Beau James 1957 N/R, 105 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Melville Shavelson Cast: Bob Hope, Vera Miles, Paul Douglas, Alexis Smith, Darren McGavin, Joe Mantell, George Jessel, Jack Benny, Jimmy Durante, Walter Catlett
Jimmy Walker's (Bob Hope) life as the flamboyant mayor of New York is the subject of this biography showing the corruption, scandal, and triumphs of the Roaring 20s.
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Billy Rose's Jumbo 1962 N/R, 123 min. Genre: Musical aka: Jumbo
Director: Charles Walters Cast: Doris Day, Stephen Boyd, Jimmy Durante, Martha Raye, Dean Jagger, Charles Watts, Joseph Waring, Lynn Wood, Grady Sutton, Robert Burton
Pop Wonder (Jimmy Durante) owns a circus that is threatened by bankruptcy, but he gets love and support from his daughter, Kitty (Doris Day), and his long-time fiancee, Lulu (Martha Raye). This is an adaptation of the 1930s' Rodgers and Hart musical show.
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Frosty the Snowman 1969 TV, 25 min. Genre: Animation / Family / Fantasy
Director: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr. Cast: Jimmy Durante, Billy De Wolfe, Jackie Vernon, Paul Frees, June Foray
Jimmy Durante narrates this classic story and sings the title song in which a silk hat magically brings Frosty the Snowman (voice of Jackie Vernon) to life. That hat belonged to a magician, Professor Hinkle (voice of Billy De Wolfe), who wants it back. But Frosty is befriended by children who take him on a train ride to the North Pole to escape from Hinkle and to find the cold temperatures that Frosty needs. Of course, they meet Santa Claus (voice of Paul Frees) who tells Hinkle that he was bad and turns him around. Then, the promise is given that Frosty will be back for yearly visits, and everyone lives happily ever after.
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The Great Rupert 1950 N/R, 86 min. Genre: Comedy aka: A Christmas Wish
Director: Irving Pichel Cast: Jimmy Durante, Terry Moore, Tom Drake, Frank Orth, Queenie Smith, Chick Chandler, Don Beddoe, Sara Haden, Jimmy Conlin, Hugh Sanders
A pet squirrel uncovers lost money, which–at first–appears to solve all the problems for a troupe of struggling acrobats.
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Hell Below 1933 N/R, 105 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Jack Conway Cast: Robert Montgomery, Walter Huston, Madge Evans, Jimmy Durante, Eugene Pallette, Robert Young, David Newell, Charles Irwin, Sterling Holloway, Paul Porcasi
Walter Huston is commander of a submarine in World War I in the midst of a secret and dangerous mission. He also feuds with one of his lieutenants (Robert Montgomery), who is after the skipper's daughter. After the lieutenant's best friend is left topside while diving to escape German destroyers, things get even tougher. Good action scenes.
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Hollywood Party 1934 N/R, 68 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: Richard Boleslawski Cast: Jimmy Durante, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charles Butterworth, Polly Moran, Robert Young, Lupe Velez, Three Stooges, Tom Kennedy, George Givot
Jimmy Schnarzan (Jimmy Durante) throws a party to get people interested in his failing jungle series. The result is splashy musical numbers and appearances by comedians of the day.
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It Happened In Brooklyn 1947 N/R, 104 min. Genre: Comedy / Musical / Romance
Director: Richard Whorf Cast: Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Peter Lawford, Jimmy Durante, Gloria Grahame, Marcy McGuire, Aubrey Mather, Tamara Shayne, William Roy, Bobby Long, William Haade, Lumsden Hare, Raymond Largay, William Tannen
Ex-GI Danny Miller (Frank Sinatra) returns to his Brooklyn neighborhood and moves in with his friend Nick Lombardi (Jimmy Durante) who is a high school janitor. Now, his friend from the Army, Jamie Shellgrove (Peter Lawford), arrives in town. Danny and Jamie decide to compose music together and help with a fundraiser for Nick's granddaughter Rae (Marcy McGuire) who wants to be a pianist. Soon both men are romantically attracted to Rae's music teacher Anne Fielding (Kathryn Grayson). Jamie ends up with Anne, but all is not lost when Danny falls for an Army nurse (Gloria Grahame) who he had met in the service.
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The Man Who Came to Dinner 1942 N/R, 112 min. Genre: Comedy / Romance
Director: William Keighley Cast: Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, Monty Woolley, Richard Travis, Billie Burke, Jimmy Durante, Reginald Gardiner, Mary Wickes, Elisabeth Fraser, Grant Mitchell, George Barbier, Russell Arms, Edwin Stanley
Monty Woolley recreates his Broadway role of Sheridan Whiteside, a critic and radio personality. Whiteside is a guest lecturer who suffers an injury. While recuperating, he and his secretary (Bette Davis) move in with a local family. It does not take long for the welcome to wear out. Monty Woolley: "Strange? She's right out of 'The Hounds of the Baskervilles.'"
