Jacob Q. Boot, editor, publisher, and owner of the Albuquerque Sun-Bulletin Frank Cady as Al Federber, tourist and Pacific All-Risk insurance salesman Geraldine Hall as Nellie Federber Richard Benedict as Leo Minosa Ray Teal as Sheriff Gus Kretzer Lewis Martin as McCardle John Berkes as Papa Minosa Frances Dominguez as Mama Minosa Gene Evans as Deputy Sheriff Frank Jaquet as Sam Smollett Harry Harvey Sr. as Dr. Hilton Bob Bumpas as radio announcer Richard Gaines as Nagel, the New York newspaper editor Bert Moorhouse as Josh Morgan (uncredited) Production Development The film's plot has similarities with two real-life events that ended in tragedy. The first involved W. Floyd Collins, who in 1925 was trapped inside Sand Cave, Kentucky, following a landslide. A Louisville newspaper, the Courier-Journal, jumped on the story by dispatching reporter William Burke Miller to the scene. Miller's enterprising coverage turned the tragic episode into a national event and earned the writer a Pulitzer Prize. Collins's name is cited in the film as an example of a cave-in victim who becomes a media sensation. The second event took place in April 1949. Three-year-old Kathy Fiscus of San Marino, California, fell into an abandoned well and, during a rescue operation that lasted several days, thousands of people arrived to watch the action unfold. In both cases, the victims died before they were rescued. After the film's release, screenwriter Victor Desny sued Wilder for plagiarism because he had contacted Wilder's secretary Rosella Stewart to propose a film based on the story of Floyd Collins in November 1949. Wilder's attorneys responded that, not only did an oral plot summary not constitute a formal story submission, but the Collins case was historical in nature and as such was not protected by copyright laws. In December 1953, Judge Stanley Mosk ruled in favor of Wilder and Paramount. Desny appealed and in August 1956 the California Supreme Court ruled his oral submission had been legitimate. Wilder's attorneys settled that same month, paying Desny $14,350 (). Writing In the original script, Tatum colluded with the local sheriff. Joseph Breen of the Hays Code office strongly objected to the on-screen depiction of a corrupt law enforcement officer, and insisted Wilder add dialogue making it clear the man eventually would be made to answer for his actions. Filming The final cost of the film was $1,821,052, of which $250,000 was paid to Wilder as writer, producer and