Appraisal of Ralf Harolde’s talents as ultimate pre-Code lowlife with biographical bits assembled where possible. Busy character actor of the 1930s-40s, who made his mark in films such as Night Nurse, Safe in Hell, and Picture Snatcher.
Popular Posts
Movie Star Biographies
Arthur Hohl – Broadway to Hollywood, Double-Dealers All the Way
A biography of character actor Arthur Hohl, whose Broadway stardom typed him as cowardly villains and humorless prosecutors throughout Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Helen Vinson Biography – A Socialite Specializing in Socialites
Born Helen Rulfs in Beaumont, Texas, this biography traces Helen Vinson’s life and career through Houston to New York, Hollywood, and beyond. Born to money, Vinson excelled at playing icy socialites in the movies. Married three times including her 1930s union with Wimbledon champ Fred Perry.
Herbert Marshall, Biography of the Trouble in Paradise Star
Biography of actor Herbert Marshall with an appreciation of his biggest films including Trouble in Paradise (1932) and The Razor’s Edge (1946). Article includes details about his having lost his right leg during World War I and of his affair with Gloria Swanson in the 1930s.
Miriam Hopkins Biography — Star of Stage and Screen, 1902-1972
Biography of Miriam Hopkins (1902-1972), whose legacy should be her racy and sophisticated Paramount pre-Code output—not her feud with Bette Davis, or missing out on Gone With the Wind despite being Margaret Mitchell’s favorite for Scarlett O’Hara.
Madge Evans – Typical American Girl is No Typical Classic Movie Star
A brief biography of silent child star and adult star of 1930’s talkies Madge Evans, who appeared in Dinner at Eight and David Copperfield. Heavily illustrated with vintage movie cards and collectibles.
Movie Reviews & Articles
Louise Brooks stars in William Wellman’s Beggars of Life (1928)
Louise Brooks and Richard Arlen star in William Wellman’s Beggars of Life (1928) based on the novel by Jim Tully. Also starring Wallace Beery, a pre-Depression tale of hobo life.
First Impressions: Little Women (1933) Starring Katharine Hepburn
RKO’s classic Little Women (1933) starring Katharine Hepburn as Jo Marsh with Joan Bennett, Frances Dee and Jean Parker as her sisters. Some notes based on the first time I watched the movie.
James Cagney is Jimmy the Gent (1934)
James Cagney stars in Warner Bros. fast-paced Jimmy the Gent (1934), made all the faster by Cagney’s own frenzied performance. Bette Davis co-stars in an underwhelming role while Alan Dinehart excels in his part as rival “Heir Chaser.” Directed by Michael Curtiz and also featuring Allen Jenkins and Alice White.
Freddie Bartholomew is Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936)
A look at Selznick International’s faithful 1936 screen adaptation of Little Lord Fauntleroy starring Freddie Bartholomew and C. Aubrey Smith.
H.M. Pulham, Esq. (1941) – King Vidor Brings John P. Marquand Bestseller to Life
Comparing King Vidor’s adaptation of H.M. Pulham, Esq. (1941) to the novel by John P. Marquand, and why both tellings are wonderful. Excellent performances from Robert Young and Hedy Lamarr trickle down throughout the entire cast, most of who are perfect representations of the characters Marquand created on the page. It’s a quiet story that tells a lot in the end.
Paramount’s The Night of June 13th (1932), Street Scene of the Suburbs
The Night of June 13th (1932) was Paramount’s answer to Street Scene in which they set an ensemble cast loose on each other in the suburbs. With Clive Brook, the first pairing of Charles Ruggles and Mary Boland, plus Lila Lee, Gene Raymond, Frances Dee, Charley Grapewin and many others.