W.R. Burnett

Writing

W.R. Burnett

Born — Died

1899-11-25 — 1982-04-25

Place of birth

Springfield, Ohio, USA

Known for

Writing

Credits

27 titles

Known for

The Great Escape poster
7.9

The Nazis, exasperated at the number of escapes from their prison camps by a relatively small number of Allied prisoners, relocate them to a high-security 'escape-proof' camp to sit out the remainder of the war. Undaunted, the prisoners plan one of the most ambitious escape attempts of World War II. Based on a true story.

The Great Escape

1963

Ice Station Zebra poster
6.4

A top-secret Soviet spy satellite -- using stolen Western technology -- malfunctions and then goes into a descent that lands it near an isolated Arctic research encampment called Ice Station Zebra, belonging to the British, which starts sending out distress signals before falling silent. The atomic submarine Tigerfish, commanded by Cmdr. James Ferraday, is dispatched to save them.

Ice Station Zebra

1968

The Racket poster
6.3

The big national crime syndicate has moved into town, partnering up with local crime boss Nick Scanlon. McQuigg, the only honest police captain on the force, and his loyal patrolman, Johnson, take on the violent Nick.

The Racket

1951

This Gun for Hire poster
7.0

Sadistic killer-for-hire Philip Raven becomes enraged when his latest job is paid off in marked bills. Vowing to track down his double-crossing boss, nightclub executive Gates, Raven sits beside Gates' lovely new employee, Ellen, on a train out of town. Although Ellen is engaged to marry the police lieutenant who's hunting down Raven, she decides to try and set the misguided hit man straight as he hides from the cops and plots his revenge.

This Gun for Hire

1942

Illegal poster
6.5

A hugely successful DA goes into private practice after sending a man to the chair -- only to find out later he was innocent. Now the drunken attorney only seems to represent criminals and low lifes.

Illegal

1955

Nobody Lives Forever poster
6.4

A con artist falls for the rich widow he's trying to fleece.

Nobody Lives Forever

1946

Behind the camera

The Great Escape poster
7.9

The Nazis, exasperated at the number of escapes from their prison camps by a relatively small number of Allied prisoners, relocate them to a high-security 'escape-proof' camp to sit out the remainder of the war. Undaunted, the prisoners plan one of the most ambitious escape attempts of World War II. Based on a true story.

The Great Escape

1963

Ice Station Zebra poster
6.4

A top-secret Soviet spy satellite -- using stolen Western technology -- malfunctions and then goes into a descent that lands it near an isolated Arctic research encampment called Ice Station Zebra, belonging to the British, which starts sending out distress signals before falling silent. The atomic submarine Tigerfish, commanded by Cmdr. James Ferraday, is dispatched to save them.

Ice Station Zebra

1968

The Racket poster
6.3

The big national crime syndicate has moved into town, partnering up with local crime boss Nick Scanlon. McQuigg, the only honest police captain on the force, and his loyal patrolman, Johnson, take on the violent Nick.

The Racket

1951

This Gun for Hire poster
7.0

Sadistic killer-for-hire Philip Raven becomes enraged when his latest job is paid off in marked bills. Vowing to track down his double-crossing boss, nightclub executive Gates, Raven sits beside Gates' lovely new employee, Ellen, on a train out of town. Although Ellen is engaged to marry the police lieutenant who's hunting down Raven, she decides to try and set the misguided hit man straight as he hides from the cops and plots his revenge.

This Gun for Hire

1942

Illegal poster
6.5

A hugely successful DA goes into private practice after sending a man to the chair -- only to find out later he was innocent. Now the drunken attorney only seems to represent criminals and low lifes.

Illegal

1955

Nobody Lives Forever poster
6.4

A con artist falls for the rich widow he's trying to fleece.

Nobody Lives Forever

1946

High Sierra poster
7.1

Given a pardon from jail, Roy Earle gets back into the swing of things as he robs a swanky resort.

High Sierra

1941

Background to Danger poster
6.7

An American gets caught up in wartime action in Turkey.

Background to Danger

1943

Captain Lightfoot poster
6.4

In 1815, Michael Martin, member of an Irish revolutionary society, turns highwayman to support it, and soon becomes an outlaw. In Dublin, he meets famous rebel "Captain Thunderbolt" and becomes his second-in-command, under the name "Lightfoot."

