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Christmas Eve (1947 Film)
''Christmas Eve'' is a 1947 American comedy film directed by Edwin L. Marin. It is based on the story by Laurence Stallings and Richard H. Landau and stars George Raft, George Brent and Randolph Scott. An independent production by Benedict Bogeaus it was distributed by United Artists. It was rereleased under the title ''Sinner's Holiday''. It was one of several films Raft made with Edwin Marin. Plot The greedy nephew Philip Hastings of eccentric Matilda Reed seeks to have her judged incompetent so he can administer her wealth. In an informal meeting with Philip and Dr. Doremus, Judge Alston rules that she will be saved if her three long-lost adopted sons, whom she can trust, appear for a Christmas Eve reunion. Separate stories reveal with the help of Private Detective Gimlet that: * Michael is a bankrupt playboy loved by loyal Ann Nelson; * Mario is a seemingly shady character tangling with a Nazi war criminal in South America and a beautiful lady, Claire; * Jonathan is a har ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laurence Stallings
Laurence Tucker Stallings (November 25, 1894 – February 28, 1968) was an American playwright, screenwriter, lyricist, literary critic, journalist, novelist, and photographer. Best known for his collaboration with Maxwell Anderson on the 1924 play ''What Price Glory'', Stallings also produced a groundbreaking autobiographical novel, ''Plumes'', about his service in World War I, and published an award-winning book of photographs, ''The First World War: A Photographic History''. Life Stallings was born Laurence Tucker Stallings in Macon, Georgia, to Larkin Tucker Stallings, a bank clerk, and Aurora Brooks Stallings, a homemaker and avid reader who inspired her son's love of literature. He entered Wake Forest University in North Carolina in 1912 and became the editor of the campus literary magazine, the ''Old Gold and Black.'' He met Helen Poteat while at Wake Forest. She was the daughter of Dr. William Louis Poteat, the university president, and the sister of Stallings's classics ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joan Blondell
Joan Blondell (born Rose Joan Bluestein; August 30, 1906 – December 25, 1979) was an American actress who performed in film and television for 50 years. Blondell began her career in vaudeville. After winning a beauty pageant, she embarked on a film career, establishing herself as a Pre-Code staple of Warner Bros. Pictures in wisecracking, sexy roles, appearing in more than 100 films and television productions. She was most active in film during the 1930s and early 1940s, and during that time co-starred with Glenda Farrell, a colleague and close friend, in nine films. Blondell continued acting on film and television for the rest of her life, often in small, supporting roles. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in '' The Blue Veil'' (1951). Near the end of her life, Blondell was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in '' Opening Night'' (1977). She was featured in two more films, the bl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
It Happened On Fifth Avenue
''It Happened on 5th Avenue'' is a 1947 American comedy film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Victor Moore, Ann Harding, Don DeFore, Charles Ruggles and Gale Storm. Herbert Clyde Lewis and Frederick Stephani were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Story, losing to Valentine Davies for another Christmas-themed story, ''Miracle on 34th Street''. Plot Aloysius T. McKeever (Victor Moore), a hobo, makes his home in a seasonally boarded-up Fifth Avenue mansion, each time its owner—Michael J. O'Connor (Charles Ruggles), the second richest man in the world—winters at his Virginia estate. McKeever winds up taking in ex-G.I. Jim Bullock (Don DeFore), who has been evicted from an apartment building O'Connor is tearing down for a new skyscraper, and later 18-year-old Trudy "Smith" (Gale Storm), who is actually O'Connor's runaway daughter. Jim soon invites war buddies Whitey (Alan Hale, Jr.), Hank (Edward Ryan) and their families to share the vast mansion when they are unable t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
On Our Merry Way
''On Our Merry Way'' is a 1948 American comedy film produced by Benedict Bogeaus and Burgess Meredith and released by United Artists. At the time of its release, King Vidor and Leslie Fenton were credited with its direction, although the DVD lists John Huston and George Stevens, who assisted with one of the segments, as well. The screenplay by Laurence Stallings and Lou Breslow, based on an original story by Arch Oboler, is similar in style to that of ''Tales of Manhattan'' (1942), another anthology film made up of several vignettes linked by a single theme. The picture stars Paulette Goddard, Burgess Meredith, James Stewart, Henry Fonda, Harry James, Dorothy Lamour, Victor Moore and Fred MacMurray. It marks the first joint movie appearance of Stewart and Fonda, who play a pair of musicians in their section of the film. Plot Oliver Pease (Burgess Meredith) has deceived his bride Martha (Paulette Goddard) into believing he's an inquiring reporter for the ''Los Angeles Daily Banner ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andrew Tombes
Andrew Tombes (29 June 1885 – 17 March 1976) was an American comedian and character actor. Biography The son of a grocer, originally from Ashtabula, Ohio, Tombes was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy. Early in his career, he worked as a vaudeville comic. By December 1914 he had appeared in the headlining act for the opening of the Kansas City Orpheum Theatre. He successfully ascended to Broadway comedies beginning in 1917, in the revue ''Miss 1917'', and appeared there consistently through the 1920s, for instance in ''Poor Little Ritz Girl'' in 1920, ''Tip-Toes'' in 1925, and the Ziegfeld Follies of 1922 and 1927. Tombes' first film appearances were in 1933, as he was already approaching 50 years old. He made a total of about 150 films for various studios. Selected filmography * ''The Bowery'' (1933) - Shill (uncredited) * ''Broadway Through a Keyhole'' (1933) - Sidney - Columnist (uncredited) * ''Moulin Rouge'' (1934) - McBride * ''Doubting Thomas'' (1935) - Huxley H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Konstantin Shayne
Konstantin Shayne (born Konstantin Veniaminovich Olkenitski; russian: Константин Вениаминович Олькеницкий, November 29, 1888 – November 15, 1974) was a Russian-American actor. Biography Shayne was born in Kharkov, Russian Empire (now Kharkiv, Ukraine) to the family of Veniamin Olkenitsky-Nikulin, a Jewish actor. His siblings were actress Tamara Shayne and writers Lev and Yuriy Nikulin. World War I intervened before he could join the Moscow Arts Theatre, and during the conflict he fought with General Wrangel and the White Armies. Shayne was married two times and he also had children. Shayne emigrated to the United States in 1928, travelling as a second-class passenger on board the S/S ''Berengaria'', which arrived at the Port of New York on September 14, 1928. He was listed as Konstantin Schein, an artist residing in Berlin, Germany. As an actor, Shayne performed in movies such as '' None but the Lonely Heart'' (1944) and '' The Stranger'' ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Walter Sande
Walter Sande (July 9, 1906 – November 22, 1971) was an American character actor, known for numerous supporting film and television roles. Films Born in Denver, Colorado, he was one of those stern, heavyset character actors in Hollywood no person could recognize by name. Sande showed an early interest in music as a youth and by his college years managed to start his own band. This led to a job as musical director for 20th Century-Fox's theater chain, which, in turn, led him to acting in films beginning in 1937. Usually providing atmospheric bits with no billing, he made an initial impression in serial cliffhangers as a third-string heavy with the popular ''The Green Hornet Strikes Again!'' and ''Sky Raiders''. His first top featured role, however, would come with '' The Iron Claw'' as Jack "Flash" Strong, a photographer who, uncharacteristically for Walter, served as a comic sidekick to our serial hero. Best of all would be his role in another serial as Red Pennington, the am ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Molly Lamont
Molly Lamont (22 May 1910 – 7 July 2001) was a South African-British film actress. Life and career Lamont was born in Boksburg, Transvaal, South Africa. After winning a beauty contest in South Africa she was offered a contract by British International Pictures. She began her career in British films in 1930 and for several years played small, often uncredited roles. Her roles began to improve by the mid-1930s, whilst resident in London, but she later moved to Hollywood where she played roles such as Cary Grant's fiancée in ''The Awful Truth'' (1937). Her other appearances include such popular films as ''The White Cliffs of Dover'' and ''Mr. Skeffington'' (both 1944). Lamont retired from acting in 1951 with more than fifty films to her credit. She married an airline pilot, Edward Bellande, on April 1, 1937. They remained married until his death in 1976. She died on 7 July 2001 in Brentwood, Los Angeles, aged 91. Filmography *'' The Black Hand Gang'' (1930) (uncredited) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dennis Hoey
Dennis Hoey (born Samuel David Hyams, 30 March 1893 – 25 July 1960) was a British film and stage actor, best known for playing Inspector Lestrade in six films of Universal's Sherlock Holmes series. Early life Hoey was born Samuel David Hyams in London to Russian-Jewish parents, another source says Irish and Russian-Jewish parents, who earned a living by running a bed and breakfast in Brighton, on the coast of the English county of East Sussex. He received his formal education at Brighton College, and originally planned to be a teacher. He served in the British Army during World War I. After a career as a singer, which included entertaining British troops during his war service, Hoey moved into theatre-acting in 1918, and later into cinema films. In 1931 he moved to the United States, and commenced a career in Hollywood. Film Hoey's first film was '' Tell England''. He is best known for playing Inspector Lestrade in six Universal's Sherlock Holmes series. He also port ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marie Blake
Edith Marie Blossom MacDonald (August 21, 1895 – January 14, 1978), also known as Blossom Rock, was an American actress of vaudeville, stage, film and television. During her career she was also billed as Marie Blake or Blossom MacDonald. Her younger sister was screen actress and singer Jeanette MacDonald. Rock is probably best known for her role as " Grandmama" on the 1960s macabre/black comedy sitcom ''The Addams Family''. Personal life Blossom Rock was born on August 21, 1895, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the second of three daughters born to Anna May (née Wright; July, 1871 – May 16, 1947) and Daniel McDonald (April, 1869 – August 8, 1924). The family later changed the spelling of their last name to MacDonald. As a youth, Blossom first performed in vaudeville with her younger sister, Jeanette. She had an elder sister, Elsie Wallace MacDonald (1894–1970), who had also been a vaudeville performer and then operated a dance school until 1962. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Litel
John Beach Litel (December 30, 1892 – February 3, 1972) was an American film and television actor. Early life Litel was born in Albany, Wisconsin. During World War I, he enlisted in the French Army and was twice decorated for bravery. Back in the U.S. after the war, Litel enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and began his stage career. Career His Broadway credits include ''Sweet Aloes'' (1935), ''Hell Freezes Over'' (1935), ''Life's Too Short'' (1935), ''Strange Gods'' (1932), ''Before Morning'' (1932), ''Lilly Turner'' (1932), ''Ladies of Creation'' (1931), ''Back Seat Drivers'' (1928), ''The Half Naked Truth'' (1926), ''The Beaten Track'' (1925), ''Thoroughbreds'' (1924), and ''Irene'' (1919). In 1929, he began appearing in films. Part of the "Warner Bros. Stock Company" beginning in the 1930s, he appeared in dozens of Warner Bros. films and was in over 200 films during his entire career. He often played supporting roles such as hard-nosed cops and dis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Claire Whitney
Claire Whitney (May 6, 1890 – August 27, 1969) was an American stage and film actress who appeared in 111 films between 1912 and 1949. Only 21 of these films survive, as most have been lost. Whitney gained early acting experience with a stock theater company in Massachusetts, following which she toured the United States in a vaudeville production of ''Little Mother''. Whitney made her first film in 1913 for Solax and continued making films until 1921, mainly for Fox Film Corporation. Whitney came back to films in 1926 with a role in ''The Great Gatsby'' which would be her final silent film. She continued working in film between 1931 and 1949 when she retired. Whitney's Broadway credits include ''Broadway Interlude'' (1934), ''Page Pygmalion'' (1932), ''An Innocent Idea'' (1920), and ''The Net'' (1919). On March 20, 1920, Whitney's marriage to Jan von Hoegarden, an actor also known as John Sunderland, was annulled after he admitted having a wife and children in Belg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
