Original title
China Smith
Released
1/1/1952
Origin country
US
Status
Ended
Number of seasons
2
Number of episodes
52
China Smith was a 1950s television adventure series starring Dan Duryea. The television show takes place in Singapore. Much of the cast and crew also worked on the film World for Ransom, which is considered an extension of the television program. Director Robert Aldrich had also directed two episodes of the series. The title character was a soldier of fortune wearing a white suit living in Singapore who would face danger and excitement every week. The series was made with a two-year gap; the first 26 episodes being filmed in Mexico, the second 26 episodes were shot in 1954-1955. In 1959 Daffy Duck played China Jones a parody of Duryea's character.
A charter pilot is waylaid in an alley and told his wife will die if he fails to obey orders. The following day he boards an airplane that is to carry a wheelchair-bound dignitary and his nurse to Taiwan. Also on board are a wealthy businessman and his secretary. But Smith got there first. In fact, posing as the pilot, he managed to search all the passengers. Someone anonymously hired him to prevent trouble on the plane. His first assignment is to find out what his assignment is--what he's supposed to guard against. That question is answered when the pilot heads for Red China. Smith's next assignment, then, is to get the plane to Taiwan. He'd also like to know who his client is.
While visiting Hong Kong, China Smith is hired by a woman to secretly serve as a bodyguard for her husband, a retired British naval officer. A crooked astrologer has warned her that her husband will die within the week and he has begun to receive threatening letters. When Commander Tilson is found dead in his aquarium, Smith is accused of drowning the old man
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