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Old Mother Riley's Circus
''Old Mother Riley's Circus'' is a 1941 British comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane and John Longden. Old Mother Riley takes over a struggling circus and makes a huge success of it. The trade ad poster proclaims, "A LAUGH - A YELL - A ROAR - A LUCANQUAKE!" The film was made at the Rock Studios in Elstree by British National Films. It was the final film by Bentley, who had been a leading British director during the silent era and early sound era. Plot summary Old Mother Riley is the ringmaster after taking over a big top with flagging fortunes. Although the circus is plagued by the disappearance of its owner, and the bailiffs are at the door, the show somehow manages to go on. Money starts to pour in, financial disaster is avoided, and Mother Riley discovers her long-lost daughter is in fact the star of the show. Cast * Arthur Lucan as Mrs. Riley * Kitty McShane as Kitty Riley * John Longden as Bill * Edgar Driver as Bobo the Clown ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thomas Bentley
Thomas Bentley (23 February 1884 – 23 December 1966) was a British film director. He directed 68 films between 1912 and 1941. He directed three films in the early DeForest Phonofilm sound-on-film process, ''The Man in the Street'' (1926), ''The Antidote'' (1927), and ''Acci-Dental Treatment'' (1928). Bentley was born in St George Hanover Square, London and originally trained as an engineer but went on to become a vaudeville performer well known for impersonating the characters from the novels of Charles Dickens on stage, touring Britain and Australia.McFarlane, Brian (28 February 2014). ''The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition''. Oxford University Press. p. 66-67; His directing career in silent films began in 1910 after he was signed by Cecil Hepworth to write and direct five adaptations of Dickens' novels. He would go on to helm more Charles Dickens adaptations throughout his career. After his retirement from directing in 1941 he became technical advisor to the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ringmaster (circus)
A ringmaster or ringmistress, or sometimes a ringleader, is a significant performer in many circuses. Most often seen in traditional circuses, the ringmaster is a master of ceremonies that introduces the circus acts to the audience. In smaller circuses, the ringmaster is often the owner and artistic director of the circus. Duties and functions A ringmaster introduces the various acts in a circus show and guides the audience through the experience, directing their attention to the various areas of the circus arena and helping to link the acts together while equipment is brought into and removed from the circus ring. A ringmaster may interact with some acts, especially the clown acts, to make the various acts part of a seamless circus performance. Ringmasters have become an integral part of the many circus shows and sometimes will be involved in elements of some of the acts performances. It is traditionally the ringmaster's job to use hyperbole whenever possible while introduci ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1940s English-language Films
Year 194 ( CXCIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Septimius and Septimius (or, less frequently, year 947 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 194 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. Events By place Roman Empire * Emperor Septimius Severus and Decimus Clodius Septimius Albinus Caesar become Roman Consuls. * Battle of Issus: Septimius Severus marches with his army (12 legions) to Cilicia, and defeats Pescennius Niger, Roman governor of Syria. Pescennius retreats to Antioch, and is executed by Severus' troops. * Septimius Severus besieges Byzantium (194–196); the city walls suffer extensive damage. Asia * Battle of Yan Province: Warlords Cao Cao and Lü Bu fight for control over Yan Province; the battle lasts for over 100 da ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1941 Comedy Films
Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January–August – 10,072 men, women and children with mental and physical disabilities are asphyxiated with carbon monoxide in a gas chamber, at Hadamar Euthanasia Centre in Germany, in the first phase of mass killings under the Action T4 program here. * January 1 – Thailand's Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram decrees January 1 as the official start of the Thai solar calendar new year (thus the previous year that began April 1 had only 9 months). * January 3 – A decree (''Normalschrifterlass'') promulgated in Germany by Martin Bormann, on behalf of Adolf Hitler, requires replacement of blackletter typefaces by Antiqua (typeface class), Antiqua. * January 4 – The short subject ''Elmer's Pet Rabbit'' is released, marking the second appearance of Bugs Bunny, and also the first to have his name on a title card. * January 5 – WWII: Battle of Bardia in Libya: Australian an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Comedy Films
British comedy films are comedy films produced in the United Kingdom. In the early 1930s, film adaptations of stage farces were popular. British comedy films are numerous, but among the most notable are the Ealing comedies, the 1950s work of the Boulting Brothers, and innumerable popular comedy series including the St Trinian's films, the ''Doctor'' series, and the long-running Carry On films. Some of the best known British film comedy stars include Will Hay, George Formby, Norman Wisdom, Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers and the Monty Python team. Other actors associated with British comedy films include Ian Carmichael, Terry-Thomas, Margaret Rutherford, Irene Handl and Leslie Phillips. Most British comedy films of the early 1970s were spin-offs of television series. Recent successful films include the working-class comedies ''Brassed Off'' (1996) and ''The Full Monty'' (1997), the more middle class Richard Curtis-scripted films ''Four Weddings and a Funeral'' (1994) and ''Nottin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1941 Films
The year 1941 in film involved some significant events, in particular the release of a film consistently rated as one of the greatest of all time, '' Citizen Kane''. Top-grossing films (U.S.) The top ten 1941 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows: Events *January 17 ''Gone with the Wind'' goes into general release after touring in a roadshow version during 1940. Becoming a cultural phenomenon, it sells an estimated 60 million tickets this year alone. Adjusted for inflation with numerous rereleases, it remains the highest grossing domestic film of all time with $1.8 billion. *March 24 - Glenn Miller begins work on his 1st movie '' Sun Valley Serenade'' for Twentieth Century Fox *May 1 – '' Citizen Kane'', consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, is released. *July 2 – '' Sergeant York'', the film biopic of World War I hero Alvin C. York, starring Gary Cooper in the title role, premieres in New York City. It is the highest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ... TV listings, listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corporate history Prototype The prototype of what would become ''TV Guide Magazine'' was developed by Lee Wagner (1910–1993), who was the circulation director of Macfadden Communications Group#Macfadden Publications, MacFadden Publications in New York City in the 1930s – and later, by the time of the predecessor publication's creation, for Cowles Media Company – distributing magazines focusing on movie celebrities. In 1948, Wagner printed New York City area lis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nora Gordon
''Nora Gordon'' (29 November 1893, West Hartlepool, County Durham – 11 May 1970, London) was a British film and television actress. She was married to Leonard Sharp. Her daughter was the actress Dorothy Gordon. She also appeared in a number of British Ministry of Information films, notably during World War II. Selected filmography * '' Facing the Music'' (1941) * ''Danny Boy'' (1941) - Mrs. Maloney * ''Old Mother Riley's Circus'' (1941) - 1st Charwoman * ''Sheepdog of the Hills'' (1941) - Mrs. Weeks, Varney's housekeeper (uncredited) * ''Somewhere in Camp'' (1942) - Matron (uncredited) * ''Front Line Kids'' (1942) - Evacuee organiser * ''Green Fingers'' (1947) - Mrs. Green (uncredited) * ''Death in High Heels'' (1947) - Miss Arris * ''The Mark of Cain'' (1947) - Guard (uncredited) * ''Journey Ahead'' (1947) - Mrs. Deacon * ''My Brother Jonathan'' (1948) - Mrs. Stevens * '' The Fallen Idol'' (1948) - Waitress (uncredited) * ''Floodtide'' (1949) - Mrs. Dow (uncredited) * ''Onc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ben Williams (actor)
Benjamin Percy Williams (1892 in Glamorgan, Wales – December 1959 in Chelsea, London) was a British character actor from the 1930s to the late 1950s. During his career he appeared in 137 films. In 1954 Williams acted in the BBC Radio play ''Under Milk Wood'' that won the Prix Italia award for radio drama that year. Originally a miner in Swansea, Williams served in the Royal Artillery in Palestine during the First World War, and he was an Air Raid Warden in London during the Second World War. Williams made his film debut in an uncredited role in the 1933 film '' The Good Companions''. Later appearances included roles in ''Tiger Bay'' (1934), ''Java Head'' (1934), '' Sexton Blake and the Bearded Doctor'' (1935), '' Boys Will Be Boys'' (1935), '' Flame in the Heather'' (1935), ''The Man Without a Face'' (1935), ''Sexton Blake and the Mademoiselle'' (1935), ''Gay Old Dog'' (1935), '' Blue Smoke'' (1935), and '' Find the Lady'' (1936. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iris Vandeleur
Iris Vandeleur (1884–1969) was a British stage and film actress. In 1951 she appeared in the BBC television series ''Sherlock Holmes'' as Mrs. Hudson, the landlady. In the West End she appeared in 1939 in Ian Hay's comedy ''Little Ladyship ''Little Ladyship'' is a 1939 comedy play by the British writer Ian Hay. It premiered at the King's Theatre, Glasgow before beginning its West End run at the Strand Theatre and later transferring to the Aldwych Theatre. The original West End r ...''. Filmography References External links * 1884 births 1969 deaths People from Stirling British film actresses British stage actresses British television actresses {{UK-actor-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Turnbull (actor)
John Turnbull (5 November 1880 – 23 February 1956) was a British stage and film actor. He was married to Eve Marchew and Beatrice Alice Scott (actress). Selected filmography * '' The Amazing Quest of Mr. Ernest Bliss'' (1920) - Willie Mott * '' Tons of Money'' (1930) - Sprules * ''Rodney Steps In'' (1931, Short) - Inspector * ''77 Park Lane'' (1931) - Superintendent * ''The Man at Six'' (1931) - Inspector Dawford * ''Keepers of Youth'' (1931) - Gordon Duff * ''Detective Lloyd'' (1932, Serial) - Barclay - Scotland Yard Superindendant * ''Murder on the Second Floor'' (1932) - Inspector * ''The Wickham Mystery'' (1932) - Howard Clayton * ''A Voice Said Goodnight'' (1932, Short) - Inspector Lavory * ''The Midshipmaid'' (1932) - Officer * '' The Iron Stair'' (1933) - Major Gordon * ''The Shadow'' (1933) - Det. Inspector Carr * ''The Private Life of Henry VIII'' (1933) - Hans Holbein (uncredited) * ''Too Many Wives'' (1933) - (uncredited) * '' The Umbrella'' (1933) - Governor * '' Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hector Abbas
Hector Abbas (9 November 1884 – 11 November 1942) was a Dutch film actor who appeared mainly in British films after emigrating to the United Kingdom. Partial filmography * ''The First Men in the Moon'' (1919) * ''A Prince of Lovers'' (1922) * ''The Wandering Jew'' (1923) * ''Bolibar'' (1928) * ''The School for Scandal'' (1930) * ''Madame Guillotine'' (1931) * '' A Gentleman of Paris'' (1931) * ''Rembrandt'' (1936) * '' Gypsy Melody'' (1936) * ''The Man Who Made Diamonds'' (1937) * ''Old Mother Riley's Circus'' (1941) * ''The Common Touch'' (1941) * '' "Pimpernel" Smith'' (1941) * ''One of Our Aircraft Is Missing ''One of Our Aircraft Is Missing'' (stylized onscreen as ''......one of our aircraft is missing'') is a 1942 British black-and-white war film, mainly set in the German-occupied Netherlands. It was the fourth collaboration between the British writ ...'' (1942) References External links * 1884 births 1942 deaths Dutch male film actors Male actors from Amste ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
