Lynton Brent Movies
A dignified-looking young character actor, Lynton Brent began his career on the stage, appearing in plays such as The Student Prince, Paid in Full, and as Laertes in Hamlet before entering films in 1930. Handsome enough in an average kind of way, Brent played such supporting roles as reporters (King Kong [1933]), radio operators (Streamline Express [1935]), and again Laertes, in the play-within-the-film I'll Love You Always ([1935], Garbo's interpreter Sven Hugo Borg was Hamlet!). Today, however, Brent is mainly remembered for his many roles in Columbia short subjects opposite the Three Stooges. His dignity always in shambles by the denouement, Brent was a welcome addition to the stock company, which at the time also included such comparative (and battle scarred) veterans as Bud Jamison and Vernon Dent. Leaving the short subject department in the early '40s, Brent played everyone from henchmen to lawmen in scores of B-Westerns and action melodramas, more often than not unbilled. He worked well into the television era, retiring in the late '60s. Offscreen, Brent was an accomplished architect and painter. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1940
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Fred Harmon's popular comic strip and radio hero Red Ryder came to the screen in this above-average Republic serial directed by the team of William Witney and John English. Don Barry, until this film mainly playing villains, was cast in the title-role, a rancher organizing the local land owners in opposition to crooked banker Calvin Drake (Harry Woods) and his chief henchman Ace Hanlon (Noah Beery, Sr.). Having learned that the Santa Fe Railroad is planning to build a line through the town of Mesquite, Drake and Hanlon are attempting to buy all the surrounding land by any means possible, including murder. When Colonel Ryder (William Farnum), Red's father, is murdered by Drake's hired killers, Red teams of with his young Native American pal Little Beaver (Tommy Cook) and lovely Beth Andrews (Vivian Coe) aka Vivian Austin), the daughter of another murder victim, Sheriff Andrews (Lloyd Ingraham). With the new sheriff (Carleton Young) in the employ of Drake and Hanlon, it takes the combined efforts of Red, Little Beaver, Cherokee (Hal Taliaferro, formerly Wally Wales) and "The Duchess" (Maude Pierce Allen), Red's indomitable aunt, to bring the villains to justice in the 12th and final chapter, "Frontier Justice." According to co-director Witney, a staged fire went out of control during the filming of this serial, almost burning the soundstage to the ground. Although highly praised by reviewers and audiences alike, Don Barry, whom some observers compared favorably to James Cagney, hated the role and balked at playing it again. Consequently, when Republic inaugurated a regular series in 1944, William Elliot played Ryder. But so popular was Barry's original rendition of the role that he would henceforth be known as Don "Red" Barry. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1936
The Three Stooges play slap-happy exterminators in this comic short. The Lightning Pest Control Company is having trouble staying afloat. "This rat-catching business is going to the dogs!" moans manager A. Mouser. He calls for his three workers -- Moe, Larry and Curly -- and tells them to go out and drum up some jobs. Their first stop is at a mansion where a matron (former silent star Clara Kimball Young) is entertaining a large group of guests who are preparing for a fox hunt. The boys secretly release ants on the food, mice on the curtains and moths in the closet. When they finally ring the doorbell, the butler is more than happy to see them. The matron insists on putting them in jodhpurs so that her guests won't know that her home is infested with vermin. So attired as equestrians, the Stooges create mayhem amongst the society folk -- mice pop up in the most curious places and Curly tries eating a poppy seed cake (the seeds are actually the ants), much to Moe's consternation. At the matron's insistence, they've hidden the cats they've brought in the piano, which causes serious problems when a certain Mr. Repulso tries to play a song. The piano winds up smashed on the floor, covered in Stooges. As it turns out, the guests think they're entertainers and congratulate the matron on finding them. The Stooges are invited to the hunt, but before they can even begin, Curly -- whose nose is stuffed up from a cold -- finds the fox. But it's not a fox, it's a skunk. Moe, Larry and one of the horses faint from the smell. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
A mystery man works behind the scenes in this tuneful Roy Rogers western in which the local theatre owner attempts to ruin the honest businessmen of Deadwood. Even the sheriff, Jordan (Monte Blue), answers to nasty Jake Marvel (Ralf Harolde), whose reign of terror forces the decent people to become outlaws themselves. Enter Bill Brady, aka Brett Starr (Rogers), a sharpshooter with Professor Mortimer "Gabby" Blackstone's (George "Gabby" Hayes) traveling medicine show. Although a fugitive from justice, Bill comes to the aid of the beleaguered citizens, discovering along the way that a trusted friend isn't quite who he claims to be. Roy sings his own and Fred Rose's "Sundown on the Rangeland", Rose and Ray Whitley's "The call of the Dusty Trail" and Jule Styne and Sol Meyer's "Joe O'Grady". ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roy Rogers, George "Gabby" Hayes, (more)
- 1943
Bob Kane's 1939 Detective Comics superhero The Batman came to the screens in serial form courtesy of Columbia Pictures and producer Rudolph C. Flothow. In time-honored serial fashion, Flothow chose Lewis Wilson for the title role, a relative newcomer, but one with an amazing facial resemblance to the cartoon character. Wilson's athletic ability, however, left a lot to be desired and Douglas Croft, cast as young sidekick Robin, the Boy Wonder, looked too old for his role, especially when doubled by a hairy-legged stunt man. For censorship purposes, the serial Bruce Wayne was not a lone Gotham millionaire crusader but gainfully employed by the Unites States government. Said government is terrorized by evil Dr. Daka (J. Carroll Naish), an emissary from Emperor Hirohito complete with atom-smasher ray guns and a device that turns its wearers into zombies. (The device, placed on the skull of its victim, resembles something from a child's Erector set.) Batman and Robin are aided by lovely Linda Page (Shirley Patterson), whose uncle (Gus Glassmire) becomes one of Dr. Daka's first victims. From the Bat Cave, the three crusaders and Wayne's butler, Alfred (William Austin), venture forth to battle the forces of evil in general and a scenery-chewing Naish in particular -- travelling in a convertible and not the later so familiar batmobile. It takes them 15 chapters and a race through an amusement park to finally destroy the evil Daka and the title of the concluding chapter, "Doom of the Rising Sun," must have brought a ray of hope to a war-weary populace. The Batman was directed by Lambert Hillyer, a veteran who knew something about bats from having previously helmed Dracula's Daughter. The serial was popular enough to merit a sequel, although it would take six more years until Columbia debuted The New Adventures of Batman and Robin (1949). ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lewis Wilson, Michael Vallon, (more)
- 1936
Novelist Ursula Parrott's biggest best-seller was 1928's Ex-Wife; less successful was her subsequent book Brilliant Marriage, which may be why poverty-row Invincible Pictures was able to afford the movie rights. Ray Walker plays a slimy reporter who dredges up a scandal in the past of a well-to-do family. In pursuit of his story, Walker romances the family's pretty and vulnerable daughter Joan Marsh. Soured on all men, Marsh refuses to believe that her rich sweetheart John Marlowe is sincere. He is, but she's doesn't tumble to this for nearly an hour. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Marsh, Ray Walker, (more)
- 1939
In this typical Columbia two-reel comedy, the Three Stooges play dog groomers whose chief client, Symona Boniface's pooch Garçon, has been kidnapped by thieves masquerading as reporters. Never without resolve, the Stooges try to pass off a mutt as Garçon but Symona is no fool. They then enlist the help of a team of bloodhounds who leads them straight to the kidnappers' hideout -- where Garçon is caring for "his" litter. Written by Thea Goodman, Searle Kramer, and the tireless Elwood Ullman, this Stooges comedy was the second to be directed by the team's producer, Jules White. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1943
Wild Bill comes to the rescue when his friend needs him to take care of a crook in this western. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
Donald Barry plays the legendary outlaw of the title in this Roy Rogers Western which, needless to say, plays fast and loose with history. Returning to Missouri from the gold fields of California, Gabby Whittaker (George "Gabby" Hayes) is persuaded by his granddaughter, Mary (Pauline Moore), to deposit his earnings in the Northfield bank, which is then promptly robbed. Assigned by the Bankers' Association to track down the presumed culprits, Jesse James and his brother Frank (Harry Worth), Roy Rogers soon learns that the Jameses are innocent in this particular crime, which was instead committed by the bank's greedy president, Sam Wyatt (Arthur Loft). Before Rogers can capture the wily banker, he must contend with the interference of Captain Worthington (Harry Woods), a railroad detective more interested in pocketing the 50,000-dollar reward than see justice done. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roy Rogers, George "Gabby" Hayes, (more)
Eccentric professor Einfeld (Lee Kohlmar) is lecturing a select group of scientists at a darkened planetarium when one of the spectators is shot to death. Homicide detective Ted Mallory (Russell Hopton) can't get a straight story from the witnesses and refuses to allow reporter Kay Palmer (Lola Lane) to file her story until he can determine the direction from which the murderer fired the shots. Kay manages to phone in her story anyway, putting Mallory on the spot with the DA. Burying the hatchet, Mallory and Kay combine forces to nab the killer and expose his diabolically clever method of firing a gun without being present in the room! Though filmed on a tiny budget, Death from a Distance is an impressively spooky whodunit, benefitting immeasurably from the special-effects expertise of Jack Cosgrove. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Russell Hopton, Lola Lane, (more)
- 1940
Eduardo Cianelli (his first name changed to "Edward" on this occasion) is the not-so-mysterious title character in the 15-chapter Republic serial The Mysterious Dr. Satan. A criminal genius, Dr. Satan has developed a "killer robot" to do his bidding. In order to perfect his invention, he must get his hands on a secret remote-control device invented by kindly Professor Thomas Scott (C. Montague Shaw). His efforts along this line-including the period abduction of Scott's pretty daughter Lois (Ella Neal)-are constantly stymied by the Copperhead, a masked do-gooder who in reality is handsome hero Bob Wayne (Robert Wilcox). Jam-packed with fast action and dizzying plot twists, The Mysterious Dr. Satan was one of the best and most often-revived Republic serials of the early 1940s. A feature-length abridgement, Dr. Satan's Robot, was prepared for televison in 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Wilcox
- 1946
Monogram added several songs and a barn dance to this otherwise standard Johnny Mack Brown hay burner, in which the veteran cowboy star comes to the aid of a beleaguered female rancher. Just "drifting along," Steve Garner (Mack Brown) obtains the job of foreman on a spread belonging to pretty Pat McBride (Lynne Carver). Unbeknownst to Pat, local banker Jack Dailey (Douglas Fowley) not only holds the mortgage on the ranch but is also the man responsible for the death of Pat's father. Aided by old-timer Pawnee Jones (Raymond Hatton), Steve begins an investigation into Dailey's dirty dealings and barely escapes an accusation of rustling. In order to elude the law, Dailey plans to have Steve arrested for murdering one of his henchmen, Lou Woods (Steve Clark), but the scheme backfires and the sheriff (Jack Rockwell) instead apprehends Dailey and his gang. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Mack Brown, Lynne Carver, (more)
- 1935
Alice Faye, Frances Langford, and Patsy Kelly play three humble factory workers (with a Hollywoodized wardrobe beyond the budget of any genuine factory girl) who occasionally sing together for the fun of it. They harbor dreams of becoming famous, but the prospect isn't likely until bandleader George Raft hears the girls harmonizing. He promotes the girls into top radio stars, while each of the girls entertains romantic thoughts about Raft. (And yes, he does win one of them romantically, at the end of the picture). The likable but unimportant Every Night at Eight sparked a minor controversy in the rarefied world of 1960s film criticism. "Auteur" theorist Andrew Sarris pointed out a brief scene in which star George Raft awakens from a nightmare, cited other such scenes in the work of director Raoul Walsh, and used this "evidence" to support his theory that Walsh was a true auteur who left his "signature" on each of his films. Anti-auterist Pauline Kael spoke for many when she advised Sarris to go fly a kite. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Raft, Alice Faye, (more)
- 1936
