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Sweepings
''Sweepings'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by John Cromwell, written by Lester Cohen, and starring Lionel Barrymore, Eric Linden, William Gargan, Gloria Stuart and Alan Dinehart. It was released on April 14, 1933, by RKO Pictures. Plot Young, ambitious Daniel Pardway opens a store in Chicago called the Bazaar. Each time his wife Abigail gives birth, he adds a department to his store, dreaming of eventually putting his grown child in charge of that department. After the birth of his fourth offspring, he is left widowed. He raises his three sons and one daughter the best he can, denying them nothing. Meanwhile, his business grows into a huge department store. General manager Abe Ullman has been with Pardway since the beginning and devoted himself completely to the store, so much so that he is unmarried and alone. One day, he asks Pardway for a share of the business, but Daniel refuses. He wants it all to go to his children. When they are all adults, he turns to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lester Cohen
Lester Cohen (August 17, 1901 – July 17, 1963) was an American novelist, screenwriter and author of non-fiction. He is best known as the author of the novels ''Sweepings'' and '' Coming Home'', and the screen play for ''Of Human Bondage''. Early life Cohen was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Annie Harchovsky and Hyman Cohen from Minsk. Both emigrated to the United States in their early teens and worked in sweatshops. Hyman Cohen became a doctor, was a pioneer in public health, an officer of the Chicago Public Health Department. He later became an eye specialist and taught ophthalmology at Rush Medical College. Hyman was also a writer, authoring several books both in his specialty and two novels. Cohen went to public schools in Chicago and briefly attended the University of Chicago. He started his career as a poet, then worked at various newspapers including the ''Chicago Daily News'' and the ''New York Graphic'' in New York City (the subject of his 1964 book, ''The New York Graphic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Helen Mack
Helen Mack (born Helen McDougall; November 13, 1913 – August 13, 1986) was an American actress. She started her career as a child actress in silent films, moving to Broadway plays and touring one of the vaudeville circuits. Her greater success as an actress was as a leading lady in the 1930s. She made the transition to performing on radio and then into writing, directing, and producing shows during the Golden Age of Radio. She later wrote for Broadway, stage and television. Her career spanned the infancy of the motion picture industry, the beginnings of Broadway, the final days of vaudeville, the transition to sound movies, the Golden Age of Radio, and the rise of television. Youth and stage Mack was born in Rock Island, Illinois, the daughter of William George McDougall, a barber, and Regina (née Lenzer) McDougall, who had a repressed desire to become an actress. She attended the Professional Children's School of New York City. Her friend Vera Gordon helped her along a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gloria Stuart
Gloria Frances Stuart (born Gloria Stewart; July 4, 1910 September 26, 2010) was an American actress, visual artist, and activist. She was known for her roles in Pre-Code films, and garnered renewed fame late in life for her portrayal of Rose DeWitt Bukater in James Cameron's epic romance ''Titanic'' (1997), the highest-grossing film of all time at the time. Her performance in the film won her a Screen Actors Guild Award and earned her nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture. A native of Santa Monica, California, Stuart began acting while in high school. After attending the University of California, Berkeley, she embarked on a career in theater, performing in local productions and summer stock in Los Angeles and New York City. She signed a film contract with Universal Pictures in 1932, and acted in numerous films for the studio, including the horror films '' The Old Dark House ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Cromwell (director)
John Cromwell (born Elwood Dager; December 23, 1886 – September 26, 1979) was an American film and stage director and actor. His films spanned the early days of sound to '' film noir'' in the early 1950s, by which time his directing career was almost terminated by the Hollywood blacklist. Early life and education Born as Elwood Dager in Toledo, Ohio to an affluent Scottish-English family, executives in the steel and iron industry, Cromwell graduated from private high school at Howe Military Academy in 1905, but never pursued higher education. Early acting career, 1905–1912 Upon leaving school, Cromwell immediately began his stage career touring with stock companies in Chicago, then made his way to New York City in his early 20s. Billed as Elwood Dager in his youth, he changed his name to John Cromwell at the age of 26 following a 1912 New York stage appearance. Cromwell made his Broadway debut in the role of John Brooke in '' Little Women'' (1912) an adaptation of Louis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eric Linden
Eric Linden (September 15, 1909 – July 14, 1994) was an American actor, primarily active during the 1930s. Early years Eric Linden was born in New York City to Phillip and Elvira (née Lundborg) Linden, both of Swedish descent. His father was a professional pianist and an actor on stage with the Theater Royal when he lived in Stockholm, Sweden. When Eric was six, Phillip Linden deserted his family in New York City. To help support his mother, sister and two brothers, he began washing dishes at a cafe after school when he was 7 years old. He also sold newspapers on Tenth Avenue. Linden attended Angela Patri elementary school and participated in school plays at DeWitt Clinton High School. After graduation, he worked his way through Columbia University. His first job after graduating from Columbia was being a runner for a bank. Writing Linden had ambitions of becoming a writer rather than an actor. By the time he was 22 years old, he had written three plays and 40 short st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gregory Ratoff
Gregory Ratoff (born Grigory Vasilyevich Ratner; russian: Григорий Васильевич Ратнер, tr. ; April 20, c. 1893 – December 14, 1960) was a Russian-born American film director, actor and producer. As an actor, he was best known for his role as producer "Max Fabian" in ''All About Eve'' (1950). Biography Ratoff was born in Samara, Russia, to Jewish parents. His mother was Sophie (née Markison) who claimed to have been born on September 1, 1878, but was married on June 14, 1894, when she would have been 15, to Benjamin Ratner (born 1864), with whom she had four children, the eldest of whom was Grigory, whose date of birth she gave as April 7, 1895 but later April 20 was cited as Gregory Ratoff's birthdate, and the year given as 1893, 1896 and 1897, variously. Sophie Ratner later adopted her son's stage surname (Ratoff) when she herself became a naturalized United States citizen. Sophie Ratoff died on August 27, 1955. Her date of birth is given as September ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Franklin Pangborn
Franklin Pangborn (January 23, 1889 – July 20, 1958) was an American comedic character actor famous for playing small but memorable roles with comic flair. He appeared in many Preston Sturges movies as well as the W. C. Fields films '' International House'', ''The Bank Dick'', and ''Never Give a Sucker an Even Break''. For his contributions to motion pictures, Pangborn received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1500 Vine Street on February 8, 1960. Early years Pangborn was born in Newark, New Jersey. During World War I, he served for 14 months with the 312th Infantry in Europe. Career An encounter with actress Mildred Holland when he was 17 led to Pangborn's first professional acting experience. He was working for an insurance company when she learned about his ambitions for acting and offered him an extra's position with her company at $12 per week, initially during his two weeks' vacation. That opportunity grew into four years' touring with Holland and her troupe. Fol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Esther Muir
Esther Muir (March 11, 1903 – August 1, 1995) was an American actress on Broadway and in Hollywood films. Early years Born in Andes, New York, Muir had six sisters and three brothers. She began modeling in New York City while still a high school student. Career Stage While she was in high school, Muir became a showgirl in the ''Greenwich Village Follies'' (1922). She participated in the ''Earl Carroll Vanities'' and in the ''International Review''. The latter show starred Gertrude Lawrence. Her major break as a theatrical performer came when she landed the title role in ''My Girl Friday!'', in 1929. While in London, England performing in a musical Muir became a favorite dancing partner of Edward VIII, then Prince of Wales. She befriended Wallis Warfield. Film She made her film debut in '' A Dangerous Affair'' (1931). She continued to appear in motion pictures until 1942 when her daughter Jacqueline was born. Her final role was in '' X Marks The Spot''. Muir appeare ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Gargan
William Dennis Gargan (July 17, 1905February 17, 1979) was an American film, television and radio actor. He was the 5th recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 1967, and in 1941, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Joe in '' They Knew What They Wanted''. He acted in decades of movies including parts in ''Follow the Leader'', ''Rain'', ''Night Flight'', ''Three Sons'', ''Isle of Destiny'' and many others. The role he was best known for was that of a private detective Martin Kane in the 1949–1952 radio-television series ''Martin Kane, Private Eye.'' In television, he was also in 39 episodes of '' The New Adventures of Martin Kane''. Early years Gargan was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was the younger brother of actor Edward Gargan, whose birthday July 17 he shared. His father was a detective, and his mother was a teacher. He graduated from St. James School in Brooklyn. On leaving school, Gargan became a salesma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lucien Littlefield
Lucien Littlefield (August 16, 1895 – June 4, 1960) was an American actor who achieved a long career from silent films to the television era. He was noted for his versatility, playing a wide range of roles and already portraying old men before he was of voting age. Life and career Lucien Littlefield was born in San Antonio, Texas and attended Staunton Military Academy. He started his movie career in 1913 and worked as an actor until his death in 1960. He usually portrayed comedic supporting characters, often much older than himself. His role of the doctor in '' The Cat and the Canary'' (1927) is one of his more notable performances. The character actor appeared with Laurel and Hardy, first as an eccentric professor in '' Dirty Work'' and finally as a veterinarian in '' Sons of the Desert'', both made in 1933. He also played Mary Pickford's father in '' My Best Girl'' in 1927. Other roles include the western ''Tumbleweeds'' with William S. Hart, the comedy ''Ruggles of Red G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Meeker
George Meeker (March 5, 1904 – August 19, 1984) was an American character film and Broadway actor. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Meeker made several films such as ''Crime, Inc.'' (1945) and ''A Thief in the Dark'' (1928), and he played an uncredited part in '' All Through the Night'' (1941). Meeker has a star at 6101 Hollywood Boulevard in the Motion Pictures section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Meeker's Broadway credits include ''Conflict'' (1929), ''Back Here'' (1928), ''Judy'' (1927), ''A Lady's Virtue'' (1925), and ''Judy Drops In'' (1924). Selected filmography * ''Four Sons'' (1928) - Andreas - Her Son * '' The Escape'' (1928) - Dr. Don Elliott * ''A Thief in the Dark'' (1928) - Ernest * '' Chicken a La King'' (1928) - Buck Taylor * ''Girl-Shy Cowboy'' (1928) - Harry Lasser * '' Strictly Dishonorable'' (1931) - Henry * '' Emma'' (1932) - Bill Smith * '' Fireman, Save My Child'' (1932) - Stevens (uncredited) * ''A Fool's Advice'' (1932) - Har ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alan Dinehart
Mason Alan Dinehart Sr. (born Harold Alan Dinehart; October 3, 1889 – July 18, 1944) was an American actor, director, writer, and stage manager. Biography Dinehart initially studied to be a priest, but he turned to the theater instead. His first acting experience came at Missoula University in Montana. He was active in Vaudeville before moving into other areas of entertainment. He left school to appear on stage with a repertory company and had no screen experience when he signed a contract with Fox in May 1931. He became a character actor and supporting player in at least eighty-eight films between 1931 and 1944. Earlier, he appeared in more than twenty Broadway plays. Dinehart co-wrote and starred in the Broadway play ''Separate Rooms'', which opened on March 23, 1940 at the Maxine Elliott Theatre and ran for 613 performances. Dinehart's likeness was drawn in caricature by Alex Gard for Sardi's, the New York City theater district restaurant. The picture is now part ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
