''Registered Nurse'' is a 1934 American

Pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines, popularly known ...

film produced by

First National Pictures First National Pictures was an American motion picture production and distribution company. It was founded in 1917 as First National Exhibitors' Circuit, Inc., an association of independent theatre owners in the United States, and became the count ...

and released through its parent company Warner Bros. The film was directed by

Robert Florey Robert Florey (14 September 1900 – 16 May 1979) was a French-American director, screenwriter, film journalist and actor. Born as Robert Fuchs in Paris, he became an orphan at an early age and was then raised in Switzerland. In 1920 he worked a ...

and stars

Bebe Daniels Phyllis Virginia "Bebe" Daniels (January 14, 1901 – March 16, 1971) was an American actress, singer, dancer, writer, and producer. She began her career in Hollywood during the silent film era as a child actress, became a star in musicals such ...

in her final role for Warner Bros.

Plot

Sylvia Benson (Bebe Daniels) is married to belligerent drunk (Gordon Westcott) but after a violent quarrel which results in a car crash, she decides to go back to nursing. Three years later Benson is the best nurse at the hospital, all the doctors think so including dedicated surgeon Dr. Hedwig (John Halliday) and chronic skirt chaser Dr. Connolly (Lyle Talbot). Sylvia has a secret, after the car crash her husband went insane and is now in an asylum. That's why she is keeping the doctors at arm's length whenever they mention marriage. Suddenly he escapes and finds himself at the same hospital where Sylvia is stationed (he doesn't know that) wanting an operation to return his sanity so he can make up to his wife for all those bitter years. A chance conversation with an interfering patient (Sidney Toler) give Jim Benton the idea to leap out of the hospital window to his death, paving the way for Sylvia to find happiness with Dr. Hedwig.

Cast

as Sylvia Benton *

Lyle Talbot Lyle Florenz Talbot (born Lisle Henderson, also credited Lysle Talbot; February 8, 1902 – March 2, 1996) was an American stage, screen and television actor. His career in films spanned three decades, from 1931 to 1960, and he performed on ...

as Dr. Greg Connolly * John Halliday as Dr. Hedwig *

Irene Franklin Irene Franklin (June 13, 1885 - June 16, 1941) was an American actress on stage and screen, vaudeville comedian, and singer. Biography Irene Franklin was born in Saint Louis, Missouri, in 1885. While many sources have suggested her birth year as ...

as Sadie Harris *

Sidney Toler Sidney Toler (born Hooper G. Toler Jr., April 28, 1874 – February 12, 1947) was an American actor, playwright, and theatre director. The second European-American actor to play the role of Charlie Chan on screen, he is best remembered for his ...

as Frankie Sylvestrie *

Gordon Westcott Gordon Westcott (born Myrthus Hickman, November 6, 1903 – October 30, 1935) was an American film actor. Biography Born in St. George, Utah, in 1903, Westcott studied architecture at the University of Chicago, where he was also lightweight ...

as Jim Benton * Minna Gombell as Nurse Beulah Schloss *

Beulah Bondi Beulah Bondi (born Beulah Bondy; May 3, 1889 – January 11, 1981)According to the State of California. ''California Death Index, 1940–1997''. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At ...

as Nurse McKenna *

Vince Barnett Vince Barnett (July 4, 1902 – August 10, 1977) was an American film actor. He appeared on stage originally before appearing in more than 230 films between 1930 and 1975. Early years Barnett was born July 4, 1902, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylv ...

as Jerry *

Phillip Reed Phillip Reed (born Milton LeRoy; March 25, 1908 – December 7, 1996) was an American actor. He played Steve Wilson in a series of four films (1947–1948) based on the '' Big Town'' radio series. Early years Reed was a star athlete at Er ...

as Bill *

Mayo Methot Mayo Jane Methot (March 3, 1904 – June 9, 1951) was an American film and stage actress. She appeared in over 30 films, as well as in various Broadway productions, though she attracted significant media attention for her tempestuous marriage t ...

as Nurse Gloria Hammond *

Edward Gargan Edward Gargan (July 17, 1902 – February 19, 1964) was an American film and television actor. Career He was born of Irish parents in Brooklyn, New York. He was the elder brother of actor William Gargan. As soon as he had left college, he wen ...

as Officer O'Brien

Preservation status

''Registered Nurse'' is preserved at the Library of Congress.''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress''.

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Lead ...

, 1978

Home video

The film is currently offered on

Warner Archive Collection The Warner Archive Collection is a home video division for releasing classic and cult films from Warner Bros.' library. It started as a manufactured-on-demand (MOD) DVD series by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on March 23, 2009, with the inten ...

home label, double-billed with the Ruth Chatterton film '' The Crash''.

References

External links

* * * * 1934 films American films based on plays Warner Bros. films 1934 romantic drama films American romantic drama films American black-and-white films 1930s American films 1930s English-language films {{1930s-drama-film-stub