John Pirrone Movies
- 1939
In this lively boxing comedy, Steve Bishop is a cowboy who works a waiter in an Italian restaurant. He agrees to participate in a prizefight for charity. He has a lucky punch and knocks out his famous opponent. This leads him to become a famous and wealthy prizefighter. What he doesn't know is that gamblers have fixed all of his fights. Thinking he is indeed a champion, the fighter soon acquires an ego to match his reputation. This inspires the ire of female sportswriter Julie Harrison. She really likes him, but decides to teach him a humbling lesson before things get too out of hand. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tony Martin, Gloria Stuart, (more)
- 1938
Horse racing provides the framework of this crime drama that centers on an orphan who has been raising a promising horse. The trouble begins when the trainer who employs him sells the beast to the police department and ends its racing career forever. The angry boy begins investigating and with the help of an amiable officer discovers that gamblers were behind the sale. Now the boy and the cop begin plotting to bring the horse back to the track. In the end, the whole police department wagers on the horse. Unfortunately, the gamblers attempt to sabotage the race. Fortunately they fail and justice ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Whalen, Lynn Bari, (more)
- 1938
In this exciting action film, a young Indy driver endeavors to emulate his famous father, and restore his dad's good reputation after he was killed in a racing in an accident caused by ruthless racketeers who made it look as if the veteran driver was drunk. The young son is assisted by trucker and racing aficionado Blake who helps him defeat the crooks that are trying to kill him too. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Henry Arthur, Joan Valerie, (more)
- 1938
Once they had twin child actors Billy and Bobby Mauch on their payroll after The Prince and the Pauper, Warner Bros. had to work overtime to come up with suitable vehicles. One of the Mauch twins' best efforts was Penrod and His Twin Brother, based loosely on the "Penrod" stories by Booth Tarkington. Actually, 14-year-old "All American boy" Penrod (Billy Mauch) isn't really the brother of tough kid Danny (Bobby Mauch), but they do look exactly alike, leading to trouble for Penrod when he gets blamed for Danny's misdeeds. Eventually, Pen and Danny team up to vanquish a common enemy: a gang of mobsters who've squirreled themselves away in a desolate hideout. Among the supporting players are two recent "Our Gang" graduates, Jerry Tucker and Philip Hurlic. Penrod and His Twin Brother did well enough to warrant a follow-up, Penrod's Double Trouble. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Billy Mauch, Bobby Mauch, (more)
- 1937
The first of three remakes of the 1933 Paul Muni picture Hi, Nellie, Love is on the Air is historically important as the screen debut of Ronald Reagan. In the original Hi, Nellie, a Winchellesque newspaper reporter is demoted to writing the "advice to the lovelorn" column when he steps on too many important toes. In the remake, reckless radio commentator Andy McLeod (Reagan) gets into hot water when he attacks a corrupt city government (a portent for the future, perhaps?), whereupon his boss disciplines McLeod by forcing him to host an innocuous kiddie program. While advising his youthful audience to eat their spinach and drink their milk, our hero manages to dig up enough dirt to expose the crooks once and for all. In his maiden film effort, Ronald Reagan is pretty good, though some distance removed from The Great Communicator. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ronald Reagan, Eddie Acuff, (more)
- 1937
Penrod and Sam was the third (and least faithful) screen version of the same-named Booth Tarkington novel. Billy Mauch, the more talented of the Mauch twins, stars as troublesome pre-teen Penrod, up to his usual mischief with his usual gang (including former "Our Gang" members George Billings and Jerry Tucker). Most of the original story is thrown out the window in favor of an up-to-date "gangster" angle, with Penrod vowing to round up a gang of bank robbers after his young pal Verman (Phillip Hurlic) is orphaned during a shoot-out. Having gleaned their expertise from "G-Man" movies and detective novels, Penrod's gang manages to capture the crooks, who have conveniently taken refuge in the kids' clubhouse. Penrod and Sam did well enough to engender two sequels, Penrod and His Twin Brother and Penrod's Double Trouble, both of which teamed Billy Mauch with his look-alike sibling Bobby. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Billy Mauch, Frank Craven, (more)
Dennis Morgan, still billed as Stanley Morner, essays his first leading role in the Halperin Brothers' I Conquer the Sea. The star is cast as Tommy, a harpooner on a whaling ship who loses an arm during one excursion. Rosita (Steffi Duna) is in love with Tommy, while Tommy's younger brother Leonard (Douglas Walton) is in love with Rosita. Realizing that he'll never be able to properly support Rosita, Tommy sacrifices his own happiness (and his life) for the sake of his brother. A subplot involving prejudice against the whaling community's Portuguese residents wends its way in and out of the plotline. The otherwise pedestrian I Conquer the Sea is enlivened by some authentic (and rather gory) whaling footage. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Steffi Duna, Stanley Morner, (more)
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