Ralph Bellamy Movies
From his late teens to his late 20s, Ralph Bellamy worked with 15 different traveling stock companies, not just as an actor but also as a director, producer, set designer, and prop handler. In 1927 he started his own company, the Ralph Bellamy Players. He debuted on Broadway in 1929, then broke into films in 1931. He went on to play leads in dozens of B-movies; he also played the title role in the "Ellery Queen" series. For his work in The Awful Truth (1937) he received an Oscar nomination, playing the "other man" who loses the girl to the hero; he was soon typecast in this sort of role in sophisticated comedies. After 1945 his film work was highly sporadic as he changed his focus to the stage, going on to play leads in many Broadway productions; for his portrayal of FDR in Sunrise at Campobello (1958) he won a Tony Award and the New York Drama Critics Award. From 1940-60 he served on the State of California Arts Commission. From 1952-64 he was the president of Actors' Equity. In 1986 he was awarded an honorary Oscar "for his unique artistry and his distinguished service to the profession of acting." He authored an autobiography, When the Smoke Hits the Fan (1979). ~ All Movie Guide- 1968
Arriving in the US under the alias "Paul Sieger", Nazi war criminal Helmut Probst (Charles Korvin) hopes to avoid capture with the aid of American fascist leader Mark Dryden (Ralph Bellamy). Although he idolizes Probst, Dryden becomes disillusioned when the Nazi starts making advances towards his daughter Karen (Anne Helm). It is now up to Inspector Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) to prevent Dryden from assassinating Probst so that the Feds can grab the Nazi themselves. It is no small irony that the episode's climax takes place in a Jewish synagogue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
With the help of his accomplice Hammond (Mark Richman), Captain Jennerson (Ralph Bellamy) has deliberately sunk his freighter in order to collect $40,000 in insurance. What Jennerson doesn't know is that Hammond is having an affair with his wife Gloria (Elizabeth Allen), who plans to dump the captain once the check arrives. He is also unaware that his scuttled freighter contained a sealed shipment of deadly chlorine, which will wreak havoc upon the coastline of Hawaii should the seals be shattered in an approaching tidal wave! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1936
Ralph Bellamy stars as John Vickery, a brilliant but alcoholic attorney. Vickery's opportunity for professional and personal redemption comes in the form of hat-check girl Flo Russell (Marguerite Churchill). An otherwise intelligent lass, Flo has a bad habit of being in the wrong place in the wrong time, and winds up being arrested for a robbery and murder rap. Vickery manages to clear her name in court, whereupon she returns the favor by getting him off the booze and back on his feet. Back in the 1950s and 1960s, The Final Hour showed up on TV at least once every three weeks; where is it today? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ralph Bellamy, Marguerite Churchill, (more)
- 1985
Made for television, The Fourth Wise Man was syndicated to local TV stations during Easter week of 1985. Martin Sheen, a devout Catholic who is no stranger to religious television, heads the all-star cast. Sheen plays Artaban, a wealthy Persian doctor of Biblical times, who embarks upon a search for the newborn Messiah. Artaban intends to take his journey with the three more famous Wise Men, but somehow never manages to link up with them, and ends up spending 33 years on his quest. Of interest is the presence of two father-son acting combinations in the cast; Martin and Charlie Sheen, and Alan and Adam Arkin. Though never seen, Jesus Christ is heard, with James Farentino supplying His voice. The Fourth Wise Man is based on the 19th-century parable by Henry Van Dyke. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1942
Universal's "Frankenstein" series descended from the "A" to the "B" category with The Ghost of Frankenstein, though production values were still well above average and the cast is first-rate. The story picks up where Son of Frankenstein (1939) left off, with both the Monster (Lon Chaney Jr.) and his crazed companion Igor the shepherd (Bela Lugosi) being chased out of the village of Frankenstein by the irate citizens (actually both Monster and Igor had been killed at the end of Son of Frankenstein, but that's neither here nor there). The gruesome twosome head to the tiny Balkan community where dwells the son (Sir Cedric Hardwycke) of the original Dr. F. At the urgings of both Igor and the disgraced Doctor Bohmer (Lionel Atwill), Frankenstein Jr. is coerced into repeating his father's experiment of placing a fresh brain in the head of the monster. Seeking vengeance against his enemies, Igor wants to have his own brain grafted into the Monster's skull, but the big lug himself has other ideas: having befriended cute little Cloestine (Janet Ann Gallow), the only person in the village who doesn't fear him, the Monster insists upon receiving Cloestine's brain. In the end, however, Dr. Frankenstein goes with Igor's graymatter-and the result is disaster for practically everyone in the cast. Highlights of this 68-minute scarefest include Lionel Atwill's outraged reaction when he is reminded of the "slight miscalculation" that ruined his medical career, and the uncredited appearances of several "Frankenstein" movie veterans, including Dwight Frye, Holmes Herbert and Lionel Belmore. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lon Chaney, Jr., Cedric Hardwicke, (more)
Anna Dunlap (Diane Keaton) is a divorced mother living is Boston with her 6-year-old daughter Molly (Asia Viera). She supports herself and her daughter by working part time in a lab and teaching piano. Her ex-husband Brian (James Naughton) is a Washington lawyer who has since remarried. Anna meets Leo Cutter (Liam Neeson) and she and the Irish sculptor begin a torrid and passionate love affair. Molly walks in while the two are making love and lies down to sleep next to her mother, oblivious of their act of intimacy. Molly innocently relates the incident to Brian, and the livid lawyer sues for custody of the little girl. An ugly courtroom battle begins, with Leo being accused of molestation of a minor and Anna branded as an amoral, unfit mother. Her attorney Muth (Jason Robards) levels with Anna and tells her she must choose between Molly and her lover. Directed by Leonard Nimoy, this powerful drama is taken from the best-selling novel by Sue Miller. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diane Keaton, Liam Neeson, (more)
- 1942
This espionage drama, a remake of the 1935 original, set in WW II, follows the exploits of an Englishman who kills his German look-alike, a Nazi master spy, and begins impersonating him after he returns to Great Britain. As the spy, he begins smuggling bogus secrets to the German agents. As he again returns to Germany, those spies are captured. After suffering a close call, the phony spy is able to convince Rudolph Hess to fly to Scotland to meet with British Nazis. It is a trap, and the prominent Nazi is captured and held in the Tower of London. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ralph Bellamy, Evelyn Ankers, (more)
A pre-stardom Mickey Rooney earned top billing when this minor medical drama was re-released in 1939 as Little Pal (Rooney by then having become the nation's top box-office draw). Ralph Bellamy stars as Dr. Holden, aka "The Healer," a medical doctor operating a charity camp at a mineral spring in the Adirondacks. When vacationing socialite Joan Bradshaw (Judith Allen) is thrown from her horse, Dr. Holden performs a tricky operation that restores her to perfect health. They fall in love, but Joan has a less than savory influence on the good doctor, who forgets all about his charity work in general and lame little Jimmy (Rooney) in particular. Does Mickey regain the use of his limbs when devoted Nurse Allen (Karen Morley) has an accident and does Dr. Holden finally come to his senses for the same reason? Why, yes! The Healer was based on a novel by Robert Herrick that, not surprisingly, dated back to 1911. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1969
The Immortal is the pilot film for a TV series that reversed the concept of Run For Your Life: Instead of a hero with only a few years to live, the hero of The Immortal can never die! Injected with an experimental serum, Christopher George finds that his blood system has built up an immunity to all diseases and that his ageing process has been halted. That should have been the end of the story, but a dying millionaire (Barry Sullivan) hopes to drain George of his blood and transfuse it to his own body. George is forced to go into hiding; in the subsequent series, he did the "Fugitive" bit, travelling from town to town and touching the lives of the citizens therein. The Immortal was based on a novel by James Gunn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1968
Roy Thinnes was the star of this 1967-1968 science fiction series, about an Earth poised on the brink of alien takeover. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1969
When a bank president requests his son-in-law's resignation, chaos ensues complete with blackmail, accidents and death. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1975
Log of the Black Pearl was the 2-hour pilot film for an unsold weekly TV adventure series. Kiel Martin plays a successful stockbroker who gives up his job when he inherits the Black Pearl, his grandfather's yacht. He becomes a soldier of fortune, willing to rent out the boat and his services when adventure calls. Ralph Bellamy plays Martin's crusty captain and Jack Kruschen is his first mate. His first (and last) assignment is to find a missing treasure before the villains can claim the booty. Loosely inspired by the old radio series Voyage of the Scarlet Queen, Log of the Black Pearl was co-produced by Jack Webb. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1931
The only thing magnificent about Magnificent Lie is its title. As usual, Ruth Chatterton plays a woman of variable morals, this time a seedy cafe entertainer. Ralph Bellamy costars as a recently blinded man, whose sole reason for living is his adulation of a famous French singing star. To boost the man's morale, Chatterton impersonates the star in his presence. They fall in love...but will it last once the ruse is revealed? Magnificent Lie features Charles Boyer in a supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruth Chatterton, Ralph Bellamy, (more)
- 1936
In this interesting drama, a disfigured fugitive killer gets a second chance at life when he hides out in a hospital and overhears a doctor discussing his innovative scientific theories. The murderer accosts the doctor and forces him to perform a radical surgery that will change the criminal's face and brain and make him into a better person. Using a new name, the crook becomes a top doctor. Unfortunately, he could change his face, but he could not flee his past and he finds himself standing trial and getting convicted. He is later pardoned by the governor. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ralph Bellamy, Marian Marsh, (more)
- 1980
Donald A. Stanwood's original novel The Memory of Eva Ryker used the Titanic tragedy as its launching pad. This made-for-TV adaptation of Stanwood's book moved the action up some 27 years, motivating its plotline with the torpedoing of an Athenia-type luxury liner in 1939. The film flashes forward to 1961: millionaire Ralph Bellamy, who lost his wife when the ship went down, hires writer Robert Foxworth (a discredited ex-cop) to investigate the sinking. Bellamy's grown daughter Natalie Wood, who'd survived the ordeal, seems to hold the secret, but she's been in a near-lunatic state for over twenty years. When several other survivors of the sinking are murdered, it becomes all the more crucial to unlock Wood's pent-up memories. In the tradition of Brian De Palma's Obsession (75), Natalie Wood not only plays the title role of Eva Ryker, but also Eva's ill-fated mother. The Memory of Eva Ryker was produced by "master of disaster" Irwin Allen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
The original TV series The Millionaire ran from 1955 through 1960. Marvin Miller starred as Michael Anthony, general factotum to "the late, fabulously wealthy" John Beresford Tipton, whose hobby was to anonymously dole out million-dollar checks to people he'd never met. The 1978 TV-movie revival of The Millionaire stars Robert Quarry as Michael Anthony and the back of someone's head as John Beresford Tipton (who'd never been seen on the older TV series). The film concentrates on three different stories of how sudden wealth effects "plain folks", played by wealthy actors (Martin Balsam, Edward Albert, the Hudson Brothers, Ralph Bellamy, Jane Wyatt etc.) Telecast during Christmas week of 1978 under the title The New Millionaire, this film was intended as the launching pad for a Millionaire series of the 1980s. Trouble was, a million bucks ain't what it used to be. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis is the subject of this made-for-TV effort. Starring William Devane as President John Kennedy, the movie explores the events of the 13-day period when the world stood on the brink of nuclear war. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1976
"An unprecedented cast brings to life the blockbuster book"--or so said the add copy for The Moneychangers, a four-part TV miniseries based on Arthur Hailey's novel, first telecast Dec 4-19, 1976. The drama's starting point is a power play between two bank officers, played by Kirk Douglas and Christopher Plummer. Social commentary is provided by an inner-city revolt against the bank's policies, while inside the bank's walls are played out brief scenarios of embezzlement, crooked deals, credit card counterfeiting and attempted murder. Ross Hunter coproduced the adaptation, imbuing each frame with the plush treatment that he'd previously lavished on his Doris Day and Rock Hudson vehicles. The Moneychangers originally ran 6 1/2 hours; it has been pared down to two-part movie length for subsequent syndicated telecasts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1933
A Somerset Maugham story was adapted for The Narrow Corner, a film about Man's inability to escape his destiny. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. plays a fugitive from Australian justice, wanted for accidentally killing a man. He escapes to the East Indies in a ship rented by his father. Among the people Fairbanks meets and befriends are a scholar (Reginald Owen) and his daughter (Patricia Ellis). The fugitive falls in love with the girl, which prompts her fiance (the ever-jilted Ralph Bellamy) to commit suicide. Thus Fairbanks realizes that, by running from the consequences of his actions, he has brought misfortune to others. Narrow Corner was remade, with tighter censorship restrictions in effect, as Isle of Fury (36). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Patricia Ellis, (more)
- 1984
In this stock, low-budget occult horror film, a tiny 2-inch-high Aztecan idol is stolen from a professor and ends up in the experimental hands of three high-school students who use it in some creative attempts to get in touch with the spirit world. Things start to go wrong when a cemetery worker dies during one of these spirit sessions, and everything goes wrong after the Aztecan god possesses the body of a young man who steals the idol for his own purposes. Special effects create the appropriate flying objects and body bulges where needed, and makeup is grotesque enough by anyone's standards, but these pluses cannot erase the lack of interesting characters or situations or the uninspired acting. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Stokey, Warren Lincoln, (more)
Grant (Ralph Bellamy) is a wealthy rancher who hires four mercenaries to retrieve his wife, Maria (Claudia Cardinale), from the clutches of the desperado Raza (Jack Palance) in this Western adventure set in 1917. Dolworth (Burt Lancaster) is a munitions expert who joins gunslinger Fardan (Lee Marvin), horse trainer Hans Ehrengard (Robert Ryan), and longbow master Jake (Woody Strode) when the men are offered 10,000 dollars apiece for the safe return of Grant's kidnapped wife. The cadre travels 100 miles into Mexico to retrieve the woman, whom they later discover wants to remain with Raza, but they decide to nab Maria anyway to make good on the money. Soon Fardan, Hans, and Jake are chased across the border by the enraged Raza and his equally deadly female accomplice Chiquita (Marie Gomez), while Dolworth stays behind to fight off Raza's Mexican banditos. The film received Academy Award nominations for Best Direction (Richard Brooks), Best Screenplay (Brooks again), and Best Cinematography (Conrad L. Hall). ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, (more)
- 1931
Bootleggers Louis Scorpio (Wallace Beery) and Johnny Franks (Ralph Bellamy), with the advice of their alcoholic lawyer Richard Newton (Lewis Stone), try to muscle in on the territory of gangster "Smiling Joe" Colimo (John Miljan). Franks kills Colimo's brother and tries to frame Scorpio, but Scorpio kills both him and olimo. Newspaper reporters Hank Rogers (Johnny Mack Brown) and Carl Luckner (Clark Gable) investigate with help from "The Secret Six," a consortium of businessmen eager to fight crime, but when Scorpio's moll Anne Courtland (Jean Harlow) tries to help them, Scorpio kidnaps her and Carl. The two hostages are rescued by "The Secret Six" and the police, and Scorpio and Newton shoot each other fighting over their money. ~ Nicole Gagne, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wallace Beery, Johnny Mack Brown, (more)
- 1935
In this Samuel Goldwyn production directed by King Vidor, the studio's intent was to make Russian-born Anna Sten a star, but it didn't succeed. Sten plays Manya Nowak, a Polish farm girl attracted to Tony Barrett (Gary Cooper), a novelist with writer's block who has retreated to a Connecticut farmhouse to find his muse. Barrett's wife Dora (Helen Vinson) misses the city and returns there, while Tony decides to use Manya as a character in his next novel. They become friends, and Tony learns that her straightlaced father Jan (Sigfried Rumann) has betrothed Manya to Fredrik Sobieski (Ralph Bellamy), whom she does not love. Manya and Tony spend a chaste night together when a blizzard shuts them in. Her father drags her home and demands that she marry Fredrik immediately. Many arguments and disagreements ensue. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Cooper, Anna Sten, (more)
This World War II epic drama, based on the book by Herman Wouk, follows the life and trials of a career naval officer (Robert Mitchum) sent to Germany during Hitler's rise to power, who witnesses the gradual escalation of the war. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
