Alan Hale Movies

The Match King was inspired by the checkered career of entrepreneur Ivar Krueger. Warren William plays a Krueger-like businessman who takes over a bankrupt Swedish match factory, then lies his way into getting corporate backing for the operation. With little regard for ethics, William purchases all existing match patents, ultimately monopolizing the industry. Ruining lives and breaking laws all over Europe, William is himself emotionally devastated when betrayed by a glamorous actress (Lily Damita). Shortly afterward, William's business empire crumbles during the worldwide Depression, and the onetime Match King commits suicide. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This second of three film versions of Edna Ferber's novel So Big stars Barbara Stanwyck as Ferber's resilient heroine Selena Dejong Peake. Widowed early in the proceedings, Chicago truck farmer Selena sacrifices everything for her son Dirk (Dickie Moore as a child, Hardie Albright as a grown-up), living for the day that the boy will become a successful architect. But the callow Dirk breaks his mom's heart by becoming a bond salesman. Selena vows that Rolf Pool (Dick Winslow as a boy, George Brent as an adult) will not prove a similar disappoint to his parents, taking it upon herself to encourage Rolf's dreams to become a sculptor. Bette Davis plays a supporting role as Dallas O'Mara, a young artist who hopes to convince Dirk to fulfill his mother's dreams. Previously filmed in 1925 with Colleen Moore, So Big was remade in 1953 with Jane Wyman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A man finds he's torn between two women -- which isn't a good state of affairs for a man who just got married -- in this romantic comedy-drama. Not long after Bill Truesdale (Robert Ames) ties the knot with his girlfriend Sarah Jaffrey (Ina Claire), he happens to meet Evie Lawrence (Myrna Loy), a woman he was once involved with. Bill soon discovers he's still in love with Evie, and finds himself pursuing her, even though he's pledged his heart to Sarah. In time, Bill comes to his senses, but he's not sure if he's given up on Evie in time to keep Sarah from finding the love she needs with another man. Hedda Hopper highlights the film's supporting cast, several years before she became one of America's best known show-biz gossip columnists. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

It was once theorized by critic Andrew Sarris that this 1931 Greta Garbo vehicle was subtitled "Her Fall & Rise" rather than the expected "Rise & Fall," because Hollywood--and by extension, the public--could not tolerate a failure. Whatever the case, modern audiences will latch onto Susan Lennox not because of its cumbersome title but because of its one-time-only pairing of Garbo and Clark Gable. Fleeing an arranged marriage with Alan Hale, Sr.,, Swedish farmer's daughter Garbo takes temporary refuge in a cabin in the woods, occupied by engineer Gable. Though it is love at first sight, Garbo hastily runs out of Gable's life when her uncle and her betrothed show up. Again a fugitive, Garbo joins a seedy carnival, becoming the kept woman of carney owner John Miljan. By chance, she is reunited with Gable, who spurns her because of her tawdry station in life. Years pass: Garbo has worked her way up the courtesan ladder, becoming the mistress of politician Hale Hamilton. This relationship comes to a sudden halt thanks to Hamilton's muckraking enemies, so it's back to the road for Garbo, who by now will settle for no man but her long-lost Gable. The protagonists finally manage bury the past in the jungle community where the drink-sodden Gable has retreated to "lose himself." Greta Garbo's performance in Susan Lennox: Her Fall and Rise is up to standard, but Clark Gable seems extremely uncomfortable, almost as if suffering an impacted molar. The film was adapted by four screenwriters from a novel by David Graham Phillips. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Alan Hale Sr. plays an American navy officer who allows German sub commander Peter Erkenlez to escape prosecution at the end of WWI. But Hale soon changes his mind when he discovers that Erkenlez was responsible for the death of Hale's wife, who drowned when her ship was torpedoed. Thereafter, the gloves are off, and a terrible revenge is extracted. The Sea Ghost bears traces of the famous 1919 seafaring melodrama Behind the Door, though the villain is spared the grisly fate of Wallace Beery in the earlier picture. Laura La Plante, in one of her final starring features, is cast as Hale's peacetime sweetheart. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This crime drama is an early talkie that tells the story of a hard-working woman's attempts to run a clean carnival. It is difficult as criminals have snuck in and regularly cheat the public while selling tickets to the freak show. The crooks are lead by a man who kills someone on a midway. The methods used by the con men are detailed throughout the film. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Sal of Singapore contains only two reels' worth of dialogue, but it was enough to prove that Phyllis Haver's decision to retire from films in 1929 was a wise one. Haver plays the title character, a saloon habitue who catches the eye of burly Captain Ericcson (Alan Hale). Invited on board Ericcson's boat, Sal assumes it's business as usual, but she's wrong: A baby has been left in the Captain's care, and Sal has been "elected" to care for the infant. Her latent maternal instincts aroused, Sal of Singapore metamorphoses into a model of respectability. Viewers with long memories quickly recognized Sal of Singapore as a remake of the Richard Barthelmess vehicle Scarlet Seas. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A pre-Hopalong Cassidy William Boyd stars in the virile Cecil B. DeMille production Skyscraper. Boyd is cast as Blondy, a New York steel riveter with a fondness for girls and practical jokes, though not necessarily in that order. Blondy decides to change his carefree ways when he falls in love with chorus girl Sally (Sue Carol). But when he is seriously injured on the job, Blondy breaks off his engagement with Sally, not wanting to saddle her with a cripple husband. It is Blondy's best pal Slim (Alan Hale Sr.) who saves the day by chewing the hero out and calling him a "quitter," virtually forcing Blondy to rehabilitate himself -- both physically and mentally -- and return to Sally. The skyscraper scenes in Skyscraper were quite thrilling, filmed without benefit of back projection or doubles, but the "thrill" quotient of the film takes a back seat to the love story. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When Cecil B. DeMille's own production company was absorbed by Pathe in 1928, several DeMille contractees went along for the ride. One of these was William Boyd, the star of the 1929 Pathe effort The Leatherneck. The setting is China, specifically the headquarter of the 6th U.S. Marine regiment, where Calhoun (Boyd) and Schmidt (Alan Hale) are facing court-martial for desertion. In a series of flashbacks, the viewer is apprised of the reasons for the two leathernecks' supposed dereliction of duty. Essential to the action are a third marine, the unfortunate Joe Hanlon (Robert Armstrong), and a mysterious Russian girl named Tanya (Diane Ellis). A silent picture for most of its 76-minute running time, The Leatherneck includes approximately eight minutes' worth of dialogue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jacqueline Logan stars as Paula, a beautiful and fearless circus leopard trainer. Working hand-in-glove with the police, Paula joins a circus where several murders have occurred. Among the suspects is gorilla trainer Caesar (Alan Hale Sr.), who previously in the picture had saved Paula's life. Nonetheless, when Caesar is revealed to be the murderer, he unleashes one of his killer apes with orders to tear Paula and her sweetheart Chris (Robert Armstrong) apart. Luckily, Paula proves to be as adept at "staring down" the ape as she is at pacifying the big cats. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Although Vanity was one of Leatrice Joy's most successful films, it can hardly be considered one of her best. Joy is cast as spoiled society girl Barbara Fiske, who, out of boredom, begins romancing roughneck tramp-steamer skipper Dan Morgan (Alan Hale). She offers to spend the night with Morgan on his vessel, which does not sit well with Barbara's wealthy fiance Lloyd Van Courtland (Charles Ray). During her nocturnal voyage, Barbara is nearly raped by the brutish ship's cook (Noble Johnson). Scurrying to the rescue, Morgan is killed by the cook, who in turn is shot dead by the terrified Barbara. Having had her fill of sea life, Barbara gladly returns to Van Courtland's arms. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Those who believe that It Happened One Night was the first film to tap the comic potential of "auto courts" (later known as motels) are referred to the 1927 film Rubber Tires. It all begins when the Stack family sells all its worldly possessions, invests in a car, and heads to California. Every possible disaster befalls them, from flat tires to busted radiators, but the family is always rescued by Bill James (Harrison Ford), the erstwhile sweetheart of Mary Ellen Stack (Bessie Love). Upon arriving in the Golden State, Pa Stack (Erwin Connelly) finds that a promised job has fallen through, but fortunately the manufacturer of their car gives the family a huge cash reward for proving the durability of the auto. Rubber Tires was filmed on locations ranging from Monterey Bay to the coast of Carmel; according to co-star Frank "Junior" Coghlan, one scene was filmed in the tiny chili stand owned by future "restaurateur-to-the-stars" Dave Chasen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide