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Crooner (film)
''Crooner'' is a 1932 American pre-Code musical comedy drama film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring David Manners along with Ann Dvorak and Ken Murray. It concerns the abrupt rise and fall of a popular crooner, Teddy Taylor. A print is held by the Library of Congress. Plot Teddy Taylor is the leader of Ted Taylor's Collegians. One night, his usual singer can't sing. He decides to try out singing. However, his voice can't be heard over the band. A dancer stops and jokes with him by handing him a megaphone. Taylor sings through it, and he is heard. The ladies are enamored with his soft voice while the men are disgusted. Taylor becomes a big star over night, but his ego becomes inflated. Things come to a head when Taylor loses his temper and punches a heckler in the audience, who he didn't realize was a cripple. Shunned, he loses his girlfriend, his band, his fame, and his dignity. In the final scene, as a drunk and unhappy Peter Sturgis, who promoted Teddy Taylor into a singin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Manners
David Joseph Manners (born Rauff de Ryther Duan Acklom; April 30, 1900 – December 23, 1998) was a Canadian-American actor who played John Harker in Tod Browning's 1931 horror classic ''Dracula'', which starred Bela Lugosi in the title role.Pace, Eric (1999)"David Manners, 98; Menaced on Screen by Lugosi" obituary, ''The New York Times'', January 3, 1999. Retrieved August 21, 2017. The following year, Manners portrayed the archaeologist Frank Whemple in '' The Mummy'' (1932), another pre-Code thriller by Universal Pictures. Early life David Joseph Manners (originally Rauff De Ryther Duan Acklom) was born in Canada at 108 Tower Road in Halifax, Nova Scotia on April 30, 1900. He was the younger child and only son of British parents, writer George Moreby Acklom and Lilian (or Lillian) Manners, as well as being the nephew of Cecil Ryther Acklom, a senior officer in the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. He had an elder sister, Dorothea Cecily Acklom (later Mrs. Hall; 1898–1972).Norr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. Crosby was a leader in record sales, network radio ratings, and motion picture grosses from 1926 to 1977. He was one of the first global cultural icons. Crosby made over 70 feature films and recorded more than 1,600 songs. Crosby's early career coincided with recording innovations that allowed him to develop an intimate singing style that influenced many male singers who followed, such as Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Dean Martin, Dick Haymes, Elvis Presley, and John Lennon. Yank, the Army Weekly, ''Yank'' magazine said that Crosby was "the person who had done the most for the morale of overseas servicemen" during World War II. In 1948, American polls declared him the "most admired man alive", ahead of Jackie Robinson and Pope Pius XII. I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mary Treen
Mary Treen (born Mary Louise Summers; March 27, 1907 – July 20, 1989) was an American film and television actress. A minor actress for much of her career, she managed to secure a plain, unassuming niche for herself in dozens of movies and television shows in a Cinema of the United States, Hollywood career spanning five decades, from 1930 to 1981. Early years Treen was the daughter of attorney Don C. Summers and actress Helene Sullivan Summers. In 1908, when she was 11 months old, her mother sued her father for divorce on the grounds that he failed to provide for her. Her father died while she was an infant. She was reared in California by her mother and stepfather, a physician. She attended Westlake School for Girls and, later, a convent school where she tried out successfully in school plays. She was a Roman Catholic. Career During her career, Treen was seen in over 40 films. Among her film roles were Tilly, the secretary of the Building and Loan, in Frank Capra's ''It's a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bert Moorhouse
Bert Herbert Green Moorhouse (sometimes incorrectly billed as Bert Moorehouse) (November 20, 1894 – January 26, 1954) was an American character actor whose career began at the very tail end of the silent era, and lasted through the mid-1950s. Biography Moorhouse was born in Chicago, on November 20, 1894. He entered the film industry in 1928 with featured roles in two FBO productions: ''Rough Ridin' Red'', and the Hugh Trevor vehicle ''Hey Rube!'' He would appear in either featured or small roles in over 130 films during his 26-year career, as well as more than 200 other pictures in which he appeared as an extra. In 1954, he had small roles in three films, the last of which to be premiered was '' Dangerous Mission'', which starred Victor Mature, Piper Laurie, William Bendix, and Vincent Price. All three of these films were released posthumously. Moorhouse was suffering from a severe illness, and on January 26, 1954, aged 59, he committed suicide, via a gunshot wound to the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leo White
Leo White (November 10, 1873 – September 20, 1948), was a German-born British-American film and stage actor who appeared as a character actor in many Charlie Chaplin films. Biography Born in Germany to Julius White and Ida Berg White, White grew up in England where he began his stage career. He was brought to the United States under the aegis of Daniel Frohman, a Broadway producer. He started his film career in 1911 and in 1913 moved to the Essanay Studios. In 1915, he began appearing in Chaplin's comedies and continued through Chaplin's Mutual Film comedies. His last appearance in a Chaplin film was a small role in '' The Great Dictator'', released in 1940. White also acted in and directed '' Triple Trouble'' (1918), Essanay's last Chaplin release. Chaplin himself acknowledged ''Triple Trouble'' in his autobiography but did not actually participate in its production. (White filmed new scenes around existing footage of Chaplin.) White typically played dapper, continental v ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Bailey (actor)
William Norton Bailey (born Gardner Warren Reineck; September 26, 1886 – November 8, 1962) was an American actor and director. Personal life William Norton Bailey was born Gardner Warren Reineck on 26 September 1886 in Omaha, Nebraska. His parents, Rebecca Gardener Phillips and Jesse P. Reineck, his father was a Western Union telegraph operator. The family moved around the country based on Jesse’s work. The Reineck’s divorced after 1900 when Jesse was arrested, along with five other telegraph operators, for defrauding American Express. William's mother settled the family for a number of years in Milwaukee. Bailey was married on 1917 in Philadelphia to Mary Cannon, an actress who worked under the professional names of Polly Vann and Mary/Polly Bailey. They had no children. After their marriage, William, his new wife, and his mother moved to New York City where he was a director at Vitagraph Studios. After her death in 1952, he married a second time to Mrs. Aletha Hamilton ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dennis O'Keefe
Dennis O'Keefe (born Edward Vance Flanagan; March 29, 1908 – August 31, 1968) was an American actor. Early years O'Keefe was born in Fort Madison, Iowa, as Edward Vance Flanagan, the son of Edward J. Flanagan and Charlotte Flanagan ( Ravenscroft), both vaudevillians of Irish descent. He was raised a Roman Catholic. As a small child, O'Keefe joined his parents' act and later wrote skits for the stage. He attended the University of Southern California but left midway through his sophomore year after his father died. Career O'Keefe continued his father's vaudeville act for several years after the father's death. He started in films as an extra in 1931 and appeared in numerous films under the name Bud Flanagan. After his role in '' Saratoga'' (1937), Clark Gable recommended O'Keefe to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which signed him to a contract in 1937 and renamed him Dennis O'Keefe. His film roles were bigger after that, starting with '' The Bad Man of Brimstone'' (1938) opp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harry Stubbs (actor)
Harry Oakes Stubbs (December 7, 1874 – May 9, 1950) was an English-born American character actor, who appeared both on Broadway and in films. He was born on December 7, 1874, in Southampton, Hampshire, England. Stubbs immigrated from England at the age of 16, and made his first Broadway appearance at the age of 31 in ''The Bad Samaritan'', which had a short run of fifteen performances in September 1905 at the Garden Theatre. The Internet Broadway Database (IBDB) has him appearing in only eight plays over the next 23 years, the last of which was 1928's ''The Big Fight'' which had a month run at the Majestic Theatre in September/October 1928. In 1929, he would move to Hollywood and begin his film career, which spanned the first fifteen years of the sound era of the industry; he would appear in over 50 films during that time. He also acted on stage in 1933 at Harold Lloyd's Beverly Hills Little Theatre for Professionals, which was a way to use his stage talent to be seen by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Harron
John Harron (March 31, 1904 – November 24, 1939) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 160 films between 1918 and 1940. Born on March 31, 1904, in New York City, he was the brother of actor Robert Harron and of actress Mary Harron. Harron graduated from Santa Clara University. His film debut came in '' Through the Back Door'' (1921). After acting for Universal, he was under contract to Warner Bros. Harron "achieved great success on the silent screen but was reduced to minor roles or minor films with the coming of sound." Harron died in Seattle, Washington from spinal meningitis. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles. Selected filmography * '' Through the Back Door'' (1921) * '' The Fox'' (1921) * ''The Grim Comedian'' (1921) * '' The Five Dollar Baby'' (1922) * '' The Ragged Heiress'' (1922) * '' Love in the Dark'' (1922) * '' The West~Bound Limited'' (1923) * '' Dulcy'' (1923) * '' The Fire Patrol'' (1924) * ''Behind the Curtain'' (1924) * '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sumner Getchell
Sumner Getchell (October 20, 1906 – September 21, 1990) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1926 and 1953. He was born in Oakland, California, and died in Sebastopol, California. His last role was as Lieutenant Cord in The Island in the Sky, a 1953 William A. Wellman film starring John Wayne Partial filmography * '' The College Widow'' (1927) - Jimmie Hopper * '' Pirates of the Pines'' (1928) * '' The Air Circus'' (1928) - (uncredited) * ''The Flying Fleet'' (1929) - Kewpie (uncredited) * ''New Year's Eve'' (1929) - Edward's Friend * '' College Love'' (1929) - Fat * '' Cheer Up and Smile'' (1930) - Paul * '' Maybe It's Love'' (1930) - Whiskers * '' Man to Man'' (1930) - Jerry (uncredited) * '' Don't Bet on Women'' (1931) - Office Boy (uncredited) * '' Daybreak'' (1931) - Emil * ''Pleasure'' (1931) - Slug - Party Guest (uncredited) * '' Crooner'' (1932) - Teddy's Band Member (uncredited) * '' That's My Boy'' (1932) - Carl * '' Vanity Stre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Herman Bing
Herman Bing (March 30, 1889 – January 9, 1947) was a German-American character actor. He acted in more than 120 films and many of his parts were uncredited. Biography Bing was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Bing began his career at the circus, at age 16, and vaudeville showing comedic talent. In 1921 he made his film debut in "Ciska Barna, die Zigeunerin". He was production chief of several films in Germany before he went to America, in 1923, with director Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau as Murnau's interpreter and assistant director. He also worked under John Ford and Frank Borzage, before establishing himself as a successful character actor well known for his wild-eyed facial expressions and thick German accent. He also provided the voice for the Ringmaster in Walt Disney's ''Dumbo'' (1941). Death The start of World War II in Europe caused all things German to be unpopular with audiences. His German accent was no longer in demand in the years following World War II ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Janney
William Janney (born Russell Dixon Janney, February 15, 1908 – December 22, 1992) was an American actor who appeared in 39 films between 1929 and 1937. He was the son of author and theatrical producer Russell Janney,(28 December 1940)William Janney Marries ''The New York Times''(2 March 1930)Actors' Children Emulate Parents ''Pittsburgh Press'' and he attended the School for Professional Children. Janney debuted on Broadway in ''Merton of the Movies'' (1922). His other Broadway credits include ''Great Music'' (1924) ''Four O'Clock'' (1933), ''Take My Tip'' (1932), ''Tommy'' (1927), and ''Bridge of Distances'' (1925). His biggest regret was not taking the role in ''Tol'able David'' (1930) after Columbia boss Harry Cohn offered it to him. His mother urged him to let Richard Cromwell have it. "She told me there was this old woman friend of hers whose son had always wanted to play the part. She said I didn't want to play it anyway. To this day, I don't understand her... This re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
