Lita Baron Movies
Onscreen with RKO from 1945, this Spanish-born starlet began her career as Isabelita, performing the usual screen chores demanded of Latin beauties, exotic jungle sirens, cantina girls, and so on. A starring role opposite stunt man Fred Coby in PRC's Zorro wannabe Don Ricardo Returns (1946) led nowhere and she changed her name to Lita Baron in the 1950s. Baron is perhaps best remembered today for marrying handsome action lead Rory Calhoun, a union that lasted from 1948 to 1970 and produced three children. She appeared opposite her husband in Red Sundown (1956), then retired. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide- 1956
Director Lesley Selander, a western specialist with humble ambitions whose work has fostered a minor cult, was the man behind the megaphone in Broken Star. Bill Williams stars as a deputy sheriff who encounters stiff resistance when he investigates the murder of a Mexican. Only dance hall girl Lita Baron and marshal Addison Richards seem interested in bringing the culprit to justice. When Williams locates the guilty man, he wishes he hadn't; it turns out to be his best friend and fellow deputy Howard Duff. Striking a blow for tolerance (in standard western terms, of course), Broken Star is a solid medium-budget job from a modest but talented craftsman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Howard Duff, Lita Baron, (more)
- 1954
Moving up ever so slightly from Lippert Pictures to United Artists, Donald Barry is both star and director of Jesse James' Women. According to D. D. Beauchamp's screenplay, there were four women in Jesse's life. One was saloonkeeper Waco Gans (Peggie Castle); the second was singer Delta (Lita Baron); the third was prim banker's daughter Caprice Clark (Joyce Rhed) and the fourth was cattle baroness Cattle Kate Kennedy (Betty Brueck). Less sympathetic than most screen adaptations of Jesse's life, the film depicts the fabled outlaw as something of a snake, using his women to increase his financial status. Jack Buetel, Jane Russell's main squeeze in The Outlaw, costars as Jesse's brother Frank. Not much of a western, Jesse James' Women is recommended for fans of cinematic "cat fights." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1952
Upon hearing that Renita Periz (Lita Baron), a "little" girl with whom Ricky (Desi Arnaz) used to dance in Cuba, is coming to New York, Lucy (Lucille Ball) insists that Ricky and Renita dance again for the sake of the "Good Neighbor Policy." What Lucy doesn't know is that "little" Renita has grown up to be quite a sexy young lady -- and when she finds out, the redhead turns green with jealousy. The situation is hilariously resolved during Ricky's act at the Tropicana Club, in which Lucy becomes the unwilling partner of Renita's usual dancing partner, Ramon -- a fearsome-looking hombre indeed. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alberto Morin, Lita Baron, (more)
- 1951
Presumably, Savage Drums was an attempt by Lippert Studios to launch an adventure series along the lines of "Jungle Jim" and "Bomba the Jungle Boy". The inimitable Sabu stars as Tipo, a native of a tropical island who returns home after establishing himself as a boxer in the U.S. Tipo soon discovers that his friends and family are in danger of falling under the influence of invading communists. Aligning himself with island king Maou (H.B. Warner), Tipo squares off against Red provincial ruler Chang (Steven Geray) and his minions. The film's feminine angle is provided by Lita Baron (good girl) and Margia Dean (bad commie), while comedy relief is in the hands of Lippert perennial Sid Melton and master dialectician Bob Easton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sabu, Lita Baron, (more)
- 1949
Bomba on Panther Island was the second in Monogram's series based on Roy Rockwood's "Bomba the Jungle Boy" adventure stories. The plot is set in motion when agriculturist Robert Maitland (Henry Lewis) accidentally stirs up restlessness within the native population. The locals assume that Maitland is responsible for the recent spate of vicious attacks by a black panther, who is regarded as the Devil Incarnate. Bomba (Johnny Sheffield) proves that the panther is just another overgrown kitty-cat in a climactic human vs. animal battle. For those not interested in the plot or the papier-mache sets, Bomba on Panther Island offers two comely leading ladies, Lita Baron and Allene Roberts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Sheffield, Allene Roberts, (more)
- 1949
- NR
As far removed from a "typical" MGM picture as it was possible to get back in 1949, Border Incident is a gritty, realistic crime melodrama. The story concerns the efforts by both the Mexican and American governments to stop the smuggling of Mexican migrant workers across the border. Representing Mexico is special agent Pablo Rodriguez (Ricardo Montalban), while Jack Bearnes (George Murphy) works on behalf of the US. Screenwriter John C. Higgins and producer/director Anthony Mann refuse to pull any punches, as witness the surprising mid-film murder of one of the major characters. Highlights include a harrowing episode involving a plowing machine and a climactic shootout in a quicksand swamp. The uniformly well-chosen supporting cast includes Howard da Silva, Arnold Moss, Alfonso Bedoya and Charles McGraw, "film noir" veterans all. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ricardo Montalban, George Murphy, (more)
- 1948
"Tarzan with clothes on". That's how one reviewer summed up Sam Katzman's newest film series Jungle Jim, starring ex-Tarzan Johnny Weissmuller in the title role. Based on the popular comic strip by Alex Raymond (previously cinematized as a 12-episode Universal serial in 1936), this first entry in the "Jim" series finds our hero guiding gorgeous lady scientist Hilary Parker (Virginia Grey) through the wilds of Africa-actually the Columbia back lot and nearby Bronson Canyon-in search of an herb that will cure infantile paralysis. At first, Hilary resents Jungle Jim's casual chauvinism, but after being nearly killed on several occasions (she apparently can't take two steps without confronting a lion or snake) she's willing to acknowledge his expertise in all things African. Once Hilary's expedition has arrived in a hidden native village, they find themselves as the mercy of crooked gold prospector Bruce Edwards (a pre-Superman George Reeves), who foments a tribal sacrifice as a means of putting the good guys out of the way. Many of the film's wildlife scenes were culled from the 1930 documentary Africa Speaks, which continued to be cannibalized throughout the subsequent 15 "Jungle Jim" epics. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Weissmuller, Virginia Grey, (more)
- 1946
High School Hero is all about a high school hero (what else?), played by Monogram musical star Freddy Stewart. A student at Whitney High, Freddy agonizes when the Big Football Game approaches with the school's principal rival, who have emerged victorious in all previous gridiron clashes. Director Arthur Dreifuss makes things easy for the audience by dressing the "good" football players in white and the "bad" ones in black, which is perhaps the film's comic highlight. To amplify the budget, the film is rife with "product placement" advertising plugs, a practice that would reach its nirvana in 1949's Love Happy (and would be revived, with a vengeance, in the 1980s). In addition to Freddy Stewart's perennial leading lady June Preisser, High School Hero costars Noel Neill, later to achieve TV fame as Lois Lane on Superman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frankie Darro, Curly Joe DeRita, (more)
- 1946
Edgar G. Ulmer's Club Havana is Grand Hotel, PRC style. The titular club is a popular nightspot where everyone who is anyone congregates. Six couples, none of whom are acquainted with the others, show up at Club Havana on one fateful evening, and the result is sheer murder-literally. Among the participants in the heavily plotted proceedings are suicidal socialite Rosalind (Margaret Lindsay), novice doctor Bill Porter (Tom Neal), callous playboy Johnny Norton (Don Douglas) and would-be philanderer Willy Kingston (Ernest Truex). Former Paramount leading lady Gertrude Michael delivers a poignant cameo as a worn-out powder room attendant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Neal, Margaret Lindsay, (more)
