Charles Hines Movies

MGM loaned Myrna Loy to Paramount to co-star with Cary Grant in the roller coaster-paced romantic drama Wings in the Dark. Loy plays daredevil aviatrix Sheila Mason, who marries Ken Gordon (Grant), a flyer with serious aspirations to set groundbreaking world records. When Ken is accidentally blinded just before he jets off for Paris, Sheila prompts him to continue working at any cost. He decides to become a writer, dictating his work and mailing it off to several magazines; all he receives for his trouble is a pile of rejection slips, but Sheila doesn't let him know that. In the mean time, he works out a fantastic invention -- a plane designed for "blind flying," which enables the pilot to command the craft without the use of his eyes. His plane is repossessed for lack of payment, cluing him into what Sheila has been up to with his articles. Infuriated, he severs all communication with her. In an effort to drive Grant out of her mind, Sheila then undertakes a Moscow-to-Manhattan flight and thus attempts to set a new world record of her own. But on the last leg of her journey -- over Boston -- she becomes surrounded by thick blankets of heavy fog, and cannot locate the airport. At the last moment, Ken steals his own plane from Roosevelt Field, takes it up, and uses it to guide Sheila back to the ground, where he declares his undying love and devotion to her. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Critics in 1928 often commented on the near-oriental facial features of popular screen comedian Johnny Hines (political correctness wasn't a consideration back then), so few were surprised when Hines turned up in the 8-reel comedy Chinatown Charlie. The star plays a likeable pickpocket who happens to stumble onto a white slavery ring while plying his trade in Chinatown. Hines tries to inform the police, but they never believed him before, so why should they believe him now? Thus, it is up to Hines to rescue heroine Louise Lorraine from the clutches of murderous Mandarin (Sojin, who, by the way, was a Japanese actor). As a bonus, he also recovers a valuable ring, which cinches the future financial security of hero and heroine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The irrepressible Johnny Hines stars as "White Pants" Willie Bascom, an enterprising garage mechanic and erstwhile inventor. Delivering a repaired auto to the home of millionaire Philip Charters (Henry Barrows), Willie falls in love with Charters' lovely daughter Helen (Leila Hyams). Donning a white dinner jacket to match his white overalls, Willie manages to crash a high-society country club to pay Helen a visit. Our hero wins over the "400" by winning a polo match then secures his marriage to Helen by selling his latest invention for a sizeable sum. Featured in the cast as Willie's comedy-relief Chinese buddy Wong Lee is Japanese actor George Kuwa, better known to film buffs as the screen's first Charlie Chan (in the now-lost 1926 serial House Without a Key). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Effervescent comic actor Johnny Hines stars as Johnny Rooney, an East Side newspaper vendor who suddenly develops the political itch. Running for the office of assemblyman, Johnny finds himself nose to nose with Boss O'Brien's (Lee Beggs) corrupt party machine, not to mention an insufferably charismatic opponent, Frank Moreland (William Gaxton). The fun really begins when our hero gets mixed up with one Prince Ferdinand Dowitsky (Edmund Breese). When the smoke clears, Johnny is elected, with "first lady" Molly Taylor (Mary Brian) at his side. Stepping Along provides Johnny Hines a rare opportunity to show off his considerable dancing skills. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Although it had its laughs, this picture had an awful lot of drama for the usual Johnny Hines vehicle. Hines plays Steve "Rainbow" Riley, a cub reporter who is first seen trying to land an interview with a man who refuses to talk to anyone. It turns out the guy is deaf and dumb -- amusing in 1926 if not exactly politically correct humor nowadays. Riley is given another assignment and sent down to the Kentucky mountains to cover a feud. Once he gets there, he falls in love with Alice Ripper (Brenda Bond) and earns the enmity of both warring clans. A mentally unhinged character (John Hamilton) runs off with Alice and takes her to his mountain stronghold. Riley's heroic measures save her, but after he has subdued the madman, he finds himself surrounded by the angry mountain clans. Luckily, he has sent a wire to the newspaper that has been misinterpreted -- instead of thinking that Riley is in trouble, they believe that it's the president who is in danger. As a result, the whole army and navy come to the rescue. The mountain men run off, and Riley and Alice are saved. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Because of an injury, "the Great Maranelli" (Johnny Hines) is forced to give up his job as a circus performer. He hits the road with his pal Sawdust Sam (Edmund Breese) and along the way they meet pretty Dorothy Langdon (Mildred Ryan). Her father, Henry Langdon (J. Barney Sherry), runs the power company, and he gives Maranelli a job. Langdon and George Trent, Dorothy's fiancé (Bradley Barker), are putting together an amusement park. Dorothy asks Maranelli for help selling the concessions. Trent is secretly trying to ruin the plans for the amusement park, and he kidnaps Dorothy and destroys the park's dynamo. Maranelli saves the day by hitching the park up to the city circuit and getting it up and running as scheduled. Needless to say, Trent finishes out of the money and Maranelli wins Dorothy. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Johnny Hines wrote the screenplay for this entertaining comedy in which he starred. Terry O'Toole (Hines) comes to America from Ireland to seek his fortune and becomes a trolley conductor. One day, while working, he saves the life of Bobby Connelly (Byron Sage), the son of the line's president (Fred Esmelton). He is rewarded and welcomed into the Connelly home, where he meets the daughter, Noretta (Doris May). They begin a romance, and Terry's father, Mike (Dan Mason, who was known for his "Toonerville Trolley" shorts), comes over from Ireland. There is a power struggle between the president and vice president of the trolley company, and a mere two shares of stock will determine who is the victor. The bad guys forge the shares, but old man O'Toole digs up two real shares, which he had bought many years before. Connelly keeps control of the company and gives his blessings to Noretta's relationship with Terry. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

The Argyle Case was based on a play by Harvey J. O'Higgins and Harriet Ford, which in turn was inspired by the official files of the William J. Burns Agency, an international private detective organization. The head of the house of Argyle is murdered by espionage agents who wish to undermine the well-being of the United States (the film was made the same year that America entered the first World War). Robert Warwick (who also produced) plays the scientific detective who brings the miscreants to heel. The Argyle Case was directed by Ralph Ince, brother of silent-movie mogul Thomas Ince. The film would be remade as a talkie in 1929, with Thomas Meighan in the lead. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide