|
William C. Thomas
Pine-Thomas Productions was a prolific B-picture unit of Paramount Pictures from 1940–1957, producing 81 films. Co-producers William H. Pine (February 15, 1896 – April 29, 1955) and William C. Thomas (August 11, 1903 – April 2, 1984) were known as the "Dollar Bills" because none of their economically made films ever lost money. "We don't want to make million dollar pictures," they said. "We just want to make a million dollars."William Paine, Filmmaker New York Times 30 Apr 1955: 17. History William Pine and William Thomas William Pine was a graduate of Columbia University who went to work as a publicist at Paramount in 1933 becoming head of publicity. He became an associate director for Cecil B. De Mille at the studio and worked on several films. William Thomas was also a publicist who was working at Paramount producing "B" movies. Pine and Thomas struck up a partnership and swapped theories about how films could be produced for lower budgets. First Three Films: Picture Cor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
B-picture
A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature (akin to B-sides for recorded music). However, the U.S. production of films intended as second features largely ceased by the end of the 1950s. With the emergence of commercial television at that time, film studio B movie production departments changed into television film production divisions. They created much of the same type of content in low budget films and series. The term ''B movie'' continues to be used in its broader sense to this day. In its post-Golden Age usage, B movies can range from lurid exploitation films to independent arthouse films. In either usage, most B movies represent a particular genre—the Western was a Golden Age B movie staple, while low-budget science-fiction and horror films became more popular in the 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Torpedo Boat (film)
''Torpedo Boat '' is a 1942 American drama film from Pine-Thomas Productions directed by John Rawlins, written by Maxwell Shane, and starring Richard Arlen, Jean Parker, Mary Carlisle, Phillip Terry, Dick Purcell and Ralph Sanford. It was released on January 24, 1942, by Paramount Pictures. Plot Cast *Richard Arlen as Skinner Barnes *Jean Parker as Grace Holman *Mary Carlisle as Jane Townsend *Phillip Terry as Tommy Whelan *Dick Purcell as Ralph Andrews *Ralph Sanford as Hector Bobry *Oscar O'Shea as Captain Mike *Robert Middlemass as Mr. Townsend *Warren Hymer as Marine *William Haade as Big Sweeney, Riveter *Virginia Sale as Mrs. Sweeney Production The film was based on an original story by Alex Gottlieb. Pine-Thomas Productions bought it in May 1941 and assigned Richard Arlen to star. Filming started October 1941. Arlen had made three films for Pine-Thomas, who then signed a new three-film contract with the actor; this was the first movie under that contract and the firs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Minesweeper (film)
''Minesweeper'' is a 1943 American black-and-white World War II film, produced by William H. Pine and William C. Thomas, directed by William A. Berke, that stars Richard Arlen, Jean Parker, and Russell Hayden. The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures. A former navy deserter returns to duty after the attack on Pearl Harbor under an assumed name as a sailor aboard a minesweeper. Plot LT. Richard Houston (Richard Arlen) is an officer in the U.S. Navy who deserted during peacetime service to escape gambling debts, and took up life as a hobo. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor spurs him to rejoin the Navy under the assumed name of Jim "Tennessee" Smith. Houston is assigned to serve aboard a minesweeper, where he carries out numerous successful efforts to defuse mines in the San Diego harbor while struggling to keep his identity secret. Complicating matters, Houston gets involved in a love triangle, competing with Seaman Elliot Nash ( Russell Hayden) for the affections ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Submarine Alert
''Submarine Alert'' is a 1943 American film directed by Frank McDonald, produced by Pine-Thomas Productions and released by Paramount Pictures. The film stars Richard Arlen, Wendy Barrie, Nils Asther, Roger Pryor, Marc Lawrence and Ralph Sanford. Plot During World War II, with shipping being sunk by submarines and with an American scientist working on radio technology killed by Nazi spies, FBI agent G. B. Fleming (Roger Pryor) comes up with a plan to catch the Nazis. He believes that radio signals are alerting the Germans about ship movements. His plan is to fire all the local radio specialists, who likely will seek any employment, including working with the enemy. Tailing the jobless radio men will help the FBI find the Nazis. Engineer Lewis J. "Lew" Deerhold (Richard Arlen) thinks he lost his job because he is a Canadian citizen. Lew looks after his niece Tina (Patsy Nash), a war orphan requiring a brain operation. Needing money, he applies for work at a radio repair shop, whe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alaska Highway (film)
''Alaska Highway'' is a 1943 American drama film directed by Frank McDonald and starring Richard Arlen, Jean Parker, and Ralph Sanford. Plot In February 1942 a road construction gang working in Northern California are summoned to a meeting. The boss of the gang, Pop Ormsby, has been commissioned as a Major in the US Army Corps of Engineers and signs up the entire crew with his two sons, Woody and Steve, gaining direct entry as Technical Sergeants to build the Alcan Highway. Woody wants to enlist in the US Marine Corps to fight the Japanese rather than build another road. He changes his mind when he meets Ann, the daughter of one of the heads of the project, Blair, with the two brothers fighting over her as they build the highway. Their feud is forgotten when a fire breaks out. Cast *Richard Arlen as Woody Ormsby *Jean Parker as Ann Coswell *Ralph Sanford Ralph Dayton Sanford (May 21, 1899 – June 20, 1963) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 180 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
