Cliff Edwards Movies

This animated spoof of the popular TV series This Is Your Life (the creator of which, Ralph Edwards, is given special acknowledgement in the closing credits) first aired on the Walt Disney Presents TV anthology. Jiminy Cricket is all set to give a testimonial to his cartoon comrade Donald Duck -- but alas, Donald is relaxing at home and has no intention of leaving. Literally dragged to the Disney studios by his nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie, an outraged Donald relaxes a bit when he realizes that he's the guest of honor. The rest of the episode combines newly animated footage with clips from vintage theatrical cartoons, as Donald's life is recounted by such colleagues as Daisy Duck (who explains why she and Donald never married), Chip 'n' Dale, Mickey Mouse, Pluto, and even a few guest stars who never made a picture with the Duck, including The Three Little Pigs, Lady and the Tramp, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. "This Is Your Life, Donald Duck was rebroadcast as a separate Disney special on February 22, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Ever since its inception in 1954, Walt Disney's weekly TV anthology had featured a special Christmas show. But it wasn't until 1959 that this seasonal special took on its most familiar and beloved title, "From All of Us to All of You." In a typically brilliant blend of animation and live action, host Walt Disney sent out invitations to all of his cartoon characters to participate in a Yuletide celebration. Among those in attendance (courtesy of excerpts from Disney's theatrical-cartoon output) are Jiminy Cricket -- who acts as co-host throughout the episode -- Donald Duck, Chip 'n' Dale, Mickey Mouse, Peter Pan (seen in the "You Can Fly" number in his eponymously titled 1953 cartoon feature), Pinocchio, Bambi, Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. And, of course, Santa Claus makes a special guest appearance in scenes from the early Technicolor "Silly Symphony" Santa's Workshop. "rom All of Us to All of You" would be repeated many, many times throughout the next few decades, usually with new sequences culled from the most recent of Disney's animated features. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A blend of live-action and animation, Fun and Fancy Free is comprised of two distinct tales linked by additional footage featuring Jiminy Cricket. Disney had been planning to use each story for separate feature films but the involvement of the United States in WWII disrupted his plans and the stories were shelved until after the war. The first is a musical story based on a children's story by Sinclair Lewis and is narrated by Dinah Shore, who also sings. It is the tale of a sad little circus bear named Bongo who is adored when performing but ignored after the show. Tired of travelling and being mistreated, he escapes into the forest where he discovers that life in the wilderness is not as free and easy as he thought. Despite the obstacles awaiting him, Bongo manages to find the thing he most longed for -- true love. By contemporary standards, the story is almost 'unbearably' sweet, but it should be remembered that such candy-coated fluff as "Bongo" was the remedy war-weary audiences needed to lift their spirits. The second tale is more zesty thanks to the peppery repartee between ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his two dummies Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. Together the three tell would-be Disney child star Luana Patton, a story based on "Jack and the Beanstalk" featuring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy, who climb a magic beanstalk and try to retrieve a stolen singing harp to restore wealth to their impoverished kingdom.

In 1997, to commemorate the film's 50th anniversary, it was released on video tape in a restored version (the executive producers in charge of restoration were Phil Savenkic and Harry Arends) that has brought the colorful animated sequences back to their original depth and vibrance. This video version also contains a brief but informative documentary hosted by noted film historian Leonard Maltin and narrated by Corey Burton at the end that gives the fascinating history of the films. It also contains rare footage of the making of the films and a priceless segment in which Walt Disney performs as Mickey Mouse. "Mickey and the Beanstalk" was the last time Disney provided his voice. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Tim Holt's third RKO Radio western for 1943 was The Avenging Rider. The story finds Holt trying to clear himself and his partner Cliff "Ukelele Ike" Edwards of a robbery-murder rap. The actual villains each carry a portion of a Five of Spades, so that they can identify themselves when they claim their shares of the stolen money. Our Hero tracks down four of the five miscreants before he is able to expose the "brains" behind the operation (the Least Likely Suspect, as usual). Cliff Edwards has so much to do and so many songs to sing in The Avenging Rider that one feels he should have gotten top billing. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Tom Conway makes his second appearance as amateur sleuth Tom Lawrence, aka "The Falcon", in RKO Radio's The Falcon Strikes Back. Framed for the theft of valuable war bonds, Lawrence hides out at a country resort. Here he discovers that Mia Bruger (Rita Corday), who engineered the frame, has been murdered by persons unknown. Snooping around a bit, Lawrence uncovers an insidious and widespred war-bond racket. The revelation of the murderer's identity will come as a jolt to fans of old 2-reel comedies. Atmospherically directed by Edward Dmytryk (who obviously had his eye on bigger projects), The Falcon Strikes Back costars Harriet Hilliard, better known to TV fans as Mrs. Ozzie Nelson. As a bonus, there's a plug for Walt Disney, who was then releasing his product through RKO. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this western, a pair of ranchers tire of being oppressed by the excessive taxation an avaricious crook in possession of a bogus Spanish land grant and so set off to help their neighbors by emulating the rakish Robin Hood. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Charles Starrett rides again as the Durango Kid. This time Durango investigates the murder of a town marshal, in which an innocent man has been implicated. In the course of his investigation, Durango becomes the target of the murderers himself. He plays his cards close to his vest and traps the culprits. Bad Men of the Hills was released in Great Britain as Wrongly Accused, deftly disguising the fact that it was a "Yankee" western. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A courageous cowboy dons the guise of a Texas Ranger to keep murderous cattle rustlers from harming a beautiful young woman, the daughter of the dead lawman whose clothes he wears. This western follows his adventures. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In this western, a ranch foreman and the bosses son go to a saloon to slake their thirst and find themselves in the midst of a battle started by the feisty saloon owner's wicked ex-husband who loots the safe in the ensuing scuffle. The woman is then ruined and when she is offered passage on a wagon train, she accepts the offer. The rancher's wounded son also becomes a passenger who is protected by the brave hero. The ex-husband also joins the travelers as no one knows that he started the trouble. He brings with him a wagon load of illegal arms to sell to renegade Indians. He soon insights trouble by killing a wagon master and a friendly Indian. He then finds himself killed by the protective ranch foreman during a shoot out. The hero must the make peace with the angry Indian chief whose son was killed. Unfortunately, the chief takes him captive. Fortunately he is rescued by the rancher's son. They then go back to save the by now beleagured wagon train. In the end, it is the Seventh Cavalry that saves the day. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In this western, three Texas Rangers decide to do their part to save the world and join the Army, but before they can, they are sent to Alaska to destroy a secret Nazi operation involving a submarine refueling station. The outpost is located behind an impenetrable tangle of barbed wire. The rangers get a little help, and discover a traitor. Then to get through the wire, they start a cattle stampede and save the day. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Thunder Over the Prairie was the second of Charles Starrett's "Dr. Steve Monroe" westerns. The unorthodox plot is set in motion by an evil land baron (Donald Curtis) who uses the local Indians as laborers, then finds legal methods to cheat them of their pay. Dr. Steve Monroe (Starrett), the reservation physician, does his best to thwart the villain by peaceable methods. When all else fails, the good doctor shows himself quite adept with both fists and six-guns. The heroine is played by Eileen O'Hearn, a Columbia contractee never given an opportunity to reach her full potential, while the comedy relief is provided along surprisingly intelligent lines by Cliff Edwards, cast as a mail-order medico. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi