Rusty (film series)

Last updated
Conrad Nagel, Ted Donaldson and Margaret Lindsay in Adventures of Rusty (1945) Adventures-of-Rusty.jpg
Conrad Nagel, Ted Donaldson and Margaret Lindsay in Adventures of Rusty (1945)

The Rusty film series comprises eight American films produced for young audiences between 1945 and 1949 by Columbia Pictures. Child actor Ted Donaldson starred as Danny Mitchell in the series, which relates the adventures of a German Shepherd dog named Rusty. The role of Rusty was played by Ace the Wonder Dog in the first feature, Adventures of Rusty (1945). [1] A police dog named Rip took over the role for the second film, The Return of Rusty (1946). [2] In the later films Rusty was played by Flame, [1] a charismatic dog star who was featured in three separate series. [3] : 176, 193 

Contents

The Rusty films were B-movies, primarily shown as the second half of a double bill. The basic boy-and-his-dog stories usually addressed social issues of the era, and provided civics lessons to its young audiences.

Directors at Columbia usually broke in with the studio's "B" features. Only William Castle and John Sturges advanced from the Rusty pictures to more ambitious projects; the series was usually entrusted to low-budget specialists Lew Landers or Seymour Friedman.

Among the regular cast members was child actor David Ackles, who appeared in most of the films as Danny's cohort Tuck. Character actor John Litel joined the series with the second film. Ann Doran, a longstanding member of Columbia's stock company, took over the role of Danny's mother in the third film, and remained in the role until the series ended in 1949. Ted Donaldson had outgrown the little-boy role by then; although the teenaged Donaldson remained with the series, much of the action in the final film, Rusty's Birthday (1949), was turned over to a new little boy, Jimmy Hunt.

Films

Release dateTitleDirectorLengthNotes
September 6, 1945 Adventures of Rusty Paul Burnford69 min. [1] Cast: Ted Donaldson, Margaret Lindsay, Conrad Nagel, Ace the Wonder Dog [4]
June 27, 1946 The Return of Rusty William Castle 64 min. [1] Cast: Ted Donaldson, John Litel, Barbara Woodell, [5] Rip the Police Dog [2]
May 1, 1947 For the Love of Rusty John Sturges 68 min. [1] Cast: Ted Donaldson, Tom Powers, Ann Doran, Flame [6]
August 7, 1947 The Son of Rusty Lew Landers 75 min. [1] Cast: Ted Donaldson, Tom Powers, Ann Doran, Flame [7]
April 8, 1948 My Dog Rusty Lew Landers64 min. [1] Cast: Ted Donaldson, John Litel, Ann Doran, Flame [8]
October 21, 1948 Rusty Leads the Way Will Jason58 min. [1] Cast: Ted Donaldson, John Litel, Ann Doran, Flame [9]
April 8, 1949 Rusty Saves a Life Seymour Friedman 67 min. [1] Cast: Ted Donaldson, John Litel, Ann Doran, Flame [10]
November 3, 1949 Rusty's Birthday Seymour Friedman60 min. [1] Cast: Ted Donaldson, John Litel, Ann Doran, Flame [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rin Tin Tin</span> German Shepherd actor (1918–1932)

Rin Tin Tin or Rin-Tin-Tin was a male German Shepherd born in Flirey, France, who became an international star in motion pictures. He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American soldier, Lee Duncan, who nicknamed him "Rinty". Duncan trained Rin Tin Tin and obtained silent film work for the dog. Rin Tin Tin was an immediate box-office success and went on to appear in 27 Hollywood films, gaining worldwide fame. Along with the earlier canine film star Strongheart, Rin Tin Tin was responsible for greatly increasing the popularity of German Shepherd dogs as family pets. The immense profitability of his films contributed to the success of Warner Bros. studios and helped advance the career of Darryl F. Zanuck from screenwriter to producer and studio executive.

<i>The Adventures of Rin-Tin-Tin</i> American childrens television series (1954–1959)

The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin is an American children's Western television series that aired 164 episodes from October 1954 to May 1959 on the ABC television network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwayne Hickman</span> American actor (1934–2022)

Dwayne Bernard Hickman was an American actor and television executive, producer and director, who worked as an executive at CBS and had also briefly recorded as a vocalist. Hickman portrayed Chuck MacDonald, Bob Collins' girl-crazy teenaged nephew, in the 1950s The Bob Cummings Show and the title character in the 1960s sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. He was the younger brother of actor Darryl Hickman, with whom he appeared on screen. After retirement, he devoted his time to creating personalized paintings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Doran</span> American actress (1911–2000)

Ann Lee Doran was an American character actress, possibly best known as Carol Stark, the mother of James "Jim" Stark in Rebel Without a Cause (1955). She was an early member of the Screen Actors Guild and served on the board of the Motion Picture & Television Fund for 30 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Blackie</span> Fictional character created by author Jack Boyle

Boston Blackie is a fictional character created by author Jack Boyle (1881–1928). Blackie, a jewel thief and safecracker in Boyle's stories, became a detective in adaptations for films, radio and television—an "enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend."

<i>Cover Girl</i> (film) 1944 film by Charles Vidor

Cover Girl is a 1944 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Charles Vidor, and starring Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly. The film tells the story of a chorus girl given a chance at stardom when she is offered an opportunity to be a highly paid cover girl. It was one of the most popular musicals of the war years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marjorie Lord</span> American actress (1918–2015)

Marjorie Lord was an American television and film actress. She played Kathy "Clancy" O'Hara Williams, opposite Danny Thomas's character on The Danny Thomas Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurence Trimble</span> American film director

Laurence Norwood Trimble was an American silent film director, writer and actor. Trimble began his film career directing Jean, the Vitagraph Dog, the first canine to have a leading role in motion pictures. He made his acting debut in the 1910 silent Saved by the Flag, directed scores of films for Vitagraph and other studios, and became head of production for Florence Turner's independent film company in England (1913–1916). Trimble was most widely known for his four films starring Strongheart, a German Shepherd dog he discovered and trained that became the first major canine film star. After he left filmmaking he trained animals exclusively, particularly guide dogs for the blind.

<i>For the Love of Rusty</i> 1947 film by John Sturges

For the Love of Rusty is a 1947 American drama film directed by John Sturges. It was the third of the "Rusty" film series involving the adventures of German Shepherd Rusty and his human companions - young Danny Mitchell and his pals. This film details Danny's friendship with an eccentric and itinerant "veterinarian" Dr. Fay, and Danny's attempts to form a closer relationship with his father. In this installment, Rusty was played for the first time by Flame, who would portray Rusty in four of the eight Rusty films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ace the Wonder Dog</span> Dog actor

Ace the Wonder Dog was a German Shepherd dog actor in several films and film serials from 1938 to 1946. His first appearance was in the 1938 Lew Landers film Blind Alibi. He is considered by many critics an attempt by RKO Pictures to cash in on the success of Warner Bros.' canine sensation, Rin Tin Tin.

<i>Adventures of Rusty</i> 1945 film by Paul Burnford

Adventures of Rusty is a 1945 American drama film, the first in the "Rusty" series of children's films. The series of eight films were made in the 1940s by Columbia Pictures with stories centered on Rusty, a German Shepherd dog. The film is notable for featuring the famous Ace the Wonder Dog as Rusty, the only appearance by Ace in the Rusty films. It was directed by Paul Burnford.

Teddy Infuhr, born Theodore Edward Infuhr, was an American child actor.

Norman "Rusty" Wescoatt was an American supporting actor who appeared in over 80 films between 1947 and 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Donaldson</span> American child actor (1933–2023)

Ted Donaldson was an American actor.

<i>The Return of Rin Tin Tin</i> 1947 film by Max Nosseck

The Return of Rin Tin Tin is a 1947 American drama film directed by Max Nosseck and written by Jack DeWitt. The film stars Rin Tin Tin III, Donald Woods, Robert Blake, Claudia Drake, Steve Pendleton and Earle Hodgins. The film was released on November 1, 1947, by Eagle-Lion Films.

<i>Rustys Birthday</i> 1949 film by Seymour Friedman

Rusty's Birthday is a black-and-white American juvenile drama, released by Columbia Pictures in November 1949. Structured as an hour-long second feature, it is the final entry in the eight-film low-budget series which centers on the bond between the German Shepherd dog Rusty and the boy Danny Mitchell, portrayed by Ted Donaldson. Rusty's Birthday was directed by Seymour Friedman, and also stars John Litel and Ann Doran as his parents, Hugh and Ethel Mitchell.

<i>The Return of Rusty</i> 1946 film by William Castle

The Return of Rusty is a 1946 American drama film directed by William Castle and starring Ted Donaldson, John Litel and Mark Dennis. It was the second in the eight part Rusty film series produced by Columbia Pictures.

<i>The Son of Rusty</i> 1947 film by Lew Landers

The Son of Rusty is a 1947 American drama film directed by Lew Landers and starring Ted Donaldson, Stephen Dunne and Ann Doran. It was part of Columbia Pictures' eight-film Rusty series about a boy and his valiant German Shepherd.

My Dog Rusty is a 1948 American drama film directed by Lew Landers and starring Ted Donaldson, John Litel and Ann Doran. It was part of the eight-film Rusty series of films produced by Columbia Pictures, about a boy and his valiant German Shepherd.

<i>Rusty Saves a Life</i> 1949 film by Seymour Friedman

Rusty Saves a Life is a 1949 American drama film directed by Seymour Friedman and starring Ted Donaldson, Gloria Henry and Ann Doran. It was part of the Rusty series of films produced by Columbia Pictures.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Hirschhorn, Clive (1989). The Columbia Story. New York: Crown Publishers. p. 356. OCLC   773218985.
  2. 1 2 "New 'Rusty' Adventure Film". The Sydney Morning Herald . November 13, 1946. Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  3. ↑ Orlean, Susan (2011). Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN   978-1-4391-9013-5.
  4. ↑ "Adventures of Rusty". AFI Catalog of Feature Films . American Film Institute . Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  5. ↑ "The Return of Rusty". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  6. ↑ "For the Love of Rusty". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  7. ↑ "The Son of Rusty". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  8. ↑ "My Dog Rusty". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  9. ↑ "Rusty Leads the Way". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  10. ↑ "Rusty Saves a Life". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  11. ↑ "Rusty's Birthday". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved 2016-06-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.