Tag Archives: RKO

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The Bootleg Files: Should Wives Work?

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BOOTLEG FILES 834: “Should Wives Work?” (1937 Oscar-nominated comedy short starring Leon Errol).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: It fell through the cracks.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Maybe as part of an anthology of comedy shorts.

Unless you are too-serious student of film comedy, there is a good chance that you either never heard of Leon Errol or you may only know of him through a few supporting performances in other comics’ movies. But during the 1930s Errol became a prominent as the star in a series of comedy shorts made at RKO. These films are mostly forgotten today, although one of them – the 1937 “Should Wives Work?” – secured a niche in movie history through its Academy Award nomination for Best Short Subject (Two-Reel).
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Western Wednesdays: The Avenging Rider (1943)

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SYNOPSIS:
While on his way to help out his mining partner Sam Trotter, Brit Marshall [Tim Holt] runs in to a band of murderous rogues whom claim to be working for Trotter. Unbeknownst to Marshall and his sidekick Ike [Cliff “Ukulele Ike” Edwards], these men not only stole the gold shipment they claim they were delivering to the Gold Ace, Trotter’s ranch, but also shot and killed Trotter in cold blood. After a gunfight, Marshall and Ike are taken prisoner by the local sheriff [Edward Cassidy].
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The Unlikely Adventures of King Kong

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The 1933 classic “King Kong” inspired a number of strange projects, including two Japanese Kong films that are considered lost and a wealth of ideas ranging from a three-camera Cinerama remake to “King Kong vs. Frankenstein” by Willis O’Brien, the genius behind the original’s special effects. On this episode of “The Online Movie Show,” we look at these remarkable Kong projects with John LeMay, author of “Kong Unmade: The Lost Films of Skull Island.”

The episode can be heard here.

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Wheeler and Woolsey: The Pre-Code Funnymen

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Few comics took full advantage of the loose standards of Pre-Code Hollywood with more gusto than the team of Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey. In this episode of “The Online Movie Show,” film historian and podcaster Geno Cuddy offers insight on the duo’s saucy on-screen antics and classic routines.

The episode can be heard here.

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Clark & McCullough: The Forgotten Kings of Comedy

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From the late 1920s to the mid-1930s, Bobby Clark and Paul McCullough turned out a series of wild, bawdy and often surreal short comedies. Today, the team is mostly unknown to the average movie lover because many of their films are lost and the surviving films are rarely revived. Film historian and podcaster Geno Cuddy considers the Clark & McCullough legacy and advocates for a new appreciation of their surviving work in this episode of “The Online Movie Show.”

The episode can be heard here.

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The Bootleg Files: John Barrymore’s Hamlet Screen Test

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BOOTLEG FILES 697: “John Barrymore’s Hamlet Screen Test” (1933 test footage for a film that was never made).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: Too short for a standalone release, not easy to fit into a larger production.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Not likely.

For every film that finds its way to the big screen, there are an infinite number of projects that got off the ground. Some of these are mere figments of conversation that failed to root into a serious endeavor, others consist of carefully constructed screenplays that never found their way into production, and other projects barely made into a very early stage of pre-production before being abruptly cancelled.
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Jane Russell: A Tribute

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Jane Russell’s stardom was engineered by Howard Hughes’ fervid imagination, and her initial publicity overemphasized her remarkable physique. But she was a genuinely talented performer adept at light comedy and melodrama. In this episode of “The Online Movie Show,” actor/writer Joe Mannetti returns to offer a tribute to Jane Russell’s iconic place in Hollywood history.

The episode can be heard here.