The first of the five films where Bill Elliott played a detective lieutenant in the L.A Sheriff's department, Dial Red "O" (the correct title with the number 0 (zero), as on a telephone dial, shown in ") opens with war-torn veteran Ralph Wyatt getting word that his wife is divorcing him, and he flees the psychiatric ward of the veteran's hospital, wanting to talk to her. His escape touches off an all-out manhunt, led by Lieutenant Andy Flynn of the sheriff's department.
Led astray by outlaw leader Jess, the "outlaw's daughter" Kate joins Jess' gang and follows in her dad's footsteps. Town marshal Dan tries his best to reform the girl, but this proves difficult inasmuch as Kate holds Dan responsible for her father's death. Only after most of the bad guys have been decimated by Dan does Kate discover the true identity of her dad's murderer. Having fallen in love with Kate, marshal Dan offers to let her escape prosecution, but she's made of sterner stuff than that.