Douglas Fowley Movies
Born and raised in the Greenwich Village section of New York, Douglas Fowley did his first acting while attending St. Francis Xavier Military Academy. A stage actor and night club singer/dancer during the regular theatrical seasons, Fowley took such jobs as athletic coach and shipping clerk during summer layoff. He made his first film, The Mad Game, in 1933. Thanks to his somewhat foreboding facial features, Fowley was usually cast as a gangster, especially in the Charlie Chan, Mr. Moto and Laurel and Hardy "B" films churned out by 20th Century-Fox in the late 1930s and early 1940s. One of his few romantic leading roles could be found in the 1942 Hal Roach "streamliner" The Devil with Hitler. While at MGM in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Fowley essayed many roles both large and small, the best of which was the terminally neurotic movie director in Singin' in the Rain (1952). Fowley actually did sit in the director's chair for one best-forgotten programmer, 1960's Macumba Love, which he also produced. On television, Fowley made sporadic appearances as Doc Holliday in the weekly series Wyatt Earp (1955-61). In the mid-1960s, Fowley grew his whiskers long and switched to portraying Gabby Hayes-style old codgers in TV shows like Pistols and Petticoats and Detective School: One Flight Up, and movies like Homebodies (1974) and North Avenue Irregulars (1979); during this period, the actor changed his on-screen billing to Douglas V. Fowley. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1933
A man on the wrong side of the law has a chance to turn over a new leaf in this crime drama. Edward Carson (Spencer Tracy) is a gangster who made a fortune in bootlegging; however, his lawyer turned on him and set him up on a tax evasion charge that earned him a long stay in prison. While Carson is in stir, prohibition is repealed, and with illegal booze no longer a money-maker, Carson's underlings take up kidnapping as a way to earn a living. When the gang abducts Thomas and Lila Penfield (Howard Lally and Mary Mason) -- the son and daughter of Judge Penfield (Ralph Morgan), who presided at the trial that put Carson behind bars -- Carson is given a chance to redeem himself. He's released on the condition that he help the police track down his former partners in crime before the Judge's children can be harmed. Jane Lee (Claire Trevor), a crusading journalist covering the kidnapping, gets to know Carson, and before long, they develop a close bond both professionally and personally. Keep an eye peeled for Kathleen Burke, who won a substantial cult following for her performance the same year as Lota the Panther Woman in the horror classic The Island of Lost Souls. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Spencer Tracy, Claire Trevor, (more)
- 1934
In this comedy, a wealthy socialite pursues a carefree playboy who isn't at all interested in her. After all her regular attention-getting ploys fail, the woman fakes a drowning accident in the hopes that he will save her. She is instead rescued by a brutish sailor whom she begins introducing to her blue-blooded buddies. She bets that she can make the salt socially acceptable. She first gets the man a job in her uncle's brokerage house. Next she begins cleaning him up and making him socially presentable. He goes along with the whole thing until he discovers the truth. The enraged fellow winds up injured in a car wreck. The girl suddenly feels empathy for the poor sap; she also realizes that she really loves him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chester Morris, Mae Clarke, (more)
- 1934
Student Tour looks like an MGM musical two-reeler that was expanded to feature length as it went along. Charles Butterworth and Jimmy Durante are teamed respectively as fey philosophy professor Lippincott and brash athletic coach Hank. The two comics shepherd a co-ed college rowing team on a world tour, with orders to keep the team's rowdy captain Bobby (Phil Regan) out of trouble. Lackluster leading lady Maxine Doyle co-stars as Ann, a plain-jane who takes off her glasses at a Monte Carlo masquerade ball and wins BMOC Bobby for her very own. Ann also brings the story to a rousing conclusion by substituting for the cockswain in the climatic rowing race, urging the team to victory with a peppy song-and-dance. Nelson Eddy also shows up to sing "The Carlo," a pulsating number obviously inspired by "Bolero." The film's giddy highlight is "Taj Mahal," in which a group of pretty students (including a young Betty Grable) go swimming in the pool of the famous Indian shrine! According to studio publicity, a crop of genuine college coeds were hired to play the students in Student Tour, but to the trained eye they sure look like standard Hollywood extras and bit players. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jimmy Durante, Charles Butterworth, (more)
- 1934
In this musical, a radio-announcer is fired after giving a false interview. For consolation he begins to drink heavily. It is his girlfriend who helps him sober up when she provides him with a major scoop--a missing airplane. He enthusiastically sets out after it and eventually finds it. As a publicity stunt, he skydives to the downed plane while broadcasting live. Songs include: Talking To Myself," "I Ain't Gonna Sin No More," "Gift Of Gab," "Somebody Looks Good," "Don't Let This Waltz Mean Goodbye," "Walkin' On Air," "What A Wonderful Day," "Tomorrow--Who Cares?" and "Blue Sky Avenue." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edmund Lowe, Gloria Stuart, (more)
- 1934
If you can accept blonde, blue-eyed Marion Davies disguising herself in blackface, chances are you'll swallow the rest of Operator 13. Davies plays a Belle Boyd-like actress who agrees to become a Northern spy during the Civil War. She assumes the identity of an octoroon servant and heads into Southern territory. Marion meets dashing Confederate captain Gary Cooper, and instantly falls in love with him. Later, she assumes the disguise of a Southern belle to prevent Cooper from recruiting Southern sympathizers in the north. This time Cooper falls for Davies, which makes it hard for her to carry out her mission. After several more reels of espionage and romantic interludes, including a gently kinky sequence in which Cooper and Davies are handcuffed together, the lovers part company, promising to meet again when the war is over. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Cooper, Marion Davies, (more)
- 1934
Originally titled Eadie was a Lady, this Jean Harlow vehicle was slated for release under the title Born to be Kissed, but the new Production Code vetoed this "suggestive" cognomen. After a brief and uncomfortable period as One Hundred Percent Pure, the film was finally shipped to theaters as The Girl From Missouri. Harlow plays Eadie, a sexy gold-digger who promises to remain chaste until she finds a wealthy husband. Travelling to New York in the company of her best friend Kitty (Patsy Kelly), Eadie manages to keep that promise, though for a while it looks as though she'll succumb to the charms of playboy T. R. Paige Jr. (Franchot Tone). Once Paige has proven that his intentions are basically honorable, Eadie must break down the resistance of T. R. Paige Sr. (Lionel Barrymore), who is dead-set against his son's romance and intends to frame the girl in a compromising position. She gets even with Paige Sr. by framing him, but there's still a couple of reels to go before the happy ending. Except for some provocative costuming, Jean Harlow's character is essentially decent, thereby "cleansing" some of the more risque elements of this enjoyable romantic comedy. The film's best line is delivered by Patsy Kelly who, when propositioned by an elderly roue, snarls "Look at this! Death takes a holiday!" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Harlow, Lionel Barrymore, (more)
- 1935
Based on Frederick Hazlett Brennan's play Battleship Gertie, Miss Pacific Fleet is short and snappy "gobs and gals" affair. At the urging of gold-digging showgirls Gloria Foy (Joan Blondell) and Mae O'Brien (Glenda Farrell), goofy promoter Augustus Frietag (Hugh Herbert) comes up with a "Miss Pacific Fleet" contest, with each 10-cent purchase at a seaside amusement park representing one vote. Hundreds of sailors participate in the voting process, including Kewpie Wiggins (Allen Jenkins), who hopes that his "goil" Gloria will emerge the winner -- whereupon she and Mae will confiscate the money collected and skeedaddle to New York. Naturally, there are a few snags in this scheme, especially when the girls both fall for handsome marine sergeant Tom Foster (Warren Hull). Marie Wilson pilfers most of the film with her standard dizzy-dame routine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell, (more)
- 1935
Based on an obscure stage comedy, the Paramount musical Two for Tonight stars Bing Crosby as would-be composer and playwright Gilbert Gordon. Hired by music publisher Alexander Myers (Maurice Cass) to write a musical for temperamental stage star Lilly Bianca (Thelma Todd), Gordon is less than thrilled to discover that he must complete the job in one week. As he toils away at his task, our hero becomes convinced that he's in love with the troublesome Lilly, causing heartache for his erstwhile sweetheart Bobbie Lockwood (Joan Bennett). The magnificent Mary Boland commands the audience's attention as Gordon's much-married mother. Elements of the plot of Two for Tonight were later satirized in the 1979 spoof Movie Movie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bing Crosby, Joan Bennett, (more)
- 1935
Another of Thorne Smith's slyly naughty fantasy novels, Night Life of the Gods was transferred to the screen with reasonable fidelity to the original in 1934. Alan Mowbray plays the eccentric Hunter Hawk, inventor of a ray gun that can turn human beings into statues. Much to his surprise, Hawk is also able to turn statues into humans; consequently, he brings to life eight marble effigies of such Greco-Roman mythological gods as Apollo, Bacchus, Diana, Mercury, Venus and Perseus. All flimsily clad within an inch of the Production Code, the now-lively gods have a high old time adapting to Manhattan night life: in one of the funniest scenes, Neptune (Robert Warwick) playfully spears a bevy of bathing beauties with his trusty trident. Along the way, Hawk falls in love with 900-year-old "baby goddess" Megaere (Florine McKinney). The wry original ending of Smith's novel was watered somewhat by having the whole thing turn out to be a dream, but it's fun while it lasts. Night Life of the Gods was the final directorial effort of Lowell Sherman, who died shortly before the film went into release. Unfortunately, copies of this delightful bit of risque whimsy are few and far between; indeed, Night Life of the Gods may well become a "lost" film if the preservationists don't get on the stick as soon as possible. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Mowbray, Florine McKinney, (more)
- 1935
In this romance, a slightly crooked and highly ambitious mayoral candidate convinces a woman to help him blackmail the incumbent by using a little baby as evidence in a paternity suit. The girl goes along with it until she learns that the mayor is innocent. Suddenly she begins working for him. In the end, the crooked candidate changes his ways and romantic bliss ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Astor, Roger Pryor, (more)
- 1935
In this musical campus comedy, trouble ensues when a meddlesome, overprotective father enrolls in the same college as his son so he can watch over his love life. The son soon finds himself involved with a conniving golddigger who dumps him when she discovers that his family fortune has been squandered on a bum business deal. Songs include: "Old Man Rhythm," "I Never Saw a Better Night," "There's Nothing Like a College Education," "Boys Will Be Boys," "When You Are in My Arms," and "Come the Revolution, Baby." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles "Buddy" Rogers, George Barbier, (more)
- 1935
In this drama, a traveling ice show comes to a small southern town run by an amiable mayor. His mischievous younger brother, knowing his brother's protection gives him carte-blanche, gets into all kinds of trouble with the other town punks. The thugs cause real trouble at the local ice rink and end up kicked out. The wicked brother retaliates and ends up killed by the rink owner who flees the scene but not before he manages to blame the show's star skater. Mayhem ensues until the town attorney manages to prove his innocence. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Raymond, Henry Hull, (more)
- 1936
The "Caliban-Ariel" romance of fiftysomething John Barrymore and teenager Elaine Barrie is spoofed in this delightful 20th Century Fox musical. Adolphe Menjou plays the Barrymore counterpart, a loose-living movie star with a penchant for wine, women, and more wine. Alice Faye plays a nightclub singer hungry for publicity. Her agent (Gregory Ratoff) arranges a "romance" between Faye and Menjou. Eventually Faye winds up with Michael Whalen, allowing Menjou to continue his blissful, bibulous bachelorhood. Sing, Baby, Sing represented the feature-film debut of the Ritz Brothers, who are in top form in their specialty numbers--and who are awarded a final curtain call after the "The End" title, just so the audience won't forget them (The same device was used to introduce British actor George Sanders in Fox's Lancer Spy [37]). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alice Faye, Adolphe Menjou, (more)
- 1936
Ring Around the Moon was based on the once-popular novel by Vera Hobart. The story endeavors to invite comparisons between the high-toned romantic adventures of wealthy Gloria Endicott (Erin O'Brien-Moore) and more earthy amours of low-born Kay Duncan (Ann Doran). Caught between both ladies is confused hero Ross Graham (Donald Cook). In her first major feature-film role, Ann Doran was drubbed by the critics, but she survived to become one of Hollywood's busiest character actresses (best remembered as James Dean's mother in Rebel Without a Cause). Produced by failing Chesterfield Pictures, Ring Around the Moon was released by up-and-coming Grand National. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald Cook, Ann Doran, (more)
- 1936
A winning sweepstakes ticket is the catalyst in 36 Hours to Kill. The lucky recipient is gangster Duke Benson (Douglas Fowley), who happens to be a fugitive from justice. Duke hops a train to collect his prize money, keeping a low profile lest he be discovered. Also on board are G-man Frank Evers (Brian Donlevy) and newspaper sob-sister Anne Marvis (Gloria Stuart). Yes, they catch the villain, but before that they stop squabbling long enough to fall in love. The basic premise in 36 Hours to Kill was later reshaped by scenarist Lou Breslow for his 1942 Laurel and Hardy comedy A-Haunting We Will Go. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Donlevy, Gloria Stuart, (more)
- 1936
A naval officer gets more than he bargained for when he adopts a recently orphaned young boy, the son of his late best friends. Despite the resistance of the lad's surviving relatives, who worry that growing in the Navy will be hard on the boy, the officer loves and takes good care of the boy. At least he does until the child is abducted by a gangster who has mistaken him for his long-lost boy. Fortunately for the young fellow, the officer rallies the entire Navy and comes to the rescue. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Gargan, Claire Dodd, (more)
- 1936
Hoping to prove to her insurance-investigator uncle that she's a good detective in her own right, Jane Martin (Claire Trevor) pretends to be a jewel thief so that she can infiltrate a criminal gang. She quickly ingratiates herself with suave but deadly crook Frank Peyton (Cesar Romero), and before long Jane herself is in charge of the gang! Once Peyton begins to suspect that Jane has ulterior motives, he does his best to trip her up, even committing a murder in her presence, but she manages to keep up her facade long enough to enable detective Walsh (Lloyd Nolan) to round up the criminals. Despite the cold-blooded nature of his character, Frank Peyton emerges as the most appealing character in the picture; also, while Peyton enjoys a brief onscreen romance with the heroine, nothing of a similar nature develops between Jane and nominal hero Walsh. In short, 15 Maiden Lane is not your average "B"-grade crime meller. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claire Trevor, Cesar Romero, (more)
- 1936
One Horse Town is the TV title for MGM's 1936 version Small Town Girl (the new title was bestowed to avoid confusion with the 1953 remake). Robert Taylor plays an irresponsible playboy who is arrested in a backwater town for drunken driving. While intoxicated, Taylor proposes to local girl Janet Gaynor. She accepts, knowing full well that he wouldn't have popped the question had he been sober. Gaynor spends the rest of the film trying to reform Taylor and to get him to fall in love with her while he's got all his faculties--no small trick, in that her competition is sophisticated Binnie Barnes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Janet Gaynor, Robert Taylor, (more)
- 1936
This action movie provides interesting information about the special training and experiences of motorcycle cops. The story centers around a California highway patrolman who was formerly a carnival stunt rider. Throughout the tale, the CHPs officer has a series of encounters with bad drivers, a roadhouse cabaret gang, and a ring of smugglers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Holt
- 1936
Joan Bennett is a manicurist who becomes a newspaper reporter. She joins forces with jaunty detective Cary Grant to get the goods on a particularly vicious insurance racket. Bennett unwittingly puts her life in danger by dating a supposedly above-board socialite (Walter Pidgeon) who is actually the brains behind the criminal operation. Big Brown Eyes is an enigma; every time we think we're in for a screwball comedy, something awful happens to jolt us back to reality. It's hard to lightly dismiss such scenes as the shooting death of a baby in its stroller. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Bennett, Cary Grant, (more)
- 1937
Scheduled to marry a man she doesn't love (and for good reason), spoiled heiress Barbara Blanchard (Claire Trevor) runs away from her wedding and hits the road. While hitchhiking, Trevor is given a ride by Bob Reynolds (Michael Whalen), a personable young auto salesman who's been hired to deliver what was then called a "caravan car" but would now be labelled an RV. As luck and the screenwriters would have it, a fugitive jewel thief hides his stolen gems in Bob's vehicle. Our hero is arrested, causing Barbara to cease her incessant put-downs of the poor guy. In trying to spring Bob from jail, Barbara realizes that she's fallen in love with him (why didn't she just ask the audience, who knew it all along?) It's positively awe-inspiring how many runaway-heiress films were spawned by the freak success of It Happened One Night. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claire Trevor, Michael Whalen, (more)
- 1937
An earnest, honest newspaper sports editor single-handedly launches a campaign to clean up the shadowy, crooked world of professional prizefighting in this drama. He focuses most of his energy on one shady promoter and proves his point by easily punching out the lights of the promoter's "champ." The fallen fighter's daughter is terribly upset with the ethical editor until she finds herself falling in love with earnest fellow. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rochelle Hudson, Michael Whalen, (more)
- 1937
It Could Happen to You is one of those captivating "little" pictures whose reputation is built up via word of mouth. Alan Baxter and Owen Davis Jr. star as Bob and Fred, the sons of immigrant Pa Barrett (Al Shean). Fred is a dutiful offspring, but Bob, an adoptee, is a no-good, stealing money from the old man to further his ambitions. When Pa Barrett confronts Bob with this discovery, the young man accidentally kills his stepfather. As fate would have it, Fred has become a lawyer, and it is he who takes on the job of defending Bob in court. Fred wins an acquittal, but Bob learns to his chagrin that he will never be able to escape the "judge and jury" of his own conscience. The script for It Could Happen to You was co-written by Nathaniel West, later the author of the trenchant anti-Hollywood novel Day of the Locust. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Baxter, Andrea Leeds, (more)
- 1937
Within the framework of a conventional newspaper yarn, One Mile From Heaven raises several controversial issues. Scoop-happy reporter Lucy "Tex" Warren (Claire Trevor) senses a big story in the plight of Flora Jackson (Fredi Washington), a young black woman who claims to be the mother of a white baby. In the course of her investigation, Luch discovers that the child actually belongs to Barbara Harrison (Sally Blane), now remarried to a wealthy young man and anxious to bury her past. A gang of extortionists pounce upon this information to victimize Barbara and Flora, but Lucy uses her newspaper connections to help both women. In the end, it is decided that the public's "right to know" can best be ignored in this case. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claire Trevor, Sally Blane, (more)
- 1937
Based on fact, this turn-of-the-century crime drama stars Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck (husband and wife at the time). Taylor plays a seemingly disreputable young man who joins a gang of murderous bank robbers, headed by Victor McLaglen. Stanwyck is a beer-hall entertainer, who disapproves of Taylor's activities and tries to reform him. She needn't bother: Taylor is in reality an undercover detective, on a top secret mission for President William McKinley. So anxious is Taylor to bring McLaglen to justice that he allows himself to be convicted of murder. The agent is confident that the president will keep him from hanging--but McKinley is assassinated before he can intervene. Stanwyck rescues Taylor by pleading his case with McKinley's successor, Teddy Roosevelt (Sidney Blackmer). The plot of This is My Affair was impressive enough to inspire at least one imitation: Night Riders, a 1939 Republic western wherein the martyred president who shares the hero's secret is James A. Garfield. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Taylor, Barbara Stanwyck, (more)
