Beyond Victory is a 1931 American pre-Code war film starring Bill Boyd, James Gleason, Lew Cody, and ZaSu Pitts. While John Robertson received directing credit, Edward H. Griffith supposedly took extensive re-takes after production ended and the film was deemed not audience ready. Two actresses with major roles in the original version were completely cut from the final release, Helen Twelvetrees and June Collyer. The original screenplay was written by Horace Jackson and James Gleason. While the film might not have made a profit at the box office, it was well received by critics.
Headline Shooter is a 1933 American pre-Code drama about the life of a newsreel photographer. Director Otto Brower intertwined the screenplay written by Agnes Christine Johnston, Allen Rivkin, and Arthur Kober, with actual newsreel footage of natural and man-made disasters. The film starred William Gargan, Frances Dee, Ralph Bellamy, and Jack LaRue.
The Crime Doctor is a 1934 American crime drama directed by John Robertson from a screenplay by Jane Murfin, adapted from the novel The Big Bow Mystery by Israel Zangwill. The film stars Otto Kruger, Karen Morley, and Nils Asther. RKO Radio Pictures produced and distributed the film which was released on April 27, 1934.
By Your Leave is a 1934 American domestic comedy film directed by Lloyd Corrigan from a script by Allan Scott, Lewis Foster, and Sam Mintz. The screenplay was based on a play of the same name by Gladys Hurlbut and Emma B. C. Wells, which had a short run early in the year at the Morosco Theatre. The film was produced by Pandro S. Berman, and starred Frank Morgan and Genevieve Tobin, although several other actresses were initially scheduled to appear in the film, including Mary Astor and Ann Harding. Both stars were on loan to RKO from other studios. It marked the film debuts of two notable Broadway actors, Glenn Anders and Gene Lockhart, the latter of which had a lengthy Hollywood career. By Your Leave opened on November 9, 1934, and received mostly positive reviews.
Freckles is a 1935 American drama film directed by Edward Killy and William Hamilton from a screenplay written by Dorothy Yost, adapted by Mary Mayes from Gene Stratton-Porter's 1904 novel of the same name. Two earlier adaptations of Stratton-Porter's novel had been produced, the first by Paramount in 1917, and the second in 1928 by FBO, both were also titled Freckles. This 1935 version was released by RKO Radio Pictures on October 4, and stars Tom Brown, Virginia Weidler, and Carol Stone.
The Farmer in the Dell is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Ben Holmes from a screenplay by Sam Mintz and John Grey, adapted from Phil Stong's 1935 novel, which was similarly titled, Farmer in the Dell. The film was premiered by RKO Radio Pictures in New York City on March 6, 1936, and released widely later that month on March 27. It stars Fred Stone, Jean Parker, and Esther Dale.
Grand Jury is a 1936 American crime drama film directed by Albert S. Rogell from a screenplay by Joseph A. Fields and Philip G. Epstein, based on a story by James Edward Grant and Thomas Lennon. Produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, it premiered in New York City on July 31, 1936, and was released nationwide the following week on August 7. The film stars Fred Stone, Louise Latimer and Owen Davis, Jr.
The Big Game is a 1936 American sports drama film directed by George Nicholls, Jr. and produced by RKO Radio Pictures, which released the film on October 9, 1936. The screenplay was written by Irwin Shaw, adapted from the 1936 novel of the same name by Francis Wallace. The film stars Philip Huston, James Gleason, June Travis, Bruce Cabot and Andy Devine. Huston (1908–1980) was a respected New York stage actor, who also had prominent roles in a number of motion pictures and, later, acted in television productions, as well.
Criminal Lawyer is a 1937 American drama film directed by Christy Cabanne from a screenplay by G. V. Atwater and Thomas Lennon, based on a story by Louis Stevens. The film stars Lee Tracy, Margot Grahame and Eduardo Ciannelli. RKO produced the film and premiered it on January 26, 1937, in New York City, with a national release a few days later on January 29. It was the second time Stevens' story had been used for a film, the first being 1932's State's Attorney, starring John Barrymore and Helen Twelvetrees, directed by George Archainbaud, and also produced and released by RKO.
Double Danger is a 1938 American crime drama directed by Lew Landers, using a screenplay by Arthur T. Horman and J. Robert Bren based on Horman's story. The film stars Preston Foster and Whitney Bourne, with supporting roles by Donald Meek and Samuel S. Hinds. Produced by RKO Radio Pictures, it was released on January 28, 1938.
China Passage is a 1937 American mystery film directed by Edward Killy from a screenplay by Edmund L. Hartmann and J. Robert Bren, based on a story by Taylor Caven. RKO Radio Pictures produced the film, which stars Constance Worth, Vinton Haworth, Leslie Fenton and Gordon Jones. Haworth was injured in an automobile accident in January 1937, delaying the film's released until March 12, 1937.
Danger Patrol is a 1937 American drama film directed by Lew Landers from a screenplay by Sy Bartlett based on a story by Helen Vreeland and Hilda Vincent. Produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, it was released on December 3, 1937, and stars Sally Eilers, John Beal, and Harry Carey.
Crime Ring is a 1938 American crime drama film directed by Leslie Goodwins from a screenplay by J. Robert Bren and Gladys Atwater, based on a story by Reginald Taviner. The film stars Allan Lane and Frances Mercer, and was produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, released on July 8, 1938.
Edward Cronjager was an American cinematographer whose career spanned from the silent era through the 1950s. He came from a family of cinematographers, with his father, uncle, and brother all working in the film industry behind the camera. His work covered over 100 films and included projects on the small screen towards the end of his career. He filmed in black and white and color mediums, and his work received nominations for seven Academy Awards over three decades, although he never won the statue.
Nick Stuart was an Austro-Hungarian-born American actor and bandleader. His career spanned five decades, during which he appeared in over 50 films, more than half of them features, as well as film shorts, serials, and even one television appearance. He rose to stardom in such films as Girls Gone Wild and Chasing Through Europe, prior to expanding his business interests by creating a talent agency, and a popular upscale club in Hollywood.
Cliff Reid, also known as George Clifford Reid, was an American film producer and film production studio founder during the 1930s and 1940s. In addition he also directed film shorts, and was the assistant director on several feature films.
Arthur T. Horman was an American screenwriter whose career spanned from the 1930s to the end of the 1950s. During that time he wrote the stories or screenplays for over 60 films, as well as writing several pieces for television during the 1950s.
Samuel J. Briskin was one of the foremost producers of Hollywood's Golden Age, and head of production during his career at three of the "Big 8" major film studios: Columbia Pictures (twice), Paramount Pictures, and RKO Pictures. In the late 1950s, he was briefly on the board of directors of another major, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. During World War II, Briskin served in the army's Signal Corps as a film producer, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel. After the war he co-founded Liberty Films with Frank Capra. They were later joined by William Wyler and George Stevens. The studio only produced two films, but both are now considered classics: It's a Wonderful Life and State of the Union. All three of his brothers were also film producers, as well as one of his sons, and his sister was married to the eventual Chairman of Columbia, where Briskin spent the last decade of his life as a vice-president and head of production until his death in 1968 from a heart attack.
Lee Marcus, also known as Lee S. Marcus, was an American film producer of the 1930s and 1940s. During his fifteen-year career he produced over 85 films, most of them between 1934 and 1941 while he was at RKO Studios. Prior to his production career, Marcus worked for FBO and then RKO as a sales executive, reaching the level of vice president in both organizations. At RKO, he was head of production of the studio's b-films during the late 1930s and the beginning of the 1940s. He was also responsible for producing what many consider to be the first film noir, 1940's Stranger on the Third Floor.
Dance Girl Dance is a 1933 American pre-Code musical film directed by Frank Strayer from an original screenplay by Robert Ellis. The picture stars Alan Dinehart, Evalyn Knapp, and Edward Nugent, and premiered on September 1, 1933.
