''Over the Wall'' is a 1938 American drama film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Crane Wilbur and George Bricker, based on a story by

Lewis E. Lawes Lewis Edward Lawes (September 13, 1883 – April 23, 1947) was a prison warden and a proponent of prison reform. During his 21-year tenure at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, he supervised the executions of 303 prisoners. Biography Lawes was born ...

. The film stars Dick Foran,

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. ...

, John Litel,

Dick Purcell Richard Gerold Purcell Jr. (August 6, 1905 – April 10, 1944) was an American actor best known for playing Marvel Comics' Captain America in the 1943 film serial, co-starring with Lorna Gray and Lionel Atwill. Purcell also appeared in fil ...

Veda Ann Borg Veda Ann Borg (January 11, 1915 – August 16, 1973) was an American film and television actress. Early years Born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Gottfried Borg, a Swedish immigrant, and Minna Noble, Borg became a model in 1936 before winni ...

and

George E. Stone George E. Stone (born Gerschon Lichtenstein; May 18, 1903 – May 26, 1967) was a Polish-born American character actor in films, radio, and television. Life and career Stone was born Gerschon Lichtenstein in Łódź, Congress Poland, into ...

. The film was released by Warner Bros. on April 2, 1938.

Plot

Jerry Davis is an outlaw and troublemaker, one day he gets arrested for murder and sent to Sing Sing, there he discovers that he has a great singing voice and begins to rehabilitate himself.

Cast

* Dick Foran as Jerry Davis *

as Kay Norton * John Litel as Father Neil Connor *

as Ace Scanlon *

as Maxine *

as Gyp *

Ward Bond Wardell Edwin Bond (April 9, 1903 – November 5, 1960) was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 200 films and starred in the NBC television series ''Wagon Train'' from 1957 to 1960. Among his best-remembered roles are Ber ...

as Eddie Edwards * John Hamilton as Warden *

Jonathan Hale Jonathan Hale (born Jonathan Hatley; March 21, 1891 – February 28, 1966) was a Canadian-born film and television actor. Life and career Hale was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Before his acting career, Hale worked in the Diplomatic Co ...

as Governor *Tommy Bupp as Jimmy Davis * Robert Homans as John Davis *Mabel Hart as Mrs. Davis * Raymond Hatton as Convict *Alan Davis as Joe *

Eddy Chandler Eddy Chandler (March 12, 1894 – March 23, 1948) was an American actor who appeared, mostly uncredited, in more than 350 films. Three of these films won the Academy Award for Best Picture: ''It Happened One Night'' (1934), '' You Can't T ...

as Prison Keeper

Production

Lawes wrote the story based on the life of Sing Sing inmate

Alabama Pitts Edwin Collins "Alabama" Pitts Jr. (November 22, 1909 – June 7, 1941) was an American convicted felon who garnered media attention in his attempt to play professional baseball after his release from Sing Sing prison. While serving five years for ...

, who became a professional athlete following his stint as a well-known athlete in the prison. It was picked up by Warner Brothers by August 1935 under the title ''The Comeback''. In November 1935,

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...

was hired to portray Pitts' character in the film with

Lloyd Bacon Lloyd Francis Bacon (December 4, 1889 – November 15, 1955) was an American screen, stage and vaudeville actor and film director. As a director he made films in virtually all genres, including westerns, musicals, comedies, gangster films, an ...

directing. However, due to Cagney's lawsuit against Warner Brothers for breach of contract, the studio replaced him. In April 1936,

was being considered for the role. Harry Sauber,

Ben Markson Ben Markson (August 6, 1892 – October 20, 1971) was an American screenwriter active from the very beginning of the sound film era through the end of the 1950s. During his 30-year career he was responsible for the story and/or screenplay of 45 f ...

, Tom Reed, and Jonathan Finn were initially working as screenplay writers as of June 1936. In July 1936,

Ross Alexander Ross Alexander (born Alexander Ross Smith; July 27, 1907 – January 2, 1937) was an American stage and film actor. Early years Alexander was born Alexander Ross Smith in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Maud Adelle ( Cohen) and Alexander Ross ...

was hired to replace Cagney as Pitts' character, but the role eventually went to Dick Foran. The film was titled ''Evidence'' during production, but was changed to ''Over the Wall'' in December 1937 before the film's release.

References

External links

* 1938 films Warner Bros. films American drama films 1938 drama films Films directed by Frank McDonald American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{1930s-drama-film-stub