Vera Ralston Movies
Czech figure skater Vera Hruba Ralston was a runner-up in the 1936 Olympics. Shortly thereafter, she turned professional, arriving in the U.S. in 1939 to headline Ice-Capades Revue. In light of the movie success of skater Sonja Henie, Ralston was wooed to Hollywood by cost-conscious Republic Pictures. She went on to star in 26 films at Republic, few of which made money or took... (read more) advantage of her skating skills. In addition to her lack of box-office appeal, Ralston wasn't much of an actress (though hardly the "worst actress of all time," as suggested by the reprehensible film "history" The Golden Turkey Awards). Still, the question lingers: Why was the resistible Vera Hruba Ralston kept on the Republic payroll for 17 years? The answer is simple: Studio chief Herbert J. Yates was head-over-heels in love with Vera, eventually marrying her after the death of his first wife. Oddly, few Republic contractees (outside of the curmudgeonly John Wayne) resented Yates' patronage of Vera; most reports indicate that she was a likeable, cooperative young lady who worked as hard as anyone -- if not harder -- when on the set. Unfortunately, her diligence never paid off in a totally convincing film performance. Republic was bankrupted in 1958 by Yates' insistence upon casting Vera in expensive flops, but their happy marriage endured until his death in 1966. After surviving a serious illness herself, Vera Ralston retired to wealth and contentment with her second husband. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The Man Who Died Twice
1958
In this drama, a singer finds herself implicated in the fatal immolation of her husband. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi...
The Notorious Mr. Monks
1958
In this dark drama a hapless hitchhiker takes a ride with a drunk driver who takes him to his house. There he meets the driver's wife and murder ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi...
Spoilers of the Forest
1957
Every time Republic Pictures head honcho Herbert J. Yates starred his minimally talented wife Vera Ralston in a film, the studio's stockholders began trembling in their boots....
Gunfire at Indian Gap
1957
In this western, passengers of a stagecoach endure danger and hardship as they travel across the Arizona territory. They are protected from renegade Indians by a sheriff who lies...
Accused of Murder
1956
Nightclub singer Ilona Vance (Vera Ralston) is Accused of Murder in this Republic programmer. And from the looks of things, Ilona is guilty; she was, after all, the last...
Timberjack
1955
Republic's Trucolor process is shown off to good advantage in the outdoors actioner Timberjack. Sterling Hayden and David Brian star as Chipman and Brunner, a pair of rugged...
Jubilee Trail
1954
Based on a novel by Gwen Bristow, Jubilee Trail is a sprawling, all-star western from the Republic Studio mills. Despite is vaunted budget, the plot is strictly B-picture...
Fair Wind to Java
1953
Republic Pictures' notion of an "epic", Fair Wind to Java manages to pack in enough entertainment value to send the adventure fans home happy. Tough South Seas skipper Fred...
A Perilous Journey
1953
The much-maligned Vera Ralston turns in an acceptable performance as star of Republic's A Perilous Journey. Though seemingly inspired by MGM's Westward the Women,...
Hoodlum Empire
1952
The Kefauver Committee's ongoing investigation of organized crime spawned several "Torn from Today's Headlines!" films in the early 1950s. Republic's Hoodlum Empire concerns...
The Wild Blue Yonder
1951
Wendell Corey and Forrest Tucker, the Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy of Republic, star as a pair of World War II Army Air Corps officers. In between their battles over...
Belle Le Grand
1951
Allan Dwan's assured direction is the principal selling card of Republic's Belle le Grand. Based on a story by Peter B. Kyne, the film stars Vera Ralston as the...
Surrender
1950
Of the many attempts by Republic Pictures' CEO Herbert J. Yates to turn his lady friend Vera Ralston into a star, Surrender is one of the better efforts. Ralston plays a...
The Fighting Kentuckian
NR 1949
Set shortly after the Battle of New Orleans, the film casts John Wayne as John Breen, a Kentucky trooper making the long journey homeward with his confreres. Breen becomes...
Angel on the Amazon
1948
Angel on the Amazon gives the viewer a pretty good notion of what Lost Horizon or She might have looked like had they been produced by Republic Pictures. Vera...
I, Jane Doe
1948
In this courtroom drama, a French girl stands trial for murder. Flashbacks tell the grim story of how, during the Great War she got involved with a wealthy soldier and married...
Wyoming
1947
Promoted from Republic B westerns to "A" productions, William "Wild Bill" Elliot found himself in the sort of roles previously essayed by John Wayne, Richard Dix and Errol Flynn....
The Flame
1947
Carlotta Duval (Vera Ralston) is willing to help her boyfriend George McAllister (John Carroll) get his hands on his ailing brother Barry's (Robert Paige) fortune. She is willing...
The Plainsman and the Lady
1946
The 87-minute running time of Plainsman and the Lady was evidence aplenty that this was no mere Republic B western. William Elliot (formerly and latterly "Wild Bill"...
Murder in the Music Hall
1946
Most of this Republic B-plus mystery yarn is set in a penthouse, next door to a music hall where a strange song-and-dance extravaganza is being staged. This production...