Captain Lightfoot

1955

4 for Texas poster
5.2

In the 1870s, two rival businessmen, Zack Thomas and Joe Jarrett, on a stagecoach heading to Galveston, Texas, must pull together to protect $100,000 from an outlaw named Matson. Once in Galveston, however, their rivalry continues, as Thomas joins up with Elya Carlson and Jarret with Maxine Richter. But Matson is still on the loose, and a scheming banker threatens both Thomas and Jarrett.

4 for Texas

1963

Night People poster
6.1

A US intelligence officer, stationed in Germany, is caught in a political dilemma when the Russians kidnap a young Army private, the son of prominent American businessman. In exchange for the soldier's return, the Russians attempt to barter a trade for an elderly German couple who they want for treason.

Night People

1954

Belle Starr's Daughter poster
5.1

The daughter of famous outlaw Belle Starr arrives at the town where her mother was murdered to find her killer.

Belle Starr's Daughter

1948

San Antonio poster
6.1

Rancher Clay Hardin arrives in San Antonio to search for and capture Roy Stuart, notorious leader of a gang of cattle rustlers. The vicious outlaw is indeed in the Texan town, intent on winning the affections of a beautiful chanteuse named Jeanne Starr. When the lovely lady meets and falls in love with the charismatic Hardin, the stakes for both men become higher.

San Antonio

1945

The Lawbreakers poster
6.4

The story of a scheme to double-cross the syndicate and steal its money, and of a police commissioner '​s efforts to investigate homicides that take place as the scheme unfolds while also fighting corruption in the city government and police department.

The Lawbreakers

1961

Wake Island poster
5.8

In late 1941, with no hope of relief or re-supply, a small band of United States Marines tries to keep the Japanese Navy from capturing their island base.

Wake Island

1942

I Died a Thousand Times poster
6.2

After aging criminal Roy Earle is released from prison he decides to pull one last heist before retiring — by robbing a resort hotel.

I Died a Thousand Times

1955

Sergeants 3 poster
5.8

Mike, Chip, and Larry are three lusty, brawling U. S. Cavalry sergeants stationed in Indian Territory in 1870.

Sergeants 3

1962

Dangerous Mission poster
6.0

A policeman tries to protect a young woman against a hit man, when she flees New York after witnessing a mob killing.

Dangerous Mission

1954

Stiletto poster
5.3

A rich, jet-setting playboy has a secret life: he's also a professional Mafia hitman. When he decides it's time to retire from that life, he finds that his former employers don't like the idea that someone who knows so much about them won't be under their control anymore, and decide to send their own hitmen to eliminate him.

Stiletto

1969

Vendetta poster
6.5

The daughter of a slain man pushes her brother toward vengeance in 19th-century Corsica.

Vendetta

1950

Short Cut to Hell poster
5.8

A hitman is found out because he was paid off in traceable stolen money. On the run, he kidnaps the girlfriend of the police detective in charge of his pursuit; she tries to convince him to surrender before it's too late.

Short Cut to Hell

1957

Accused of Murder poster
4.8

A police detective finds himself entangled in the web of the underworld when he falls in love with a nightclub singer accused of murdering a crooked lawyer.

Accused of Murder

1956

No artwork available
NR

A small town sportswriter attending the World Series recognizes a young ballplayer as the son of former baseball hero who was banned for throwing a game.

Rookie of the Year

1955

The Finger Points poster
6.4

Lee is a fresh young kid from the South when he gets a job with The Press. His first assignment on gangsters gets his name in the paper, the police on a raid and Lee in the hospital.

The Finger Points

1931

The Get-Away poster
6.0

A jailed cop befriends a mob chieftain and stages a breakout with him.

The Get-Away

1941

Law and Order poster
8.0

Bill Ralston arrives in town planning to settle down but quickly gets caught up in the fight between the townspeople and Poe Daggett and his gang. He takes the job of town Marshal and soon brings law and order. When Daggetts men ambush him he kills Poe's brother. Poe then kills Bill's friend Brant and this leads to the showdown.

Law and Order

1940

September Storm poster
5.6

American fashion model Anne Traymore, swimming off the isle of Majorca, loses a bracelet, which the handsome Manuel del Rio Montoya returns to her. She believes he owns a beautiful yacht called The Swan, but he merely works on it for the wealthy Rene LeClerc.

September Storm

1960