OT: Old Movies Trivia

[ClifSpliffy]

(opinion question): who was the single most important force in the era when movies transitioned from silent to talking, including the following 'golden decade' up to ww2?.
hint, not this guy;
'In September 1926, Jack L. Warner, head of Warner Bros., was quoted to the effect that talking pictures would never be viable: "They fail to take into account the international language of the silent pictures, and the unconscious share of each onlooker in creating the play, the action, the plot, and the imagined dialogue for himself."
hint, 'xxxxx was one of the highest-grossing films of the early sound era and is today justly hailed as a landmark of early sound, of early color use, and of the epic action film genre.'
hint, every so often, hollywood makes a new biopic of his incredible life.
hint, he used to land a plane on the fairways at Saybrook's Fenwick golf course.
hint, he didn't suffer fools, and he didn't play nice with others. all he did was get stuff done. cool.
let's have a tune in his honor.

ps. this 'movie' part of his career was just a footnote in his life, a blip.
today, long after his depature, there is a new and pioneering technology brand with his name on it. look up.

 

[Redux]

The female lead character was called Melodie

Think William Bendix's wife in the TV series The Life of Riley a few years later.

And to move to TV for a moment, OT from our OT: Bendix had been doing the role on radio for several years before the series moved to TV. But he was not the first actor to experience Chester A Riley's "revoltin' developments" on TV; what two actors did it first? One (who has been referred to in our horror movie discussions) did the pilot. The other, who later became a huge TV star, did the first season.

 

[NY Fan]

Warner Bros had a nice group of folks that would show up in lots of their movies. During the 30's, Jack Warner hired many actors that ran to the USA after Hitler took power and before he overran Europe. The movie "Casablanca" was loaded with them. Can you name a few of them?

Of course: Marcel Dalio who was at that moment getting divorced from the "Yvonne I love you" lady, the great Conrad Veidt Cuddles Shakal etc. Actually, you could ask who were the only Americans. BTW - I first saw Casablanca in my college freshman year, and it introduced me to old movies, and what an introduction!

 

[NY Fan]

Think William Bendix's wife in the TV series The Life of Riley a few years later.

And to move to TV for a moment, OT from our Bendix had been doing the role on radio for several years before the series moved to TV. But he was not the first actor to experience Chester A Riley's "revoltin' developments" on TV; what two actors did it first? One (who has been referred to in our horror movie discussions) did the pilot. The other, who later became a huge TV star, did the first season.

The star of "One of these days, Alice, pow, zoom, right to the moon".

 

[Redux]

The star of "One of these days, Alice, pow, zoom, right to the moon".

Very good. But who did the pilot for what became the William Bendix version of Life or Riley? He may be the single most prolific actor in the 1930s-40s Universal Horror cycle we've been discussing.

 

[NY Fan]

Very good. But who did the pilot for what became the William Bendix version of Life or Riley? He may be the single most prolific actor in the 1930s-40s Universal Horror cycle we've been discussing.

You stumped me. But do you know the actor and actress in the Witness for the Prosecution remake?

 

[f1f1ferrari]

(opinion question): who was the single most important force in the era when movies transitioned from silent to talking, including the following 'golden decade' up to ww2?.
hint, not this guy;
'In September 1926, Jack L. Warner, head of Warner Bros., was quoted to the effect that talking pictures would never be viable: "They fail to take into account the international language of the silent pictures, and the unconscious share of each onlooker in creating the play, the action, the plot, and the imagined dialogue for himself."
hint, 'xxxxx was one of the highest-grossing films of the early sound era and is today justly hailed as a landmark of early sound, of early color use, and of the epic action film genre.'
hint, every so often, hollywood makes a new biopic of his incredible life.
hint, he used to land a plane on the fairways at Saybrook's Fenwick golf course.
hint, he didn't suffer fools, and he didn't play nice with others. all he did was get stuff done. cool.
let's have a tune in his honor.

ps. this 'movie' part of his career was just a footnote in his life, a blip.
today, long after his depature, there is a new and pioneering technology brand with his name on it. look up.

Are you referring to Hughes' "Hell's Angels"?

 

[ClifSpliffy]

Are you referring to Hughes' "Hell's Angels"?

winner, winner, pizza dinner!

 

[darkstar1]

The Babe Ruth Story was one of the sappiest and worst sports pictures ever made. But I did like The Jim Thorpe Story. What actor is the link between the 2 movies?

 

[f1f1ferrari]

winner, winner, pizza dinner!

I have to admit I only got that because I've seen "The Aviator" many times!

 

[ClifSpliffy]

what famous old movie is this quote from?
'i think there's just one kind of folks ... Folks.'

 

[veryolddog]

Who played "Pusher" Ross in Sargent York?

 

[veryolddog]

Name 3 stars of the movie "Bataan" made during WWII?

 

[darkstar1]

George Tobias. One of my favorite movies of all time.

 

[darkstar1]

I only remember Robert Taylor from Bataan.

 

[NY Fan]

Many great supporting actors are in just the movies mentioned in this thread. How about great supporting actresses? I nominate a few and invite nomination of others: Eve Arden, Agnes Morehead, Joan Blondell, Lee Patrick.

Remake of Witness for the Prosecution actors were Ralph Richardson and Deborah Kerr

 

[CajunHusky]

The WWII movie They Were Expendable was based on real live events. The person the main character was based on was a PT boat skipper who was a Medal of Honor winner and rose to Admiral in his Navy career.

Name the Admiral, the actor who played him in the movie and for a bonus what did the actor and the admiral have in common.

 

[f1f1ferrari]

Many great supporting actors are in just the movies mentioned in this thread. How about great supporting actresses? I nominate a few and invite nomination of others: Eve Arden, Agnes Morehead, Joan Blondell, Lee Patrick.

Remake of Witness for the Prosecution actors were Ralph Richardson and Deborah Kerr

How about Ruth Donnelly?

 

[NY Fan]

The WWII movie They actualWere Expendable was based on real live events. The person the main character was based on was a PT boat skipper who a Medal of Honor winner and rose to Admiral in his Navy career.

Name the Admiral, the actor who played him in the movie and for a bonus what did the actor and the admiral have in common.

This film seemed to be always running whenever I visited the Philippines years ago. You must be thinking of Brick - Robert Montgomery - but don't know the real life Admiral on who he was based.

 

[NY Fan]

How about Ruth Donnelly?

Sure, and Buleah Bondi, Dame May Witty, Flora Robson, Edna May Oliver, and more...

 

[f1f1ferrari]

Sure, and Buleah Bondi, Dame May Witty, Flora Robson, Edna May Oliver, and more...

I was just going to add Dame May Whitty, but I'll also add Spring Byington

 

[CajunHusky]

This film seemed to be always running whenever I visited the Philippines years ago. You must be thinking of Brick - Robert Montgomery - but don't know the real life Admiral on who he was based.

Vice Admiral John Bulkeley.

Robert Montgomery was also a PT boat skipper during WWII, later serving on a destroyer at Normandy. Bulkeley also served at Normandy.

 

[veryolddog]

What movie actor served in the US Navy during WWII and was awarded the Silver Star ending his service at the rank of Captain in the US Navy?