Chester Morris Movies
Chester Morris was the son of actors William Morris and comedienne Etta Hawkins; Morris' siblings, Adrian and Wilhelmina, later became performers as well. Reportedly in silent films at the age of nine, Morris' certified Broadway debut, at 15, was in Lionel Barrymore's The Copperhead; that same year (1917), Morris graduated from the New York School of Fine Arts. He billed himself as "the youngest leading man in the country" -- which, at 17, he may very well have been. He was Oscar-nominated for his first talking-picture role in Alibi (1929). Morris spent the 1930s alternating between tough-guy stuff like The Big House (1930) and tux-and-tails assignments in films like The Divorcee (1930). From 1940 through 1949, Morris starred as Boston Blackie in a lively series of Columbia B-pictures, a role which gave him opportunities to indulge his fondness for elaborate makeups and sleight-of-hand. During the 1950s, Morris headlined the touring companies of several Broadway plays, including Detective Story and Advise and Consent; he also hosted the syndicated TV anthology Captured. Chester Morris died of a barbiturate overdose while he was starring in a Bucks County Playhouse production of Caine Mutiny Court Martial; his last film, The Great White Hope, was released shortly after his death. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1946
In this episode of the popular mystery series, the crook turned sleuth must clear his name after he is accused of murder. To help him, Blackie enlists the aid of his pal. Together they reveal the real murderer before the Inspector can put Blackie back in jail. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Lynn Merrick, (more)
A wounded aerial gunner tells his story in this wartime propaganda film. He begins with his recruitment and basic training before the war. There he discovers that his sergeant is one of his foes, and that both of them are fighting for the affection of the lovely sister of a fellow recruit who becomes terrified of flying and suffers a plane crash during training. Eventually all is overcome and the new squadron prepares to fly for the South Pacific. The two rivals end up landing on an island overrun by Japanese troops. They frantically try to repair their downed plane. Later the brave sergeant sacrifices his life to save his rival who takes off and somehow makes it back to safety. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Richard Arlen, (more)
- 1943
In this entry in the "Boston Blackie" series, the reformed crook meets his former lover who tells him that her father has just been freed from prison and that he is heading out to a safe deposit box where he hid a sack of diamonds. The good daughter wants her father to return the rocks and reform and wants Blackie to help him. Unfortunately, the father is murded en route to the bank and the hapless detective is arrested for the crime. Following his escape, Blackie learns that the girl has been kidnapped by gangsters who want her to reveal the location of the valuable box. There is a major showdown in a local nightclub when Blackie bursts in on the mob. In the end, he stops the gang, saves the girl, and overcomes temptation and returns the jewels. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Richard Lane, (more)
- 1942
In this entry in the "Boston Blackie" series, the suave ex-thief returns to prison to see a Christmas show. There he is impressed by the talent of the inmates. One particularly talented fellow uses his magic act to break out of prison. Now Blackie must find him. Meanwhile the fugitive searches for his look-alike, the man who really committed the crime. Clever Blackie manages to catch them both and then insures that the real crook goes to jail while the innocent man goes free. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Director Roland West was a moody and mysterious Hollywood character, who insisted upon making his pictures in utter secrecy and filming only at night. This may explain the overall foreboding atmosphere of Alibi, West's first talking picture. Chester Morris portrays a ruthless gangster who must establish an alibi after pulling off a warehouse robbery. Regis Toomey and Pat O'Malley are the detectives assigned to get the goods on Morris. Full of vicious bravado when he's on top of a situation, Morris turns into a craven coward when he's trapped--but not before coldbloodedly gunning down true-blue policeman Toomey, who then launches into one the longest and most lachrymose death scenes in the history of movies. Alibi was based on the play Nightstick, written by John Wray, J.C. Nugent and Elaine Sterne. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Harry Stubbs, (more)
- 1917
Girlish Gladys Leslie doesn't exactly imitate Mary Pickford in this Thanhouser film, it's more like she personifies the cliché idea of what Pickford was thought to be: effervescent and overly childish. In reality, Pickford's characterizations were far more varied and interesting than anything Leslie offers here. Marcia (Leslie) can't stand Quincy (Isabel Vernon), her stern governess. When her parents (Thomas Curran and Jean Arthur) go on a trip abroad and leave her behind, Marcia doesn't want to be left alone with Quincy, so she changes places with the governess' orphaned niece, Jane. Jane goes to boarding school while Marcia goes to an orphanage, where she is adopted by Benton (Justus Barnes), a farmer. His son, Dave (Ray Hallor), the family black sheep, becomes her pal and a romance blossoms. Dick (Chester Morris), a friend from the city, comes to visit and he and Dave become rivals for Marcia. She finally chooses Dave. She uses her wiles to keep him from winning a promotion at work that would send him to the big city because she prefers life on the farm. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1918
Based on a novel by Frank L. Packard, The Beloved Traitor stars Mae Marsh as Mary Garland, a resident of a Maine fishing village. In love with Judd Minot (E.K. Lincoln), a handsome fisherman with a gift for sculpting, Mary is forced to tearfully remain on the sidelines when Judd is discovered by wealthy New York art patron Henry Bliss (George Fawcett) and whisked off to the Big City. It doesn't take long for success to go to Judd's head, and soon he is galavanting around with Bliss' somewhat loose-moralled daughter Myrna (played by future gossip queen Hedda Hopper). Apprised of the situation, Mary rushes to New York, determined to "rescue" her former sweetie. A deft blend of comedy and drama, Beloved Traitor was Mae Marsh's fifth vehicle for producer Samuel Goldwyn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1939
Blind Alley, directed by Charles Vidor is a chilling psychological drama in the film-noir tradition reminiscent of the fine melodrama The Desperate Hours. Hal Wilson (Chester Morris) is an escaped killer who hides out in the home of noted psychologist Dr. Shelby (Ralph Bellamy). While Wilson's gang holds Shelby's family and servants hostage, the pipe-smoking mental doctor calmly tries to discover the reasons for Wilson's murderous proclivities. As gun moll Mary (Ann Dvorak) covers Shelby, Wilson willingly allows the doctor to psychoanalyze him, using hypnosis to trace the killer's childhood. Blind Alley works as a "film noir" complete with surrealistic dream sequences. A taut story and moody cinematography by Lucien Ballard -- with sharp direction from Vidor, and superlative acting by Morris and Bellamy -- earn this film noir entry a top spot in the genre. The film was remade scene-for-scene in 1949 as The Dark Past, with William Holden as the killer and Lee J. Cobb as the unflappable head shrinker. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Ralph Bellamy, (more)
- 1947
Chester Morris plays a mystery writer who bears a grudge against his publisher. Morris is mad enough to get blind drunk, but is he mad enough to kill? When the publisher is indeed murdered, Morris tops the suspect list. To clear himself, he uses his own skills as a writer of whodunits to ascertain the identity of the real killer. Trouble is, all the clues Morris comes up with point right back to him -- and frankly, he can't remember what happened the night of the murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1933
Set during the Depression, this crime drama centers upon a basically honest girl who is forced into prostitution by circumstance. She then becomes a gangster's moll where she learns a bitter lesson about the criminal life. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Blondell, Chester Morris, (more)
- 1945
In this lively entry in the Boston Blackie mysteries, Blackie gets in trouble when he helps a friend auction off a first-edition Charles Dickens book and discovers that it was counterfeit. As a result of his involvement in the con, Blackie must clear himself after being accused of murder. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1942
Reformed criminal Boston Blackie (Chester Morris) and his pal "The Runt" (George E. Stone) obey the film's title and head for Tinseltown. Blackie has been asked by a friend to transport $60,000 to California, but the L.A. cops assume that he's involved in the disappearance of the valuable Monterey Diamond. As always, Blackie spends a goodly portion of his time in disguise, assuming the identity of a bearded foreigner. Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood was the fourth in Columbia's series of B-pictures based on Jack Boyle's pulp-fiction character. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1946
This twelfth entry in Columbia's "Boston Blackie" series is essentially a remake of 1942's Alias Boston Blackie. In the original, a falsely accused convict (Larry Parks) escapes while Blackie (Chester Morris) is putting on a magic show for a men's prison, prompting Blackie to stop the escapee before he can kill the man who framed him. In the remake, Blackie stages yet another magic act, this time at a woman's prison. Sure enough, a female inmate (Constance Dowling) escapes, determined to wreak vengeance on the man who done her wrong. Implicated in the escape, Blackie manages to clear himself and to extract a recorded confession from the actual killer. In both the original and the remake, Chester Morris is given ample opportunity to show off his considerable skills as a magician. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Trudy Marshall, (more)
- 1949
In this final episode of the Boston Blackie mystery series, our hero and his side-kick find themselves accused of murder after they are seen exiting a Chinese laundry where the proprietor is soon found murdered. Blackie must find the real killers before he gets in real trouble. Action and mystery ensue. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Joan Woodbury, (more)
- 1945
Boston Blackie's Rendezvous quite transcended its B-picture origins, and was easily the best of Columbia's "Boston Blackie" series. In this one, crook-turned-sleuth Blackie (Chester Morris) tries to track down homicidal maniac James Cook (Steve Cochran). This time it's personal: Cook has been committing a number of violent murders while posing as Blackie. Stuck in the middle is Sally Brown (Nina Foch), who is kidnapped by the villain so that Blackie will lay off. When asked in later years about Boston Blackie's Rendezvous, Nina Foch couldn't remember too many plot details, but did note with pride that costar Richard Lane (cast as Blackie's perennial nemesis Inspector Farraday) later became a prominent TV sportscaster. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Nina Foch, (more)
- 1932
In this drama, a politician must deal with the aftermath of a young girl's damning accusation. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Mae Clarke, (more)
- 1942
Another timely entry from the Columbia assembly line, Canal Zone stars Chester Morris as flight instructor "Hardtack" Hamilton (his nickname sums up his personality with sublime perfection). Our hero's students will eventually help ferry bombing planes across the Atlantic-with the possible exception of stuck-up civilian pilot Harley Ames (John Hubbard), who shows no signs of acquiring discipline and responsibility. When the chips are down, however, Ames proves he's got the Right Stuff, rescuing Hardtack after a particularly nasty plane crash. The heroine is Harriet Hilliard, later beloved by millions as one-half of TV's "Ozzie and Harriet", while one of the pilots is portrayed by future Jolson Story star Larry Parks. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1932
In this romantic comedy a demanding French actress is upset because she has not recently received the proper adulation from WW I Allies. To calm her down, a meeting is arranged between the actress and a charming Army official in Italy. Initially both of them resist the artificially designed encounter, but soon the inevitable occurs and they fall in love. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Billie Dove, (more)
- 1941
Chester Morris makes his second screen appearance as crook-turned-detective Boston Blackie in this superior series entry. This time, Blackie gets into trouble when he attends an art auction with his millionaire pal Arthur Manleder (Lloyd Corrigan). It so happens that the auction gallery is run by thieves, which heroine Diane Parrish (Harriet Hilliard) has just discovered. To keep her quiet, head crook Joe Buchanan (Ralph Theodore) takes a shot at Diane, but though he only wounds her he kills sculptor Allison (Walter Soderling). Conclusion-jumping Inspector Farraday (Richard Lane) assumes that Blackie fired the shot, forcing our hero to spend the rest of the film eluding both the police and the criminals. Highlights include a hilarious fit of rage perpetrated by secondary villainess Joan Woodbury, and an amusing if slightly sadistic running gag involving hapless ice-cream vendor Billy Benedict. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Richard Lane, (more)
Of interest mainly because of the talent involved, this film remains a tepid bootleg melodrama about a small-town football hero attempting to prove that he is as ruthless as his rich girlfriend's father. Spoiled Alison Corning (Alison Loyd) persuades her Wall Street banker father (Emmett Corrigan) to hire her newest beau, gridiron star John Hawkes (Chester Morris). Hawkes, however, does not approve of the banker's heartless business practices and is fired for refusing to sell questionable stock. To get back at Corning, John and his tipsy sidekick Chub Hopping (Frank McHugh), go into business together, hijacking the bootleg cargo of gangster Big John (Fred Kohler) and selling the contraband to Corning. Big John, as it turns out, is employed by the banker, who is thus made to pay for his own liquor twice. A couple of gang members, Slim (Ned Sparks) and Sophie (Mayo Methot), conspire with Hawkes to doublecross Big John and are killed for their efforts. Despite the ruthlessness of the gangster and his henchman Fish Face (Frank Rice), Hawkes manages to get the upper hand, proving once and for all that he is the banker's equal and worthy of Alison's love. Corsair (which was the name of Chester Morris' pirate vessel) was produced at Catalina Island by silent screen director Roland West as a showcase for for his girlfriend Thelma Todd. A gifted comedienne, Todd was made to change her name to Alison Loyd for the occasion, but producer-director West gave her very little to work with, and she quickly returned to her former employer, comedy king Hal Roach. West, who had helmed a couple of interesting silent melodramas, ended his screen career with Corsair, opening instead a restaurant with Todd as his partner. The Thelma Todd Sidewalk Café on Pacific Coast Highway just north of Santa Monica remained a popular industry hangout until Todd's mysterious death in 1935 from carbon monoxide poisoning in a garage belonging to Roland West's estranged wife, silent screen actress Jewel Carmen. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, William Austin, (more)
- 1936
In this crime drama, a federal agent goes undercover to join a gang of counterfeiters. He pretends to be a murder. The trouble begins when the gang kidnaps an engraver from Treasury Department. They force him to make a set of plates to print the fake cash. The agent manages to break up the ring. Justice is served. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Margot Grahame, (more)
- 1937
A remake of Frank Capra's Submarine (1928), Devil's Playground is a snappy Columbia "B plus" picture starring Richard Dix and Chester Morris. Submarine officers Dorgan (Dix) and Mason (Morris) battle on land for the affections of dance-hall girl Carmen (Dolores del Rio). She marries Dorgan but makes a play for Mason when her husband is on duty. The romantic rivalry is forgotten when Dorgan must rescue
Mason and his crew from a sunken sub. Devil's Playground was one of Columbia's bigger moneymakers of 1937. Excerpts from the underwater scenes later found their way into the Three Stooges two-reeler Three Little Sew and Sews (1939). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Mason and his crew from a sunken sub. Devil's Playground was one of Columbia's bigger moneymakers of 1937. Excerpts from the underwater scenes later found their way into the Three Stooges two-reeler Three Little Sew and Sews (1939). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Dix, Dolores Del Rio, (more)
- 1944
This breezy Pine-Thomas actioner is all about a team of ace news photographers. Chester Morris plays Larry Burke, editor for a weekly photo magazine. Impressed by the work of photojournalist Pat Marvin, Burke hires Marvin sight unseen, only to discover that "he" is a "she" (Nancy Kelly). Having evidently never heard of Margaret Bourke-White, Burke insists that the shutterbug racket is no job for a dame, but Pat intends to prove him wrong. In the process, she becomes the prime suspect in a murder case, forcing Burke to come out from behind his desk and solve the mystery himself (Chalk up another victory for male chauvinism!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Nancy Kelly, (more)
- 1934
Looking for all the world like a 2-reel comedy bloated to 6-reel proportions, Embarrassing Moments was directed by Edward Laemmle, one of the many salaried relatives of avuncular Universal chieftain Carl Laemmle. Chester Morris plays Jerry Randolph, an inveterate and obnoxious practical joker. Things take a serious turn when it looks as though Jerry's latest prank has resulted in the death of his best friend. But the audience is way ahead of Jerry: the whole "tragedy" has been staged to teach the jolly jokester a lesson. Billed third in Embarrassing Moments is Broadway singing star Walter Woolf, who as Walter Woolf King enjoyed a lengthy career as a supporting actor in such films as The Marx Bros.' Night at the Opera and Laurel & Hardy's Swiss Miss. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Marian Nixon, (more)
- 1930
Reginald Denny, one of Universal's top stars of the 1920s, tried to transfer his light-comedy formula to talkies with Embarrassing Moments. Hoping to fend off the advances of suitor Jasper Hickson (William Austin), heroine Marion Fuller (Merna Kennedy) claims she already has a husband. When the time comes to prove the existence of her imaginary mate, Marion persuades total stranger Thaddeus Cruikshank (Denny) to pose as hubby. It is understood, of course, that our hero is to keep his distance, and not to do anything as foolish as falling in love with Marion. And, of course, Thaddeus is true to his word -- not! Reginald Denny's silent-screen image as a go-getting young American was undercut by his pronounced British accent, and before long he was consigned to secondary roles, albeit good ones. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Reginald Denny, Merna Kennedy, (more)
