''The Live Wire'' is a 1935 American

adventure film An adventure film is a form of adventure fiction, and is a genre of film. Subgenres of adventure films include swashbuckler films, pirate films, and survival films. Adventure films may also be combined with other film genres such as action, an ...

directed and produced by Harry S. Webb for Reliable Pictures, starring

stuntman A stunt performer, often called a stuntman or stuntwoman and occasionally stuntperson or stunt-person, is a trained professional who performs daring acts, often as a career. Stunt performers usually appear in films or on television, as opposed ...

Richard Talmadge Richard Talmadge (born Sylvester Alphonse Metz; 3 December 1892 – 25 January 1981) also known as Sylvester Metzetti, Ricardo Metzetti, or Sylvester Ricardo Metzetti, was a German-born actor, stuntman and film director. Early life Born in ...

in the lead role.

Plot

Two Professors find an ancient vase at a shop on the docks. They track down Dick Nelson (

), the sailor who sold it after finding it on an island where he was shipwrecked as a boy. Professors Sneed (

Henry Roquemore Henry Roquemore (March 18, 1886 – June 30, 1943) was an American character actor who primarily played bit parts. He appeared in 229 silent and sound films from 1927 until 1943. Many of his roles were uncredited parts in Western movies, ...

) and Harris (

Jimmy Aubrey Jimmy Aubrey (23 October 1887 – 2 September 1983) was an English actor who worked with both Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy, having gone with Fred Karno's theatrical company to America in 1908. However he left to start on his own in v ...

) charter a ship to have Dick guide them to find more ancient treasures on this uncharted island; but they don’t want Captain King (

Charles K. French Charles K. French (born Charles Ekrauss French or Charles E. Krauss; January 17, 1860 – August 2, 1952) was an American film actor, screenwriter and director who appeared in more than 240 films between 1909 and 1945. Biography French was ...

) to bring his daughter Madge (

Alberta Vaughn Alberta Vaughn (June 27, 1904 – April 26, 1992) was an American actress in silent motion pictures and early Western sound films. She appeared in some 130 motion pictures. Early years Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Vaughn was the sister of ac ...

), who usually sails with him, saying it will be too dangerous for a woman to go with them. Sam the Cook (

Sam McDaniel Samuel Rufus McDaniel (January 28, 1886September 24, 1962)Tanner, Beccy (November 7, 1991)"McDaniel Opened Doors; 'Gone With the Wind' Was Actress' Most Famous Film" ''The Wichita Eagle''. Retrieved January 3, 2021. was an American actor who ap ...

) helps Madge stow away aboard the ship. When she is found she pretends to be a boy, just hired on as a steward. Dick’s old nemesis “Bull” Dennis (

George Walsh George Frederick Walsh (March 16, 1889 – June 13, 1981) was an American actor. An all-around athlete, who became an actor and later returned to sport, he enjoyed 40 years of fame and was a performer with dual appeal, with women loving hi ...

) has been hired on to replace the First Mate. Like

Long John Silver Long John Silver is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the novel ''Treasure Island'' (1883) by Robert Louis Stevenson. The most colourful and complex character in the book, he continues to appear in popular culture. His missing l ...

, Bull plans a mutiny to keep all the treasure for himself and his pirate comrades. It looks like Dick and Madge, with the help of Sam and the others, are going to foil the mutineer’s plan; but the ship is lost in a fire, and, unbeknownst to each other, they all end up shipwrecked on the mysterious island. At first Bill can’t remember where the ruins are, but he soon finds an entire lost city and civilization. Soon, however, they are fighting for their lives with the pirates to get off the island alive.http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/81621/The-Live-Wire/full-synopsis.html

Cast

as 2nd Mate Dick Nelson *

as Madge King *

as Mate 'Bull' Dennis *

George Chesebro George Newell Chesebro (July 29, 1888 – May 28, 1959) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 400 films between 1915 and 1954. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and died in Los Angeles, California. Partial filmography * ''Mi ...

as Henchman Jacquard *

as Capt. King *Martin Turner as Sam *

as Prof. Sneed *

as Prof. Harris * Ben Hall as Steve (the Steward)

Production

Although, a Reliable Pictures release, much of it was filmed on existing sets, at

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a ...

, and footage from the 1934 serial

Pirate Treasure ''Pirate Treasure'' is a 1934 Universal film serial. It was the twenty-first sound serial released by Universal, of the sixty-nine they released in total (it was the eighty-ninth serial if Universal's silent serials are considered as well, of a ...

was reused. The dock scenes were filmed in

San Pedro, California San Pedro ( ; Spanish: " St. Peter") is a neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles, California. Formerly a separate city, it consolidated with Los Angeles in 1909. The Port of Los Angeles, a major international seaport, is partially located wi ...

. After appearing in over 130 films, this was

's last movie.

References

External links

* * * * 1935 films 1935 adventure films American black-and-white films Seafaring films Reliable Pictures films American adventure films Films directed by Harry S. Webb 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{adventure-film-stub