Harry Grey Movies

The trouble begins when glamorous Broadway actress Roberta Baxter (Virginia Bruce) signs for her latest play. She proceeds to spend far too much time at rehearsals, and far too little time with her attorney husband William (Edward Ashley). Even so, it is Roberta who eventually walks out on William, claiming that he's been neglecting her! The nonplussed William gives Roberta's room to an unemployed tatoo artist named Terry (Victor McLaglen) and Terry's preteen ward Sally (Jacqueline Moore). Hoping to get grounds for divorce, Roberta returns to her apartment, posing as a French governness for Sally. The fact that William doesn't seem to recognize Roberta when she starts to flirt with him should be indication enough of the film's credibility level. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this musical romance, an ice skater comes to America to represent her country at a Lake Placid carnival. Unfortunately, while she is there the war breaks out and she is unable to go home. While in America, she is cared for by her rich uncle. She soon falls in love with his handsome junior partner who is already engaged to another. When she discovers this, the skater runs away. Her lover follows and true love ensues. Songs include: "Deep Purple", "My Isle of Golden Dreams", "National Emblem March", "Winter Wonderland", "Intermezzo", "Waiting for The Robert E. Lee", "When Citrus is in Bloom", "Drigo's Serenade", "While Strolling in the Park". ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans weren't yet husband and wife when they co-starred in Song of Nevada, but the rapport and chemistry is already very much in evidence. Roy befriends millionaire Thurston Hall, who was believed to have been killed in a plane crash. Hall hires Rogers to "tame" his snooty, citified daughter Evans, who has come West to take over her dad's ranch. Yes, it's Taming of the Shrew on the prairie, and it's every bit as enjoyable as its Shakespearean predecessor. Songs include such deathless gems as "The Harum Scarum Baron of the Harmonium." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this romance, a GI falls in love with his pen-pal. Believing her to be a wealthy, beautiful girl, he goes to see her after the war. Unbeknownst to him, the girl is actually impoverished and wheelchair bound. Her two sisters work as char women and barely make enough to live on. When the soldier shows up, the girls trade identities and pretend to be wealthy. Even though he doesn't know about the ruse, he still ends up falling for the girl in the chair and after learning the truth stands steadfastly behind her. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

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, Rovi

There's practically no western action in Hands Across the Border, but there's music aplenty. Roy Rogers stars as a wandering cavalier (named "Roy Rogers", naturally), who comes to the aid of entertainer Kim Adams (Ruth Terry). The daughter of a rancher, Kim does her patriotic bit by raising prize horses for the Army. But villainous Brock Danvers (Onslow Stevens) does his best to keep Kim's stock from reaching the Army, and that's when Rogers comes to the rescue. The final two reels of Hands Across the Border is a virtual nonstop parade of musical numbers by the likes of Hoagy Carmichael and Ned Washington, and featuring Rogers, Ruth Terry, Janet Martin and that zany European comedy trio The Wiere Brothers. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this western, a cowboy and his pals must stop outlaws from stealing a cache of gold ore. Action ensues, and they succeed. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The budget for this fine Roy Rogers Western was doubled and the title changed from Starlight on the Trail to the more descriptive King of the Cowboys, mainly due to Rogers' great reception on a personal appearance tour in the fall of 1942. Republic had lost Gene Autry to the war effort and this film, more than any other, brought the heretofore also-ran singing cowboy to the forefront, where he remained through the early '50s. Following the example of Autry, Roy played himself, a rodeo star assigned by the governor, Russell Hicks, to investigate a series of warehouse bombings. With sidekick Frog Millhouse (Smiley Burnette) in tow, Roy infiltrates the Merry Makers, a touring tent show whose phony mind reader, Maurice (Gerald Mohr), is the chief operative for a sabotage ring run by the governor's secretary, Kraly (Lloyd Corrigan). But Maurice catches Roy stealing his book of codes and is about to shoot him in cold blood when tent show owner Dave Mason (James Bush) interferes. Maurice then eliminates Mason and frames Roy for the killing but despite this setback, Roy manages to stop the saboteurs before they can blow up a supply train needed in the war effort. An "everything but the kitchen sink" action-thriller, King of the Cowboys came complete with seven songs performed by Rogers, Burnette, and the Sons of the Pioneers, including "Ride, Ranger, Ride," "Roll Along Prairie Moon," and Johnny Mercer's "I'm an Old Cowhand." The film was restored to its full theatrical length by the Roan Group in the late '90s and re-released on a DVD that also features the original theatrical trailer and alternate scenes from a separate version released only to the War Department. In these scenes, Lloyd Corrigan's character is a businessman rather than the governor's secretary, and his Nazi affiliation is more clearly established. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

This Roy Rogers musical western gets off to a grim start when rancher Jerry Johnson (Jerome Cowan) is murdered by resort-hotel operator Lucky Miller (John Carradine). It's all part of Lucky's scheme to take financial advantage of a railroad right-of-way construction project. Conspiring with the villain is Johnson's mail-order bride Mary Hardigan (Phyllis Brooks)-or is she? No matter: the main plot complication concerns the efforts by Miller to frame Roy Rogers, Johnson's ranch foreman, for the murder. Somehow, Roy, Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers find time for several songs, while ace stuntman Yakima Canutt gets to perform one of his more famous feats. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Not quite as exciting as it should be, Stardust on the Sage is still a serviceable Gene Autry vehicle. This time, Gene is teamed up with young Jeff Drew (Bill Henry), who tries to sell mining stock to the local cattlemen. Meanwhile, villain Pearson (Emmet Vogan) plots to steal the mine from Gene and Jeff, using a veritable battalion of muscular hooligans. The finale is a kaleidescope of fistfights, gunfire and dynamite blasts-and none too soon, given the slow-moving passages which preceded it. The female contingent in Stardust on the Sage is handled by former child star Edith Fellows and serial heroine Louise Currie. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Cattleman Gene Autry is put out-to say the least-when he finds out that he's been slickered by crooked purchasing agent Thomas McCoy (Edmund MacDonald). It turns out that McCoy is in debt to bookies, and has been skimming his customers to pay off his gambling losses. Autry hopes to put a stop to all this by going directly to McCoy's boss, Grantley B. Johnson (Thurston Hall), but the Big Guy's office is crammed full of radio agents who hope to persuade Johnson to sponsor their programs. One of these agents is a young lady named Kit Carson (Ruth Terry), whose sample record disc is accidentally broken in the crush. Thus is the main plot briefly put on the back burner as Kit persuades Gene and his ranch-hand pals (the Sons of the Pioneers) to pose as radio crooners to impress Mr. Johnson. Eventually, Call of the Canyon gets back on track with an exciting runaway-buggy climax, but for the most part the film is more musical than western. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Spoiled little rich girl Edith Fellows does what she can to avoid spending time on Gene Autry's dude ranch in this tuneful Western restored by U.C.L.A. in 2001 for Gene Autry Entertainment. Despite the best efforts of her teacher Alice Bennett (Fay McKenzie), Connie Lane (Fellows) quickly manages to turn everyone against her, except Gene. The foreman/crooner teaches Connie the value of friendship and she reciprocates by sabotaging Hap Callahan's (William Haade) attempts to beat Gene in a bronco-busting contest. That, of course, is no way to win friendship and Hap avenges himself by causing a stampede that almost kills Connie. She is rescued in the nick of time by Gene, who also manages to pacify the stubborn girl's equally stubborn millionaire father (Pierre Watkin). Edith Fellows sings "Rainbow in the Night," while Gene, Smiley Burnette, Fay McKenzie, Jimmy Wakely, and his trio take care of "Deep in the Heart of Texas," "Rocky Canyon," "Dusk on the Painted Desert," "I'll Wait for You," and five other selections. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi