''Salty O'Rourke'' is a 1945 American

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

film directed by

Raoul Walsh Raoul Walsh (born Albert Edward Walsh; March 11, 1887December 31, 1980) was an American film director, actor, founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), and the brother of silent screen actor George Walsh. He ...

and starring

Alan Ladd Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor and film producer. Ladd found success in film in the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in films noir and Westerns. He was often paired with Veronica Lake ...

and

Gail Russell Gail Russell (born Betty Gale Russell; September 21, 1924 – August 26, 1961) was an American film and television actress. Early years Gail Russell was born to George and Gladys (Barnet) Russell in Chicago and then moved to the Los Angeles ...

. It was nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

in 1946.

Plot

In New Orleans, racetrack gambler Salty O'Rourke is pursued by gangster Doc Baxter, after Salty's partner runs off with Baxter's $20,000 and is murdered. O'Rourke and his pal Smitty have one month to pay up. Salty buys a race horse, Whipper, who can only be ridden by Johnny Cates, a jockey disbarred for throwing a race. Johnny pretends to be his 17-year-old brother Timothy, but is forced to attend school. Johnny insults his teacher, Barbara Brooks, on his first day and is expelled. Salty gets Johnny back in school by befriending Barbara and her mother. Both Johnny and Salty fall in love with Barbara but she prefers Salty. This causes Johnny to swear vengeance against Salty. He decides to throw the race but changes his mind and is shot by Baxter's henchman.

Cast

as Salty O'Rourke *

as Barbara Brooks *

William Demarest Carl William Demarest (February 27, 1892 – December 27, 1983) was an American character actor, known especially for his roles in screwball comedies by Preston Sturges and for playing Uncle Charley in the sitcom ''My Three Sons'' Demarest, wh ...

as Smitty *

Stanley Clements Stanley Clements (born Stanislaw Klimowicz; July 16, 1926 – October 16, 1981) was an American actor and comedian, best known for portraying "Stash" in the East Side Kids film series, and group leader Stanislaus "Duke" Coveleskie in The Bowery ...

as Johnny Cates *

Bruce Cabot Bruce Cabot (born Étienne de Pelissier Bujac Jr.; April 20, 1904 – May 3, 1972) was an American film actor, best remembered as Jack Driscoll (character), Jack Driscoll in ''King Kong (1933 film), King Kong'' (1933) and for his roles in films ...

as Doc Baxter * David Clyde as Square MacPherson

Production

Milton Holmes wrote the original story. It envisioned as a vehicle for

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...

Rosalind Russell Catherine Rosalind Russell (June 4, 1907November 28, 1976) was an American actress, comedienne, screenwriter, and singer,Obituary ''Variety'', December 1, 1976, p. 79. known for her role as fast-talking newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson in the Ho ...

and

Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney (born Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last surviving stars of the ...

. When Gable went off to the services the film rights were purchased by Paramount in 1942 for $28,000 who developed it as a vehicle for

George Raft George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is ...

. The film eventually became a vehicle for Alan Ladd. Production plans were delayed when Ladd went into the army but were reactivated when he was honorably discharged in October 1943. Ladd's costar in ''

Lucky Jordan ''Lucky Jordan'' is a 1942 film directed by Frank Tuttle, starring Alan Ladd in his first leading role, Helen Walker in her film debut, and Sheldon Leonard. The screenplay concerns a self-centered gangster who tangles with Nazi spies. Plot During ...

'', Helen Walker, was originally announced as co star.

Adrian Scott Robert Adrian Scott (February 6, 1911 – December 25, 1972) was an American screenwriter and film producer. He was one of the Hollywood Ten and later blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses. Life and career Early life Scott was born ...

was brought on to work on the script and

René Clair René Clair (11 November 1898 – 15 March 1981), born René-Lucien Chomette, was a French filmmaker and writer. He first established his reputation in the 1920s as a director of silent films in which comedy was often mingled with fantasy. He wen ...

to direct.

Irving Cummings Irving Caminsky (October 9, 1888 – April 18, 1959) was an American movie actor and director. Career Born in New York City, Cummings started his acting career at age 16 in ''Diplomacy''. His Broadway, performances included ''In the Long R ...

was then meant to direct. Eventually Gail Russell became Ladd's co star and Raoul Walsh the director.

was cast in the third lead after impressing in ''

Going My Way ''Going My Way'' is a 1944 American musical comedy drama film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. Written by Frank Butler and Frank Cavett based on a story by McCarey, the film is about a new young priest ta ...

''. Filming plans were interrupted when Alan Ladd was reclassified 1A and would have to be re-inducted into the army. Paramount got a deferment to enable him to make ''Two Years Before the Mast'' and tried to get one to make ''Salty O'Rourke'' as well. They succeeded and filming started in late August 1944.

References

External links

* *
Review of film
at

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

Review of film
at ''Variety''
Radio adaptation of ''Salty O'Rourke'' for ''Lux Radio Theatre''
* {{Raoul Walsh 1945 films Films directed by Raoul Walsh Paramount Pictures films 1940s English-language films American drama films 1945 drama films American black-and-white films Films scored by Robert Emmett Dolan Films set in New Orleans Gambling films American horse racing films 1940s American films