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My Favorite Blonde
''My Favorite Blonde'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Sidney Lanfield and starring Bob Hope and Madeleine Carroll. Based on a story by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, the film is about a vaudeville performer who gets mixed up with British and German secret agents in the days just before the United States' entry into World War II. The film features an uncredited cameo appearance by Bing Crosby. Plot When a British secret agent is murdered in the line of duty, agent Karen Bentley inherits the mission from her partner. The mission is to deliver a flight plan for a hundred American bomber planes to a British agent in Chicago. The plans are hidden in a small medallion of a scorpion that Karen wears. Karen arrives to New York City from Europe by ship and escapes the clutches of enemy agents by hiding in a variety theatre. To improve her chances of getting away and get a good cover, she charms an actor named Larry Haines, who performs a small act called "Percy" involving hi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sidney Lanfield
Sidney Lanfield (April 20, 1898 – June 20, 1972) was an American film director known for directing romances and light comedy films and later television programs. The one-time jazz musician and vaudevillian star started his first directing job for the Fox Film Corporation in 1930; he went on to direct a number of films for 20th Century Fox. In 1941, he directed the Fred Astaire film ''You'll Never Get Rich'' for Columbia Pictures, then moved to Paramount Pictures. There Lanfield worked on a number of film comedies. He is probably best remembered for directing actor Bob Hope in a number of films including ''My Favorite Blonde'' (1942), ''Let's Face It'' (1943), '' Where There's Life'' (1947), and ''The Lemon Drop Kid'' (1951). Lanfield's most profitable film, however, was the first teaming of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Watson in 1939's ''The Hound of the Baskervilles''. In the early 1950s the reputedly strict taskmaster-director moved to television where ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Zucco
George Zucco (11 January 1886 – 27 May 1960) was a British character actor who appeared in plays and 96 films, mostly American-made, during a career spanning over two decades, from the 1920s to 1951. In his films, he often played a suave villain, a member of nobility, or a mad doctor. Early life and family Zucco was born in Manchester, Lancashire, on 11 January 1886. His mother Marian (née Rintoul) ran a dressmaking business; it is claimed she was a former lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria, but this is untrue, as the honour was only accessible to titled ladies of high rank (duchesses, marchionesses, countesses, viscountesses, and baronesses). His father, George De Sylla Zucco, was a Greek merchant from Corfu who became a naturalised British subject in 1865. Zucco debuted on the Canadian stage in 1908 in a stock theater company. In 1910, he entered the United States for the first time from Canada, bound for Seattle, Washington, where he soon appeared in plays such as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
My Favorite Spy (1951 Film)
''My Favorite Spy'' is a 1951 comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod and starring Bob Hope and Hedy Lamarr. Plot US intelligence agents recruit burlesque comic Peanuts White (Hope) to pose as international spy Eric Augustine, whom he resembles, to acquire a million-dollar microfilm in Tangier, Morocco. There, he encounters the irresistible Lily Dalbray (Lamarr), Augustine's one-time "friend," who is now in league with his arch-enemy, Brubaker. Cast * Bob Hope as Peanuts White/Eric Augustine * Hedy Lamarr as Lily Dalbray * Francis L. Sullivan as Karl Brubaker * Arnold Moss as Tasso * John Archer as Henderson * Luis Van Rooten as Rudolf Hoenig * Alden 'Stephen' Chase as Donald Bailey (as Stephen Chase) * Morris Ankrum as Gen. Frazer * Angela Clarke as Gypsy Fortune Teller * Iris Adrian as Lola * Frank Faylen as Newton * Mike Mazurki as Monkara * Marc Lawrence as Ben Ali * Tonio Selwart as Harry Crock * Ralph Smiley as El Sarif Production notes * Production Dates: late Jan-e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dorothy Lamour
Dorothy Lamour (born Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton; December 10, 1914 – September 22, 1996) was an American actress and singer. She is best remembered for having appeared in the '' Road to...'' movies, a series of successful comedies starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. Lamour began her career in the 1930s as a big band singer. In 1936, she moved to Hollywood, where she signed with Paramount Pictures. Her appearance as Ulah in ''The Jungle Princess'' (1936) brought her fame and marked the beginning of her image as the "Sarong Queen". In 1940, Lamour made her first ''Road series'' comedy film ''Road to Singapore''. The ''Road series'' films were popular during the 1940s. The sixth film in the series, ''Road to Bali'', was released in 1952. By this time, Lamour's screen career began to wane, and she focused on stage and television work. In 1961, Crosby and Hope teamed for ''The Road to Hong Kong'', but actress Joan Collins was cast as the female lead. Lamour made a brief appearance a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
My Favorite Brunette
''My Favorite Brunette'' is a 1947 American romantic comedy film and film noir parody, directed by Elliott Nugent and starring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. Written by Edmund Beloin and Jack Rose, the film is about a baby photographer on death row in San Quentin State Prison who tells reporters his history. While taking care of his private-eye neighbor's office, he is asked by an irresistible baroness to find a missing baron, which initiates a series of confusing but sinister events in a gloomy mansion and a private sanatorium. Spoofing movie detectives and the film noir style, the film features Lon Chaney, Jr. playing Willie, a character based on his ''Of Mice and Men'' role Lennie; Peter Lorre as Kismet, a comic take on his many film noir roles; and cameo appearances by film noir regular Alan Ladd and Hope partner Bing Crosby. Sequences were filmed in San Francisco and Pebble Beach, California. Plot The story is told in flashback from Death Row as Ronnie Jackson (Bob Hope ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang. Although the name "Rotten Tomatoes" connects to the practice of audiences throwing rotten tomatoes in disapproval of a poor stage performance, the original inspiration comes from a scene featuring tomatoes in the Canadian film ''Léolo'' (1992). Since January 2010, Rotten Tomatoes has been owned by Flixster, which was in turn acquired by Warner Bros in 2011. In February 2016, Rotten Tomatoes and its parent site Flixster were sold to Comcast's Fandango. Warner Bros. retained a minority stake in the merged entities, including Fandango. History Rotten Tomatoes was launched on August 12, 1998, as a spare-time project by Senh Duong. His objective in creating Rotten Tomatoes was "to create a site where people can get access to reviews from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer
Carl Dean Switzer (August 7, 1927 – January 21, 1959) was an American singer, child actor, dog breeder, and guide. He was best known for his role as Alfalfa in the short subjects series '' Our Gang''. Switzer began his career as a child actor in the mid-1930s appearing in the '' Our Gang'' short subjects series as Alfalfa, one of the series' most popular and best-remembered characters. After leaving the series in 1940, Switzer struggled to find substantial roles owing to typecasting. As an adult, he appeared mainly in bit parts and B-movies. He later became a dog breeder and hunting guide. Switzer married in 1954 and had one son before divorcing his wife in 1957. He was fatally shot by an acquaintance in a dispute over money in January 1959. Early life and family Switzer was born in Paris, Illinois, the youngest of four children born to Gladys Carrie Shanks (1904–1997) and George Frederick "Fred" Switzer (1905–1960). The eldest brother died in 1922. A sister ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Milton Parsons
Ernest Milton Parsons (May 19, 1904 – May 15, 1980) was an American character actor. He appeared in more than 160 films and television shows between 1939 and 1978. In 1927, Parsons performed with The Strolling Players of Boston acting company. On Broadway, he portrayed James Case in ''Unto the Third'' (1933), Saul of Tarsus in ''The Vigil'' (1948), and Albert Plaschke in ''Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep'' (1950). Selected filmography * ''When Tomorrow Comes'' (1939) - Mr. Henderson, the Organist (uncredited) * '' Dad for a Day'' (1939, Short) - Mr. Kincaid (uncredited) * ''Bad Little Angel'' (1939) - Minister at Station (uncredited) * ''Another Thin Man'' (1939) - Coroner (uncredited) * ''Judge Hardy and Son'' (1939) - Florist (uncredited) * '' Alfalfa's Double'' (1940, Short) - Willoughby * ''Edison, the Man'' (1940) - 'Acid' Graham * ''We Who Are Young'' (1940) - Expectant Father (uncredited) * ''Boom Town'' (1940) - Aldrich's Assistant (uncredited) * '' Dr. Kildare Goes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dooley Wilson
Arthur "Dooley" Wilson (April 3, 1886 – May 30, 1953) was an American actor, singer and musician who is best remembered for his portrayal of Sam in the 1942 film ''Casablanca (film), Casablanca''. In that romantic drama, he performs its theme song "As Time Goes By (song), As Time Goes By". Wilson was a drummer and singer who led his own band in the 1920s, touring nightclubs in London and Paris. In the 1930s he took up acting, playing supporting roles onstage on Broadway theatre, Broadway and in a series of modest films. His role in ''Casablanca'' was by far his most prominent, but his other films included ''My Favorite Blonde'' (1942) with Bob Hope, ''Stormy Weather (1943 film), Stormy Weather'' (1943) with Lena Horne and the Nicholas Brothers, and the Western ''Passage West (1951 film), Passage West'' (1951). Early life and career Arthur Wilson was born in Tyler, Texas, the youngest of five children. At age seven, the year of his father's death, he began to earn a living by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Burke (actor)
James Michael Burke (September 24, 1886 – May 23, 1968) was an Irish-American film and television character actor born in New York City."New York, New York City Births, 1846-1909", FHL microfilm 1,322,214; New York Municipal Archives, Manhattan, New York, N.Y. FamilySearch. Retrieved February 20, 2019. Career Burke made his stage debut in New York around 1912 and went to Hollywood in 1933. He made over 200 film appearances during his career between 1932 and 1964, some of them uncredited. He was often cast as a police officer, usually a none-too-bright one, such as his role as Sergeant Velie in Columbia Pictures' Ellery Queen crime dramas in the early 1940s. Burke can also be seen in ''At The Circus'', '' The Maltese Falcon'', '' Lone Star'', and many other films. One of his memorable roles is his portrayal of a rowdy rancher in the 1935 comedy ''Ruggles of Red Gap''. In the early 1950s, Burke appeared on television with Tom Conway in the ABC detective drama ''Inspecto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edward Gargan
Edward Gargan (July 17, 1902 – February 19, 1964) was an American film and television actor. Career He was born of Irish parents in Brooklyn, New York. He was the elder brother of actor William Gargan. As soon as he had left college, he went onto the stage and had extensive acting experience gained in plays like ''My Maryland'', ''Rose Marie'', and ''Good News'' before going into films. His Broadway credits include ''Face the Music'' (1931), ''Polly of Hollywood'' (1926) and ''Black Boy'' (1926). In 1930, Gargan played Patrolman Mulligan in a production of ''Strictly Dishonorable''. Many of his appearances were uncredited. Personal life and death Gargan was married to the former Catherine Conlan. He died February 19, 1964, at Columbus Hospital in New York City. He was 62. He is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. Selected filmography * ''Tarnished Lady'' (1931) – Al – Man in Bar (uncredited) * ''The Girl Habit'' (1931) – Detective * ''The Girl in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Esther Howard
Esther Howard (April 4, 1892 – March 8, 1965) was an American stage and film character actress who played a wide range of supporting roles, from man-hungry spinsters to amoral criminals, appearing in 108 films in her 23-year screen career. Early life Howard was born in Butte, Montana on April 4, 1892 to Martha Esther Howard (''née'' Boggs) and James Howard Jr., a music teacher who was employed as the conductor of the Butte Opera House. Her paternal grandfather, James Howard Sr., was a prominent physician from California who had established a medical practice in Butte and Dillon, Montana, and at one time served as the coroner of Silver Bow County. When Howard was five years old, her family relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, where her father had lived prior to relocating to Montana. In Boston, Howard attended the Girls' Latin School. Career Howard began her stage career performing in stock theater in Lynn, Massachusetts, before making her Broadway debut in 1917 in a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
