''The Gay Diplomat'' is a 1931 American film. Directed by
Richard Boleslawski
Richard Boleslawski (born Bolesław Ryszard Srzednicki; February 4, 1889 – January 17, 1937) was a Polish theatre and film director, actor and teacher of acting.
Biography
Richard Boleslawski was born Bolesław Ryszard Srzednicki on February ...
for
RKO Radio Pictures
RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orph ...
, it starred
Ivan Lebedeff
Ivan Lebedeff (born Ivan Vasilyevich Lebedev ( rus, Иван Васильевич Лебедев), 18 June 1894 – 31 March 1953) was a Russian film actor, lecturer and writer. He appeared in 66 films between 1926 and 1953. In 1940, his no ...
Captain Orloff (Ivan Lebedeff) is a Russian military officer who is sent to
Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...
to discover and dispose of a female spy. The three suspected spies are Countess Diana Dorchy (Genevieve Tobin), Baroness Alma Corri (Betty Compson) and Madame Blinis (Ilka Chase). Before learning the identity of the spy, Orloff falls in love with Diana. In the course of events, the spy is revealed to be Alma who is ultimately tricked into confessing. Orloff returns with his prisoner to St. Petersburg and is joined on the train by Diana.
Ivan Lebedeff
Ivan Lebedeff (born Ivan Vasilyevich Lebedev ( rus, Иван Васильевич Лебедев), 18 June 1894 – 31 March 1953) was a Russian film actor, lecturer and writer. He appeared in 66 films between 1926 and 1953. In 1940, his no ...
as Captain Ivan Orloff
*
Ilka Chase
Ilka Chase (April 8, 1905 – February 15, 1978) was an American actress, radio host, and novelist.
Biography
Born in New York City and educated at convent and boarding schools in the United States, England, and France, Chase was the only child ...
as Madame Blinis
*
Purnell Pratt
Purnell Pratt (October 20, 1885 – July 25, 1941) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1914 and 1941. He was born in Bethel, Illinois and died in Hollywood, California.
Partial filmography
* ''The Great ...
as Colonel George Gorin
* Colin Campbell as Gamble
*
Arthur Edmund Carew
Arthur Edmund Carewe (December 30, 1884 – April 22, 1937), born Hovsep Hovsepian ( hy, Հովսեփ Հովսեփյան), was an Armenian-American stage and film actor of the silent and early sound film era.
Early life
Born on December 30, 18 ...
as The Suave Man
*
Edward Martindel
Edward Martindel (July 8, 1876 – May 4, 1955) was an American stage and film actor who appeared on Broadway and in more than 80 films between 1915 and 1946.
Born in Hamilton, Ohio, he was the son of Dr. and Mrs. Frank Martindell. His si ...
as Ambassador
*
John St. Polis
John M. St. Polis (born John Marie Sainpolis; November 24, 1873 – October 8, 1946) was an American actor.
Biography
St. Polis was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Before starting his film career, he made a name for himself on the Broadway ...
as General
*
Judith Vosselli
Judith Vosselli (June 25, 1895 – September 18, 1966) was a Spanish-born actress who appeared on the American stage and screen during the 1920s and 1930s.
Biography
Born in Barcelona, Vosselli made her American acting debut in the successful Bro ...
According to the trade journal '' Film Daily'', RKO reported the original story "Strange Women" was written by Lebedeff and
Benn W. Levy
Benn Wolfe Levy (7 March 1900 – 7 December 1973) was a Labour Party Member of Parliament in the House of Commons (1945–1950), and a successful playwright. He was educated at Repton School and University College, Oxford and served in uniform ...
. In addition to ''Strange Women'', working titles included ''Woman Pursued'' and ''Kisses By Command''.
Shooting took place in June 1931. Henry Hobart, the original production supervisor of Gay Diplomat, was so upset by the film's inadequacies and by Lebedeff's lack of star quality that he walked off the project. Pandro Berman replaced Hobart as supervising producer in mid-production, thus earning Berman his first screen credit.
The picture was Lebedeff's first starring role and he figured heavily in RKO's marketing campaign, which touted him as another Valentino and portrayed the story as based on events from his life. Tobin was borrowed from Universal to play the female lead.
Reception
The film was released September 19, 1931. According to RKO records, the film was the studio's lowest grossing film of the 1930–31 season and lost $115,000 at the box office.
''The Gay Diplomat'' was generally poorly received by critics. ''New York Times'' critic