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The Big Store
''The Big Store'' is a 1941 American comedy film starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Chico Marx) that takes place in a large department store. Groucho appears as private detective Wolf J. Flywheel (a character name originating from the Marx-Perrin radio show ''Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel'' in the early 1930s). ''The Big Store'' was the last of the five films that the Marx Bros. made under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The Marxes had decided to retire as a team and ''The Big Store'' was advertised as their farewell film. However, they would return to the screen in ''A Night in Casablanca'' (1946) and ''Love Happy'' (1949). The film also features singer Tony Martin (American singer), Tony Martin and Virginia Grey as the love interests and longtime Marx Brothers foil Margaret Dumont in her seventh and final film with the Marxes. The villain is portrayed by Douglass Dumbrille, who had played a similar role in ''A Day at the Races (film), A Day at the Races ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charles Reisner
Charles Francis Reisner (March 14, 1887 – September 24, 1962) was an American film director and actor of the 1920s and 1930s. The German-American directed over 60 films between 1920 and 1950 and acted in over 20 films between 1916 and 1929. He starred with Charlie Chaplin in ''A Dog's Life'' in 1918 and ''The Kid'' in 1921. He directed Buster Keaton (Keaton also co-directed it with him) in '' Steamboat Bill, Jr.'' (1928). During the late 1920s, through the 1940s, Reisner was under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In 1930, he directed '' Chasing Rainbows'', a musical which starred Bessie Love and Charles King. He directed ''The Big Store'' (1941), the Marx Brothers' last film for MGM. Reisner died of a heart attack in La Jolla, California in 1962 at the age of 75. Filmography As Actor * ''A Dog's Life'' (1918) * ''The Kid'' (1921) * '' The Pilgrim'' (1923) * '' Hollywood'' (1923) * ''Her Temporary Husband'' (1923) * ''Breaking Into Society'' (1923) * '' Fight and Win' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charles Lawton Jr
Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was "free man". The Old English descendant of this word was '' Ċearl'' or ''Ċeorl'', as the name of King Cearl of Mercia, that disappeared after the Norman conquest of England. The name was notably borne by Charlemagne (Charles the Great), and was at the time Latinized as ''Karolus'' (as in ''Vita Karoli Magni''), later also as '' Carolus''. Some Germanic languages, for example Dutch and German, have retained the word in two separate senses. In the particular case of Dutch, ''Karel'' refers to the given name, whereas the noun ''kerel'' means "a bloke, fellow, man". Etymology The name's etymology is a Common Germanic noun ''*karilaz'' meaning "free man", which survives in English as churl (< Old English ''ċeorl''), which developed its depre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henry Armetta
Henry Armetta (born Enrico Armetta; July 4, 1888 – October 21, 1945) was an American character actor who appeared in at least 150 American films, beginning in silent movies. His last film was released posthumously in 1946, the year after his death. Biography Armetta was born in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. At the age of 14, he stowed away on a boat to America. The immigration authorities were prepared to send him back, but he found an Italian family to act as his sponsor. He settled in New York City where he delivered groceries, sold sandwiches and pizzas and performed other menial tasks to get by. He eventually ended up working as a pants presser at a well known club where he was befriended by actor/producer Raymond Hitchcock. Hitchcock got him a chorus part in his play ''A Yankee Consul''. After a friend told him about southern California's mushrooming film industry, Armetta hitchhiked to Hollywood in 1920 and soon found work in films as a stereotypical Italian, often playing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Virginia O'Brien
Virginia Lee O'Brien (April 18, 1919 – January 16, 2001) was an American actress, singer, and radio personality known for her comedic singing roles in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musicals of the 1940s. Life and career O'Brien primarily performed in comedic roles during the height of her formal film career. This was in part due to her intentionally humorous singing style, which involved her singing in a deadpan manner, with no facial expressions and very little movement– reportedly she stumbled upon this "gimmick" by accident during a stage show when she became virtually paralyzed with stage fright before singing a number in the Los Angeles stage production ''Meet the People''. The audience found the performance to be hilarious and she was soon hired to repeat this performance in a number of movies beginning in 1940, for which she gained the nicknames "Frozen Face" and "Miss Ice Glacier" amongst others. When she was not singing, her acting style was just as emotive as other actresses ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marion Martin
Marion Suplee (born June 7, 1909 – August 13, 1985) known professionally as Marion Martin was an American film and stage actress. Biography Martin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of a Bethlehem Steel executive. She became an actress after her family fortune was lost in the Wall Street Crash of 1929, and appeared in the Broadway productions ''Lombardi Ltd.'' and '' Sweet Adeline''. She made her film debut in ''She's My Lillie, I'm Her Willie'' and subsequently played minor roles, often as showgirls. Several of her early roles were in musicals and she achieved some success as a singer. By the end of the decade she had played leading female roles in several "B" pictures, playing one of her most notable roles in James Whale's ''Sinners in Paradise'' (1938). Despite her success she was often cast in minor roles in more widely seen films such as ''His Girl Friday'' (1940). The majority of her roles were in comedies but she also appeared in dramas such as ''Boo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Tannen
William Tannen (November 17, 1911 – December 2, 1976) was an American actor originally from New York City, who was best known for his role of Deputy Hal Norton in fifty-six episodes from 1956 to 1958 of the ABC/Desilu western television series, ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp.'' During the 1930s and 1940s, he was a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player. Personal life Tannen was the son of actor Julius Tannen. He became active in drama — both acting and writing — while a student at Lawrenceville School. Stage Tannen made his stage debut in a production of ''The Honor of the Family'' with the National Theatre troupe in Washington, D.C. Filmography *''The Band Plays On'' (1934) - Rosy Rosenberg *''Murder in the Fleet'' (1935) - Pee Wee Adams (uncredited) *''She Couldn't Take It'' (1935) - Cesar *''It's in the Air'' (1935) - Pilot (scenes deleted) *''Exclusive Story'' (1936) - Kent (uncredited) *''Tough Guy'' (1936) - Heming (uncredited) *'' Small Town Girl'' (1936) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Music School
A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger institution), conservatory, conservatorium or conservatoire ( , ). Instruction consists of training in the performance of musical instruments, singing, musical composition, conducting, musicianship, as well as academic and research fields such as musicology, music history and music theory. Music instruction can be provided within the compulsory general education system, or within specialized children's music schools such as the Purcell School. Elementary-school children can access music instruction also in after-school institutions such as music academies or music schools. In Venezuela El Sistema of youth orchestras provides free after-school instrumental instruction through music schools called ''núcleos''. The term "music school" can also ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Day At The Races (film)
''A Day at the Races'' is a 1937 American comedy film, and the seventh film starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Chico Marx), with Allan Jones, Maureen O'Sullivan and Margaret Dumont. Like their previous Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer feature '' A Night at the Opera'', this film was a major hit. Plot The Standish Sanitarium, owned by Judy Standish, has fallen on hard times. Banker J.D. Morgan, who owns a nearby race track, hotel and nightclub, holds the mortgage on the sanitarium and is attempting to purchase it in order to convert the building into a casino. Judy's faithful employee Tony, suggests asking financial help from the wealthy patient Mrs. Emily Upjohn, who is a hypochondriac. After being pronounced healthy by the sanitarium's doctors, Mrs. Upjohn threatens to leave the Sanitarium for treatment by Dr. Hugo Z. Hackenbush. Tony overhears her praise of Hackenbush, who is, unknown to her, a horse doctor. When Tony lies to Mrs. Upjohn, telling her that Hackenbush ha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Love Happy
''Love Happy'' is a 1949 American musical comedy film, released by United Artists, directed by David Miller and starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Chico Marx) in their 13th and final feature film, as well as a memorable walk-on by a relatively unknown Marilyn Monroe. The film, produced by former silent film star Mary Pickford, features Groucho Marx in a smaller role than usual, with a supporting cast including Ilona Massey, Vera-Ellen, Paul Valentine, Marion Hutton, Raymond Burr, Bruce Gordon (in his film debut), Eric Blore, and Marilyn Monroe in the aforementioned sequence with Groucho. The plot was written by Frank Tashlin and Mac Benoff, based on a story by Harpo. Plot Private detective Sam Grunion has been searching for the extremely valuable Royal Romanoff diamonds for eleven years, and his investigation leads him to a troupe of struggling performers, led by Mike Johnson, who are trying to put on a musical revue called ''Love Happy''. Grunion notes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Night In Casablanca
''A Night in Casablanca'' is a 1946 film starring the Marx Brothers: (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Chico Marx). The picture was directed by Archie Mayo, and written by Joseph Fields and Roland Kibbee. The film also features The Three Stooges supporting actors Philip Van Zandt, Ethelreda Leopold, Eugene Borden and Harry Semels and actress and singer Lisette Verea in her final film with the Marxes. The villain is portrayed by Sig Ruman, who had roles in the earlier Marx Brothers films '' A Night at the Opera'' (1935) and '' A Day at the Races'' (1937). Plot Set in Casablanca shortly after World War II, escaped Nazi war criminal Heinrich Stubel has steadily murdered three managers of the Hotel Casablanca. Disguised as a Count Pfefferman, Stubel's goal is to reclaim the stolen art treasures that he has hidden in the hotel. H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flywheel, Shyster, And Flywheel
''Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel'' is a situation comedy radio show starring two of the Marx Brothers, Groucho and his older brother Chico Marx, and written primarily by Nat Perrin and Arthur Sheekman. The series was originally broadcast in the United States on the National Broadcasting Company's Blue Network beginning November 28, 1932, and ended May 22, 1933. Sponsored by the Standard Oil Companies of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Louisiana and the Colonial Beacon Oil Company, it was the Monday night installment of the ''Five-Star Theater'', an old-time radio variety series that offered a different program each weeknight. Episodes were broadcast live from NBC's WJZ station in New York City and later from a sound stage at RKO Pictures in Los Angeles, California, before returning to WJZ for the final episodes. The program depicts the misadventures of a small New York law firm, with Groucho as attorney Waldorf T. Flywheel (a crooked lawyer) and Chico as Flywheel's assistant, Emma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' thirteen feature films were selected by the American Film Institute (AFI) as among the top 100 comedy films, with two of them, '' Duck Soup'' (1933) and '' A Night at the Opera'' (1935), in the top fifteen. They are widely considered by critics, scholars and fans to be among the greatest and most influential comedians of the 20th century. The brothers were included in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Stars list of the 25 greatest male stars of Classical Hollywood cinema, the only performers to be included collectively. The brothers are almost universally known by their stage names: Chico, Harpo, Groucho, Gummo, and Zeppo. There was a sixth brother, the first born, named Manfred (Mannie), who died in infancy; Zeppo was given the middle name Manfred in his memory. The core of the act was the three elder brothers: C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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