Kirby Grant Movies
Surprisingly, Universal Studios' last B-Western star and television's legendary Sky King had begun his professional career as a concert violinist at the age of 12, later graduating from Chicago's American Conservatory of Music. In fact, Grant made his screen debut playing the violin in I Dream Too Much (1935), a musical starring French opera diva Lily Pons. Often billing himself Robert Stanton, the former child prodigy began appearing in Westerns starring the Three Mesqueteers and George O'Brien before finding a niche as a pleasant crooner in more mainstream fare ranging from Blondie Goes Latin ([1941] as an orchestra leader) to Hello, Frisco, Hello (1943). Following a stint in the army, Grant finally found a berth at Universal in 1944, replacing Rod Cameron as the star of the studio's low-budget Westerns. As always, the Universal oaters enjoyed better production values than their poverty row rivals but Grant proved fairly nondescript and was often overshadowed by his comic sidekick Fuzzy Knight, and on occasion, even his leading lady. According to Jane Adams, who appeared in two of his Universal Westerns, Grant was a "very nice, down-to-earth man. Not temperamental at all." A bit of temperament may perhaps have benefited the series, which was summarily discontinued in 1946 when the studio was reorganized into the new Universal-International. Grant continued to appear in the odd non-Western role, then in 1949 he signed with Monogram/Allied Artists for a series of Northwest melodramas vaguely based on the works of pulp fiction writer James Oliver Curwood. Slickly enough produced, these "Northwesterns" had fur smugglers substituting for cattle rustlers and so on, but Grant was once again overshadowed by a co-star, this time a beautiful white malamute named Chinook. The Monogram series continued on and off until 1954, but by then Grant had become famous as television's Sky King. Trading in his horse for an airplane, Grant starred in a total of 130 episodes of this durable Western-cum-Aviation adventure, which lasted 1951-1953 but would continue in re-runs well into the 1960s. Grant pretty much retired with the demise of his two series and later functioned as public relations director at Florida's Sea World. A welcome guest at B-Western revivals, Kirby Grant was tragically killed in a car accident near Titusville, FL. Reportedly, he had been on his way to view the launching of a space shuttle at Kennedy Space Center. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Kirby Grant stars as Schuyler J. King (known to his friends as "Sky"), a World War II pilot turned rancher who watches over his spread and helps out local lawmen with the help of his twin-engine Cessna. In Manhunt, fugitives turn into kidnappers when they abduct a boy from the area. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1954
In this north-western set in the Yukon, a Mountie must investigate the violent deaths of three mail carriers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1953
Northern Patrol was the last entry in Monogram/Allied Artists' off-and-on "Northwest Mountie" series. Taking time off from his Sky King shooting schedule, Kirby Grant stars as mounted policeman Rod Webb, while second billing is bestowed upon Webb's faithful dog Chinook. In this one, Webb tries to prove that the suicide of a young trapper was actually murder. The film offers a dash of novelty value in having the principal baddie turn out to be a beautiful woman (Marion Carr). Scripted by actor Warren Douglas, Northern Patrol was directed by Rex Bailey, the former assistant to the series' original helmsman, Frank McDonald. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirby Grant, Marian Carr, (more)
- 1953
A courageous Mountie and his trusty dog Chinook traverse the Northwest Territory, through blizzards and other travails in search of illegal trappers in this adventure. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1952
An episode from the TV series "Sky King." The town is flooded by rain. Penny and Clipper get kidnapped by escaped prisoners who rob the bank. Sky King steps in. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1952
Monogram's on-and-off "Northwest Mountie" series was on again with 1952's Northwest Territory. Ostensibly based on a James Oliver Curwood story, the film stars Kirby Grant as RCMP officer Rod Webb and Webb's dog Chinook as "himself." Left in charge of the grandson of a murdered prospector, Webb vows to bring in the killers. This he does, but not before encountering all sorts of perils in the Great North. The heroine is played by Gloria Saunders, an actress normally associated with such exotic roles as "The Dragon Lady" on the TV version of Terry and the Pirates. Star Kirby Grant would later achieve TV fame as the star of Sky King. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirby Grant, Gloria Saunders, (more)
- 1952
In this Yukon adventure, a gold mining community is rocked by a murder. A Mountie investigates and encounters a female gambler. Action ensues, but justice prevails. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1952
The western adventures of a Cessna plane named Songbird are followed in the episodes "Bullet Ballet" and "Dog Named Barney." ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1952
1950s television series that featured Kirby Grant as the owner of the Flying Crown Ranch, who flew his own Beechcraft private plane. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirby Grant
- 1951
In this Abbott & Costello vehicle set in rural Kentucky, a magician (Lou Costello), his agent (Bud Abbott) and his sister (Dorothy Shay) unwittingly become involved in a down-home feud. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, (more)
- 1951
In this North Woods adventure, the Mounties investigate a series of payroll robberies and discover that it is an inside job. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1951
Since Universal was out of the "B"-western business by 1951, many former Universal contractees were obliged to seek work elsewhere. Monogram's Rhythm Inn stars Jane Frazee, Kirby Grant and Lois Collier, Universal alumni all. It all begins when bandleader Dusty Rhodes (Kirby Grant) is forced to pawn his musician's instruments. It so happens that pawnshop clerk Eddie Thompson (Charles Smith) is an aspiring songwriter. Thus it is that band-singer Carol Denton (Jane Frazee) is able to sweet-talk Thompson into allowing the musicians to use their instruments after office hours, with the promise that the clerk's songs will be performed. Complications ensue when Thompson's girl friend Betty (Lois Collier), misunderstanding the situation, becomes jealous. Specialty numbers in Rhythm Inn are provided by the Anson Weeks orchestra, Armida, Jean Ritchie, Ames & Arno and the Ramon Bros. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jane Frazee, Kirby Grant, (more)
- 1950
The third installment in low-budget producer Lindsley Parson's "Chinook" series, Snow Dog was ostensibly based on pulp writer James Oliver Curwood's 1915 short-story "The Tentacles of the North," which was also the working title. Kirby Grant again played Rod McDonald of the Canadian Royal Mounted, and once again the vehicle was stolen by his canine sidekick, the white malamute Chinook. This time, Rod and Chinook are tracking a mysterious white wolf, thought to have killed several of the local traders. The wolf, who bears a startling resemblance to Chinook, is suspected of guarding the White Woods, an area containing several hidden mines. At first Chinook is accused of being the ferocious killer, but with the help of Louis (Rick Vallin) and his sister Andrée (Elena Verdugo), Rod proves that the mysterious wolf is a wild animal captured and trained by a gang seeking to locate the valuable mines. When a captured Louis refuses to produce a secret map to the mines, his sister is abducted by treacherous Indian nurse Red Feather (Jane Adrian). Chinook, of course, tracks down the kidnap victims and Rod can soon arrest the real force behind the killings, Dr. McKenzie (Milburn Stone), Red Feather's supposedly kindhearted boss. As in the two previous Chinook films, leading man Kirby Grant, a former Universal star, left much of the action in the hands of a younger co-star, in this instance Rick Vallin. A remake of the silent Tentacles of the North (1926), Snow Dog was filmed on locations in Southern California's San Bernardino Mountains. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirby Grant, Elena Verdugo, (more)
Columbia's final release for 1950 was the Gene Autry western Indian Territory. Set during the Reconstruction Era, the story finds Autry working as an undercover agent for the U.S. cavalry. His mission: to neutralize a former Austrian army officer named Curt Raidler (Phil Van Zandt), who is leading a group of renegade Indians on a series of destructive raids. A subplot concerns the friendly rivalry between Autry and Union lieutenant Randolph Mason (played by Kirby Grant, later famous as TV's Sky King). Like most of Gene Autry's films from this era, Indian Territory co-stars Pat Buttram and Gail "Annie Oakley" Davis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Autry, Pat Buttram, (more)
- 1950
Partially filmed in the San Bernardino Mountains, Call of the Klondike was perhaps the best of producer Lindsley Parson's seven "Northwest Mounted" films starring Kirby Grant and the white malamute Chinook. Written by actor Charles Lang, who had played the villain in the earlier The Wolf Hunters, Call of the Klondike had Northwest Mounted Police Officer Rod West (Grant) and his faithful dog charged with investigating the disappearance of a couple of prospectors. Accompanied by Nancy (Anne Gwynne), the pretty daughter of one of the missing miners, Grant and Chinook discover that the men had been murdered by fellow miner Paul Mallory (Tom Neal) and his sister Emily (Lynne Roberts), who have been stealing their gold through a tunnel leading from their own, dry, mine. But before they can be apprehended, Paul and Emily take Nancy hostage and it is up to Chinook, Rod, and fellow miner Menchek (Marc Krah) to recover her. Like the 1926 silent film of the same name, Call of the Klondike was ostensibly based on a story by pulp writer James Oliver Curwood, but apart from the Northwest setting and the involvement of a clever dog, the two films had nothing in common. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirby Grant, Anne Gwynne, (more)
- 1949
Compared to his later "A" westerns, director Oscar "Budd" Boetticher's The Wolf Hunters is often exasperatingly slow. This was the second of producer Lindsley Parson's efforts to create a series based on the Great White North yarns of James Oliver Curwood. Kirby Grant plays a Canadian Mountie who follows a fugitive to a small fur-trapping community. Most of the action is handled by Chinook, a handsome German Shepherd. Jan Clayton handles the leading-lady responsibilities, while the supporting cast includes Charles Lang and Helen Parrish, who were then husband and wife (Parrish later married TV producer John Guedel, of People are Funny and Best of Groucho fame). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirby Grant, Jan Clayton, (more)
- 1949
"Suggested" by James Oliver Curwood's novel The Gold Hunters, this low-budget Monogram release was the first film in a series of seven "Northwest" adventures to team former Universal cowboy Kirby Grant and a beautiful white malamute named Chinook. Grant played Bob McDonald, a mountie shot in the leg during a confrontation with a gang of bank robbers. One of the robbers, Jim Blaine (Bill Edwards), was forced into participating by his prospector father Matt (Guy Beach) and is now being held hostage by the gang. With his dying breath, Matt besieges Bob to rescue his son but the injured mountie instead sends his faithful dog, Chinook. The clever pooch manages to free Jim and Bob is nursed back to health by Marie LaRue (Suzanne Dalbert), the daughter of the saloon owner (Dan Seymour). Admitting to holding the loot from the bank heist, Jim then explains that the money was actually owed his father and that banker Dawson (William Forrest) is after the Blaine gold mine. With Chinook's help, Bob, Jim and the Larues set a trap for the villain,, who is consequently caught red-handed attempting to free his henchmen from the local jail. Although famed pulp-writer Curwood's name appears prominently in the credits, B-movie veteran Oliver Drake later admitted that it was he, not Curwood, who conjured up the story. No different from a host of low-budget Westerns despite its potentially colorful locale, Trail of the Yukon was directed by the prolific William Beaudine under the pseudonym of "William X. Crowley." ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirby Grant, Suzanne Dalbert, (more)
- 1949
Black Midnight was the fourth of six Monogram films co-produced by actor Roddy McDowall. The film stars McDowall as Scott Jordan, whose mission in life is to train a wild stallion named Black Midnight. Subplots include a romance between Jordan and pretty Cindy Baxter (Lynn Thomas), and the apparently crooked activities of Scott's wastrel cousin Daniel (Rand Brooks). Future Sky King star Kirby Grant is most effective in the supporting role of the local sheriff. Black Midnight was directed by Oscar Boetticher, who as "Budd" Boetticher went on to movie-cultist fame as the helmsman of several above-average Randolph Scott westerns of the 1950s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roddy McDowall, Damian O'Flynn, (more)
- 1948
In this musical, a hillbilly crooner loses his sponsor and finds his radio show is suddenly canceled. Now he must convince the reluctant sponsor to renew their support. To do this he must win the respect and affection of the sponsor's fussy brat of a son. The hillbilly is assisted by the entertaining Hoosier Hot Shots. Unfortunately, the lad is unmoved and attempts to blackmail the band. Songs include: "Idaho," "Driftin"' and "Nobody Else but You." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirby Grant, June Vincent, (more)
- 1946
Gale Sondergaard more or less recreates her role as the homicidal "Spider Woman" that she first essayed in the 1943 Sherlock Holmes film of the same name. This time Ms. Sondergaard plays a wealthy rancher who advertises for a young woman to serve as her secretary/companion. Several girls have gone to her ranch to apply for the job; none have returned. When Brenda Joyce arrives to take the job, she uncovers Sondergaard's secret. The crafty villainess has been draining the blood of young women, using the blood to feed her huge carnivorous plants, cultivating a poison from those plants, then using the poison to kill the cattle on all neighboring ranches. All this so that she can bankrupt her rivals and claim their land, which she thinks is rightfully hers! The film is as loopy as it sounds, but Spider Woman Strikes Back was one of Gale Sondergaard's most popular films; when asked years later what she thought of it, she replied airily "It didn't kill me." Spider Woman Strikes Back costars another Universal horror-film icon, the tragically deformed Rondo Hatton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brenda Joyce, Gale Sondergaard, (more)
- 1946
In this western, a tuneful saddletramp is appointed sheriff of Rawhide and begins rounding up three troublesome brothers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1946
Blondie's Lucky Day, indeed! Not only must Blondie Bumstead (Penny Singleton) put on a brave face when her husband Dagwood (Arthur Lake) is fired for the umpteenth time by Mr. Dithers (Jonathan Hale), but she must also tolerate the attentions paid to Dagwood by pretty WAC Mary Jane McDermott (Angelyn Orr). A whizz in business matters, Mary Jane sets up Dag in his own business, which replenishes the Bumstead coffers but which drives Blondie into a jealous frenzy. The film's highlight occurs early on, when Dagwood assumes Dithers' responsiblities for a single day--and makes a proper mess of things within five minutes. Blondie's Lucky Day was the 17th entry in the long-running film series based on the comic strip by Chic Young. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, (more)
