''Bill Cracks Down'' is a 1937 American

action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...

romantic drama film Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion (emotion), passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typica ...

directed by

William Nigh William Nigh (October 12, 1881 – November 27, 1955) was an American film director, writer, and actor. His film work sometimes lists him as either "Will Nigh" or "William Nye". Biography Nigh was born Emil Kreuske''Silent Film Necrology'', ...

and starring

Grant Withers Granville Gustavus Withers (January 17, 1905 – March 27, 1959) was an American film actor who acted under the screen name Grant Withers. With early beginnings in the silent era, Withers moved into sound films, establishing himself with a lis ...

Beatrice Roberts Alice Beatrice Roberts (March 7, 1905 – July 24, 1970) was an American film actress. Early years Roberts was born on March 7, 1905, in New York City. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Colin M. Roberts, and she attended Winthrop High S ...

Ranny Weeks Randall Webster Weeks (February 25, 1907 – April 26, 1979) was an American bandleader, actor, naval commander, and university administrator. Early life Weeks was born in 1907 in Everett, Massachusetts. His father, William E. Weeks, was ...

and

Judith Allen Judith Allen (born Marie Elliott, February 8, 1911 – October 5, 1996) was an American actress. Early years Allen was born Marie Elliot in New York City, and she grew up in Belmont, Massachusetts. She attended Leland Powers School in Bost ...

. It was produced and distributed by

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City an ...

. The film was released under the

alternative title An alternative title is a media sales device most prominently used in film distribution. Books and films are commonly released under a different title when they are screened or sold in a different country. This can vary from small change to the t ...

''Men of Steel'' in the United Kingdom.p. 19 Martin, Len D. ''The Republic Pictures Checklist: Features, Serials, Cartoons, Short Subjects and Training Films of Republic Pictures Corporation, 1935-1959'' McFarland; 2nd edition (5 May 2006)

Plot

Bill Reardon runs a

steel mill A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel. It may be an integrated steel works carrying out all steps of steelmaking from smelting iron ore to rolled product, but may also be a plant where steel semi-finish ...

and is the idol of his workers; he'll forego his board meetings to challenge his workers in coal shoveling contests. His heart eventually gives out, but prior to his death he makes his will out with some unusual provisos. His playboy artist son Bill Junior returns from Paris to discover that in order to receive his inheritance he must work in the steel mill for one year with a false name, with the foreman "Tons" Walker being in charge of the mill. "Tons" decides to build Junior's character by changing him from an office file clerk to a hard working coal shoveling steel man. Junior plans his revenge by seducing "Tons"' fiancee.

Tagline

''Men of Steel Meet Iron-Willed Women''

Cast

as "Tons" Walker *

as Susan Bailey *

as Bill Reardon Jr., aka Bill Hall *

as Elaine Witworth * William Newell as Eddie "Porky" Plunkett *

Pierre Watkin Pierre Frank Watkin (December 29, 1887 – February 3, 1960) was an American character actor best known for playing distinguished authority figures throughout the Golden Age of Hollywood. He is best remembered for his roles of Mr. Skinner the b ...

as William "Bill" Reardon Sr. *

Roger Williams Roger Williams (21 September 1603between 27 January and 15 March 1683) was an English-born New England Puritan minister, theologian, and author who founded Providence Plantations, which became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation ...

as Steve, Mill Foreman *

Georgia Caine Georgiana Caine (October 30, 1876 – April 4, 1964) was an American actress who performed both on Broadway and in more than 80 films in her 51-year career. Early career Born in San Francisco, California in 1876, the daughter of two Shak ...

as Mrs. Witworth *

Greta Meyer Greta Meyer (7 August 18838 October 1965) was a German actress in motion pictures beginning in the silent film era. Biography Meyer belonged to a German family that was comparable to the Barrymore family in America. At age 3 she debuted on sta ...

as Hilda *

Edgar Norton Edgar Norton (born Harry Edgar Mills; August 11, 1868 – February 6, 1953) was an English-born American character actor. Early years Norton was born in Islington in London, England, on August 11, 1868, as Harry Edgar Mills, one of eight child ...

as Jarvis, the Butler *Harry Depp as Smalley, the Lawyer *Eugene King as Zimich *

Landers Stevens John Landers Stevens (1877–1940) was an American stage and film actor. A character actor he appeared in prominent screen roles in the early 1920s before switching to smaller supporting parts, often authority figures, in the following decade. H ...

as Dr. Colcord *

Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson Eddie or Eddy may refer to: Science and technology *Eddy (fluid dynamics), the swirling of a fluid and the reverse current created when the fluid flows past an obstacle *Eddie (text editor), a text editor originally for BeOS and now ported to Linu ...

as Chauffeur *

Jean Carmen Jean Carmen (April 7, 1913 – August 26, 1993) was an American film, stage, and radio actress. She sometimes went by the stage name Julia Thayer. In addition to her appearances in various films throughout the 1930s, Carmen starred on Broadway i ...

as Girl (uncredited) *

Rolfe Sedan Rolfe Sedan (born Edward Sedan; January 20, 1896 – September 15, 1982) was an American character actor, best known for appearing in bit parts, often uncredited, usually portraying clerks, train conductors, postmen, cooks, waiters, etc. Ea ...

as Jewelry Salesman (uncredited) * Tom Steele as Mill Worker at Party (uncredited)

Notes

External links

* * * 1937 films 1937 romantic drama films Republic Pictures films American black-and-white films American romantic drama films American action drama films 1930s action drama films Films set in factories 1930s English-language films Films directed by William Nigh 1930s American films {{1930s-drama-film-stub