Belle of the Nineties 1934 N/R, 73 min. Genre: Comedy / Musical
Director: Leo McCarey Cast: Mae West, Roger Pryor, Johnny Mack Brown, John Miljan, Katherine DeMille, James Donlan, Stuart Holmes, Harry Woods, Edward Gargan, Libby Taylor, Warren Hymer, Benny Baker, Morrie Cohan, Frederick Burton, Fuzzy Knight
Despite attentions from many men, St. Louis cabaret blues singer Ruby Carter (Mae West) falls in love with boxer Tiger Kid (Roger Pryor). When Tiger's manager Kirby (James Donlan) wants Ruby out of Tiger's life, she agrees to go and moves to New Orleans. More problems between Ruby and Tiger lie ahead involving the theft of Ruby's jewels. But, by story's end, Ruby ends up with her true love. Duke Ellington and His Orchestra perform, and West sings; the songs include "My Old Flame," "St. Louis Woman," and "Memphis Blues."
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The Big Broadcast of 1936 1935 N/R, 97 min. Genre: Musical
Director: Norman Taurog Cast: Jack Oakie, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Bing Crosby, Lyda Roberti, Wendy Barrie, Henry Wadsworth, Akim Tamiroff, Charles Ruggles, Ethel Merman, Samuel S. Hinds, C. Henry Gordon, Benny Baker, Guy Standing, Mary Boland
This second film in a series of "Big Broadcasts" uses a plot unfolding everyday occurrences at a radio station to showcase radio personalities on the big screen. The station's owner, Spud (Jack Oakie), performs as the announcer on his station's show. The station is on the verge of bankruptcy when George and Gracie (George Burns and Gracie Allen) sell Spud the "Radio Eye" that picks up events and televises them on a viewing screen. Among those captured performing on the "Radio Eye" are Bing Crosby, Ethel Merman, Amos "N" Andy (Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll), and the Vienna Boys Choir
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Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number! 1966 N/R, 98 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: George Marshall Cast: Bob Hope, Elke Sommer, Phyllis Diller, Cesare Danova, Marjorie Lord, Harry von Zell, Kelly Thordsen, Benny Baker, Terry Burnham, Joyce Jameson, Kevin Burchett, Keith Taylor
Real estate agent Tom Meade (Bob Hope) connects via telephone with a sexy movie star, Didi (Elke Sommer), who is trying to evade her boyfriend. Now, Tom tries to keep his wife (Marjorie Lord) from finding out about his relationship with Didi
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Double or Nothing 1937 N/R, 90 min. Genre: Musical
Director: Theodore Reed Cast: Bing Crosby, Martha Raye, Andy Devine, Mary Carlisle, William Frawley, Fay Holden, Benny Baker, Samuel S. Hinds, William Henry, Walter Kingsford
With a million dollars at stake, Lefty Boylan (Bing Crosby), Liza Lou Lane (Martha Raye), Half-Pint (Andy Devine), and Peterson (William Frawley) all compete for the prize in this zany musical/ comedy.
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Drift Fence 1936 N/R, 57 min. Genre: Western aka: Texas Desperadoes
Director: Otho Lovering Cast: Buster Crabbe, Tom Keene, Katherine DeMille, Benny Baker, Leif Erickson, Stanley Andrews, Richard Carle, Irving Bacon, Jan Duggan, Effie Ellsler, Walter Long, Chester Gan, Richard Alexander, Budd Fine
Jim Traft (Benny Baker) meets Jim Travis (Tom Keene) at a rodeo and tells Travis of his troubles with cattle rustlers. Travis, who is actually a Texas Ranger, suggests that he impersonate Traft in building a fence to keep the rustlers out. But Travis must not only fight the rustlers, but he needs to convince neighbor Slinger Dunn (Buster Crabbe) that the fence must be built. Travis wins not only the battle of the rustlers but also wins the love of Slinger's sister, Molly (Katherine DeMille).
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Inspector General 1949 N/R, 102 min. Genre: Comedy / Musical
Director: Henry Koster Cast: Danny Kaye, Walter Slezak, Barbara Bates, Elsa Lanchester, Gene Lockhart, Alan Hale, Walter Catlett, Rhys Williams, Benny Baker, Norman Leavitt, Nestor Paiva, Byron Foulger, Jimmy Conlin, Fred Kelsey
A case of mistaken identity results in a very funny story as an illiterate stooge, Georgi (Danny Kaye), is wrongly identified as a man of power in the government. When he arrives in their town, corrupt town officers believe that Georgi is the Inspector General and grant him wishes and bribes to keep them from being arrested for stealing tax money. When the real Inspector General (Rhys Williams) arrives on the scene, the corruption is brought to an end, and Georgi is appointed the town's mayor–free to live happily ever after with the woman of his dreams, Leza (Barbara Bates). Songs include "The Gypsy Drinking Song."
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Murder with Pictures 1936 N/R, 69 min. Genre: Drama / Mystery
Director: Charles Barton Cast: Lew Ayres, Gail Patrick, Joyce Compton, Paul Kelly, Onslow Stevens, Ernest Cossart, Anthony Nace, Benny Baker, Joe Sawyer, Irving Bacon, Purnell Pratt, Frank Sheridan
Crime boss Nate Girard (Onslw Stevens) beats a murder rap and throws a party for the press during which one of his men is killed while posing for a picture with Nate. Photographer Kent Murdock (Lew Ayres) was at the party where he met a woman (Gail Patrick) who needed to talk with him. Later, she shows up at Kent's apartment and tells him that she is a suspect in the murder. Kent believes her and sets out to find the real killer.
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Paint Your Wagon 1969 PG, 166 min. Genre: Comedy / Musical / Romance / Western
Director: Joshua Logan Cast: Clint Eastwood, Lee Marvin, Jean Seberg, John Mitchum, Harve Presnell, Ray Walston, Alan Dexter, William O'Connell, Benny Baker, Alan Baxter, Tom Ligon, Paula Trueman, Robert Eastman, Geoffrey Norman, Terry Jenkins
The loneliness of gold mining in the Sierras abates for prospector Pardner (Clint Eastwood) when his cohort, Ben Rumson (Lee Marvin), agrees to share his wife Elizabeth (Jean Seberg). They live in the town of No Name where Elizabeth is the only woman, and now Ben worries about the other men being interested in her. His solution: kidnap a stagecoach filled with prostitutes. He opens a brothel, and business booms. Ben later gets involved with Mad Jack Duncan (Ray Walston) in creative mining under the town's buildings looking for golddust falling through the floorboards. Not a good idea–the town collapses, and everyone moves on. But, Pardner and Elizabeth remain and try to work out their problems. Lerner and Lowe songs intertwine with the action and include "I Talk to the Trees," "They Call the Wind Mariah," and "Wand'rin Star."
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Papa's Delicate Condition 1963 N/R, 98 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: George Marshall Cast: Jackie Gleason, Glynis Johns, Charles Ruggles, Laurel Goodwin, Linda Bruhl, Ned Glass, Murray Hamilton, Elisha Cook Jr., Charles(2) Lane, Don Beddoe, Claude Johnson, Juanita Moore, Trevor Bardette, Ken Renard, Benny Baker
Jack Griffith (Jackie Gleason) is a wealthy, lovable alcoholic whose wife Amberlyn (Glynis Johns) can't handle any more of his pranks. When their daughter Augusta (Laurel Goodwin) wanted the pony she saw in the circus parade, Jack bought her the entire circus. That was the final straw for Amberlyn who flees to her father's (Charles Ruggles) home in Texarkana. Jack, of course, follows in hot pursuit. This film won the Academy Award for Best Song: "Call Me Irresponsible."
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Thanks a Million 1935 N/R, 85 min. Genre: Musical / Comedy / Romance
Director: Roy Del Ruth Cast: Dick Powell, Ann Dvorak, Fred Allen, Patsy Kelly, Raymond Walburn, David Rubinoff, Benny Baker, Andrew Tombes, Alan Dinehart, Paul Harvey, Edwin Maxwell, Margaret Irving, Charles Richman, Lynn Bari, Harry Stubbs
Eric Land (Dick Powell) is the leading man in a traveling musical show whose manager Ned Lyman (Fred Allen) talks him into taking the place of an alcoholic candidate and running for the office of Governor of Pennsylvania. The campaigning proves disastrous for Eric's relationship with his girlfriend Sally (Ann Dvorak), and Eric wants out of politics. However, the people now love Eric, and he wins the election–and Sally as well.
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Wanderer of the Wasteland 1935 N/R, 62 min. Genre: Western
Director: Otho Lovering Cast: Dean Jagger, Gail Patrick, Edward Ellis, Monte Blue, Buster Crabbe, Trixie Friganza, Raymond Hatton, Fuzzy Knight, Charles Waldron, Anna Q. Nilsson, Leif Erickson, Tammany Young, Kenneth Harlan, Benny Baker, Stanley Andrews
Based on a Zane Grey story, this is the tale of Adam (Dean Jagger) who is on the lam when he is wrongfully accused of murder. Now lost in Death Valley, he is saved by wanderer Dismukes (Edward Ellis). He reunites with his girl friend Ruth (Gail Patrick), is cleared of the murder charge, and deals with villainous Big Ben (Buster Crabbe). This is the second rendition of Grey's tale and was again remade in 1945. The first film was made in 1924 and was the first Technicolor Western.
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| 1. Belle of the Nineties (1934)
2. The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
3. Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number! (1966)
4. Double or Nothing (1937)
5. Drift Fence (1936) aka: Texas Desperadoes
6. Hold 'Em Navy (1937)
7. Inspector General (1949)
8. Murder with Pictures (1936)
9. Paint Your Wagon (1969)
10. Papa's Delicate Condition (1963)
11. Thanks a Million (1935)
12. Wanderer of the Wasteland (1935)
In The News
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