groundbreaking. Creepy too!

Steve Santini

grenchat 16 Dec 2009

#22

Greetings!

I'm pleased to hear that our overseas friends were able to access the video through the todou network.
Though residing in the US, I too experienced quite a bit of lag while trying to view the episode.
I wound up having to buffer it for something like an hour before smooth playback could be obtained.
Kudos to Andy-58 for saving a copy of this great episode to disk.

I've also been a huge fan of Rod Serling's most excellent fiction my entire life.
Besides the aforementioned, his forward written for "In Search Of Ancient Mysteries" and his narration in "The Outer Space Connection" are also definitely worth checking out.

Thinking back to his best known work, "The Twilight Zone," I don't recall any episodes that were specifically centered on restraints, though I recall several that employed a prison setting. One such memorable episode centered around an American man on a walking tour of post-World War I Europe. He becomes disoriented in a storm and seeks refuge in a monastery...

http://www.veoh.com/collection/CBS-The- ... 40JFE73fgQ

Enjoy!
Jason

houdinisghost 17 Dec 2009

#23

I watched Alfred Hitchcock religiously. I think it and Twilight Zone were back to back on CBS opposite Bonanza for awhile. I don't ever remember Hitchcock getting a writing credit, but, I remember very well that every script had to live up to certain Hitchcockian ideas.
The surprise ending. The O'Henryesque twist.
The Oregon Boot episode was written by Sterling Silliphant (Oscar winner for In the Heat of the Night) who was one of TVs most talented and prolific writers.
Tell you what--we don't have anything on TV that is quite as cool as Hitchcock, Silliphant, Serling, Foote, et al were.