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Kitty McShane
Kathleen "Kitty" McShane (19 May 1897 – 24 March 1964) was an Irish actress, best known as the wife and acting partner of Arthur Lucan, with whom she appeared in a series of ''Old Mother Riley'' stage shows and films from the 1930s to the 1950s. Early life Catherine McShane was born in Dublin, Ireland, the fourth of seventeen children born to Daniel and Kate McShane, of whom only seven survived to adulthood. In 1910 Arthur Lucan was touring Ireland and was playing his pantomime ''Little Red Riding Hood'' in Dublin. Here he met McShane, who successfully auditioned for a part in the show as a singer. Aged just 16 she married the 28-year-old Lucan on 25 November 1913 at the Church of St Andrews in Dublin. The couple had one son, Donald Daniel Towle (2 October 1915, Dublin – 1 January 1970). 'Old Mother Riley' McShane and Lucan became a popular music hall and film double act during their nearly forty years together. They gradually evolved the stage characters of Old Mot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old Mother Riley (film)
''Old Mother Riley'' is a 1937 British comedy film directed by Oswald Mitchell and starring Arthur Lucan in the lead, with Kitty McShane, Barbara Everest, Patrick Ludlow and Hubert Leslie. Mother Riley and her daughter stop the plans of some disinherited relatives to overturn the terms of a will. This is the first in a series of films made between 1937–1952, featuring Arthur Lucan's elderly drag character, and her daughter Kitty. After small roles in the Irish '' Kathleen Mavourneen'' (also 1937), Lucan and McShane were approached to star in their own film, ''Old Mother Riley''. The film was cheaply made (it cost £2,000, taking six weeks to shoot) and based on their music hall sketch ‘The Matchseller’. ''Old Mother Riley'' was a box office success and '' Old Mother Riley in Paris'' soon followed. Plot In his will, a wealthy match magnate leaves his fortune to his family, the only condition being that they must take in the first person they see selling matches. Very soo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old Mother Riley's Jungle Treasure
''Old Mother Riley's Jungle Treasure'' is a low budget 1951 British comedy film, the penultimate in the long running Old Mother Riley series starring Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane. It features an early appearance by future ''Carry On'' regular Peter Butterworth. Husband and wife Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane had separated by the time of production, and were touring in different "Old Mother Riley" shows. This was Kitty's final Mother Riley film, and her scenes with Lucan were reputedly shot on separate days. During filming, there was a strike over pay, led by the dancer Josie Woods, who was an extra on the film. Plot summary Mother Riley, working in an antique shop with daughter Kitty, uncovers a secret treasure map hidden in the headboard of an antique bed. With the help of the ghost of the pirate Captain Morgan, mother and daughter head for a remote tropical island in the South Seas, and begin their hunt for buried treasure. Not only do they find the fortune, but Mother Ri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old Mother Riley Headmistress
''Old Mother Riley, Headmistress'' is a low budget black and white 1950 British comedy film, starring Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane. The 13th film in the Old Mother Riley series, it features the Luton Girls Choir playing many of Mother Riley's pupils. Plot summary Daughter Kitty is sacked from her job as music teacher at an exclusive girls school, but Mother Riley unexpectedly comes into an inheritance, and decides to buy the girls finishing school and give Kitty her job back. Mother Riley soon establishes herself as headmistress at St. Mildred's School for Young Ladies, and throws herself into her new role with vigour, whether it's taking P.E. lessons, brazenly cheating on Sports Day, or confronting the haunted school piano. Cast * Arthur Lucan as Daphne Snowdrop Bluebell Riley * Kitty McShane as Kitty Riley * The Luton Girls Choir as School choir * Willer Neal as Bill Travers * Cyril Smith as Maltby * C. Denier Warren as Clifton Hill * Enid Hewitt as Miss Helen Carruthers * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old Mother Riley's New Venture
''Old Mother Riley's New Venture'' is a low-budget black-and-white 1949 British comedy film, starring Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane and Chili Bouchier. It is the twelfth in the long-running Old Mother Riley films, and was the first of the series to play in London's West End. In addition, it was the first to be released in the US, where it opened in 1952, as ''Old Mother Riley'', (and was re-released there as ''A Wild Irish Night''). Plot summary The owner of a five star London hotel leaves for a holiday, and to everyone's surprise promotes Old Mother Riley from kitchen dishwasher to manageress. Chaos ensues, and Mother Riley and Kitty are suddenly suspects in the theft of the Royal Hula Diamond, but somehow along the way also manage a trip to a beauty parlour, a banquet with Arab royalty, some Saint Patrick's Day celebrations, and a climactic custard pie fight. Cast * Arthur Lucan as Old Mother Riley * Kitty McShane as Kitty Riley * Chili Bouchier as Cora Gayne * Willer Neal a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old Mother Riley At Home
''Old Mother Riley at Home'' is a 1945 British comedy film directed by Oswald Mitchell and starring Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane and Freddie Forbes. It is the 11th film in the long-running Old Mother Riley series. Plot summary Mother Riley's daughter Kitty has run off with her new and (so says Mother Riley), "no good" boyfriend. With the aid of Kitty's true love Dan, Mother Riley tracks the runaways and discovers them in a gambling den. Cast * Arthur Lucan - Mrs Riley * Kitty McShane - Kitty Riley * Freddie Forbes - Mr Bumpton * Richard George - Dan * Willer Neal - Bill * Wally Patch - Bouncer * Kenneth Warrington - Boss * Angela Barrie - Duchess * Janet Morriso - Mary * Elsie Wagstaff - Mrs. Ginochie * Henry B. Longhurst - Commissionaire Critical reception ''TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Gui ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old Mother Riley Overseas
''Old Mother Riley Overseas'' is a 1943 British comedy film directed by Oswald Mitchell and starring Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane and Anthony Holles. In the screenplay, Old Mother Riley relocates to Portugal. Plot summary Mother Riley is tricked out of her licence for a pub, and heads for Portugal to find her daughter who is working in the wine business. Along the way she is somehow mistaken for a famous pianist, but arrives in Portugal just in time to prevent her daughter from being kidnapped. She also manages to retrieve stolen port wine. Cast * Arthur Lucan ... Mrs. Riley * Kitty McShane ... Kitty Riley * Morris Harvey ... Barnacle Bill * Fred Kitchen ... Pedro Quentos * Sebastian Cabot ... Bar Steward * Magda Kun * Anthony Holles * Ferdy Mayne * Freddie William Breach * Bob Lloyd * Paul Erickson * Eda Bell * Ruth Meredith Critical reception ''TV Guide'' said, "following the successful formula of Old Mother Riley in Paris ''Old Mother Riley in Paris'' is a 1938 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old Mother Riley Detective
''Old Mother Riley Detective'' is a 1943 British comedy film directed by Lance Comfort and starring Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane and Hal Gordon. It was part of the long running Old Mother Riley series. Old Mother Riley investigates the disappearance of food during the war, a serious crime because of rationing. Plot The film opens with a night watchman being bludgeoned, as a safe is cracked open in the offices of the District Food Controller. A list of wartime foods to be rationed is stolen, and the police fear gangsters are planning to sell the foods on the black market. As the office charwoman, Old Mother Riley's fingerprints are all over the safe, and she becomes the police's number one suspect. To prove her innocence, Mother Riley turns detective, adopting various methods and disguises to track down the villains. Cast * Arthur Lucan as Mrs. Riley * Kitty McShane as Kitty Riley * Ivan Brandt as Inspector Victor Cole * Owen Reynolds as Kenworthy * George Street as Inspector Mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old Mother Riley In Business
''Old Mother Riley in Business'' is a 1941 British comedy film directed by John Baxter and starring Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane and Cyril Chamberlain. It was the sixth in the long-running Old Mother Riley series of films. Old Mother Riley's pub faces competition from a large chain store nearby, causing her to declare war on it. Plot summary Old Mother Riley comes to the rescue of local shopkeepers after a ruthless chain, "Golden Stores" makes its aggressive presence felt. The boisterous Irish washerwoman gives the chain stores boss a push into the river and soon finds herself a wanted woman, donning a nurse's outfit to escape from the hospital in which she is hiding. Cast * Arthur Lucan as Mrs. Riley * Kitty McShane as Kitty Riley * Cyril Chamberlain as John Halliwell * Ernest Butcher * O. B. Clarence * Edgar Driver * Morris Harvey * Roddy Hughes * Ruth Maitland * Edie Martin * Wally Patch * Ernest Sefton * Charles Victor Charles Victor (10 February 1896 – 23 De ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old Mother Riley's Ghosts
''Old Mother Riley's Ghosts'' is a 1941 British comedy film directed by John Baxter and starring Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane and John Stuart. It was the 8th in the long-running Old Mother Riley series. Old Mother Riley inherits a castle in Scotland, but it appears to be haunted. Plot summary Old Mother Riley inherits a Scottish property, believing it, at first, to be a pub, and makes the journey up north with her daughter, Kitty. They are surprised to find themselves in possession of a haunted castle, though it turns out the ghouls and ghosties are not what they seem. They are in fact an ingenious front for an espionage ring anxious to get their hands on an inventor's plans, and trying to scare intruders away. After vigorous attempts to scare Mother Riley out of her wits, the Irish washerwoman ends up turning the tables on the spies, and terrifying them in return. Cast * Arthur Lucan ... Mrs. Riley * Kitty McShane ... Kitty Riley * John Stuart ... John Cartwright * A. Bro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old Mother Riley's Circus
''Old Mother Riley's Circus'' is a 1941 British comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane and John Longden. Old Mother Riley takes over a struggling circus and makes a huge success of it. The trade ad poster proclaims, "A LAUGH - A YELL - A ROAR - A LUCANQUAKE!" The film was made at the Rock Studios in Elstree by British National Films. It was the final film by Bentley, who had been a leading British director during the silent era and early sound era. Plot summary Old Mother Riley is the ringmaster after taking over a big top with flagging fortunes. Although the circus is plagued by the disappearance of its owner, and the bailiffs are at the door, the show somehow manages to go on. Money starts to pour in, financial disaster is avoided, and Mother Riley discovers her long-lost daughter is in fact the star of the show. Cast * Arthur Lucan as Mrs. Riley * Kitty McShane as Kitty Riley * John Longden as Bill * Edgar Driver as Bobo the Clown ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old Mother Riley Joins Up
''Old Mother Riley Joins Up'' is a 1940 British comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane, Martita Hunt, Bruce Seton and Garry Marsh. It was part of the long-running Old Mother Riley series. Plot summary Old Mother Riley works as a nurse before volunteering for the Auxiliary Territorial Service. With the help of her daughter Kitty and Kitty's boyfriend Lieutenant Travers, she thwarts a plan by enemy agents to steal important secret documents. Cast * Arthur Lucan ... Mrs. Riley * Kitty McShane ... Kitty Riley * Glen Alyn ... Pauline * Dorothy Dewhurst ... Mrs. Rayful * Martita Hunt ... Commandant * H. F. Maltby ... Gen. Hogsley * Garry Marsh ... Dr. Leach * Bryan Powley ... Mr. Rayful * Bruce Seton ... Lt. Travers * Jeanne Stuart ... Nurse Wilson Critical reception ''TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |