Donna Corcoran Movies
Donna Corcoran was the second oldest child of MGM studio policeman Bill Corcoran. When the call went out for child extras for an upcoming MGM production, Corcoran sent Donna down to audition, thereby launching his daughter's six-year film career. Reportedly, screenwriter Dorothy Kingsley selected Corcoran for the important role of Bridget White in Angels in the Outfield (1951) after sitting behind the girl at Mass. Outside of Angels, Corcoran's showiest film assignment was on loan-out to 20th Century Fox, in Don't Bother to Knock in which the poor child was jeopardized by psychotic baby-sitter Marilyn Monroe. After that, her screen roles dwindled in importance. One of her last appearances, as a Quaker child in Fox's Violent Saturday (1955), went uncredited. Featured in that film with Corcoran were her siblings Kevin Corcoran, who went on to a sizeable career at Disney under the nickname of "Moochie," and Noreen Corcoran, who would play John Forsythe's niece in the popular TV sitcom Bachelor Father (1957-1963). By the late '50s, Donna Corcoran decided to retire from show business altogether, leaving the field open to her brothers, Kevin, Brian, and Hugh, and her sisters, Noreen and Kerry (her older brother, Bill Corcoran Jr., became a dentist after briefly pursuing his own acting career). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1959
In the concluding episode of Walt Disney's two-part miniseries Moochie of the Little League, the Bobcats baseball team has successful prevented their ball field from being sold, and young Moochie Morgan (Kevin Corcoran) and several of his fellow Bobcats have been selected to play in an all-star game. Moochie's sister, Marian (Donna Corcoran), is none too happy over this, since if Moochie stays in town to play, the Morgan's annual vacation is off. Be that as it may, the day of the Big Game approaches, whereupon Moochie takes to wearing his "lucky socks" day and night. As indicated by the title of this episode, however, things don't go quite the way our hero had hoped. Originally telecast as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology, "Wrong Way Moochie" and the previous episode "A Diamond Is a Boy's Best Friend" were later edited together and released theatrically in Europe as Little League Moochie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
In the first episode of Walt Disney's two-part miniseries Moochie of the Little League, young Montgomery "Moochie" Morgan (Kevin Corcoran) spends his summer mornings delivering papers and his afternoons as a member of the Bobcats Little League team. Because of his diminutive size, he has spent most of the season on the bench but has been getting valuable pointers after each game from his dad (Russ Conway). Finally, Moochie gets his big chance to play in a crucial game -- just as word comes down that the Bobcats' baseball field is up for sale. Originally telecast as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology, "A Diamond Is a Boy's Best Friend" and the next episode "Wrong Way Moochie" were later edited together and released theatrically in Europe as Little League Moochie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1955
Three bank robbers (J. Carroll Naish, Lee Marvin, Stephen McNally) case a small Arizona mining town prior to pulling a holdup. The audience get to know the various townsfolk as they're scrutinized by the crooks. Victor Mature plays a man who is a disappointment to his son because he didn't serve in the war. Tommy Noonan is a meek bank manager with a habit of spying on a pretty customer as she undresses in her second-story bedroom. Sylvia Sidney is a petty thief who has deposited her stolen funds in the bank. Margaret Hayes is the cheating wife of a local leading citizen, who is killed in the holdup. And Ernest Borgnine is a pacifistic Amish farmer, forced to take violent action when his children are threatened by the criminals (Borgnine's pitchfork-wielding scene was reproduced for the print ads of this film, leading some critics to assume that he was the villain!) The hero of the day turns out to be the "unheroic" Mature, who after being kidnapped by the crooks frees himself and prevents their escape. Violent Saturday is based on a novel by William I. Heath. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Victor Mature, Richard Egan, (more)
- 1955
Director Fritz Lang was attracted to the British period piece Moonfleet because of the relatively unregenerate nature of its greedy "hero" Stewart Granger. Young Jon Whitely, who is in the legal custody of Granger, learns that he is to inherit a valuable diamond. Hoping to get his own hands on the gem, Granger packs Whitely off to boarding school, but the boy returns to bollix up his guardian's plans. Just when it appears that a cynical ending is on the horizon, Granger does right by Whitely. Adding spice to Moonfleet are George Sanders and Joan Greenwood as a wittily decadent aristocratic couple. Lang's first CinemaScope effort, Moonfleet was based on a novel by J. Meade Falkner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stewart Granger, George Sanders, (more)
- 1954
Gypsy Colt was based on a story by Eric Knight, better known for his enduring dog saga Lassie Come Home. This time, a beautiful black colt subs for Lassie, undergoing all sorts of perilous adventures out of love for its mistress, little Meg McWade (Donna Corcoran). Living with her mother and father (Ward Bond, Frances Dee) in a drought-ridden farming community, Donna is dismayed to learn that her parents may be forced to sell her beloved colt to pay off their mounting debts. But the colt manages to escape its new owner, making a 500-mile journey back to Meg's waiting arms. Future spaghetti-western star Lee Van Cleef has a meaty supporting role as a dour groom. A 60-minute version of Gypsy Colt was made available in 1967 as part of the weekly TV anthology Off to See the Wizard. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donna Corcoran, Ward Bond, (more)
- 1953
Esther Williams stars in this button-cute musical about a health-conscious family of swimmers who fall in with con man Windy Weebe (Jack Carson). The Higgins family decides to swim the English Channel in order to raise money to purchase a prize bull for their Arkansas farm. As she practices for the English Channel swim, Katie Higgins (Esther Williams) gets lost in the fog and is rescued by wealthy wine merchant Andre Lanet (Fernando Lamas), and she falls for him hard. The film is distinguished by a climactic English Channel swim and an animated underwater cartoon sequence with Williams and animated MGM contract players Tom and Jerry reprising the Arthur Schwartz and Johnny Mercer tune "In My Wildest Dreams." ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Esther Williams, Fernando Lamas, (more)
- 1953
Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon were together again for the last time in Scandal at Scourie. Filmed on location in Canada, the plot concerns a childless Protestant couple, the McChesneys (Garson and Pidgeon), whose lives are profoundly altered by an orphaned Catholic girl named Patsy (Donna Corcoran). Through a series of far-fetched coincidences, Patsy wanders into the McChesney home, immediately capturing the heart of Mrs. McChesney. Mr. McC, a local politician, is a bit harder to win over, but eventually his wife convinces him to adopt the child. This stirs up a tempest in a teapot, as McChesney's political enemies accuse him of using Patsy to win over his Catholic constituents, while one of Patsy's former orphanage classmates spreads a rumor (backed up by circumstantial evidence) that the little girl is a "firebug." Sentimental to a fault, Scandal at Scourie is also undeniably effective. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, (more)
- 1952
Who else but Esther Williams could star in a romantic drama (with musical numbers) bearing a title like this? In Million Dollar Mermaid, Williams plays Annette Kellerman, a real-life Australian swimming star who took up the sport as a child to strengthen her legs, which were severely weakened by a birth defect. The treatment proves effective, and as she grows to adulthood, Annette shows that she has the talent to be a champion swimmer, though she prefers to follow her dream of becoming a ballet dancer. When Annette's father Frederick (Walter Pidgeon) accepts a position in London teaching music, Annette opts to go with him, and along the way she meets James Sullivan (Victor Mature) and Doc Cronnol (Jesse White), the joint-owners of a boxing kangaroo they intend to exhibit in London. James is already aware of Annette's abilities as a competitive swimmer, and he offers to be her manager and help her earn a living from her aquatic skills. At first Annette isn't interested, but when Frederick's job falls through and she can't find work as a dancer, Annette reluctantly agrees to work with James. He arranges a publicity stunt in which Annette swims 30 miles down the Thames River, which attracts the avid attention of the British press and wins her some work as a dancer. Convinced that the big money is in America, James persuades Annette to travel with him to the U.S., where she creates a scandal in Boston by staging another long swim in a one-piece bathing suit, considered shockingly-revealing at the turn of the Century. The stunt nearly lands Annette in jail, but she escapes the long arm of the law and becomes the star of a water ballet revue. Annette had fallen in love with James, but after an argument, he resigns as her manager and Annette takes up with Alfred Harper (David Brian), the male lead in her show. Annette and Alfred agree to marry while working on a movie together, but James returns on the last day of shooting, determined to win back the heart of the woman he loves. Legendary choreographer Busby Berkeley staged the film's elaborate water-ballet sequences. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Esther Williams, Victor Mature, (more)
- 1952
The Young Man with Ideas in this MGM production is idealistic lawyer Maxwell Webster (Glenn Ford). Too self-effacing for his own good, Webster vegetates in Montana with his wife Julie (Ruth Roman) and children for nearly 10 years before starting life anew in California. Living penuriously while studying for his California bar exam, Webster tries out several moneymaking schemes, most of which come acropper. Along the way, he inadvertently gets involved with a bookie ring, culminating in a climactic courtroom scene wherein Webster defends himself -- and surprise, he doesn't have a fool for a client. In typical Hollywood fashion, the script requires the talented Ruth Roman to express jealousy when a brace of lovely females played by Nina Foch and Denise Darcel briefly set their caps for the ingenuous Glenn Ford. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Ford, Ruth Roman, (more)
Sex symbol Marilyn Monroe went dramatic in 1952's Don't Bother to Knock. Monroe plays Nell Forbes, a beautiful but suicidal young woman, recently released from a mental institution. She doesn't mention this on her resumé when she takes a baby-sitting job in a posh hotel. Jed Towers (Richard Widmark), a hotel guest, tries to make time with Nell after his own girlfriend, played by Anne Bancroft, has told him to take a hike. As Nell and Jed neck on the couch, the little girl whom Nell is tending (Donna Corcoran) surprises the spooning couple. This drives the psychotic Nell over the edge, forcing Jed to try to keep the baby-sitter from killing both herself and the child. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Widmark, Marilyn Monroe, (more)
Though not the most profitable baseball comedy ever made, Angels in the Outfield is one of the most likeable and enduring. Paul Douglas stars as Guffy McGovern, the combative, foul-mouthed manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. With his team in the basement once more, McGovern has plenty to complain about. All this changes when, while wandering through Forbes Field at night, Guffy is accosted by the voice of the Archangel Gabriel (courtesy of an unbilled James Whitmore). As the spokesman for the Heavenly Choir Nine, a celestial ballclub, Gabriel begins bestowing "miracles" upon the Pirates--but only on the condition that McGovern put a moratorium on swearing and fighting. With the help of the invisible ghosts of past baseball greats, the Pirates make it into the Pennant race. During one crucial game, orphan girl Bridget White (Donna Corcoran) insists that she can see the angels helping out the "live" ballplayers--understandably so, since it was Bridget's prayers that prompted Gabriel to visit McGovern in the first place. Newspaperwoman Jennifer Page (Janet Leigh) transforms Bridget's angelic visions into a nationwide news story, causing no end of trouble for McGovern. When Guffy himself confirms Bridget's claims, he falls right into the hands of vengeful sportscaster Fred Bayles (Keenan Wynn), who's been scheming all along to have McGovern thrown out of baseball. Complication piles upon complication until the Big Game, wherein Guffy is forced to rely exclusively upon the talents of his ballplayers--notably "over the hill" Saul Hellman (Bruce Bennett)--to win the pennant. Unlike the spell-it-all-out 1995 remake of Angels in the Outfield, the original film never shows the angels, permitting the audience to draw its own conclusions regarding Divine Intervention. The film is an unqualified delight, never descending into sloppy sentiment or boggy bathos. Understandably, Angels in the Outfield was Paul Douglas' favorite film (though he'd never admit it after President Dwight D. Eisenhower, hardly Douglas' favorite politician, insisted that it was his favorite as well). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Douglas, Janet Leigh, (more)
