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

sports Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in ...

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. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

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 cinema actor George Walsh. He wa ...

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 in ...

, Gail Russell and

William Demarest Carl William Demarest (February 27, 1892 – December 28, 1983) was an American actor, known especially for his supporting roles in screwball comedies by Preston Sturges and as Uncle Charley in the sitcom ''My Three Sons'' from 1965-72. Demares ...

. Produced and distributed by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

, it was nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

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 racehorse, Whipper, who can only be ridden by Johnny Cates, a jockey banned 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 * Gail Russell as Barbara Brooks *

as Smitty *

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 s ...

as Doc Baxter *

Spring Byington Spring Dell Byington (October 17, 1886 – September 7, 1971) was an American actress. Her career included a seven-year run on radio and television as the star of '' December Bride''. She was an MGM contract player who appeared in films from the ...

as Mrs. Brooks * Stanley Clements as Johnny Cates * Rex Williams as Babe *

Darryl Hickman Darryl Gerard Hickman (July 28, 1931 – May 22, 2024) was an American actor, screenwriter, television executive, and acting coach. He started his career as a child actor in the Golden Age of Hollywood and appeared in numerous television seria ...

as Sneezer *

Marjorie Woodworth Marjorie Woodworth (June 5, 1919 – August 23, 2000) was an American actress. Early life Born in Inglewood, California, she was a drum majorette at the University of Southern California. Career Woodworth appeared in the films '' Dance, Gi ...

as Lola * Don Zelaya as Hotel proprietor *

Lester Matthews Arthur Lester Matthews (6 June 1900 – 5 June 1975) was an English actor. Career In his career, the handsome Englishman made more than 180 appearances in film and on television. He was erroneously credited in later years as Les Matthews. M ...

as Salesman * William Forrest as Racing secretary * William Murphy as Bennie * Denis Brown as Murdock

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 actor often referred to as the "King of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". He appeared in more than 60 Film, motion pictures across a variety of Film genre, genres dur ...

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

and

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

. 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 (né 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 remembe ...

. 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'', 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. H ...

to direct.

Irving Cummings Irving Cummings (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 (play), Diplomacy''. His Broadway theatre, Broadway, p ...

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

''. 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'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

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

Plot

Cast

Production

See also

References

External links