Dave Willock Movies
Gangly, reedy-voiced actor Dave Willock indulged in amateur theatricals while attending the University of Wisconsin. In the early '30s, he appeared in vaudeville in a comedy singing act with Jack Carson; later on, he showed up in various small parts in Carson's Hollywood films. Making his own screen debut in 1939's Good Girls Go to Paris, Willock showed up in innumerable films as servicemen, bellhops, elevator boys, and college kids. In the latter stages of his career, Willock could be seen in the commercials of Stan Freberg; he played tap dancer Ann Miller's husband in Freberg's famous Great American Soup ad and was heard as a voice artist in a number of animated cartoon series. David Willock was also familiar to TV devotees for his co-starring stint with Cliff "Charley Weaver" Arquette on an early L.A.-based improvisational comedy program, and for his regular roles on such series as Margie (1962) and Lorenzo and Henrietta Music (1976). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Former president Ronald Reagan may have genuinely believed that he was referring to a real-life act of selfless wartime bravery whenever repeating his "We'll bring this one down together" anecdote. In fact, he was merely quoting a scene from the above-average World War 2 drama A Wing and a Prayer. The setting is an American aircraft carrier, overseen by tough, unserving flight officer Don Ameche. When casualties begin piling up, the pilots blame Ameche, accusing him of being an indiscriminate butcher. Only when the tide of battle turns in favor of the Allies do the pilots realize that Ameche has been right all along. Director Henry Hathaway spent several weeks aboard an actual aircraft carrier, filming genuine combat scenes. Many of these authentic sequences appear as background footage in A Wing and a Prayer; sometimes the process work is convincing, sometimes it isn't, but please remember that this film was made long, long before the advent of computer technology. Dana Andrews, William Eythe, Richard Jaeckel, Harry Morgan (billed as 'Henry Morgan' here), Richard Crane, Glenn Langan, Reed Hadley and Bob Bailey are among the ready, willing and able Fox contractees appearing in A Wing and a Prayer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Don Ameche, Dana Andrews, (more)
- 1970
Chasing down an erratic motorist, Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) end up issuing a citation to a driver who is blind drunk--and stark naked. Elsewhere, the two cops try to determine the source of $12,000 found by a youngster. And finally, Jim and Pete clean up the latest in a long line of auto-theft rings. Appearing in the role of J. Simmons is Sidney Miller, a multitalented performer who for several years was primary director of the original Mickey Mouse Club. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Fashion expert Jan Manning (Nancy Olson) faces the loss of her department store when the bank turns down her loan request. She tells her troubles to her salesman boyfriend, Mel Reeves (Ralph Meeker), who suggests that she torch the store and collect a huge insurance settlement -- and to this end, Mel agrees to hire an arsonist. Later on, the store goes up in flames as scheduled, but what happens next to Jan and Mel isn't on anyone's schedule...especially theirs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1952
In this exciting Korean War-era actioner, two Marine combat photographers risk their lives on the front to chronicle the battles. When not behaving heroically up there, they are competing for the affection of a pretty Red Cross nurse. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Hodiak, Linda Christian, (more)
- 1950
After several supporting and guest appearances, Latino singer-actress Estelita Rodriguez was given her own Republic starring vehicle, Belle of Old Mexico. The plot wasn't new in 1950--for that matter it wasn't new in 1920. Wealthy Kip Artmitage III (Robert Rockwell) honors his late wartime friend's request to look after the friend's "little sister." Surprise! Sis turns out to be all-grown-up Rosita (Estelita), causing no end of difficulty for Armitage, who's engaged to marry the avaricious Deborah (Dorothy Patrick). Most of the film's best moments are delivered by Florence Bates as Deborah's eternally inebriated mother. The 70-minute running time affords Estelita Rodriguez plenty of room to perform four peppery musical numbers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Estelita Rodriguez, Robert Rockwell, (more)
- 1964
Accused of murder, Hoss Cartwright puts his life in the hands of celebrated lawyer Whitney Parker (James Gregory). Unforunately, Parker's glory days are behind him: more to the point, he is now the town drunk. The Cartwrights struggle to keep Parker sober long enough to save Hoss from the gallows. Also in the cast are Michel Petit as Jamie, Hal Baylor as Durfee, William Mims as Evans, and Jason Johnson as the Doctor. Written by Mort R. Lewis, "A Man to Admire" first aired on December 6, 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1964
A deft blend of comedy and suspense, "Alias Joe Cartwright" affords series regular Michael Landon the opportunity to play a dual role: His usual characterization of Joe Cartwright, and murderous Army deserter Angus Borden. Mistaken for Borden, Joe is sentenced to a firing squad by martinet Captain Merced (Douglas Dick). But Sgt. O'Rourke (Keenan Wynn) suspects something is amiss, especially when Merced makes it clear that he knows Joe is innocent but is determined to go through with the execution anyway. Throughout the episode O'Rourke's favorite patsy, the hapless Private Peters (Joseph Turkel), runs himself ragged trying to find out if Joe is indeed who he claims to be. Also in the cast is familiar character actor Dave Willock, here seen as an overly unctuous hotel clerk. Originally telecast on January 26, 1964, "Alias Joe Cartwright" was written by Robert Vincent Wright. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1961
Con artists Morgan (Wally Brown) and Axe (Dave Willock) flimflam Clementine Hawkins (Beatrice Kay), a former dance-hall girl turned boarding-house keeper, with an elaborate scam involving "The Burma Rarity", a priceless emerald. Inasmuch as Ben Cartwright introduced Clementine to the crooks, he figures it is his responsibility to recover her money. To that end, Ben puts together a "sting" operation-which backfires so spectacularly that Ben may well have to marry Clementine to make amends! Written by N.B. Stone,"The Burma Rarity" originally aired October 22, 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1951
The original Broadway musical Call Me Mister was a plotless revue. By the time the property made it to the screen, however, a storyline was grafted on and much of the revue's funnier (and dirtier) material was weeded out. Betty Grable stars as an American USO entertainer Kay Hudson, touring the bases in postwar Japan. Somewhere along the way she crosses the path of former husband Shep Dooley (Dan Dailey). Despite the presence of ardent suitor Capt. Johnny Comstock (Dale Robertson), Dooley begins a campaign to win his wife back. They are reconciled during a climactic stage show, which affords ample opportunity for both Grable and Dailey to demonstrate their terpsichorean skills (Busby Berkeley handled the choreography). Cast as a GI who hates the army, Danny Thomas (a holdover from the Broadway production) does a truncated version of his own nightclub act. Specialty numbers are provided by the Dunhill dance team, and by an unbilled Bobby Short. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Betty Grable, Dan Dailey, (more)
- 1941
Bob Hope plays a famous movie star who does his best to avoid the pre-war draft, but ends up in uniform all the same. Hope marries Dorothy Lamour, the daughter of Army colonel Clarence Kolb, in hopes that this union will help him sidestep military service. Stuck in boot camp, Hope is a class-A screw-up until redeeming himself during a sham battle--though his "heroic" commandeering of a tank began as yet another boo-boo. Still not entirely certain that Hope could carry a film by himself, Paramount teamed him with Eddie Bracken and Lynne Overman--a sort of Abbott and Costello plus One. Despite the efforts to make Bob Hope part of an ensemble, it is clear from the first frame to the last who is truly the star of Caught in the Draft. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, (more)
- 1949
Tough reporter Ed Adams (Alan Ladd) wants to get the full story behind the apparent suicide of a young woman. It seems that the girl left behind a notebook with a list of seemingly unrelated names. Adams tracks down each one of the persons cited in the notebook, slowly but surely putting the pieces together. Once the basic mystery is solved, however, there's one surprising loose end left to be tied up. June Havoc co-stars as Leona, self-styled best friend of the decedent, who helps Adams in his quest. As the victim, Donna Reed appears exclusively in flashbacks. Based on a story by veteran suspense scrivener Tiffany Thayer (of Thirteen Women fame), Chicago Deadline was remade for television in 1966 as Fame is the Name of the Game. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Ladd, Donna Reed, (more)
- 1941
No relation to the Cracked Nuts he directed in 1931, this hokey sci-fi-comedy from director Edward F. Cline stars Stuart Erwin as Lawrence Trent, a country rube who wins a refrigerator-slogan contest and gets some money for his efforts. Meanwhile, mad scientist Boris Kabikoff (Mischa Auer) builds a silly-looking robot in his own image and hooks up with a New York patent attorney (William Frawley from I Love Lucy) to bilk Trent out of his prize money. Shemp Howard plays the robot as a lusty creature with a penchant for skirt-chasing and is used by black servant Chloe (Hattie Noel) to do housechores and frighten her husband Burgess (Mantan Moreland), who has a gambling problem. Una Merkel co-stars with Astrid Allwyn and Pierre Watkin. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- 1951
Darling, How Could You is an amiable adaptation of James M. Barrie's stage perennial Alice-Sit- By-the-Fire. Joan Fontaine and John Lund head the cast as Alice and Robert Grey, who return to London from a five-year sojourn at the Panama canal, where Robert, a doctor, has tended to the sick. Upon arriving home, Mr. and Mrs. Grey must become reacquainted with their ever-growing children, especially precocious teenager Amy (Mona Freeman). Having just seen a play about an errant wife, Amy misinterprets the attentions paid to her mother by young physician Steve Clark (Peter Hanson), leading to a bottomless reserve of whimsically comic complications. Long unavailable to TV due to legal hassles with the Barrie estate, Darling, How Could You has since lapsed into public domain, and is now more available than ever. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Fontaine, John Lund, (more)
In this gritty and violent period drama set in the depths of the Great Depression, Lee Marvin stars as "A No. 1", the acknowledged King of the Hoboes. A No. 1 is famous among his fellow tramps for his ability to catch a ride on any train, no matter how risky the hop or dangerous the guards. He acts as a sort of mentor for Cigaret (Keith Carradine), a young hobo who brags that some day he'll surpass A No. 1 in his accomplishments. But neither has had the courage to ride a train guarded by Shack (Ernest Borgnine), an unusually sadistic railroad cop who will brutally beat or even murder any man who tries to catch a ride on his train. A No. 1 is determined that no one, not even Cigaret, is going to deny him his title, so taking his life in his hands, he and Cigaret hop a ride on Shack's train, and they are soon bearing the full brunt of his violent nature. Emperor of the North features superb location photography by Joseph F. Biroc and a fine supporting cast, including Charles Tyner, Simon Oakland, Elisha Cook Jr., and Sid Haig. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, (more)
In an obvious attempt to recreate some of the power and impact of Henry King's Twelve O'Clock High, Lesley Selander's Flat Top tells its story in flashback as Dan Collier (Sterling Hayden), a senior officer, recalls from the bridge of the carrier Princeton during the Korean War, the first squadron he commanded on the ship during World War II. Arriving as green recruits, the men resent Collier's grounding the most dedicated man in the squadron (Keith Larsen) for ignoring a wave-off; even more so, they fail at first to understand his sometimes harsh efforts at preparing them for battle against the Japanese -- we also get to meet the various men of the squadron, who are mostly identified by what they did in civilian life -- William Schallert plays a poet-turned-pilot named "Longfellow"; John Bromfield plays an ex-football player nicknamed "Snakehips". Most of the conflict centers on Collier and his efforts to make a good executive officer out of Joe Rodgers (Richard Carlson), who was already in the navy when he transferred to aviation but is too concerned with being popular with the men to be a good commanding officer. Meanwhile, the pilots face various conflicts, psychological and personal, as they move toward the thick of battle. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sterling Hayden, Richard Carlson, (more)
Four Jills in a Jeep is the (mostly) true story of a four-girl USO team, entertaining American troops overseas. Kay Francis, Martha Raye, Carole Landis and Mitzi Mayfair play "themselves," recreating their recent whirlwind tour of Europe and North Africa. This wisp of a plot takes a back seat to the musical numbers performed by the four stars, by Dick Haymes in his screen debut as a singing GI, and by guest stars Alice Faye, Betty Grable and Carmen Miranda. Phil Silvers, George Jessel, and Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra also pop up to do their usual. Very much a time capsule of the War years, Four Jills in a Jeep was later adapted into a best-selling book, ostensibly written by costar Carole Landis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kay Francis, Carole Landis, (more)
- 1940
Reporter Albertson works to solve a murder case in order to clear his name and get a great story for his paper. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Albertson, Constance Moore, (more)
Not a remake of the 1934 Helen Morgan vehicle of the same title, Frankie and Johnny stars Elvis Presley as Johnny, a Mississippi gambler, and Beverly Hillbillies regular Donna Douglas as his girl friend Frankie. In keeping with the old ballad, the romance of Frankie and Johnny is threatened by the intervention of seductress Nellie Bly (Nancy Kovack). Nellie brings Johnny luck at the gaming tables while Frankie sees red. Frankie and Johnny was written by onetime Marx Brothers contributor Nat Perrin and directed by future Tonight Show helmsman Fred de Cordova. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elvis Presley, Donna Douglas, (more)
- 1942
Universal contractee Irene Hervey, generally required to stand by the sidelines while the leading men did all the acting, was given a vehicle of her very own with Frisco Lil. Irene plays a law student whose father is framed for a crime he didn't commit. Going undercover as a gambling-joint croupier, Harvey tries to sniff out the genuine crooks. She does, but it's fortunate that Kent Taylor is on hand to keep her from winding up in a cement kimono. Irene Hervey would continue to act into middle age, retiring periodically to devote herself to her family (she was married to singer Allan Jones, and was the mother of another vocalist, Jack Jones); in 1965, she popped up in a colorful recurring role on the TV series Honey West. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Irene Hervey, Kent Taylor, (more)
- 1939
Spunky Joan Blondell is practically the whole show in the diverting comedy Good Girls Go to Paris. Blondell is cast as ambitious college-campus waitress Jenny Swanson, who yearns to see the sights in Gay Paree. She gets her chance by latching onto British exchange professor Ronald Brooke (Melvyn Douglas), who is en route to the City of Light. Once she sets foot on French soil, Jenny proves the veracity of the film's title by straightening out the wayward family of dyspeptic millionaire Olaf Brand (Walter Connolly)-though for a while it looks as though she's a "bad girl", merely out to take the Brands for every penny they've got. In later years, Joan Blondell ruefully recalled that the film's original title was Good Girls Go to Paris Too, but the Hays Office nixed that harmlessly suggestive monicker. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Melvyn Douglas, Joan Blondell, (more)
- 1941
In their first 20th Century-Fox vehicle, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are cast respectively as the butler and chauffeur of wealthy young Dan Forrester (Dick Nelson). Tired of being pampered and coddled by his overprotective aunts (Mae Marsh, Ethel Gryffies), Dan is delighted when he is drafted into the Army. To make certain that no harm will befall their "frail" master, Stan and Ollie also don uniform and accompany Dan to US Cavalry training camp. While the boys get mixed up in one disaster after another-at one point, they find themselves behind a moving target on the rifle range-Dan pursues a romance with photo-shop proprietor Ginger Hammond (Sheila Ryan), much to the consternation of Ginger's erstwhile beau Sergeant Hippo (Edmund MacDonald). Convinced that Ginger is a gold-digger, Stan and Ollie try to break up the romance, to no avail. All plotlines are resolved during a climactic "sham battle", wherein Dan proves his courage and grit while Laurel & Hardy end up captured by the "enemy". Obviously inspired by the success of Abbott & Costello's Buck Privates (it's even more obvious in the earlier drafts of the script), Great Guns is a major letdown from Laurel & Hardy's previous starring features at Hal Roach Studios, with Stan and Ollie looking most uncomfortable as they mouth the inanities written for them by Lou Breslow. Still, a few good bits emerge, including a surrealistic routine with a faulty light bulb and an amusing bridge-building sequence. Watch for Alan Ladd in a jaunty bit role as a camera-store customer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, (more)
- 1968
Oliver (Eddie Albert) is upset that his cow Eleanor refuses to give milk. Agriculture agent Mr. Kimball suggests that Eleanor is lonely, and needs an appropriate mate. Thus, Oliver (Eddie Albert) goes out and buys an eligible bull named Dudley -- all of which angers Lisa (Eva Gabor), who rightly perceives that Eleanor can't stand Dudley, and that every girl (even a girl cow) should be allowed to make up her own mind in affairs of the heart! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Willock
- 1966
Remember the great New York City power blackout of November 9, 1965? Ever wonder what caused all the lights to go out? Well, according to this episode of Green Acres, the source of the power fizzle can be traced back to Hooterville, where, after months and months of waiting for his farm to be wired for electricity, Oliver Douglas (Eddie Albert) tries to do the job himself. The title of this episode refers to a sound effect that appears onscreen, Batman-style! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
In the first episode of a two-part story, Kimball (Alvy Moore), Eb (Tom Lester), and Arnold the pig prepare to fly to Washington. To save money, the trio has chosen an extremely low-cost airline, complete with an over-the-hill pilot and a septuagenarian flight attendant. But the real fun begins when Oliver (Eddie Albert) and Lisa (Eva Gabor) show up at the Pixley airport to bid their friends goodbye -- only to end up on the plane themselves! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dave Willock, Reed Hadley, (more)
- 1970
Lisa (Eva Gabor) has been behaving strangely of late -- that is to say, she is behaving more strangely than usual. Witnesses have seen her searching about for a job, and even standing in welfare soup lines. The neighbors naturally jump to the logical conclusion: Lisa's husband Oliver (Eddie Albert) has lost all his money. We said "logical" conclusion, however; we didn't say the "right" one. Victoria Meyerink makes her final series appearance as Lori Baker. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Victoria Meyerink, Dave Willock, (more)
