Willard Parker
Willard Parker (born Worster Van Eps; February 5, 1912 – December 4, 1996) was an American film and television actor. He was a leading man under contract to Columbia Pictures in the 1940s and starred in the TV series ''Tales of the Texas Rangers'' (1955–58). Biography Parker was born in New York City. Some sources reports his birth name as Worcester. He was a meter reader and a tennis pro. While working as the latter in Hollywood he was spotted by Zeppo Marx, then working as an agent. Marx arranged a screen test and he signed a contract with Warner Bros. He changed his name to "Willard Parker". Warner Bros Parker signed to Warner Bros in the late 1930s. He made his debut with an uncredited bit in the Dick Foran Western, ''The Devil's Saddle Legion'' (1937). He had small parts in ''That Certain Woman'' (1937) with Bette Davis; ''Back in Circulation'' (1937) with Pat O'Brien; ''The Radio Murder Mystery'' (1937) with Ronald Reagan; ''Alcatraz Island'' (1937) with John Litel; ' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rancho Mirage, California
Rancho Mirage is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 17,218 at the 2010 census, up from 13,249 at the 2000 census, but the seasonal (part-time) population can exceed 20,000. Incorporated in 1973 and located between Cathedral City and Palm Desert, it is one of the nine cities of the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs area). It is home to and has been home to a number of celebrities, including Don Sutton, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, Billie Dove and Gerald and Betty Ford. It is a low-density desert-resort community with resorts, golf courses, and country clubs in the Coachella Valley within the Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran Desert. It is nestled along the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains in the south and is located between the cities of Palm Springs and Palm Desert. It is adjacent to Cathedral City, Palm Desert, and Unincorporated Thousand Palms. It has been nicknamed "Playgroun ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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June Travis
June Travis (born June Dorothea Grabiner; August 7, 1914 – April 14, 2008) was an American film actress. Background Born June Dorothea Grabiner, she was the daughter of Harry Grabiner, vice-president of the Chicago White Sox in the 1930s. She had dark brown hair and green eyes. She stood 5'4" tall. She attended Parkside Grammar School in Chicago and the Starrett School for Girls. She later studied at UCLA. When she returned to Illinois, she matriculated at the University of Chicago. Marriage On January 3, 1940, Travis married Fred Friedlob. They had two daughters, Cathy and June. Friedlob died in May 1979 in Chicago. Screen actress A Paramount Pictures vice-president noticed her in Miami, Florida, at a White Sox exhibition game. He offered Travis a screen test when she came to Pasadena, California, where the major league baseball team trained. The first time she was presented with a screen contract, she suffered from screen fright and turned it down. She returned to Chi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Victor Mature
Victor John Mature (January 29, 1913 – August 4, 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actor who was a leading man in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. His best known film roles include ''One Million B.C.'' (1940), '' My Darling Clementine'' (1946), '' Kiss of Death'' (1947), ''Samson and Delilah'' (1949), and ''The Robe'' (1953). He also appeared in many musicals opposite such stars as Rita Hayworth and Betty Grable. Early life Mature was born in Louisville, Kentucky. His father, Marcello Gelindo Maturi, later Marcellus George Mature, was a cutler and knife sharpener from Pinzolo, in the Italian part of the former County of Tyrol (now Trentino in Italy, but at that time part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire). His mother, Clara P. (Ackley), was Kentucky-born and of Swiss heritage. An older brother, Marcellus Paul Mature, died of osteomyelitis in 1918 at age 11. His only sister, Isabelle, born and died in 1906. Victor attended St. Xavier High School in Louisville, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Elmer Rice
Elmer Rice (born Elmer Leopold Reizenstein, September 28, 1892 – May 8, 1967) was an American playwright. He is best known for his plays ''The Adding Machine'' (1923) and his Pulitzer Prize-winning drama of New York tenement life, '' Street Scene'' (1929). Biography Early years Rice was born Elmer Leopold Reizenstein at 127 East 90th Street in New York City. His grandfather was a political activist in the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states. After the failure of that political upheaval, he emigrated to the United States where he became a businessman. He spent most of his retirement years living with the Rice family and developed a close relationship with his grandson Elmer, who became a politically motivated writer and shared his grandfather's liberal and pacifist politics. A staunch atheist, his grandfather may also have influenced Elmer in his feelings about religion as he refused to attend Hebrew school or to have a bar mitzvah. In contrast, Rice's relationship with his ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Johnny Belinda (play)
''Johnny Belinda'' is a 1940 play by Elmer Blaney Harris, dealing with the then shocking subjects of rape, murder, bastardy, abuse of a deaf-mute, bigotry and gossip in a small community. It ran for 321 performances on Broadway from September 18, 1940 to June 21, 1941, and has been repeatedly adapted for film, radio, television, and as a musical. Plot summary Set in Souris East, Prince Edward Island, and Charlottetown at the end of the 19th century, the isolated deaf-mute Belinda lives with her father and aunt in the remote farming and fishing community northwest of Nova Scotia. Belinda is universally referred to as 'the Dummy' until the newly arrived doctor sees her potential and begins teaching her sign language. As her personality emerges from the silence her appearance also changes. She is raped by a local lad and gives birth to a son she names Johnny Belinda. The community assumes the child is the doctor's and shuns him and her family in moral outrage. Matters come to a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Magnificent Fraud
''The Magnificent Fraud'' is a 1939 American crime film directed by Robert Florey and starring Akim Tamiroff, Lloyd Nolan, Mary Boland and Patricia Morison. Plot Akim Tamiroff plays an actor performing in a nameless Latin American country who is pressed into service when the president is fatally injured by a bomb. Impersonating the president, the actor balances the pleasures and temptations of office, dangerous palace intrigue, and his duty to the people of the country. The plot is identical to the 1988 Richard Dreyfuss film ''Moon over Parador''; both are based on a short story by Charles G. Booth called "Caviar for His Excellency". Parts of the film were shot in Balboa Park in San Diego. Cast * Akim Tamiroff as Jules LaCroix / President Alvarado * Lloyd Nolan as Sam Barr * Mary Boland as Mme. Geraldine Genet * Patricia Morison as Claire Hill * Ralph Forbes as Harrison Todd * Steffi Duna as Carmelita * Ernest Cossart as Duval * George Zucco as Dr. Luis Virgo * Robert War ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Zero Hour (1939 Film)
''The Zero Hour'' is a 1939 American drama film directed by Sidney Salkow. Plot A kindly theatrical producer mentors a beautiful young girl and helps her to become a big Broadway star. In time the two fall in love and decide to wed. En route to a justice of the peace, tragedy strikes the happy couple and the would-be groom ends up permanently paralyzed. Still, his girl remains devoted to him and the marriage proceeds. Nine years pass and the woman decides she wants to adopt a child. All things seem to be in place for the adoption, but a widower shows up to claim the child. The wife and the widower begin an affair soon after meeting. When the husband finds out, he selflessly executes his final option to ensure his wife's future happiness. Cast *Frieda Inescort'' as Linda Marsh *Otto Kruger as Julian Forbes *Adrienne Ames as Susan * Donald Douglas as Brewster *Jane Darwell as Sophie * J. M. Kerrigan as Timothy *Leonard Carey as Butler *Sarah Padden as Sister Theodosia *Ferris Tay ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Accidents Will Happen (film)
''Accidents Will Happen'' is a 1938 American drama film directed by William Clemens and written by George Bricker and Anthony Coldeway. The film stars Ronald Reagan, Gloria Blondell, Dick Purcell, Sheila Bromley, Addison Richards, Hugh O'Connell and Janet Shaw. The film was released by Warner Bros. on April 9, 1938. Plot Eric Gregg is an insurance investigator whose avaricious wife Nona wants him to make more money. After he solves a case and is promised a raise, Nona is a witness in a car crash involving a claim against Eric's company. Her testimony conflicts with others at the scene. Later, Eric discovers Nona with a very expensive fur coat on credit. He learns that she paid it off with the help of Thurston, the loan company's boss, who works with a ring of criminals working to defraud insurance companies. Shortly thereafter, Eric ends up losing his job after a rival, Dawson, exposes the fraud. Eric and a cigarette girl, Patricia Carmody, begin pulling insurance scams ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Edward G
Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Saxon England, but the rule of the Norman and Plantagenet dynasties had effectively ended its use amongst the upper classes. The popularity of the name was revived when Henry III named his firstborn son, the future Edward I, as part of his efforts to promote a cult around Edward the Confessor, for whom Henry had a deep admiration. Variant forms The name has been adopted in the Iberian peninsula since the 15th century, due to Edward, King of Portugal, whose mother was English. The Spanish/Portuguese forms of the name are Eduardo and Duarte. Other variant forms include French Édouard, Italian Edoardo and Odoardo, German, Dutch, Czech and Romanian Eduard and Scandinavian Edvard. Short forms include Ed, Eddy, Eddie, Ted, Teddy and Ned ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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A Slight Case Of Murder
''A Slight Case of Murder'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon. The film is based on the 1935 play by Damon Runyon and Howard Lindsay. The offbeat comedy stars Edward G. Robinson spoofing his own gangster image as Remy Marco. Plot With the end of Prohibition, bootlegger Remy Marco ("Marko" in a sequence of the film, and in the closed captioning) becomes a legitimate brewer; but he slowly goes broke because the beer he makes tastes terrible, and everyone is afraid to tell him so. After four years, with bank officers preparing to foreclose on the brewery, he retreats to his Saratoga summer home, only to find four dead mobsters who meant to ambush him, but were killed by their confederate whom they meant to betray. More and more problems begin to pop up in the life of the former bootlegger, as he has taken in a bratty orphan, and his daughter comes home with a fiancé that turns out to be a state trooper. Marco solves the biggest problem by hiding the corpses in ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established him as a horror icon, and he reprised the role for the sequels ''Bride of Frankenstein'' (1935) and ''Son of Frankenstein'' (1939). He also appeared as Imhotep in ''The Mummy'' (1932), and voiced the Grinch in, as well as narrating, the animated television special of Dr. Seuss' ''How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'' (1966), which won him a Grammy Award. Aside from his numerous film roles (174 films), Karloff acted in many live stage plays and appeared on dozens of radio and television programs as well. For his contribution to film and television, Karloff was awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 8 February 1960. Early life Karloff was born William Henry Pratt on 23 November 1887, [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Invisible Menace
''The Invisible Menace'' is a 1938 American mystery film directed by John Farrow and starring Boris Karloff. It was also known as ''Without Warning''. Plot An army private (Craven) and his new bride (Wilson) are trying to honeymoon on an island occupied by the military and a murderer. Cast * Boris Karloff as Mr. Jevries, aka Dolman * Marie Wilson as Sally Wilson Pratt * Eddie Craven as Pvt. Eddie Pratt * Regis Toomey as Lt. Matthews * Henry Kolker as Col. George Hackett * Cy Kendall as Col. Bob Rogers * Charles Trowbridge as Dr. Brooks * Eddie Acuff as Cpl. Sanger * Frank Faylen as Al (private of the guard) * Phyllis Barry as Mrs. Aline Dolman * Harland Tucker as Ted Reilly * William Haade as Pvt. Ferris * John Ridgely as Pvt. Innes (scenes deleted) * Jack Mower as Sgt. Peterson * Anderson Lawler as Pvt. Abbott (as Anderson Lawlor) * John Harron as Pvt. Murphy Production The film was based on a play ''Without Warning'' by Ralph Spencer Zink which had a short run on Broadway in ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |