Pat O'Malley Movies

Running a swift 55 minutes, Trial of Vivienne Ware packs in more sheer entertainment value than its longer, more prestigious "role model," The Trial of Mary Dugan. Joan Bennett plays the title character, a beleaguered young woman accused of murdering her nasty fiancee (Jameson Thomas). She is defended in court by hotshot lawyer John Sutherland (Donald Cook), who happens to be in love with her. Subtlety is checked at the door in the ensuing trial, which comes to a climax when the actual murderer tosses a knife at a female witness, just as she is about to make a startling revelation. ZaSu Pitts is hilarious as Miss Fairweather, a lachrymose radio personality who during her daily courtroom broadcasts seems less concerned with the progress of the trial than with Vivienne's wardrobe. Trial of Vivienne Ware was based on a novel by Kenneth M. Ellis, which had been previously adapted as a popular radio serial. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Tim McCoy is falsely accused of killing his own father in this typical low-budget oater directed by the generally efficient but unexciting D. Ross Lederman. Framed in the killing of his own father, Tim Benton (McCoy) escapes from prison along with brutish Red Larkin (Matthew Betz). The fugitives head for the former Benton mine now operated by the villainous John Sebastian (Ethan Laidlaw), where Tim plans to rob the payroll. En route, they are discovered by Bob Dinsmore (William A. Howell), the new marshal of Silver City, who is killed by Red. Tim, who believes the marshal to be merely knocked unconscious, decides to impersonate him in order to get the goods of the two men, Stevens and Ainsley, who framed him on behalf of Sebastian. Accepted by the townspeople in general and the sheriff's daughter Alice (Gulliver) in particular, Tim's scheme is endangered by the arrival of both Stevens (Bob Perry) and Ainsley (Dick Dickinson). After quickly arresting the two henchmen, Tim tells Red that he no longer wishes to go through with the planned payroll robbery. Red, in anger, frames his former partner for Dinsmore's murder. In the ensuing shootout, Red is mortally wounded, but manages to clear Tim's name before he expires. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

A remarkably ambitious endeavor from low-budget World Wide Studios, Those We Love was adapted by F. Hugh Herbert from a play by S.K. Lauren and George Abbott. Mary Astor stars as May, the doggedly devoted wife of struggling writer Fred (Kenneth McKenna). When Fred strays from his wedding vows to dally with temptress Valerie (Lilyan Tashman), May insists upon remaining loyal to her husband, if only for the sake of their son Ricky (Tommy Conlon). As it happens, it is young Ricky who confronts his dad with evidence of his indiscretion, forcing Fred to make a clean breast of things and beg May's forgiveness. Critics were warmly responsive to Those We Love and were especially impressed by pinchpenny World Wide's willingness to spend a bit more than usual for the sake of a good picture. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this melodrama, a recently abandoned wife consoles herself by heading for Reno and falling in love. Her new lover is married to a jealous woman who shoots him when she learns of the affair, leaving the sadder-but-wiser other woman to return to her home to try to make up with her own wayward spouse. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this crime drama, dedicated to the police forces of America, a gangster searches for his estranged son, also a gangster. Meanwhile a police captain searches for the gangsters who murdered his son. The gangster's crooked son, wanting to stay out of jail for killing the cop's son, offers to help the police catch his father. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The Fall Guy isn't Lee Majors in this 1930 RKO Radio programmer but instead a hapless druggist played by Jack Mulhall. Upon losing his job, Johnny Quinlan (Mulhall) falls in with underworld chieftain Nifty Herman (played by Thomas Jackson, usually cast as dedicated detectives). Hoping to use Johnny as a dupe to cover up his own shady activities, Herman plants a generous supply of illegal drugs on the poor fellow. Government agent Charles Newton (Pat O'Malley) is prepared to put the cuffs on the lad but instead goes along with Johnny's scheme to trick Herman into a confession. The picture is stolen by Mae Clarke (a full year before her "grapefruit massage" in Public Enemy) as Johnny's wife and Ned Sparks as a saxophone-playing boarder. Based on a stage play by Tim Whelan and George Abbott, The Fall Guy was directed by Leslie Pearce, who later helmed the memorable W.C. Fields two-reeler The Barber Shop. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Bearing no relation to the popular torch song of the same name, The Man I Love is a prizefight picture, courtesy of Paramount production exec David O. Selznick. Richard Arlen stars as Dum-Dum Brooks, a tank-town boxer who journeys to New York in hopes of cracking the Big Time. Along for the ride is Dum-Dum's long-suffering but ever-faithful wife Celia (Mary Brian). After licking Champ Mahoney (Charles Sullivan) in an exhibition bout, Dum-Dum is given a chance to win the title for real. His road to success is temporarily blocked off by seductive Sonia Baranoff (Olga Baclanova), giving poor Celia even more to worry about. Among the real-life pugilists seen in The Man I Love is ubiquitous stunt man and bit player Sailor Vincent, who remained in films well into the late 1950s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

House of Scandal gets under way when Irish-born New York cop Danny Regan (Harry Murray) is reunited with his brother Pat (Pat O'Malley). Admiring Danny's snazzy uniform, Pat "borrows" the outfit while his brother lies sleeping. Before long, Pat finds himself "taking charge" at the scene of an accident in which socialite Anne Rourke (Dorothy Sebastian) is slightly injured. Falling in love with Anne, Pat can't bring himself to admit that he isn't a genuine policeman. This leads to a fine mess when Anne's house is invaded by jewel thieves, and Pat inadvertently arrests the wrong man -- at Anne's request. Yes, Anne is one of the thieves herself, and it is this heretofore unrevealed fact that gets both Pat and Danny into plenty of hot water. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Tenement gal Nora Denahy (Gladys Hulette) is the "Bowery Cinderella" in this standard melting-pot drama. While on a slumming party, wealthy Ned Chandler (Ernest Hilliard) is smitten by Nora. He offers to take her away from her shabby environment, if only she will become his wife. Nora is tempted, but her heart belongs to struggling playwright Larry Dugan (Pat O'Malley). It hardly seems necessary to reveal which of her two beaux ultimately marches Nora down the altar. One of the highlights of Bowery Cinderella is a precision-dance performance by the chorus of The Music Box Revue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

According to the original studio press releases, contentious Columbia president Harry Cohn not only produced Pleasure Before Business but directed it as well. In truth, Frank Strayer was the director, though he undoubtedly danced to the crack of Mr. Cohn's whip. Jewish comedian Max Davidson stars as a prosperous cigar manufacturer who suffers a nervous breakdown. Ordered to take a rest by his doctor, Davidson gets his chance when his wife inherits an enormous sum of money. The previously parsimonious hero goes on an uncontrolled spending spree, culminating in a trip to the racetrack where he puts his entire fortune on a 40-to-1 shot. It is at this point that Davidson discovers that his wife's inheritance was a hoax, and that he's flat broke -- and will be a whole lot flatter and broker if his horse loses. But things turn out OK for Davidson, who's learned the hard way that even a successful cigar maker can be full of empty smoke. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Slaver is ostensibly based on a story by James Oliver Curwood. The hero, Pat O'Malley, is a deckhand on the slave ship captained by e-vil John Miljan. O'Malley becomes an abolitionist in a hurry when he falls in love with heroine Carmelita Geraghty. Alas, Miljan intends to "sell" the girl to an African tribal chieftain, in exchange for a new consignment of slaves. The girl is rescued not by O'Malley, but by a courageous black cabin boy, who sacrifices his own life in the process. None of this sounds remotely like anything ever written by James Oliver Curwood, but who could blame the producers for "hype-ing" their film a bit? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

First filmed in 1915, the time-honored Albert Chevalier stage success My Old Dutch was remade (this time sans Chevalier) in 1926. May McAvoy stars as Sallie Brown, young costermonger (street peddler) who sells her fish and vegetables in the streets of London. With the help of her hard-working husband Joe (Pat O'Malley) she endeavors to pay for a fancy education for her son David (Cullen Landis). The boy grows up ashamed of his low-born parents but at the last moment realizes how much they've done for him and rescues the couple from the poor farm. My Old Dutch was filmed a third time as a Betty Balfour vehicle in 1934. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Spangles was adapted by actress Leah Baird from the novel by Nellie Revell, with Revell receiving "star" billing in the credits. Marion Nixon plays the title character, a gorgeous bareback rider with a travelling circus. Spangles falls in love with Dick (Pat O'Malley), a young fugitive from justice who uses the Big Top for a hideout. The wicked circus owner threatens to turn Dick over to authorities unless Spangles promises to marry him. The girl is spared this ignominious fate when the owner is trampled to death by a surly elephant. According to Universal's publicity packet, Spangles was inspired by the career of May Wirth, considered the greatest bareback rider of her time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide