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Martin Rackin
Martin Rackin (31 July 1918 – 15 April 1976) was an American writer and producer who was briefly head of production at Paramount Pictures from 1960–64. In the late 1950s he wrote and produced a series of films with actor Alan Ladd. Richard Fleischer described Rackin as "a real character. He was a fast-talking, breezy, nervous, con man type who blinked his eyes a lot. You always had the feeling that he was some sort of a street corner shell game operator keeping an eye open for the cops." Biography Rackin was born in New York City. He worked as an errand boy for a Times Square hat shop. He became a reporter for the ''New York Daily Mirror'' and was a feature writer for two news services. He also worked as a speech writer and in publicity. Rackin wrote a book, ''Buy Me That Town''. Film rights to this were bought by Sol Siegel and Rackin moved to Hollywood. He served in the air force during World War II. He wrote a sequel to ''Treasure Island'', ''Long John Silver'' ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldest film studio in the world, the second-oldest film studio in the United States (behind Universal Pictures), and the sole member of the Major film studio, "Big Five" film studios located within the city limits of Los Angeles. In 1916, film producer Adolph Zukor put 24 actors and actresses under contract and honored each with a star on the logo. In 1967, the number of stars was reduced to 22 and their hidden meaning was dropped. In 2014, Paramount Pictures became the first major Hollywood studio to distribute all of its films in digital form only. The company's headquarters and studios are located at 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California. Paramount Pictures is a member of the Motion Picture Association of America, Motion Picture Associ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
North To Alaska
''North to Alaska'' is a 1960 comedic Western/Northern film directed by Henry Hathaway and John Wayne (uncredited). The picture stars Wayne along with Stewart Granger, Ernie Kovacs, Fabian, and Capucine. The script is based on the 1939 play ''Birthday Gift'' by Ladislas Fodor and is set during the Nome gold rush.TCM, North to Alaska , retrieved November 4, 2011 The film featured 's song "", sung during the opening titles, setting up an introduction to the story. Plot In 1901, after f ...[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Riffraff (1947 Film)
''Riff-Raff'' is a 1947 black-and-white film starring Pat O'Brien, Anne Jeffreys and Walter Slezak. It was directed by Ted Tetzlaff, who later directed '' The Window'' (1949) and worked as a cinematographer for over 100 films, including Alfred Hitchcock's '' Notorious'' (1946). The music was composed by Roy Webb and Joan Whitney. Plot A cargo plane leaves Peru, bound for Panama with two passengers during a storm. When one of the two pilots goes to check on an opened door, Charles Hasso (Marc Krah) claims he tried but failed to prevent the other passenger from jumping to his death. Upon landing, Hasso is questioned by Major Rues (George Givot) of the Panamanian secret police, but is released as there were no witnesses. Hasso takes with him the deceased's briefcase, in which he finds a map. Hasso hires private investigator Dan Hammer (Pat O'Brien) to be his bodyguard for a couple of days. While Hammer is changing, Hasso secretly pins the map to Hammer's bulletin board. H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Desperate (film)
''Desperate'' is a 1947 suspense film noir directed by Anthony Mann and featuring Steve Brodie, Audrey Long, Raymond Burr, Douglas Fowley, William Challee and Jason Robards. Plot Steve Randall (Brodie) is an independent trucker who is hired by an old friend to haul some freight. Only when Steve arrives at the warehouse does he discover he has been hired to haul away stolen goods. Steve wants no part of the plot and resists, but a cop is killed as they're committing the burglary, and all except one manage to get away. Later, after kidnapping and assaulting Steve, the criminals, led by Walt Radak (Burr), threaten to mutilate Randall's wife (Long) unless Steve confesses to the murder committed by Radak's brother, captured during the theft and sentenced to death for the cop-killing. Steve plays along with the criminals just long enough to escape. He takes his wife and leaves town, heading cross country. The couple are then pursued by both the cops and the crooks. Steve then discove ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marine Raiders (film)
''Marine Raiders'' is a 1944 RKO war film showing a fictional depiction of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion and 1st Marine Parachute Battalion on Guadalcanal, R&R in Australia, retraining in Camp Elliott (where much of the film was made) and a fictional attack in the Solomon Islands. Produced by Robert Fellows, and directed by Harold D. Schuster, it stars Pat O'Brien, Robert Ryan, and Ruth Hussey. The film depicts fictionalized accounts of the Guadalcanal Campaign (1942-1943), the Battle of Edson's Ridge (1942), and the Bougainville Campaign (1943-1945). The Western Desert Campaign (1940-1943) is mentioned as a concurrent event, but not actually depicted on-screen. Plot Major Steve Lockhart, commander of a Marine Raider battalion and Captain Dan Craig, commander of the Paramarines are together on Guadalcanal facing a Japanese assault that became the Battle of Edson's Ridge. When Captain Craig discovers the body of one of his lieutenants who had been tortured and executed by the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bombardier (film)
''Bombardier'' is a 1943 film war drama about the training program for bombardiers of the United States Army Air Forces. The film stars Pat O'Brien and Randolph Scott. ''Bombardier'' was nominated for an Oscar in 1944 for the special effects used in the film. It was largely filmed at Kirtland Army Air Field, New Mexico, site of the first bombardier training school. The film follows the training of six bombardier candidates, seen through the differences between the two USAAF pilots in charge of their training over the efficacy of precision bombing. Brigadier General Eugene L. Eubank, commander of the first heavy bombardment group of the U.S. Army Air Forces to see combat in World War II, introduces the film with the statement: I want you to know about a new kind of American soldier, the most important of all our fighting men today. He is most important because upon him, finally, depends the success of any mission in which he participates. The greatest bombing plane in the wo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Air Raid Wardens
''Air Raid Wardens'' is a 1943 comedy film directed by Edward Sedgwick and starring Laurel and Hardy. It was the first of two feature films the duo made at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Plot Set during World War II, just after Pearl Harbor, Stan (Stan Laurel) and Ollie ( Oliver Hardy) try their hand at various business ventures. Their store opens and closes in various guises but without success. They finally open it as a bicycle store, but it goes bankrupt and they close it down to enlist in the army. They fail in every attempt to succeed in the military and return to their home town Huxton only to find out that their store now is open, with a man named Eustace Middling (Donald Meek) in charge, selling radios instead of bicycles. But Middling offers them to share the space in a joint venture. Stan and Ollie don't realize that Middling in fact is a German spy, using the shop as a front to cover a base for espionage on the US Military. The pair decide to support the civil defense by becomin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Buy Me That Town
''Buy Me That Town'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Eugene Forde and written by Murray Boltinoff, Harry A. Gourfair, Gordon Kahn and Martin Rackin. The film stars Lloyd Nolan, Constance Moore, Albert Dekker, Sheldon Leonard, Barbara Jo Allen, Edward Brophy and Warren Hymer. The film was released on October 3, 1941, by Paramount Pictures. Plot After racketeer Chink Moran is drafted by the Army, his second-in-command Rickey Dean decides that the gang is no longer relevant and shuts things down. He and his pal Louie Lanzer leave NY to travel the country and decide what to do next. Their speeding car is stopped outside a tiny Connecticut village, and they're brought up before Judge Paradise and his beautiful clerk Virginia, who naturally arouses Rickey's interest. They're fined what they deem to be an inordinate amount, and not having the cash on them, accept jail time until their attorney can wire the money to bail them out. The judge explains to Rickey that the town ha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hangup (1974 Film)
''Hangup'', also called '' Hang Up'' and later released under the name ''Super Dude'', is a 1974 film directed by Henry Hathaway. It stars William Elliott and Marki Bey. This was the last film directed by Hathaway. The film falls in the blaxploitation subgenre of "vigilante group cleans up ghetto streets". The film follows a black policeman seeking revenge on the man who got his girlfriend addicted to heroin. The film was distributed by American International Pictures, one of the many films it targeted to the new youth market. Josiah Howard states that the marketing "almost makes it look like a spoof of the genre." Howard described the film as "low budget and flashy, but fast-moving and consistently entertaining." Leonard Maltin wrote "Hathaway has done many fine films, but this, his last, isn't one." Plot Cast * William Elliott as Ken * Cliff Potts as Lou * Marki Bey as Julie * Jerry Ayres as Jerry * Wally Taylor as Sergeant Becker * Barbara Baldavin as Beverly * Morris B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brut Productions
Brut Productions was a film production company that was an offshoot of Fabergé cosmetics under George Barrie. History Barrie began thinking about becoming involved in movie production when producer Mike Frankovich asked Fabergé to make a mock advertisement for a scene in his film of '' The Love Machine''. Barrie made an advertisement for a perfume, Xanadu. Sales of this shot up as a result of it being in the film. The company began in March 1972. Cary Grant was on the board of directors and Roger Moore was an ambassador at large. Barrie said in July 1972 "We're not in business just for Cary or Roger to make the films they want." "It's a diversification of Fabergé and is strictly commercial", said Moore. Brut initially announced they would make five features and four TV productions. The features were ''Hugo the Hippo'', then being filmed; '' Night Watch'' with Elizabeth Taylor and Laurence Harvey; '' A Touch of Class'' with Glenda Jackson; '' The Book of Numbers''; and ''Gettin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Revengers (film)
''The Revengers'' is a 1972 Western film written by Wendell Mayes based upon a story by Steven W. Carabatsos. The film was directed by Daniel Mann and stars William Holden and Ernest Borgnine. Plot The Civil War is over and Medal of Honor winner John Benedict is a Colorado rancher returning to his wife and four children with his ranch hand, Free. As they arrive they are greeted by some town representatives and Lieutenant Able, who is intent in recruiting John's son Morgan to West Point. John is prompted by Free to ask Morgan whether he would like to go to West Point and the boy tries to not offend his father, suggests he remains on the ranch to help John and Free. The next day while John is out hunting the mountain lion that his son Morgan shot, some Comanche shoot his dog and steal his horse. John races back to the ranch but arrives just in time to see the Comanche riding away from the ranch. He finds his family have been murdered and Free mortally wounded. Just before Free ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Two Mules For Sister Sara
''Two Mules for Sister Sara'' is a 1970 American-Mexican Western film in Panavision directed by Don Siegel and starring Shirley MacLaine (billed above Clint Eastwood in the film's credits, but not on the poster) set during the French intervention in Mexico (1861–1867). The film was to have been the first in a five-year exclusive association between Universal Pictures and Sanen Productions of Mexico. It was the second of five collaborations between Siegel and Eastwood, following ''Coogan's Bluff'' (1968). The collaboration continued with '' The Beguiled'' and ''Dirty Harry'' (both 1971) and finally '' Escape from Alcatraz'' (1979). The plot follows an American mercenary who gets mixed up with a nun and aids a group of Juarista rebels during the puppet reign of Emperor Maximilian in Mexico. The film featured both American and Mexican actors and actresses, including being filmed in the picturesque countryside near Tlayacapan, Morelos. Ennio Morricone composed the film's music. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
