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Rita La Roy
Rita La Roy (born Ina La Roi Stuart; October 2, 1901 – February 18, 1993) was an American actress and dancer, beginning her career in 1929, and having her last significant role in 1940. Career La Roy appeared in over 50 films, the best known of which was ''Blonde Venus'', which starred Marlene Dietrich. After her acting career, she had a school for models in Hollywood. Early life While the studio publicity machine claimed she had been born in Paris, France, she was actually born in the small town of Bonners Ferry, Idaho in 1901. Her early years saw her work as both a dress designer and a stock company actress, before moving onto vaudeville, where she became a dancer. Performing on the Pantages and Orpheum theater circuits, she was known for erotic acts, which included dances such as the "frog dance", the "peacock dance" and the "cobra dance" in which her feet and legs were tied together under a stylized snakeskin so that she danced by undulating her torso." Film caree ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Mandarin Mystery
''The Mandarin Mystery'' is a 1936 American film directed by Ralph Staub, loosely based on ''The Chinese Orange Mystery'', a novel featuring detective character Ellery Queen. Plot summary Two murders are committed and a $50,000 Chinese Mandarin stamp is stolen, tossed around and eventually recovered as an aggregation of costly-stamp counterfeiters are uncovered through the mastermind investigation by Ellery Queen. Cast *Eddie Quillan as Ellery Queen, a mystery writer and amateur detective *Charlotte Henry as Josephine Temple *Rita La Roy as Martha Kirk *Wade Boteler as The Adventures of Ellery Queen, Inspector Richard Queen, A police inspector, Ellery's father. *Franklin Pangborn as Mellish, the hotel manager *George Irving (American actor), George Irving as Dr. Alexander Kirk *Kay Hughes as Irene Kirk *William Newell (actor), William Newell as Detective Guffy *George Walcott as Donald Trent *Edwin Stanley as Howard Bronson *Edgar Allen as Detective *Bert Roach *Richard Beac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lilies Of The Field (1930 Film)
''Lilies of the Field'' is a 1930 American Pre-Code drama film directed by Alexander Korda, and starring Corinne Griffith, Ralph Forbes, and John Loder. It was a remake of the silent 1924 film '' Lilies of the Field'', in which Griffith had played the same role.Kulik, p. 52 Both films were based on a 1921 play of the same name by William J. Hurlbut. ''Lilies of the Field'' was Griffith's first all-dialogue film. The film is not related in any way to the 1963 film of the same name. Plot Walter Harker (Loder), who is married to Mildred Harker (Griffith), falls in love with another woman and wants to separate from his wife without losing custody of his daughter. He frames his wife and files for divorce, and Mildred ends up losing her daughter. Mildred moves into a cheap apartment and gradually becomes a Broadway showgirl and drowns her depression in a life of alcohol and jazz. Ted Willing (Forbes), a wealthy man, becomes her devoted admirer, but after her experience with her ex-h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Secret Witness
''The Secret Witness'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film, directed by Thornton Freeland and starring Una Merkel, William Collier Jr. and Zasu Pitts.Goble p. 946 It is an adaptation of the novel ''Murder in the Gilded Cage'' by Sam Spewack. The screenplay concerns a man who is found murdered in his luxury apartment. His neighbors believe that the wrong man has been arrested and set out to solve the crime. Cast * Una Merkel as Lois Martin * William Collier Jr. as Arthur Jones aka Casey * Zasu Pitts as Bella * Purnell Pratt as Capt. McGowan * Ralf Harolde as Lewis Leroy * Clyde Cook as Larson - Building Engineer * June Clyde as Tess Jones * Nat Pendleton as Gunner - Bodyguard * Clarence Muse as Jeff - Building Janitor * Hooper Atchley as Herbert 'Bert' Folsom * Billy Bletcher as Radio Announcer's Voice * Mike Donlin as Mike - Speakeasy Proprietor * James Durkin as Detective * Greta Granstedt as Moll * Henry Hall as Police Commissioner Martin * Pa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Yellow Ticket
