''Girls of the Big House'' is a 1945 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

George Archainbaud George Archainbaud (May 7, 1890 – February 20, 1959) was a French-American film and television director. Biography In the beginning of his career he worked on stage as an actor and manager. He came to the United States in January 1914, and s ...

and starring Lynne Roberts,

Virginia Christine Virginia Christine (born Virginia Christine Ricketts; March 5, 1920 – July 24, 1996) was an American stage, radio, film, television, and voice actress. Though Christine had a long career as a character actress in film and television, she i ...

and

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 ...

.LoBrutto p.449 The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Gano Chittenden.

Plot

A college professor's daughter is convicted of a crime she didn't commit. Under an assumed name, Jeanne Crail, she is imprisoned with inmates including Bernice Meyers, who misses her boyfriend Smiley, and the condemned Alma Vlasek, who killed a policeman while waiting to ambush her cheating husband and his mistress. Jeanne breaks out of jail to go see her sweetheart, lawyer Bart Sturgis. When her man Smiley visits prison, Bernice is infuriated by his attraction to Jeanne and attacks her with a knife. Jeanne ends up in solitary confinement. Alma, finally realizing who her husband's secret lover was, murders Bernice in the prison. Bart's efforts help clear Jeanne's name and win her release.

Cast

* Lynne Roberts as Jeanne Crail *

as Bernice Meyers *

as Dixie *

Adele Mara Adele Mara (born Adelaida Delgado; April 28, 1923 – May 7, 2010) was an American actress, singer, and dancer, who appeared in films during the 1940s and 1950s and on television in the 1950s and 1960s. Early years Mara was born in Highland P ...

as Harriet * Tom Keene as Barton Sturgis *

Geraldine Wall Geraldine Wall (June 24, 1907 – June 22, 1970) was an American actress who had numerous stage, film and television credits. Her career involved mainly character roles but encompassed a wide range of different acting parts. Early life Wall wa ...

as Head Matron Marsden *

Tala Birell Tala may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tala (comics), a fictional character in DC comics *''Tala'', a 1938 volume of poetry by Gabriela Mistral *Tala (music), a rhythmic pattern in Indian classical music * "Tala" (song), by Sarah Geronimo, ...

as Alma Vlasek *

Norma Varden Norma Varden Shackleton (20 January 1898 – 19 January 1989), known professionally as Norma Varden, was an English-American actress with a long film career. Life and career Early life Born in London, the daughter of a retired sea captain ...

as Mrs. Thelma Holt * Mary Newton as Dr. Gale Warren *

Steve Barclay Stephen Paul Barclay (born 3 May 1972) is a British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care since October 2022, having previously held the position from July to September 2022 under Boris Johnson. He served a ...

as Smiley Gordon *

Erskine Sanford Erskine Sanford (November 19, 1885 – July 7, 1969) was an American actor on the stage, radio and motion pictures. Long associated with the Theatre Guild, he later joined Orson Welles's Mercury Theatre company and appeared in several of Welles ...

as Professor O'Neill * Sarah Edwards as Dormitory Matron *

Ida Moore Ida Moore (March 1, 1882 – September 26, 1964) was an American film and television actress. Early life Moore was born in Altoona, Kansas, she was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Marvelton Moore. Career Moore's first professional work had h ...

as 'Mother' Fielding * William Forrest as District Attorney *

Verna Felton Verna Arline Felton (July 20, 1890December 14, 1966) was an American actress, best known for providing many voices in numerous Disney animated films. She also provided the voice for Fred Flintstone's mother-in-law, Pearl Slaghoople in Hanna-Bar ...

as Agnes * George Reynolds as Earl Williams *

Dick Elliott Richard Damon Elliott (April 30, 1886 – December 22, 1961) was an American character actor who played in over 240 films from the 1930s until the time of his death. Early years Elliott was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Career Elliott p ...

as Felton * Hella Crossley as Mae *

Kathryn Sheldon Kathryn Sheldon (September 22, 1879December 25, 1975) was an American film actress who appeared in over 100 films between 1916 and 1956. Modern viewers will recognize Sheldon as the domineering Nell in The Three Stooges' 1940 short film ''Rock ...

as Kitchen Warden *

Isabel Withers Isabel Withers (January 20, 1896 – September 3, 1968) was an American actress, who worked in theatre, film, and television.Gertrude Astor Gertrude Astor (born Gertrude Irene Eyster; November 9, 1887 – November 9, 1977) was an American motion picture character actress, who began her career playing trombone in a woman's band. Early years Gertrude Irene Eyster was born in Lake ...

as Railroad Matron *

Roy Barcroft Roy Barcroft (born Howard Harold Ravenscroft; September 7, 1902 – November 28, 1969) was an American character actor famous for playing villains in B-Westerns and other genres. From 1937 to 1957, he appeared in more than 300 films for R ...

as Police Dispatcher (voice) * Barbara Bedford as Visitors' Matron * Barry Bernard as Scholar *

Symona Boniface Symona Ferner Boniface (March 5, 1894 – September 2, 1950) was an American film actress, most frequently seen in bit parts in comedy shorts, mostly at Columbia Pictures, particularly those of ''The Three Stooges''. She appeared in 120 fil ...

as Matron *

Grace Cunard Grace Cunard (born Harriet Mildred Jeffries; April 8, 1893 – January 19, 1967) was an American actress, screenwriter and film director. During the silent era, she starred in over 100 films, wrote or co-wrote at least 44 of those production ...

as Medical Trustee *

Edythe Elliott Edythe Elliott (born Edythe Fletcher; July 14, 1886 – April 9, 1978) was an American character actress active primarily during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Biography Edythe Elliott was born in San Francisco, California where her parents were ...

as Postmistress *

Dorothy Granger Dorothy Karolyn Granger (November 21, 1911 – January 4, 1995) was an American actress best known for her roles in short subject comedies in Hollywood. Career Granger, with her parents, two brothers, Richard and James, and their grandmot ...

as Woman Clerk * John Ince as Pompous Man *

Marjorie Kane Marjorie Kane (April 28, 1909 – January 8, 1992) was an American film and stage actress born in Chicago. She appeared in more than 60 films between 1929 and 1951, occasionally under the name Babe Kane. Career Kane appeared on stage for 11 ...

as Inmate * Elaine Lange as Mabel *

Tom London Tom London (born Leonard T. Clapman; August 24, 1889 – December 5, 1963) was an American actor who played frequently in B-Westerns. According to ''The Guinness Book of Movie Records'', London is credited with appearing in the most films in ...

as Sheriff at Alma's Cell * Mary McCarty as Inmate *

Anne O'Neal Anne O'Neal (born Patsy Ann Epperson; December 23, 1893 – November 24, 1971) was an American actress. She appeared in many films portraying matronly landladies, for example. On television, in 1957, she appeared on ''Gunsmoke'' as “Sabina P ...

as Bart's Secretary * Florence Pepper as Clerk *

Lee Phelps Lee Phelps (born Napoleon Bonaparte Kukuck; May 15, 1893 – March 19, 1953) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 600 films between 1917 and 1953, mainly in uncredited roles. He also appeared in three films that won the Acade ...

as Detective Benson * Mary Rockwell as Laundry Matron *

Marin Sais Marin Sais (born Mae Smith; August 2, 1890 – December 31, 1971) was an American actress whose career was most prolific during the silent film era of the 1910s and 1920s. Sais' acting career spanned over four decades and she is possibly best ...

as Foyer Matron *

Walter Shumway Walter Shumway (1884–1965) was an American film actor.Agrasánchez p.50 A character actor he appeared in a variety of supporting roles in films and serials between 1918 and 1950. He was married to the actress Corra Beach. Selected filmography ...

as Policeman * Lee Slater as Yell Leader * Sheila Stewart as Trustee-Clerk * Brick Sullivan as Deputy Sheriff * Charles Sullivan as Waiter * Rean Tibeau as The Little Stoolie

References

Bibliography

* Vincent LoBrutto. ''The Encyclopedia of American Independent Filmmaking''. Greenwood Press, 2002.

External links

* 1945 films 1945 drama films American drama films Films directed by George Archainbaud Republic Pictures films American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films {{1940s-drama-film-stub