Giant Mollusk

 

 (imdb)

THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD-1957-At an Air Force facility near The Salton Sea, 3 men are mysteriously killed. Lt. Commander Twillinger (Tim Holt) investigates with the help of a local sheriff (Gordon Jones) and an atomic scientist (Hans Conried!). After several more deaths, it's discovered giant mollusks are breeding underwater. Twillinger also has time to sort of romance a secretary (Audrey Dalton), a widow with a young daughter (Mimi Gibson) who causes a lot of trouble! 

This is a pretty good low budget horror/sci-fi story with a weird monster and a good climax. Director Arthur Laven spent most of his career in TV, only occasionally stepping out to make a feature length film (THE RACK (1956), GERONIMO (1962)). Too bad he didn't do more movies with monsters in them.

 For years MONSTER was always listed as star Tim Holt's final movie but he made the regional film THE YESTERDAY MACHINE in 1965 and HG Lewis' THIS STUFF'LL KILL YA! (1971). Audrey Dalton was later in William Castle's MR. SARDONICUS and lots of TV. Hans Conreid, usually an over-the-top comedian (THE TWONKY; THE 5,000 FINGERS OF DR. T.; both 1953) isvery sedate and serious here. Gordon Jones of course had been Mike the Cop on The Abbott & Costello Show in the early '50's. There are also several character actors squeezed in: Milton Parsons, Ralph Moody, Dale Van Sickel.

Thaks for reading!