$1000 a Touchdown 1939  N/R, 71 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: James P. Hogan
Cast: Joe E. Brown, Martha Raye, Eric Blore, Susan Hayward, John Hartley, Joyce Mathews, Syd Saylor, George McKay, Tom Dugan, Matt McHugh, Edward Gargan, Jimmy Conlan, William Haade, Dewey Robinson, Charles Middleton
Two popular comedians of the time, Joe E. Brown and Martha Raye, play a struggling showbiz couple who takes off to run a poor school that she inherits. In order to get money to help the school, it is decided to build up the school's football team. Funny at times.
|  | |
Artists and Models 1937 N/R, 97 min.
Genre: Musical
Director: Raoul Walsh
Cast: Jack Benny, Ida Lupino, Richard Arlen, Gail Patrick, Ben Blue, Judy Canova, Cecil Cunningham, Donald Meek, Hedda Hopper, Martha Raye
Paula (Ida Lupino) pretends to be an "upper-cruster" in this film that is a showcase for music and specialty acts. Louis Armstrong's orchestra, Andre Kostelanetz and his orchestra, cyclers, jugglers, tumblers, etc., all make for an overall fun movie.
| | |
The Big Broadcast of 1937 1936  N/R, 100 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama / Musical
Director: Mitchell Leisen
Cast: Jack Benny, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Ray Milland, Bob Burns, Martha Raye, Shirley Ross, Benny Goodman, Irving Bacon, Jack Mulhall, Leonid Kinskey, Benny Fields, Sam Hearn, Frank Forest, Gene Krupa
Jack Carson (Jack Benny) owns a radio station and is having problems with sponsors. To solve the problem, he puts on a big show featuring big stars. George Burns and Gracie Allen star as the Platts who host "Platt Golf Ball," which presents more than a few problems because they just do not see eye-to-eye. Among others, musicians include Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa.
| | |
The Big Broadcast of 1938 1938  N/R, 88 min.
Genre: Comedy / Musical / Romance
Director: Mitchell Leisen
Cast: W.C. Fields, Martha Raye, Dorothy Lamour, Shirley Ross, Lynne Overman, Bob Hope, Ben Blue, Leif Erickson, Patricia Wlder, Lionel Pape, Russell Hicks, Grace Bradley, Rufe Davis, Virginia Vale, Kirsten Flagstad
The series of "Big Broadcasts" continues. This time around, the setting is aboard an ocean liner, the S.S. Gigantic, that is owned by T. Frothingill Bellows (W.C. Fields). Bellows challenges another ship, the S.S. Challenger to a race while announcer Buzz Fielding (Bob Hopes) hosts shows aboard ship with popular stars of the day. Hope makes his film debut and sings the Academy Award-winning song, "Thanks for the Memories," and Martha Raye, Ben Blue, and Dorothy Lamour add to the humor.
| | |
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.
| | |
College Swing 1938 N/R, 86 min.
Genre: Musical
Director: Raoul Walsh
Cast: Gracie Allen, George Burns, Martha Raye, Bob Hope, Edward Everett Horton, Ben Blue, Betty Grable, Jackie Coogan, John Payne, Robert Cummings, Florence George
Gracie (Gracie Allen) inherits a college and turns it into a swinging vaudeville arena.
| | |
The Concorde...Airport '79 1979  PG, 113 min.
Genre: Drama / Adventure / Thriller
aka: Airport '79
Director: David Lowell Rich
Cast: Alain Delon, Robert Wagner, Susan Blakely, George Kennedy, Sylvia Kristel, Eddie Albert, Bibi Andersson, Charo, Martha Raye, Cicely Tyson, John Davidson, Andrea Marcovicci, Jimmie Walker, David Warner, Mercedes McCambridge
Co-pilots (George Kennedy and Alain Delon) are flying a Concorde jet from Washington, D.C., to Moscow when their jet becomes the target of missile fire and in danger of crashing over the Alps. The reason behind their dangerous situation is that a passenger, reporter Maggie (Susan Blakely), is carrying secret documents that threaten Harrison Industries, and its leader (Robert Wagner) wants to destroy the information and the carrier as well.
| | |
Double or Nothing 1937 N/R, 90 min.
Genre: Musical
Director: Theodore Reed
Cast: Bing Crosby, Martha Raye, Andy Devine, Mary Carlisle, William Frawley, Fay Holden, Benny Baker, Samuel S. Hinds, William Henry, Walter Kingsford
With a million dollars at stake, Lefty Boylan (Bing Crosby), Liza Lou Lane (Martha Raye), Half-Pint (Andy Devine), and Peterson (William Frawley) all compete for the prize in this zany musical/ comedy.
| | |
The Farmer's Daughter 1940 N/R, 60 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: James P. Hogan
Cast: Martha Raye, Charles Ruggles, Richard Denning, Gertrude Michael, William Frawley, Inez Courtney, William Demarest, Tom Dugan, Darryl Hickman, Si Jenks
Show business comes to the farmlands and the audience will say "so what." Martha Raye is a bright spot.
| | |
Give Me a Sailor 1938 N/R, 80 min.
Genre: Musical
Director: Elliott Nugent
Cast: Martha Raye, Bob Hope, Betty Grable, Jack Whiting, J.C. Nugent, Clarence Kolb, Nana Bryant, Emerson Treacy, Kathleen Lockhart, Ralph Sanford
While he likes the life of having a girl in every port, sailor Jim Brewster (Bob Hope) tries to play matchmaker for his friend Walter (Jack Whiting) and Letty Larkin (Martha Raye).
| | |
Hellzapoppin' 1941 N/R, 84 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: H.C. Potter
Cast: Ole Olsen, Chic Johnson, Robert Paige, Jane Frazee, Martha Raye, Clarence Kolb, Mischa Auer, Elisha Cook Jr., Hugh Herbert, Nella Walker, Shemp Howard, Richard Lane
Big stars of the 1940s, Ole Olsen and Chick Johnson, provide good fun in this comedy about behind-the-scenes filmmaking.
| | |
 Keep 'Em Flying 1941 N/R, 86 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Arthur Lubin
Cast: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Martha Raye, Carol Bruce, Dick Foran, William Gargan, Truman Bradley, Doris Lloyd, William B. Davidson, James Seay
Adjusting to Air Corps training is not always easy, but it is even more difficult for Jinx Roberts (Dick Foran) who is saddled with Blackie Benson (Bud Abbott) and Heathcliff (Lou Costello) as his helpers. Martha Raye shines in her roles of twin sisters Gloria and Barbara Phelps.
| | |
 Monsieur Verdoux 1947 N/R, 125 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Charles Chaplin
Cast: Charles Chaplin, Mady Correll, Allison Roddan, Robert Lewis, Audrey Betz, Martha Raye, Ada May, Isobel Elsom, Marjorie Bennett, Helene Heigh, Margaret Hoffman, Irving Bacon
Henri Verdoux (Charles Chaplin) marries wealthy women and then murders them for their money–acts that he justifies as necessary and no worse than the position of those who profit by building the Atomic Bomb.
| | |
Never Say Die 1939 N/R, 80 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Elliott Nugent
Cast: Martha Raye, Bob Hope, Andy Devine, Alan Mowbray, Gale Sondergaard, Sig Ruman, Paul Harvey, Monty Woolley, Ernest Cossart, Ivan F. Simpson
When millionaire John Kidley (Bob Hope) believes he is dying, he marries Mickey Hawkins (Martha Raye) so she can gain his near-future inheritance.
| | |
Pin Up Girl 1944 N/R, 83 min.
Genre: Musical / Comedy
aka: Pin-Up Girl
Director: H. Bruce Humberstone
Cast: Betty Grable, John Harvey, Martha Raye, Joe E. Brown, Eugene Pallette, Dorothea Kent, Dave Willock, Condos Brothers, Charlie Spivak, Robert Homans, Skating Vanities, Marcel Dalio
In this World War II musical comedy, Lorry Jones (Betty Grable) falls in love with Naval hero Tommy Dooley (John Harvey) and finds that work as a USO entertainer enables her to follow Tommy and to become a star as well.
| | |
Pufnstuf 1970 G, 98 min.
Genre: Family / Comedy / Fantasy / Musical
Director: Hollingsworth Morse
Cast: Jack Wild, Billie Hayes, Martha Raye, Mama Cass Elliot, Billy Barty, Roberto Gamonet, Sharon Baird, Johnny Silver, Andy Ratoucheff, Felix Silla, Joy Campbell, Jane Dulo, Jan Davis, Angelo Rossitto, Allison McKay
This film version of the Saturday morning kids' TV show features many of the same players. In this story, Jimmy (Jack Wild) takes his magic flute to a land where plants and animals can speak, and he meets the good dragon Pufnstuf (Roberto Gamonet). All goes well–until the evil Witchiepoo (Billie Hayes) steals Jimmy's flute so that she will be named "Witch of the Year" at the Witches Convention. Jimmy, Pufnstuf, and friends must now retrieve the flute from Witchiepoo's enchanted castle.
| | |
Rhythm on the Range 1936 N/R, 85 min.
Genre: Musical
Director: Norman Taurog
Cast: Bing Crosby, Frances Farmer, Bob Burns, Martha Raye, Samuel S. Hinds, Lucile Watson, Warren Hymer, George E. Stone, James Burke, Clem Bevans
The classic song "I'm an Old Cowhand" was introduced in this film AND Martha Raye made her film debut. Doris Halloway (Frances Farmer) is a wealthy New Yorker who heads west and meets a ranch hand (Bing Crosby) who, in turn, saves her from kidnappers. This film was remade in 1956 as "Pardners" starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
| | |
Tropic Holiday 1938 N/R, 77 min.
Genre: Musical
Director: Theodore Reed
Cast: Dorothy Lamour, Bob Burns, Martha Raye, Ray Milland, Binnie Barnes, Tito Guizar, Matt McHugh, Frank Puglia, Michael Visaroff, Fortunio Bonanova
Senoritas and fiestas take screenwriter Ken Warren's (Ray Milland) interest away from business when he travels to Mexico to find peace and quiet in which to work.
| | |
Waikiki Wedding 1937 N/R, 88 min.
Genre: Musical / Comedy / Romance
Director: Frank Tuttle
Cast: Bing Crosby, Bob Burns, Martha Raye, Shirley Ross, Leif Erickson, Grady Sutton, Anthony Quinn, Granville Bates, Spencer Charters, George Regas, George Barbier, Mitchell Lewis, Nick Lukats, Maurice Liu, Emma Dunn
Tony Marvin (Bing Crosby), a public relations representative for a Hawaiian pineapple company, comes up with the idea of a beauty contest as a publicity stunt. The winner is Georgia Smith (Shirley Ross), and she arrives on Hawaii with her friend Myrtle Finch (Martha Raye). But, Georgia does not like Hawaii and wants to leave. To solve the problem, Tony tries romancing Georgia to convince her to remain. It works! This film's "Sweet Leilani" won the Academy Award for Best Song. Another popular song from the picture was "Blue Hawaii."
| | |
| 1. $1000 a Touchdown (1939)
2. Artists and Models (1937)
3. The Big Broadcast of 1937 (1936)
4. The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938)
5. Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962)
aka: Jumbo
6. College Swing (1938)
7. The Concorde...Airport '79 (1979)
aka: Airport '79
8. Double or Nothing (1937)
9. The Farmer's Daughter (1940)
10. Give Me a Sailor (1938)
11. Hellzapoppin' (1941)
12. Keep 'Em Flying (1941)
13. Monsieur Verdoux (1947)
14. Never Say Die (1939)
15. Pin Up Girl (1944)
aka: Pin-Up Girl
16. Pufnstuf (1970)
17. Rhythm on the Range (1936)
18. Tropic Holiday (1938)
19. Waikiki Wedding (1937)
In The News
|
