Wanda McKay Movies

In this detective drama, a gritty San Francisco gumshoe finds himself among those suspected of committing a string of murders involving boxers and petty gangtsters. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Superman and Dick Tracy star in Jungle Goddess--or rather, the actors who played Superman and Dick Tracy, George Reeves and Ralph Byrd. When pilots Mike Patton (Reeves) and Bob Simpson (Byrd) learn that the father of long-missing Greta Vanderhorn (Wanda McKay) is offering a huge reward for his daughter's return, they fly off to the African jungle where Greta's plane crashed many years ago. Mike and Bob trace Greta to a supersititious native tribe, where she reigns as queen. Bob has the misfortune to kill one of the natives, whereupon Greta condemns him to death. Eventually, the more sympathetic of the two pilots manages to make his escape, with Greta by his side. Filmed "in glowing Sepiatone", Jungle Goddess recently resurfaced as an object of derision on TV's Mystery Science Theater 3000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One of the more notorious "sex hygiene" exploitation melodramas of the 1940s, Because of Eve began its long life in 1948 as The Story of Life. Bob (John Parker) and Sally (Wanda McKay) are expecting their first child when Sally learns that Bob had once suffered from venereal disease. Although kindly Dr. West (Joseph Crehan) assures the young woman that there is no remaining trace of the malady, Sally declares that she will sooner be married to a leper and storms out. Realizing that the couple needs education on the topic, the good doctor trots out two documentaries on venereal diseases and their effects and cures. Not only are Bob and Sally treated to these clinical films on screen but so were the paying customers who went to see the much ballyhooed Because of Eve. In most places, the screening then came to an abrupt halt as a certain "Mr. Alexander Leeds" proceeded to lecture the auditorium, while actresses dressed up as nurses sold pamflets with titles such as "Love and Marriage; As it Concerns the Modern Teenager," and "The Frigid Husband." Produced by one William Daniel Bacon (whom some careless historians have confused with famed cinematographer William Daniels), Because of Eve was "road-shown" for years around the country, often employing the so-called "four-walling" method of renting a local theater outright for a flat fee. Joseph Crehan, a dignified character actor who twice had played Ulysses S. Grant on film, acted essentially the same crusading doctor in the similar Street Corner (1948). Brunette Wanda McKay is today perhaps best remembered for her many roles in Monogram potboilers and such B-Westerns as The Medico of Painted Springs (1941) and The Royal Mounted Patrol (1941), both with Charles Starrett. Needless to say, Because of Eve was not exactly a shining moment in their careers. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Monogram's Jiggs and Maggie in Society was the second entry in the series based on the George McManus comic strip "Bringing Up Father." Joe Yule Sr. (Mickey Rooney's father) and Rene Riano are once again ideally cast as Jiggs and Maggie, the world-famous nouveau riche shanty-Irish couple. Though down-to-earth Jiggs has little patience for his wealthy new surroundings, Maggie insists upon entering "The 400," and to do this she enlists the aid of dance instructor Arthur Murray and How to Win Friends and Influence People guru Dale Carnegie (both playing themselves!) Try though she might, Maggie cannot win acceptance in High Society, but Jiggs saves the day when he solves a jewel robbery in an upper-crust mansion. The level of wit in Jiggs and Maggie in Society can be gauged by such character names as Mrs. Vacuum and Mrs. Heavydoe. Still, a good time was apparently had by all during filming; it's especially enjoyable to watch "guest stars" Murray, Carnegie and columnist Sheila Graham enthusiastically participate in the lowbrow proceedings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The popular wartime catchphrase "Kilroy Was Here" was affixed to this minor campus comedy. Jackie Cooper plays peripatetic ex-sailor John J. Kilroy, who is assumed to be the Kilroy. Once John finds himself in college on the GI bill, he finds that his fame is also a curse: none of the "right" people want anything to do with him because of his WW2 notoriety. Even worse, John insists upon retaining his friendship with navy buddy Pappy Collins (Jackie Coogan), a "lowly" cabdriver. By film's end, of course, Kilroy and Collins have washed their hands of the campus snobs, but not before several slapsticky complications. At the time of its release, Kilroy Was Here was exploited on the basis of its teaming of former child stars Cooper and Coogan, who work together quite well consider the material they're given. Not unlike 1946's Snafu, Kilroy Was Here ran into some censorship trouble because of the sexual connotations of its inspiration (a line drawing of a face, with a phallic nose resting between two ball-shaped cheeks!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

There Goes Kelly is a followup of sorts to Monogram's 1943 comedy Here Comes Kelly, with Jackie Moran taking over for Eddie Quillan as the title character. In this one, the pugnacious Jimmy Kelly (Moran) is a page boy at a big-time radio station. When the station's star vocalist is murdered, suspicion immediately falls upon aspiring singer Anne (Wanda McKay). In love with the suspect, Jimmy and his fellow page Sammy (Sidney Miller) set about to nab the genuine culprit, much to the dismay of irascible detective Marty (Ralph Sanford). Just as Here Comes Kelly was a remake of He Couldn't Take It (1933), There Goes Kelly was likewise a remake, this time of the 1940 Frankie Darro-Mantan Moreland vehicle Up in the Air. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Directed by Lewis Collins and Ray Taylor, Raiders of Ghost City is a 13-chapter serial account revolving around the highly dangerous trade of gold shipping during the civil war. The frequent thievery and corruption from within led these gold shipments to be a controversial occupation, particularly during a time of war. The series features Dennis Moore, Wanda McKay, Lionel Atwill, and Virginia Christine.

~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

While younger, handsomer actors were off fighting WW2, pudgy, middle-aged James Dunn suddenly found himself playing leading roles again. In Leave It to the Irish, Dunn is cast as private investigator Terry Moran, with Wanda McKay as his peppery assistant Nora O'Brien. The Hibernian hero and heroine join forces to solve the murder of a wealthy furrier. Alas, the trail of evidence leads to Terry as the most likely suspect, compelling Nora to simultaneously solve the case and clear her boss. Practically the only character in Leave It to the Irish who isn't Irish is principal villain Maletti, played by Jack LaRue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The disfiguring disease of acromegaly-which grotesquely extends the bones and distorts one's facial features-was the "gimmick" in the PRC horror opus The Monster Maker. J. Carroll Naish stars as Markoff, a mad doctor who has no qualms about experimenting on human beings. Markoff's unwitting victim is famed concert pianist Lawrence (Ralph Morgan), who is injected with the doctor's acromegaly-inducing serum. It is Markoff's intention to extort a great deal of money from Lawrence before providing an antidote-and also to win the hand of Lawrence's pretty daughter Patricia (Wanda McKay). Though the film is as lumpy and unconvincing as Lawrence's rubbery facial makeup, the flawless performances of those old barnstormers J. Carroll Naish and Ralph Morgan carry the day. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Black Raven is one of a trio of PRC horror-melodramas starring George Zucco. The title refers to a remote country inn, presided over by the sinister Mr. Bradford (Zucco). During a dark and stormy night, the Black Raven becomes the gathering place for an escaped convict (I. Standford Jolley) with a personal vendetta against Bradford, a bank clerk (Byron Foulger) who has embezzled $50,000, and a couple of young elopers (Wanda McKay, Bob Randall). Before the night is over, greed and murder rear their ugly heads. Comedy relief is provided by Charles "Ming the Merciless" Middleton as a county sheriff and Glenn "Frankenstein" Strange as a lumbering lummox. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

After gathering dust for nearly a year, the independently produced The Deerslayer attained a national release through Republic. A bottom-budget adaptation of the James Fenimore Cooper classic, the film stars Bruce Kellogg as Deerslayer, an intrepid Indian scout-hunter in the 18th century Hudson Valley. He spends most of the film escaping from hostile Indians and helping white settlers protect themselves against the savage hordes. Most of the film is amateurishly shot, with the actors fighting a losing battle against an uninspired, illogical script (in one scene, an Indian brave receives a wound in a portion of the body that was out of the range of gunfire!) In later years, Deerslayer would gain reissue value by virtue of supporting actors Larry Parks and Yvonne De Carlo, who'd gone on to achieve full-fledged stardom. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A young woman and her two buddies team up to run her newly inherited trucking company. In this comedy, the trouble begins when they agree to haul some gambling equipment to Vegas, get caught and tossed into the hoosegow. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide