William Beaudine Movies
Director William Beaudine's long association with the lowest of low-budget "B" pictures in the talkie era has tended to obscure his largely worthwhile silent efforts. Breaking into films in 1909 as a jack-of-all-trades for director D.W. Griffith, Beaudine directed his first film in 1915. He was most comfortable with films requiring homespun charm, notably the Wesley Barry vehicles Penrod and Sam (1923) and The Country Kid (1923) and the Mary Pickford starrers Little Annie Rooney (1925) and Sparrows (1926) (the latter film also contained several scenes of convincing and masterfully handled horror). His best silent film was also one of his least typical: the 1926 location-filmed The Canadian, based on a story by Somerset Maugham. Making a successful transition to sound, Beaudine gained a reputation for swiftness and efficiency, earning him the soubriquet "One Shot" Beaudine (an appellation that was either affectionate or derogatory, depending upon whom one talked to). He accepted an offer to make films in England in 1934, spending three years turning out such productions as the Will Hay vehicle Windbag the Sailor (1937). Upon returning to Hollywood, Beaudine found that he'd been by and large forgotten, and was forced to restart his career at the bottom, accepting $500-per-picture gigs at Columbia, Monogram, and PRC. He had no pretensions about his "art" during this period: when advised that he was running over schedule on an East Side Kids epic, Beaudine exclaimed "You mean someone out there is actually waiting to see this?" Nevertheless, Beaudine survived and prospered on the new terms dealt him by Hollywood, directing such bottom-barrel efforts as the Kroger Babb exploitation classic Mom and Dad (1944), the imitation Martin and Lewis extravaganza Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (1955), and a brace of so-bad-they're-good horror "classics," Billy the Kid vs. Dracula (1966) and Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter (1966). On a more worthwhile note, Beaudine was one of the principal directors for the Lassie TV series of the late 1950s and early 1960s, a task that he passed on to his son William Beaudine Jr. At the time of his retirement in 1967, William "One Shot" Beaudine was the oldest active director in Hollywood. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The venerable John Carradine gets his first chance to play the fanged count in 20 years (the last time was House of Dracula), albeit in one of the weirdest scenarios ever committed to film. Arriving in the Wild West via stagecoach, Drac installs himself in the home of a pretty rancher (Melinda Plowman) by convincing her (through hypnosis) that he is her long-lost uncle. Unfortunately for the Count, one of her hired hands is none other than legendary outlaw Billy the Kid (Chuck Courtney), who has been trying to put his wicked ways behind him. Billy takes a shine to his boss but starts to have his suspicions about her creepy "uncle." Eventually, the reformed desperado straps on his six-guns again to do battle with the Count, ably assisted by the local sawbones who must be an acquaintance of Dr. Van Helsing, since he obviously knows such helpful arcane knowledge such as (gasp) "The Vampire Test!" A camp anti-classic from William "One-Shot" Beaudine, who shot it back-to-back with yet another Wild-West-Horror mutation, Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chuck Courtney, John Carradine, (more)
- 1965
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William "One Shot" Beaudine's companion piece to the equally nonsensical Billy the Kid vs. Dracula represents a memorable closing to the eccentric "Z"-movie auteur's amusing body of work. The hare-brained concept finds the legendary outlaw Jesse James (John Lupton) stumbling into the decrepit lair of Maria Frankenstein (Narda Onyx) -- not the daughter but the granddaughter of the infamous monster-making Baron. Maria is, of course, following in Grandpa's footsteps by creating a creature of her own, transplanting the dormant but still-intact brain of Frankenstein's original monster into the body of one of James' cohorts. The lumbering, homicidal monster -- imaginatively dubbed "Igor" -- begins terrorizing townsfolk until the inevitable showdown between living and undead gunslingers. Though not as flamboyantly awful as its predecessor (mainly due to the absence of John Carradine), this is still worth a look for trash-movie completists. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Lassie's Great Adventure is the feature-film version of a three-episode cliffhanger, originally presented on the Lassie television series. It all begins when the faithful collie accompanies his master Timmy (Jon Provost) to the market. While nosing around the vegetables, Lassie wanders into a van, which is promptly locked up. By the time she makes her escape, Lassie is hundreds of miles from home. Meanwhile, Timmy never gives up hope that his beloved Lassie will eventually return. Written by Sumner Long, Lassie's Great Adventure (original title: Lassie's Odyssey) was first telecast February 18, 24, and March 4, 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
This Disney family film presents a nice slice of American pie as it chronicles the exploits of an enterprising young man who enlists the aid of a dapper British fellow to put together a Little League baseball team. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1960
In the ninth episode of Walt Disney's ten-part miniseries Elfego Baca, frontier lawyer Baca (Robert Loggia) accepts a stallion in payment for helping beleagured cattleman Frank Oxford (Ray Teal). It seems that Rauls Kettrick (Barton MacLane), the town boss of Taota, refuses to return 50 head of Oxford's cattle which "wandered" onto Kettrick's land. Pursuing the case through the proper legal channels, Baca obtains a warrant to search Kettrick's property, but the warrant is not honored--and Taota's only lawyer, who is in Kettrick's pocket, refuses to take action. Thus it is that Baca must rely upon the strategies of his gunslinging days to bring justice to the situation. "Friendly Enemies at Law" was originally telecast as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
In the final episode of Walt Disney's ten-part miniseries Elfego Baca, frontier lawyer Baca (Robert Loggia) embarks upon a mission to bring fugitive gunslinger Gus Tomlin to justice. Upon hearing that Tomlin is dead, Baca is all for giving up the search -- until a citizen of the small town of Granite claims that Tomlin and his family are living on a farm under an assumed name. The father of a man allegedly killed by Tomlin begins forming a lynch mob, but Baca offers to personally bring Tomlin back for a fair trial -- if he lives long enough to do so. "Gus Tomlin Is Dead" was originally telecast as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
In the concluding episode of Walt Disney's two-part miniseries Moochie of Pop Warner Football, the Peewees football team is set to play in a big title game held at (where else?) Disneyland. Naturally, our hero Moochie Morgan (Kevin Corcoran) has his heart set on accompanying his teammates to Anaheim. Only one problem: If Moochie continues to get lousy grades in his American History class, he'll lose his eligibility. "From Ticonderoga to Disneyland" originally aired as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology and was later serialized on the syndicated version of The Mickey Mouse Club. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
In the first episode of Walt Disney's two-part miniseries Moochie of Pop Warner Football, diminutive Moochie Morgan (Kevin Corcoran) has put baseball aside to concentrate on the gridiron. Alas, in order to meet the 60-pound weight requirement to join Pop Warner Football League, Moochie must gain five pounds. Should he fail, he'd be forced to play in the Peewee league -- and their current isn't a team for that league in his small town. Then another crisis develops, this one of a political nature. "The Peewees vs. City Hall" originally aired as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology and was later serialized on the syndicated version of The Mickey Mouse Club. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
The first half of this Walt Disney Presents episode, "Rapids Ahead," is ostensibly a salute to John Wesley Powell, the first man to explore the Colorado River. The presence of such actors as Brian Keith and John Beal tips us off that this segment is actually a promo for the upcoming Disney theatrical feature Ten Who Dared, concentrating on the special photographic techniques required to complete the picture. The remainder of the episode is a full-length presentation of the Oscar-winning "True Life Adventure" short subject Bear Country (1953), filmed on location in Yellowstone National Park. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Keith, John Beal, (more)
- 1960
- G
Critics consistently consider this historical drama one of the worst films Disney ever made. It is the true-tale of ten heroes from the Civil War who ride down the raging Colorado in hopes of mapping it. The mission is led by the Major John Wesley Powell who lost an arm during the war. Their fateful 1869 river trip is arduous and long and in the end only six make it out of the Grand Canyon alive. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Keith, John Beal, (more)
- 1959
In the concluding episode of Walt Disney's two-part miniseries Moochie of the Little League, the Bobcats baseball team has successful prevented their ball field from being sold, and young Moochie Morgan (Kevin Corcoran) and several of his fellow Bobcats have been selected to play in an all-star game. Moochie's sister, Marian (Donna Corcoran), is none too happy over this, since if Moochie stays in town to play, the Morgan's annual vacation is off. Be that as it may, the day of the Big Game approaches, whereupon Moochie takes to wearing his "lucky socks" day and night. As indicated by the title of this episode, however, things don't go quite the way our hero had hoped. Originally telecast as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology, "Wrong Way Moochie" and the previous episode "A Diamond Is a Boy's Best Friend" were later edited together and released theatrically in Europe as Little League Moochie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
In the first episode of Walt Disney's two-part miniseries Moochie of the Little League, young Montgomery "Moochie" Morgan (Kevin Corcoran) spends his summer mornings delivering papers and his afternoons as a member of the Bobcats Little League team. Because of his diminutive size, he has spent most of the season on the bench but has been getting valuable pointers after each game from his dad (Russ Conway). Finally, Moochie gets his big chance to play in a crucial game -- just as word comes down that the Bobcats' baseball field is up for sale. Originally telecast as part of the Walt Disney Presents anthology, "A Diamond Is a Boy's Best Friend" and the next episode "Wrong Way Moochie" were later edited together and released theatrically in Europe as Little League Moochie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1958
This is the very last entry in the long-running Bowery Boys saga. This time the gang gets involved with English diamond smugglers after they are hired to safely escort a valuable poodle on a Transatlantic voyage. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1957
In this entry in the long-running "Bowery Boys" series Sach sells his soul to the Devil so he can atone for spending a charity fund at the track. The bargain enables the young man to successfully predict winning horses at the track. Soon Sach finds himself pursued by greedy mobsters who want him to work with them. Sach demurs and then ends up riding a horse in the big race. Despite his efforts to force the steed to slow down and lose, it wins. Fortunately, the horse is disqualified because Sach was an illegal rider. This has the added benefit of proving the Devil wrong and nullifying their contract. To pay for his crimes, Sach must work in a diner. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1956
Timed to coincide with the 1956 reissue of Walt Disney's 1948 theatrical feature Song of the South, this episode of Disneyland offers a dramatization of the early life of "Uncle Remus" creator Joel Chandler Harris. Played by David Stollery, best known as Marty Markham in the Mickey Mouse Club serial "The Adventures of Spin and Marty", young Joel develops a taste for storytelling and an appreciation of the environment under the guidance of friendly Southern newspaper publisher J.A. Turner (Jonathan Hale). But it is Turner's black servant Herbert (Sam McDaniel) who inspires Joel to spin yarns about such animal characters as Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Bear--stories related in a thick, stereotypical accent (which probably wouldn't pass muster in the race-conscious 21st century), each one illustrating a moral or life lesson in a humorous fashion. The episode is sprinkled throughout with excerpts from the animated sequences of Song of the South, with the "Tar Baby" sequence intact, and with full-out renditions of two of the film's songs, "Let the Rain Pour Down" and "That's What Uncle Remus Says." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1956
In this classic Disneyland episode, host Walt Disney explains that anything is possible in an animated cartoon so long as one establishes "suspension of disbelief" (sometimes literally, as when Mickey Mouse stands in mid-air without realizing that he's in danger of falling). This technique is traced back to the ancient legends and myths of the Egyptians, Greek and Chinese, then is brought up to date with the Mickey Mouse cartoon short Thru the Mirror and a lecture on "The Creation and Believability of Animated Characters"--delivered by none other than Donald Duck. The episode's highlight is the first-ever exhibition of the animated pencil tests for the "soup sequence", a segment conceived for, but ultimately removed from, Disney's first feature-length cartoon Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Walt Disney
- 1956
This Disneyland episode served to promote the upcoming theatrical feature Westward Ho the Wagons, with that film's star, Fess Parker, acting as narrator. After a brief segment in which host Walt Disney relates the history of the Oregon Trail (the pioneer route from Kansas City to the Pacific Coast), the episode segues into a dramatized sequence, combining footage from the feature film as well as some freshly-shot vignettes. Several of the actors appearing in Westward Ho the Wagons repeat their roles in this portion of the program, in which the preparations made by settlers to undertake the 2000-mile westard trek along the Oregon Trail are meticulously detailed. Also heard are two songs from the film, the title number and "Pioneer's Prayer" (the film's popular ditty "Wringle Wrangle" was reserved for a special presentation of Disney's The Mickey Mouse Club. Ironically, while one of the stars of the Westward Ho the Wagons, George Reeves of Superman fame, does not appear in "The Oregon Trail", Phyllis Coates, who'd previously played Lois Lane to Reeves' Clark Kent, shows up in an important supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fess Parker, Jeff York, (more)
- 1956
Disney's Westward Ho, the Wagons is a leisurely paced western which seems more like a collection of anecdotes than a unified whole. Fess "Davy Crockett" Parker stars as head wagon scout Doc Grayson, who shepherds a group of travellers through hostile Indian territory. Preferring to use brains rather than bullets, Grayson is able to ward off an Indian attack through a clever--if costly--diversion. A later crisis is averted when Doc, an amateur physician (hence his nickname), saves the life of a seriously injured chief's son. The action highlights are superbly staged by Yakima Canutt, though not quite as exciting as they should be. Kathleen Crowley costars as Doc's erstwhile sweetheart Laura, while George Reeves, his face obscured by a full beard, makes an effective break from his Superman image as wagon leader James Stephen. The fact that Westward Ho, the Wagons featuerd several of Disney's Mouseketeers (Karen Pendleton, Cubby O'Brien, Doreen Tracy, Tommy Cole) in the supporting cast was plugged to death on TV's Mickey Mouse Club, as was the film's hit song "Wringle, Wrangle". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fess Parker, Kathleen Crowley, (more)
- 1955
Another of Disneyland's "Fantasyland" segments, this one-hour episode traces the history of cartoon animation from 1906 to the mid-1950s. The program begins with clips from J. Stuart Blackton's pioneering Humorous Phases of Funny Faces, then moves on to highlights from Winsor McKay's "interractive" 1914 cartoon Gertie the Dinosaur. Thereafter, the emphasis is on the output of the Disney studio, from the modest "Laugh-o-Grams" of the 1920s to such sophisticated animated features as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Lady and the Tramp. Conspicuous by its absence is the brilliant animation of Disney's chief rival Max Fleischer. "The Story of the Animated Drawing" was later distributed for classroom use as the educational short The History of Animation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1955
In this entry in the long-running series, the Bowery Boys must help a reporter who was beaten up during an undercover investigation at a local prison. With the consent of the reporter's editor, the boys pull off a phony jewel caper and two of them are imprisoned. In the pokey, they learn that the editor is the real thief and that they really are in prison. Hijinks ensue until they expose a scam surrounding prison guards on the take from inmates who pay them to give them easier jobs. This allows them to prove their innocence and eventually expose the evil editor. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1955
This Bowery Boys opus gets under way when Sach (Huntz Hall) is informed that he is heir to a fortune. Sach and his buddy Slip (Leo Gorcey) head to the mansion of the late Terwilliger Debussy Jones to sign the necessary legal papers. Here they discover that the rightful heir is young Terwilliger III (Ronald Keith), who is being cheated out of his legacy by crooked relative Stuyvesant Jones (Dayton Lummis) and his confederate Clarissa (Amanda Blake). After all sorts of slapstick complications, honesty prevails. Believe it or not, High Society earned an Academy Award nomination for "Best Original Story," all because the Academy confused this Bowery Boys endeavor with the big-budget Frank Sinatra/Bing Crosby/Grace Kelly musical of the same name. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, (more)
- 1954
Paris Playboys was lensed on the same sets used for the Bowery Boys' previous opus Loose in London, indicating that Allied Artists was nothing if not cosmopolitan. This time, Sach (Huntz Hall) turns out to be the exact double of brilliant French scientist Le Beau (also Huntz Hall). The mistaken-identity gimmick results in Sach, his fellow Bowery Boys Slip (Leo Gorcey), Chuck (David Condon) and Butch (Bennie Bartlett), and sweet-shop owner Louie (Bernard Gorcey) being whisked off to Paris, where Sach is expected to duplicate Le Beau's revolutionary new rocket fuel. It must needs be that the real Le Beau emerges from hiding to thoroughly confuse Slip et. al. Adding to the merriment are a bunch of foreign spies, headed by the always disreputable Steven Geray. Though out of favor with most Bowery Boys aficionados, Paris Playboys comes through with the usual quota of bellylaughs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, (more)
- 1954
Director William "One Take" Beaudine never turned down a job from anyone. So when the Protestant Film Commission called him up to work on City Story, he was on the set bright and early the first morning of shooting, and was still there when production wrapped a week or so later. The plot concerns clergyman Warner Anderson, whose church is suffering from a dip in attendance. Trying to figure out how to attract the rough-hewn juvenile delinquent contingent, Anderson turns to an unusual source for advice. That source is young prison inmate June Kenney, who since her incarceration has seen the light and is spreading the Word to her fellow prisoners. The sincerity that went into City Story compensates for its seedy production values. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1954
In this north-western set in the Yukon, a Mountie must investigate the violent deaths of three mail carriers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
