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Joe Smith, American
''Joe Smith, American'' is a 1942 American spy film directed by Richard Thorpe and stars Robert Young and Marsha Hunt.Nixon, Rob"Articles: 'Joe Smith American'."''Turner Classic Movies''. Retrieved: September 21, 2016. The film, loosely based on the story of Herman W. Lang, and the theft of plans of a top-secret bombsight, is the account of a worker at an aviation factory who is kidnapped by enemy spies. The opening credits contained the following written prologue: "This story is about a man who defended his country. His name is Joe Smith. He is an American. This picture is a tribute to all Joe Smiths." ''Joe Smith, American'' was the first in a series of B films made at MGM under the supervision of Dore Schary who also wrote the initial treatment, based on "his own yarn". His story was later adapted to a postwar setting and new characters to become '' The Big Operator'' (1959). Plot In 1942, Joe Smith is a "buck an hour" crew chief on the Lockheed P-38 Lightning assembly line ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Thorpe
Richard Thorpe (born Rollo Smolt Thorpe; February 24, 1896 – May 1, 1991) was an American film director best known for his long career at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. His obituary called him "a capable and versatile director willing to take on any assignment the studio handed him." He said "I just take them on as they come." Thorpe also said "I'm happy to do any kind of picture. If there's a good script I think any director can make a good picture. Actually if it says in the script what you do, I don't see why anybody can't make it." One associate said "“He was a company man, a very pleasant, good-looking, nice, well-behaved guy who took pride in being efficient like some businessman would take pride in the way he ran his bank.” His two favorite films were ''Night Must Fall (1937 film), Night Must Fall'' (1937) and ''Two Girls and a Sailor'' (1944). "They were new and different experiences," said Thorpe. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Thorpe has a star on t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norden Bombsight
The Norden Mk. XV, known as the Norden M series in U.S. Army service, is a bombsight that was used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the United States Navy during World War II, and the United States Air Force in the Korean War, Korean and the Vietnam Wars. It was an early Bombsight#Tachometric bombsights, tachometric design, which combined optics, a mechanical computer, and an autopilot for the first time to not merely identify a target but fly the airplane to it. The bombsight directly measured the aircraft's ground speed and direction, which older types could only estimate with lengthy manual procedures. The Norden further improved on older designs by using an analog computer that continuously recalculated the bomb's impact point based on changing flight conditions, and an autopilot that reacted quickly and accurately to changes in the wind or other effects. Together, these features promised unprecedented accuracy for daytime bombing from high altitudes. During ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace manufacturer. Lockheed was founded in 1926 and merged in 1995 with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin. Its founder, Allan Lockheed, had earlier founded the similarly named but otherwise-unrelated Loughead Aircraft Manufacturing Company, which was operational from 1912 to 1920. History Origins Allan Loughead and his brother Malcolm Loughead had operated an earlier aircraft company, Loughead Aircraft Manufacturing Company, which was operational from 1912 to 1920. The company built and operated aircraft for paying passengers on sightseeing tours in California and had developed a prototype for the civil market, but folded in 1920 due to the flood of surplus aircraft deflating the market after World War I. Allan went into the real estate market while Malcolm had meanwhile formed a successful company marketing brake systems for automobiles. On December 13, 1926, Allan Loughead, Jack Northrop, John Northrop, Kenneth Kay and Fre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Attack On Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. At the time, the U.S. was a Neutral powers during World War II, neutral country in World War II. The air raid on Pearl Harbor, which was launched from Aircraft carrier, aircraft carriers, resulted in the U.S. entering the war on the side of the Allies of World War II, Allies on the day following the attack. The Imperial General Headquarters, Japanese military leadership referred to the attack as the Hawaii Operation and Operation AI, and as Operation Z during its planning. The attack on Pearl Harbor was preceded by months of negotiations between the U.S. and Japan over the future of the Pacific Ocean, Pacific. Japanese demands included that the U.S. ABCD line, end its sanctions against Japan, cease aidi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Propaganda Film
A propaganda film is a film that involves some form of propaganda. Propaganda films spread and promote certain ideas that are usually religious, political, or cultural in nature. A propaganda film is made with the intent that the viewer will adopt the position promoted by the propagator and eventually take action towards making those ideas widely accepted. Propaganda films are popular mediums of propaganda due to their ability to easily reach a large audience in a short amount of time. They are also able to come in a variety of film types such as documentary, non-fiction, and newsreel, making it even easier to provide subjective content that may be deliberately misleading. Propaganda is the ability "to produce and spread fertile messages that, once sown, will germinate in large human cultures".Combs, James. ''Film Propaganda and American Politics''. New York: Garland Publishing, 1994. p. 35 However, in the 20th century, a "new" propaganda emerged, which revolved around political ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Tannen (actor)
William Tannen (November 17, 1911 – December 2, 1976) was an American actor originally from New York City. Tannen was the son of actor Julius Tannen. William Tannen became active in drama — both acting and writing — while a student at Lawrenceville School. He made his stage debut in a production of ''The Honor of the Family'' with the National Theatre troupe in Washington, D.C. During the 1930s and 1940s, he was a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player. Among his earliest assignments were three appearances as the anonymous "MGM crime reporter" in the studio's '' Crime Does Not Pay'' short subjects. Tannen then advanced to membership in the studio's stock company, taking incidental roles in dozens of MGM's feature films. After the studio reduced its personnel in 1948, Tannen began freelancing at other studios but continued to receive assignments at MGM for the next decade. Television viewers of the 1950s recognized Tannen from his role of Deputy Hal Norton in 56 episodes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Russell Hicks
Edward Russell Hicks (June 4, 1895 – June 1, 1957) was an American film character actor. Hicks was born in 1895 in Baltimore, Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east .... During World War I, he served in the United States Army, U.S. Army in France. He later became a Lieutenant colonel (United States), lieutenant colonel in the California State Guard. Hicks was a character actor appearing in bit parts and small supporting roles in nearly 300 films between 1933 and 1956. He often appeared as a smooth-talking confidence man, or swindler as in the W. C. Fields, W.C. Fields film ''The Bank Dick'' (1940). Hicks played a variety of judges, corrupt officials, crooked businessmen and attorneys, working in a variety of mediums almost until his death. Hicks appeared once i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Forrest (actor)
William Forrest (October 10, 1902 – January 26, 1989) was an American theatre, film, and television actor. Biography Forest attended Princeton University, where he was a star in athletics. His acting career began in 1938 at the Pasadena Playhouse, and he appeared in more than 250 films between 1939 and 1977. He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and died in Santa Monica, California, from heart failure. Partial filmography * '' The Green Hornet Strikes Again'' (1940) * '' The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady'' (1940) *''The Secret Seven'' (1940) * '' The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance'' (1941) * ''Keep 'Em Flying'' (1941) * '' Of Pups and Puzzles'' (1941) (short) * '' Daring Young Man'' (1942) * ''Tarzan's New York Adventure'' (1942) * ''Yankee Doodle Dandy'' (1942) as 1st Critic (uncredited) * '' The Masked Marvel'' (1943) * '' Good Morning, Judge'' (1943) * ''The Fighting Seabees'' (1944) * ''Adventures of Kitty O'Day'' (1945) * '' Girls of the Big House'' (1945) * '' Gangs of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joseph Anthony
Joseph Anthony (born Joseph Deuster; May 24, 1912 – January 20, 1993) was an American playwright, actor, and director. He made his film acting debut in the 1934 film ''Hat, Coat, and Glove'' and his theatrical acting debut in a 1935 production of ''Mary of Scotland (play), Mary of Scotland''. On five occasions he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Direction. Biography Joseph Anthony married Perry Wilson on August 2, 1942, in New York City. He prepared for the stage at the Pasadena Playhouse from 1931 to 1935 and at the Daykarhanova School from 1935 to 1937. Anthony served in the United States Army during World War II from 1942 to 1946. He trained at Camp Ritchie and its Composite School Unit. On January 20, 1993, Joseph Anthony died at the age of 80 in a nursing home in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Career Stage work Joseph Anthony, then appearing under his original name of Joseph Deuster, made his professional acting debut in 1935 playing the role of Rizzio in a production of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don Costello
Eldon Lawrence Costello (September 5, 1901 – October 25, 1945) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio. Background Eldon Lawrence Costello was born on September 5, 1901, in New Orleans, where Jesuit Fathers educated him. His initial plans to study law gave way to his interest in acting. Career In the mid 1920s, Costello was stage manager for the Wright Players in Louisville, Kentucky. Later in that decade, he acted with the Majestic Players in Elmira, New York. Costello entered films in 1935 and in 1939 was put under contract with MGM. Known for his wicked sense of humor, Costello oftentimes played the role of a menace or a tough guy. He is probably best known for his role as Lefty in the movie ''Here Comes Mr. Jordan'' (1941). He appeared in 37 movies (31 times credited), including ''Another Thin Man'' (1939), '' Johnny Eager'' (1941) and '' The Blue Dahlia'' (1946). Death Costello died of an overdose of sleeping tablets on October 25, 1945, at the age of 44. His ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Noel Madison
Noel Madison (born Noel Nathaniel Moscovitch; April 30, 1897 – January 6, 1975) was an American character actor in the 1930s and 1940s and appeared in 75 films, often as a gangster. Born in New York City, Madison was the son of actor Maurice Moscovitch and his wife Rose. Besides his theatrical work in the United States, he acted on stage in England and Australia. Partial filmography *''Sinners' Holiday'' (1930) - Buck *''The Doorway to Hell'' (1930) - Rocco *''Little Caesar (film), Little Caesar'' (1931) - Killer Peppi (uncredited) *''The Finger Points'' (1931) - Larry Hayes (scenes deleted) *''The Star Witness'' (1931) - Horan - Henchman (uncredited) *''The Hatchet Man'' (1932) - Charley Kee (uncredited) *''Play Girl (1932 film), Play Girl'' (1932) - Martie Happ *''The Heart of New York (film), The Heart of New York'' (1932) - Mr. Farola - an Architect (uncredited) *''Symphony of Six Million'' (1932) - Magnus Klauber *''The Trial of Vivienne Ware'' (1932) - Angelo Par ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jonathan Hale
Jonathan Hale (born Jonathan Hatley; March 21, 1891 – February 28, 1966) was a Canadian-born film and television actor. Life and career Hale was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Before his acting career, Hale worked in the Diplomatic Corps. Hale is most well known as Dagwood Bumstead's boss, Julius Caesar Dithers, in the '' Blondie'' film series in the 1940s. He is also notable for playing Inspector Fernack in several installments of ''The Saint'' film series. In 1950, he made two appearances in ''The Cisco Kid'' as Barry Owens. He also appeared in two episodes of '' Adventures of Superman'': "The Evil Three", in which he played a murderous "Southern Colonel"-type character, and " Panic in the Sky", in which he played the lead astronomer at the Metropolis Observatory. Other television programs on which Hale appeared include '' Crossroads'', ''The Loretta Young Show'', '' Brave Eagle'', '' Schlitz Playhouse'', '' The Joey Bishop Show'', ''Our Miss Brooks'' and ''Walt Di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