On the threshold of international fame as mature cowboy hero Hopalong Cassidy, William Boyd made three low-budget action-melodramas for independent company Winchester Pictures, the last of which, Federal Agent, featured the prematurely graying star as Bob Woods, a G-Man looking into the death of a colleague. As Bob learns, Recard Kantos (Don Alvarado), a vicious foreign spy, and his wife, Vilma (Lenita Lane), intend to buy a newly invented explosive capable of destroying the entire world. Turning to one of Kantos' disgruntled associates, Helen Gray (Irene Ware), Bob gets the inside scoop on the spy ring but ends up its prisoner. Helen, who proves to be the daughter of the murdered agent, manages to pass a knife to Bob and there is a final confrontation between the G-Man and his dangerous prey. Federal Agent, which was filmed in 1935 and released the following year by Republic Pictures, proved William Boyd's final non-Hopalong Cassidy starring vehicle. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles A. Browne, Irene Ware, (more)
- 1934
A much-married man of the world is found murdered in this typical low-budget whodunit and each and every one of his fifteen wives seems to have possessed a motive. When Steven Humboldt is found dead in his apartment everyone but Homicide Inspector Decker Dawes (Conway Tearle) assumes he has committed suicide -- presumably from over exaltation. But as Dawes learns, a hydro cyanic gas stored in a glass bowl designated to break under certain sound waves had done the trick. Dawes investigation soon concentrates on the wives in general and Mrs. Sybilla Crum (Margaret Dumont), a lady evangelist, in particular. But Mrs. Crum also ends up dead and the case suddenly takes an unexpected turn. Based on an original screenplay by Charles S. Belden, of Mystery of the Wax Museum fame, and Flash Gordon's Frederick Stephani, Fifteen Wives was produced by small-scale Chesterfield-Invincible on rented sets at Universal. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Conway Tearle, Natalie Moorhead, (more)
- 1941
Fools of Desire is a tacky but entertaining "exploitationer", originally filmed in 1938 or thereabouts as It's All in Your Mind. In his only starring film role, Byron Foulger plays milquetoast Wilbur Crane, driven from his home and hearth by his battleaxe wife Martha (Betty Roadman). Desperate to prove his manhood, Wilbur has a one-night affair with brassy blonde Dorothy (Constance Bergen). Alas, our hero has fallen victim to a shakedown scheme, cooked up by Dorothy and her sleazy blackmailer boyfriend Danny (Lynton Brent). Considered pretty racy stuff back in 1941, Fools of Desire is about as sexy as a pair of gym shoes when seen today; its sole redeeming factor is the virtuoso performance of Byron Foulger, one of Hollywood's most reliable character actors. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Byron Foulger, Constance Bergen, (more)
The "Rough Riders"-Buck Jones, Tim McCoy and Raymond Hatton-are back in the saddle in Forbidden Trails. As was customary, the stars play three wildly diverse types who are apparently strangers to one another when the film begins. In this instance, Buck Roberts (Jones) is a dude gambler, Tim McCall (McCoy) is head driver for a stagecoach line, and Sandy Hopkins (Hatton) is a desert rat who's apparently in cahoots with a pair of escaped outlaws. By Reel Four, however, it is obvious that Buck, Tim and Sandy are secretly working together to thwart the villains. In the film's most exciting scene, Buck is trapped in a burning shack while a contingent of well-armed bandits block his escape. Future "Three Stooges" heroine Christine McIntyre is the leading lady on this occasion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, (more)
- 1941
When millionaire Peter Hedley Lamar Jr. (Buster Keaton) is smitten by the loveliness of an Army nurse (Dorothy Appleby), he decides to enlist because the woman will pay attention only to soldiers. Once in the service, however, he spends most of his time cleaning spittoons and fending off the advances of another, more predatory nurse (Elsie Ames) -- although the two do engage in a show-stopping song-and-dance routine. He eventually manages to get himself sufficiently injured to be put in the hospital near his beloved and, despite the further efforts of the rival nurse, he is able to rescue his girl from a lunatic and win her affection. ~ Nicole Gagne, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Buster Keaton
- 1946
In one of his better Monogram Westerns, Johnny Mack Brown goes up against a crooked saloon owner with more than one murder on his conscience. Steve Corbin (Tristram Coffin) and his gang of cutthroats are terrorizing the townspeople of Rimrock, who in self-defense hire Johnny Macklin (Mack Brown) as new town marshal. Corbin, meanwhile, kills a miner for his claim and threatens the local newspaper editor, Diane Foster (Reno Browne), who happens to be the daughter of Macklin's deputy, Idaho Jim Foster (Raymond Hatton). When a compromised jury returns a not guilty verdict, Macklin has Corbin transferred to the county seat but the villain manages to escape after killing a couple of witnesses. Naturally, the hero quickly hunts him down, restoring peace and tranquility to Rimrock. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1937