''The Yellow Ticket'' is a 1931 pre-Code American drama film based on the 1914 play of the same name by Michael Morton, produced by the Fox Film Corporation, directed by Raoul Walsh, and starring Elissa Landi, Lionel Barrymore and Laurence Olivier. Boris Karloff appears briefly in a small supporting role. The picture is also a noteworthy example of productions from the pre-Code era in that it includes brief nudity. The original play, presented on Broadway, ran from January to June 1914 and starred Lionel's younger brother John Barrymore opposite Florence Reed. This film is the third American adaptation of the play. The first two are ''The Yellow Passport'' from 1916 and ''The Yellow Ticket'' from 1918. A German version, ''Der Gelbe Schein'', was also filmed and released in 1918. Plot When martial law is declared in Russia, all Jews are restricted to their villages. The authorities are unsympathetic to Marya (Elissa Landi), who desperately wants to travel to St. Petersburg to s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Left Over Ladies
''Left Over Ladies'' (also written as ''Leftover Ladies'') is a 1931 American drama film starring Claudia Dell, Marjorie Rambeau and Walter Byron.Cocchi p.56 Produced by Tiffany Pictures, it was originally going to be directed by Lloyd Bacon before Erle C. Kenton took over. Synopsis After a society divorce, Patricia Worth refuses any alimony from her wealthy husband and plans to make a living as a writer. She encounters a recently-divorced writer who has made success out of his book celebrating divorce, but is in truth distraught that his wife has left him. They apparently fall in love, but both their former partners - including Patricia's husband Ronny who has become entangled with a gold digger - decide they want them back. Cast * Claudia Dell as Patricia * Marjorie Rambeau as The Duchess * Walter Byron as Ronny * Alan Mowbray as Jerry * Rita La Roy as Vera * Roscoe Karns as 'Scoop' * Dorothy Revier as Amy * Selmer Jackson as Churchill * Franklyn Farnum as Benson * Buster P ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Gay Diplomat
''The Gay Diplomat'' is a 1931 American film. Directed by Richard Boleslawski for RKO Radio Pictures, it starred Ivan Lebedeff, Genevieve Tobin and Betty Compson. Synopsis Captain Orloff (Ivan Lebedeff) is a Russian military officer who is sent to Bucharest to discover and dispose of a female spy. The three suspected spies are Countess Diana Dorchy (Genevieve Tobin), Baroness Alma Corri (Betty Compson) and Madame Blinis (Ilka Chase). Before learning the identity of the spy, Orloff falls in love with Diana. In the course of events, the spy is revealed to be Alma who is ultimately tricked into confessing. Orloff returns with his prisoner to St. Petersburg and is joined on the train by Diana. Cast * Genevieve Tobin as Countess Diana Dorchy * Betty Compson as Baroness Alma Corri * Ivan Lebedeff as Captain Ivan Orloff * Ilka Chase as Madame Blinis * Purnell Pratt as Colonel George Gorin * Colin Campbell as Gamble * Arthur Edmund Carew as The Suave Man * Edward Martindel as Ambassa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Traveling Husbands
''Traveling Husbands'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film directed by Paul Sloane based on a screenplay by Humphrey Pearson. The film stars Constance Cummings, Frank Albertson, Evelyn Brent, Dorothy Peterson and Hugh Herbert. Hugh Herbert's brother, Tom, made his screen debut with a small role in this film, billed as Tom Francis. Produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, the film premiered in New York City on August 7, 1931, and was released nationwide the following week on August 15. It received mixed reviews from the critics. Plot While waiting to see the owner of the store who is potentially a new big client, Barry Greene, a traveling salesman, practices his sales pitch on Ellen Wilson. Unbeknownst to Barry, Ellen is the daughter of his potential client, J.C. Wilson. Her father, obsessed with business, has neglected his daughter. When she goes in to speak with her father, his usual lack of interest in her life causes her to decide to teach him a lesson by living a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Holy Terror
''A Holy Terror'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Western movie starring George O'Brien, Sally Eilers, Rita La Roy, and Humphrey Bogart. The film is an adaptation by Ralph Block, Alfred A. Cohn, and Myron C. Fagan of the novel ''Trailin'!'' by Max Brand. It was directed by Irving Cummings. Plot Polo player Tony Bard travels West to investigate his father's murder, and meets Jerry Foster on a Wyoming ranch. After being kidnapped, Tony escapes and discovers his true father and learns that he was raised by another man, who was in love with his mother. Cast * George O'Brien as Tony Bard aka "Woodbury" * Sally Eilers as Jerry Foster Rita La Royas Kitty Carroll * Humphrey Bogart as Steve Nash * James Kirkwood as William Drew * Stanley Fields as Butch Morgan * Robert Warwick as John Bard aka "Thomas Woodbury" * Richard Tucker as Tom Hedges * Earl Pingree as Jim Lawler, Ranch Manager * Ralph Bucko as Wrangler (uncredited) * George Chandler as Joe, Western Union Clerk (uncredited) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Playthings Of Hollywood
''Playthings of Hollywood'' is a 1930 American romantic drama film directed by William A. O'Connor and starring Phyllis Barrington, Rita La Roy, Sheila Bromley and Donald Reed.Pitts p.167 Made by the independent producer Willis Kent during the early years of sound, it is also known by the alternative title ''Chiselers of Hollywood''. It was made at the Tec-Art Studio in Hollywood on a very short shooting schedule. Kent originally intended to call the film ''Gold Diggers of Hollywood'' but abandoned this after Warner Brothers complained the title was too similar to ''Gold Diggers of Broadway''. Synopsis Three sisters head to Hollywood looking to enjoy success. One of them finds work in the Film industry, while two of them fall in love with the same man, the son of a wealthy oil magnate. Cast * Phyllis Barrington as Roxanne King * Rita La Roy as Virginia King * Sheila Bromley as Beth King * Donald Reed as Barry Gaynor * Charles Delaney as Deputy * Edmund Breese * Jack Richar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sin Takes A Holiday
''Sin Takes a Holiday'' is a 1930 American pre-Code romantic comedy film, directed by Paul L. Stein, from a screenplay by Horace Jackson, based on a story by Robert Milton and Dorothy Cairns. It starred Constance Bennett, Kenneth MacKenna, and Basil Rathbone. Originally produced by Pathé Exchange and released in 1930, it was part of the takeover package when RKO Pictures acquired Pathé that year; it was re-released by RKO in 1931. Plot Sylvia Brenner (Constance Bennett) is a plain secretary sharing an apartment with two other girls, one of whom is her friend Annie (ZaSu Pitts). Her economic condition is meager, but she makes do with what she has. She works for a womanizing divorce attorney, Gaylord Stanton (Kenneth MacKenna), who only dates married women; he has no intention of ever getting married and sees wives as safe, since they already have husbands. But Sylvia is secretly in love with Gaylord. When the woman he is fooling around with, Grace Lawrence (Rita La Roy) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Check And Double Check
''Check and Double Check'' is a 1930 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code comedy film produced and released by RKO Radio Pictures based on the ''Amos 'n' Andy'' old-time radio, radio show. The title was derived from a catchphrase associated with the show. Directed by Melville W. Brown, from a screenplay by Bert Kalmar, J. Walter Ruben, and Harry Ruby, it starred Charles Correll and Freeman Gosden, in blackface, in the roles of Andy and Amos, respectively, which they had created for the radio show. The film also featured Duke Ellington and his "Cotton Club Orchestra". Plot Amos and Andy run the "Fresh Air Taxicab Company, Incorporated", so named because their one taxi has no top. Their old vehicle has broken down, causing a traffic jam. Stuck in the traffic jam are John Blair and his wife, who were on their way to meet an old family friend at the train station, Richard Williams. When the Blairs do not show up, he makes his own way to their house, where he meets their daughter, J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leathernecking
''Leathernecking'' is a 1930 American musical comedy film directed by Edward F. Cline, from a screenplay by Alfred Jackson and Jane Murfin, adapted from the Broadway musical comedy '' Present Arms'', by Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart and Herbert Fields. Although based on a musical, it used only two of the original Rodgers and Hart songs from the Broadway hit, along with original songs, including three by Oscar Levant and Sidney Clare. An early part-color feature film with a Technicolor insert, this film was Irene Dunne's film debut. Plot Chick Evans is a Marine private in Honolulu, Hawaii. He falls for society girl Delphine Witherspoon, and begins to scheme as to how to win her over. His first plan involves impersonating an officer in order to get invited to a society party. However, when his Marine buddies decide to crash the party as well, his real rank is revealed, and so having the opposite effect on Delphine as he had planned. Despondent, he bares his soul to a mutual frie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