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Melody Ranch 1940 N/R, 84 min. Genre: Western
Director: Joseph Santley Cast: Gene Autry, Jimmy Durante, Horace McMahon, Ann Miller, Barton MacLane, George "Gabby" Hayes, Jerome Cowan, Barbara Jo Allen, Joe Sawyer, Mary Lee, Clarence Wilson
Gene Autry returns to his hometown where a sheriff is needed. Guess who takes the job.
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On an Island with You 1948 N/R, 107 min. Genre: Musical / Comedy / Romance
Director: Richard Thorpe Cast: Esther Williams, Peter Lawford, Ricardo Montalban, Jimmy Durante, Cyd Charisse, Leon Ames, Kathryn Beaumont, Dick Simmons, Xavier Cugat, Marie Windsor, Arthur Walsh, Nolan Leary, Chester Clute, Cosmo Sardo, Garry Owen
While acting as technical advisor for a song/dance/swim film being made in Hawaii, Navy Lieutenant Larry Kingslee (Peter Lawford) falls in love with Rosalind Reynolds (Esther Williams) who stars in the movie. Rosalind rejects Larry, and the next day, as directed, he takes her for a ride on his plane but then ignores orders and flies away from the movie set and lands on an island where they first met. They dance to music from Larry's portable radio, and Rosalind becomes attracted to him. When they return, problems rise to the fore–including a possible court martial for Larry's improper conduct. But, by story's end, Rosalind and Larry are preparing to live happily ever after.
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Palooka 1934 N/R, 86 min. Genre: Comedy aka: Joe Palooka The Great Schnozzle
Director: Benjamin Stoloff Cast: Jimmy Durante, Lupe Velez, Stuart Erwin, Marjorie Rambeau, Robert Armstrong, Mary Carlisle, William Cagney, Thelma Todd, Franklyn Ardell, Tom Dugan, Guinn "Big Boy" Williams, Louise Beavers, Fred "Snowflake" Toones, Stanley Fields
Fight manager Knobby Walsh (Jimmy Durante) signs up farmboy Joe Palooka (Stuart Erwin) as a boxer and trains him for a big fight with hard-drinking champ Al "Mac" McSwatt (William Cagney– brother of James Cagney). In this film, Durante sings his song, "Ink-a-Dinka-do."
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Speak Easily 1932 N/R, 80 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: Edward Sedgwick Cast: Buster Keaton, Jimmy Durante, Ruth Selwyn, Thelma Todd, Hedda Hopper, William Pawley, Sidney Toler, Lawrence Grant, Henry Armetta, Edward Brophy, DeWitt Jenninsg, Oscar Apfel, Sidney Bracey, Fred Kelsey, Inez Palange
Professor Timoleon Zanders Post (Buster Keaton) has inherited a fortune and decides to enjoy life when he meets and falls in love with a dancer, Eleanor Espere (Thelma Todd). So, he buys her show–including the piano player Jimmy Dodge (Jimmy Durante)–and plans to bring it to Broadway. But, does he have the ability to carry off his plan?
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The Wet Parade 1932 N/R, 118 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Victor Fleming Cast: Walter Huston, Myrna Loy, Neil Hamilton, Lewis Stone, Dorothy Jordan, Robert Young, Jimmy Durante, Wallace Ford, John Miljan, Emma Dunn
Based on Upton Sinclair's novel about corruption during Prohibition, this film shows the devastating effects of alcoholism and the problems encountered in upholding the Constitution.
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You're in the Army Now 1941 N/R, 79 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: Lewis Seiler Cast: Jimmy Durante, Phil Silvers, Donald MacBride, Jane Wyman, Regis Toomey, Joe Sawyer, Clarence Kolb, Paul Harvey, George Meeker, Paul Stanton
This silly movie involves vacuum-cleaner salesmen (Jimmy Durante and Phil Silvers) who, through their own ineptness, enlist in the Army.
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| 1. Beau James (1957)
2. Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962) aka: Jumbo
3. Frosty the Snowman (1969)
4. The Great Rupert (1950) aka: A Christmas Wish
5. Hell Below (1933)
6. Hollywood Party (1934)
7. It Happened In Brooklyn (1947)
8. Little Miss Broadway (1938)
9. The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
10. Melody Ranch (1940)
11. On an Island with You (1948)
12. Palooka (1934) aka: Joe Palooka aka: The Great Schnozzle
13. The Phantom President (1932)
14. Speak Easily (1932)
15. The Wet Parade (1932)
16. You're in the Army Now (1941)
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