Gene Autry gets into a heated fight with an oil company in this very tuneful early entry in the Autry oeuvre, restored in 2001 under the auspices of Gene Autry Entertainment. Gene, who believes the oil wells will pollute the grazing land, is feuding with broadcaster Doris Maxwell (Judith Allen), whose banker father (William Farnum) has embezzled $25,000 to fund a local drilling project. Our hero, however, changes his mind when news arrives of a railroad to be built if and when the well comes in. He also discovers that George Wilkins (Weldon Heyburn), the oil-drilling superintendent, has framed old man Maxwell and is now claiming the well to be dry in order to take over the operation himself. In addition to Harris Heyman and Snyde Miller's title tune and Jean Schwartz and William Jerome's "Chinatown My Chinatown, Git Along Little Dogie includes a sing-along of such standard melodies as "Red River Valley" and She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain", complete with on-screen lyrics for audience participation. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, (more)
- 1938
When mild-mannered bank clerk Wilbur Meely (Joe Penner) finds himself stuck in a speeding trailer after a bank robbery gone wrong, he doesn't think the situation could get much worse than it already is. Unbeknownst to him, however, both the police department and his domineering wife Carol (Lucille Ball) think he's the the one who initiated the robbery. Oblivious to the fact that Wilbur has actually been captured by the true theives, Carol (Ball) and the cops head off in hot pursuit. Go Chase Yourself was directed by Edward F. Cline and also features actors June Travis, Richard Lane, Fritz Feld, Tom Kennedy, Granville Bates, and Bradley Page. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Penner, Lucille Ball, (more)
After retiring from a boxing career, Johnny Cave (James Cagney) accepts an appointment to serve as head of the Bureau of Weights and Measures. However, when he discovers that his organization is full of corruption and lies, he sets out to uncover the scam, much to the dismay of his girlfriend, Janet (Mae Clarke), and his underhanded coworkers. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Cagney, Mae Clarke, (more)
- 1934
In this drama, a teenage girl threatened by a man who wants to steal her virtue, kills him. She is taken to court and her lawyer ends up laying the blame upon the girl's narrow minded mother who did not provide proper sex-education for the girl. The distraught teen winds up jumping out of a window. She never knows that the jury found her not-guilty. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glen Boles, Donald Keith, (more)
At 70 minutes, the Roy Rogers musical western Idaho was packaged and promoted as a "special", rather than just another B-flick. The story concerns the efforts by kindly judge Grey (Harry Shannon) to establish a "Boy's Town"-style establishment for wayward youngsters. The judge is opposed by gambling-house proprietress Belle Bonner (Ona Munson), who is a prositute in everything but name. Belle hopes to discredit Grey by revealing the judge's criminal record, but state ranger Roy Rogers comes to the rescue. The climax finds Rogers, heroine Terry Grey (Virginia Grey) and the ex-delinquent kids (played by members of the Robert Mitchell Boy Choir) capturing Belle's bandit gang. Gabby Hayes, Roy Rogers' former sidekick, is conspicuous by his absence in Idaho; Hayes was replaced on this occasion by the ubiquitous Smiley Burnette, as always cast as "Froggy Millhouse." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roy Rogers, Smiley Burnette, (more)
- 1936
Playwright Greg Stone (Reginald Denny) spends most of his spare time at the theater where his latest effort is in rehearsals. Stone's new play is a murder mystery, but the various backstage habitues are every bit as suspicious and sinister as the characters onstage. Sure enough, life imitates art when both of the producers are murdered in a manner strikingly similar to a pair of killings in Stone's play. Naturally, this places our hero under suspicion, forcing him to turn amateur sleuth to track down the real culprit. Evelyn Brent, who like Reginald Denny was a major star in silent pictures, is featured as the victims' feisty secretary, in love with Greg Stone but averse to admitting it. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Reginald Denny, Evelyn Brent, (more)
