''Captain Calamity'' is a 1936 American

South Seas Today the term South Seas, or South Sea, most commonly refers to the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of the equator. The term South Sea may also be used synonymously for Oceania, or even more narrowly for Polynesia or the Polynesian Triangle ...

adventure film directed by John Reinhardt and starring George Houston released by

Grand National Pictures Grand National Films, Inc (or Grand National Pictures, Grand National Productions and Grand National Film Distributing Co.) was an American independent motion picture production-distribution company in operation from 1936 to 1939. The company ha ...

. It was filmed in an early colour process called Hirlicolor at Talisman Studios and

Santa Catalina Island, California Santa Catalina Island (; ) often shortened to Catalina Island or Catalina, is a rocky island, part of the Channel Islands (California), Channel Islands, off the coast of Southern California in the Gulf of Santa Catalina. The island covers an ...

Plot

A penniless ship's captain is taking a passenger ashore after their voyage. The passenger throws a gold coin in the ocean that he says has been bad luck to him as it was a gift from his ex-fiancee. The Captain sends one of his men, an experienced underwater diver, to successfully retrieve it. The passenger explains that is a gold Spanish

doubloon The doubloon (from Spanish language, Spanish ''doblón'', or "double", i.e. ''double escudo'') was a two-''Spanish escudo, escudo'' gold coin worth approximately four Spanish dollars or 32 ''Spanish real, reales'', and weighing 6.766 grams (0.218 ...

and the Captain is more than welcome to it. Going ashore, the Captain decides to have some fun by telling stories indicating that he discovered four chests full of the coins, which were pirate treasure. The news spreads throughout the island and leads to kidnapping, torture, murder and an attack on the Captain's ship.

Cast

* George Houston as Captain Bill Jones / Captain Calamity *

Marian Nixon Marian Nixon (born Marja Nissinen; October 20, 1904 – February 13, 1983) was an American film actress. Sometimes credited as Marion Nixon, she appeared in more than 70 films. Career Born in Superior, Wisconsin, in 1904, to parents of Finnish d ...

as Madge Lewis *

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, Pennsylva ...

as Burp *

Juan Torena Juan de Garchitorena y Carvajal, also known as Juan Torena (24 March 1898 – 27 June 1983) was a Filipino footballer and an American Hollywood actor. Torena was born in Manila, Philippines in 1898 to a Hispanofilipino family. After his mother ...

as Mike *

Movita Maria Luisa Castaneda (April 12, 1916 – February 12, 2015) was an American actress and the second wife of actor Marlon Brando. In films, she played exotic women and singers, such as in ''Flying Down to Rio'' (1933) and ''Mutiny on the Bount ...

as Annana *

Crane Wilbur Crane Wilbur (November 17, 1886 – October 18, 1973) was an American writer, actor and director for stage, radio and screen. He was born in Athens, New York. Wilbur is best remembered for playing Harry Marvin in ''The Perils of Pauline (1914 s ...

as Dr. James Kelkey *

George J. Lewis George J. Lewis (December 10, 1903December 8, 1995) was a Mexican-born actor who appeared in many films and eventually TV series from the 1920s through the 1960s, usually specializing in westerns. He is probably best known for playing Don Aleja ...

as Black Pierre (as George Lewis) *

Roy D'Arcy Roy D'Arcy (born Roy Francis Giusti; February 10, 1894 – November 15, 1969) was an American film actor of the silent film and early sound period of the 1930s noted for his portrayal of flamboyant villains. He appeared in 50 different films ...

as Samson *

Margaret Irving Margaret Irving (January 18, 1898 – March 5, 1988) was an American stage and film actress. Biography Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1898, Irving is best remembered today for her roles as Aunt Gus in the 1950s sitcom '' The People's Choic ...

as Mamie Gruen *

Barry Norton Barry Norton (born Alfredo Carlos Birabén; June 16, 1905 – August 24, 1956) was an Argentine-American actor. He appeared in over 90 films, starting in silent films from 1925 until his death in 1956. He is perhaps best known for his role a ...

as Carr *

Louis Natheaux Louis Natheaux (born Louis F. Natho; December 10, 1894 – August 23, 1942) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than eighty films between 1919 and 1942. Biography Louis F. Natho was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas on December 10, 1 ...

as E.D. Joblin - Store Owner *

Lloyd Ingraham Lloyd Chauncey Ingraham (November 30, 1874 – April 4, 1956) was an American film actor and director. Biography Born in Rochelle, Illinois, Ingraham appeared in more than 280 films between 1912 and 1950, as well as directing more than 100 f ...

as Trader Jim * Alberto Gandero as Gandero - a Sailor (as Albert Gandero) * Harold Howard as Guy Warren *

Charles Moyer Charles H. Moyer (1866 – June 2, 1929) was an American labor leader and president of the Western Federation of Miners (WFM) from 1902 to 1926. He led the union through the Colorado Labor Wars, was accused of murdering an ex-governor of the ...

as Mac' McKenzie - a Sailor Gordon Jones, Maria Kalamo and John Van Pelt appear uncredited. The pig that appeared in the film was barbecued and served to the cast.

Soundtrack

* George Houston - "Riders of the Rolling Seas" (Written by Jack Stern and

Harry Tobias Harry Tobias (September 11, 1895 – December 15, 1994) was an American lyricist. Like his younger brother Charles, he is an inductee of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Born in New York City, United States, but raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, ...

) * George Houston - "A Drunken Sailor" (Written by Jack Stern and Harry Tobias) * George Houston - "Tell Me Why" (Written by Jack Stern and Harry Tobias) * George Houston - "Drop Your Anchor" (Written by Jack Stern and Harry Tobias)

Spanish version

A Spanish-language version, ''El capitan Tormenta'' was filmed alongside ''Captain Calamity''. Roy D'Arcy Juan Torena, Barry Norton and Movita reprised their roles (though most of the character names were changed).

Fortunio Bonanova Fortunio Bonanova, pseudonym of Josep Lluís Moll, (13 January 1895 – 2 April 1969) was a Spanish baritone singer and a film, theater, and television actor. He occasionally worked as a producer and director. According to Lluis Fàbregas Cuixar ...

replaced Huston in the title role and

Lupita Tovar Guadalupe Natalia Tovar Sullivan (27 July 1910 – 12 November 2016), known professionally as Lupita Tovar, was a Mexican-American actress best known for her starring role in the 1931 Spanish-language version of '' Drácula''. It was filmed in L ...

served as Nixon's Spanish-language alternative, renamed Magda. Supposedly, producer Hirliman had wanted Tovar to play the female lead in both productions, but she only appeared in the Spanish version.

Notes

External links