At RKO

[TopBilled]

So when we think of this historic movie studio, who do we usually associate with it?

Here's the list I came up with:

KATHARINE HEPBURN
CONSTANCE BENNETT
WHEELER & WOOSLEY
ROBERT RYAN
JANE RUSSELL
ROBERT MITCHUM
IRENE DUNNE
HELEN TWELVETREES
JOHN BARRYMORE
BARBARA HALE
TOM CONWAY
JANE GREER
LAWRENCE TIERNEY
ROBERT YOUNG
PAT O'BRIEN
GEORGE MURPHY
TIM HOLT
GENE RAYMOND
ANN MILLER
LUM & ABNER
DESI ARNAZ
VICTOR MATURE
BILL BOYD
KENT SMITH
GEORGE SANDERS
ANN SOTHERN
GINGER ROGERS
KAY KYSER
RICHARD DIX
SIMONE SIMON
JOAN FONTAINE
FRED ASTAIRE
GEORGE O'BRIEN
VIRGINIA VALE
ALLAN LANE
LARAINE DAY
GLENN VERNON
CARY GRANT
ANN HARDING
FIBBER MCGEE & MOLLY
ORSON WELLES
RUTH WARRICK
CHESTER MORRIS
BOBBY BREEN
ANNE JEFFREYS
JOAN DIXON
RICHARD MARTIN
LUPE VELEZ
EDNA MAY OLIVER
HELEN BRODERICK
VICTOR MOORE
MAUREEN O'HARA
HAROLD PEARY
CARLA BALENDA
GLORIA GRAHAME
JOE PENNER
ROBERT ARMSTRONG
JEAN HERSHOLT
ALAN CARNEY
WALLY BROWN
LUCILLE BALL
ANNE SHIRLEY
JAMES ELISON
JACK OAKIE

Did I forget anyone important?

[TopBilled]

Thought I would start with the one of my favorites.

IRENE DUNNE

LEATHERNECKING (1930)
CIMARRON (1931)
BACHELOR APARTMENT (1931)
CONSOLATION MARRIAGE (1931)
SYMPHONY OF SIX MILLION (1932)
THIRTEEN WOMEN (1932)
NO OTHER WOMAN (1933)
THE SILVER CORD (1933)
ANN VICKERS (1933)
IF I WERE FREE (1933)
THIS MAN IS MINE (1934)
STINGAREE (1934)
THE AGE OF INNOCENCE (1934)
ROBERTA (1935)
JOY OF LIVING (1938)
LOVE AFFAIR (1939)
MY FAVORITE WIFE (1940)
I REMEMBER MAMA (1948)
NEVER A DULL MOMENT (1950)

[TopBilled]

PAT O'BRIEN

CONSOLATION MARRIAGE (1931)
FLAMING GOLD (1933)
THE NAVY COMES THROUGH (1942)
BOMBARDIER (1943)
THE IRON MAJOR (1943)
MARINE RAIDERS (1944)
MAN ALIVE (1945)
HAVING WONDERFUL CRIME (1945)
CRACK-UP (1946)
RIFFRAFF (1947)
FIGHTING FATHER DUNNE (1948)
THE BOY WITH GREEN HAIR (1948)
A DANGEROUS PROFESSION (1949)

[TopBilled]

JANE RUSSELL

HIS KIND OF WOMAN (1951)
DOUBLE DYNAMITE (1951)
THE LAS VEGAS STORY (1952)
MACAO (1952)
MONTANA BELLE (1952)
THE FRENCH LINE (1953)
UNDERWATER! (1955)

[TopBilled]

ROBERT YOUNG

THE RIGHT TO ROMANCE (1933)
SPITFIRE (1934)
THE BRIDE WALKS OUT (1936)
THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE (1945)
THOSE ENDEARING YOUNG CHARMS (1945)
LADY LUCK (1946)
CROSSFIRE (1947)
THEY WON'T BELIEVE ME (1947)
ADVENTURE IN BALTIMORE (1949)
BRIDE FOR SALE (1949)
THE HALF-BREED (1952)

[TopBilled]

BARBARA BEL GEDDES

THE LONG NIGHT (1947)
I REMEMBER MAMA (1948)
BLOOD ON THE MOON (1948)

[TopBilled]

WHEELER AND WOOLSEY

RIO RITA (1929)
DIXIANA (1930)
HALF SHOT AT SUNRISE (1930)
THE CUCKOOS (1930)
HOOK LINE AND SINKER (1930)
CAUGHT PLASTERED (1931)
TOO MANY COOKS (1931)
PEACH-O-RENO (1931)
CRACKED NUTS (1931)
HOLD 'EM JAIL (1932)
GIRL CRAZY (1932)
DIPLOMANIACS (1933)
KENTUCKY KERNELS (1934)
COCKEYED CAVALIERS (1934)
HIPS HIPS HOORAY! (1934)
THE NITWITS (1935)
THE RAINMAKERS (1935)
SILLY BILLIES (1936)
MUMMY'S BOYS (1936)
HIGH FLYERS (1937)
ON AGAIN-OFF AGAIN (1937)

[Princess of Tap]

52 minutes ago, TopBilled said:

Thought I would start with the one of my favorites.

IRENE DUNNE

LEATHERNECKING (1930)
CIMARRON (1931)
BACHELOR APARTMENT (1931)
CONSOLATION MARRIAGE (1931)
SYMPHONY OF SIX MILLION (1932)
THIRTEEN WOMEN (1932)
NO OTHER WOMAN (1933)
THE SILVER CORD (1933)
ANN VICKERS (1933)
IF I WERE FREE (1933)
THIS MAN IS MINE (1934)
STINGAREE (1934)
THE AGE OF INNOCENCE (1934)
ROBERTA (1935)
JOY OF LIVING (1938)
LOVE AFFAIR (1939)
MY FAVORITE WIFE (1940)
I REMEMBER MAMA (1948)
NEVER A DULL MOMENT (1950)

As a kid, "Never a Dull Moment" and "My Favorite Wife" were my favorite movies for her and for the screwball genre.

But as an adult, I've got to say that my other two favorite Irene Dunne movies were made at Columbia--

" Theodora Goes Wild " and "Penny Serenade".

Looking at that list reminds you that she's one of the most versatile actresses of the classic era-- especially when you include her musicals.

[TopBilled]

3 minutes ago, Princess of Tap said:

As a kid, "Never a Dull Moment" and "My Favorite Wife" were my favorite movies for her and for the screwball genre.

But as an adult, I've got to say that my other two favorite Irene Dunne movies were made at Columbia--

" Theodora Goes Wild " and "Penny Serenade".

Looking at that list reminds you that she's one of the most versatile actresses of the classic era-- especially when you include her musicals.

Yes. Truly a versatile performer. All those Oscar nominations were well-earned.

Later, when we do a thread "At Columbia" we'll mention her screwball films for that studio.

I think she was a bit better served at RKO, since it's the studio that sort of discovered her and they seemed interested in helping her grow as a lead actress. She didn't come in doing bit parts or even supporting roles. They used her as a lead performer right out of the gate.

I really love CONSOLATION MARRIAGE...it's such an underrated little precode gem. Pat O'Brien makes an unlikely leading man for her, but somehow it just works beautifully. 

[TopBilled]

GEORGE O'BRIEN

DANIEL BOONE (1936)
WINDJAMMER (1937)
PARK AVENUE LOGGER (1937)
PAINTED DESERT (1938)
LAWLESS VALLEY (1938)
GUN LAW (1938)
THE RENEGADE RANGER (1938)
BORDER G-MAN (1938)
TIMBER STAMPEDE (1939)
THE FIGHTING GRINGO (1939)
MARSHAL OF MESA CITY (1939)
TRIPLE JUSTICE (1940)
STAGE TO CHINO (1940)
FORT APACHE (1948)
SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (1949)

[TopBilled]

KATHARINE HEPBURN

A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT (1932)
MORNING GLORY (1933)
CHRISTOPHER STRONG (1933)
LITTLE WOMEN (1933)
THE LITTLE MINISTER (1934)
SPITFIRE (1934)
BREAK OF HEARTS (1935)
ALICE ADAMS (1935)
A WOMAN REBELS (1936)
MARY OF SCOTLAND (1936)
SYLVIA SCARLETT (1936)
STAGE DOOR (1937)
QUALITY STREET (1937)
BRINGING UP BABY (1938)

[TopBilled]

LAWRENCE TIERNEY

YOUTH RUNS WILD (1944)
BACK TO BATAAN (1945)
MAMA LOVES PAPA (1945)
THOSE ENDEARING YOUNG CHARMS (1945)
STEP BY STEP (1946)
BADMAN'S TERRITORY (1946)
SAN QUENTIN (1946)
THE DEVIL THUMBS A RIDE (1947)
BORN TO KILL (1947)
BODYGUARD (1948)
BEST OF THE BADMEN (1951)

[TopBilled]

GEORGE MURPHY

A GIRL A GUY AND A GOB (1941)
TOM DICK AND HARRY (1941)
THE MAYOR OF 44TH STREET (1942)
THE NAVY COMES THROUGH (1942)
SHOW BUSINESS (1944)
STEP LIVELY (1944)
HAVING WONDERFUL CRIME (1945)

[TopBilled]

ANN HARDING

DEVOTION (1931)
PRESTIGE (1932)
WESTWARD PASSAGE (1932)
THE CONQUERORS (1932)
THE ANIMAL KINGDOM (1932)
DOUBLE HARNESS (1933)
THE RIGHT TO ROMANCE (1933)
THE FOUNTAIN (1934)
THE LIFE OF VERGIE WINTERS (1934)
ENCHANTED APRIL (1935)
THE LADY CONSENTS (1936)
THE WITNESS CHAIR (1936)
THOSE ENDEARING YOUNG CHARMS (1945)

[TopBilled]

FRANK SINATRA

HIGHER AND HIGHER (1943)
STEP LIVELY (1944)
THE MIRACLE OF THE BELLS (1948)
DOUBLE DYNAMITE (1951)

[TopBilled]

ROBERT RYAN

BOMBARDIER (1943)
THE IRON MAJOR (1943)
BEHIND THE RISING SUN (1943)
THE SKY'S THE LIMIT (1943)
GANGWAY FOR TOMORROW (1943)
TENDER COMRADE (1943)
MARINE RAIDERS (1944)
TRAIL STREET (1947)
CROSSFIRE (1947)
THE WOMAN ON THE BEACH (1947)
BERLIN EXPRESS (1948)
RETURN OF THE BADMEN (1948)
THE BOY WITH GREEN HAIR (1948)
THE SET-UP (1949)
I MARRIED A COMMUNIST (1949)
THE SECRET FURY (1950)
BORN TO BE BAD (1950)
HARD FAST AND BEAUTIFUL (1951)
BEST OF THE BADMEN (1951)
FLYING LEATHERNECKS (1951)
THE RACKET (1951)
ON DANGEROUS GROUND (1951)
CLASH BY NIGHT (1952)
BEWARE MY LOVELY (1952)
ESCAPE TO BURMA (1955)
BACK FROM ETERNITY (1956)

[TopBilled]

HELEN TWELVETREES

BAD COMPANY (1931)
THE PAINTED DESERT (1931)
MILLIE (1931)
A WOMAN OF EXPERIENCE (1931)
PANAMA FLO (1932)
STATE'S ATTORNEY (1932)
IS MY FACE RED? (1932)
YOUNG BRIDE (1932)

[TopBilled]

JOHN BARRYMORE

STATE'S ATTORNEY (1932)
A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT (1932)
TOPAZE (1933)
LONG LOST FATHER (1934)
THE GREAT MAN VOTES (1939)
PLAYMATES (1941)

[TopBilled]

CONSTANCE BENNETT

THE COMMON LAW (1931)
BORN TO LOVE (1931)
ROCKABYE (1932)
LADY WITH A PAST (1932)
WHAT PRICE HOLLYWOOD? (1932)
OUR BETTERS (1933)
BED OF ROSES (1933)
AFTER TONIGHT (1933)

[TopBilled]

BARBARA HALE

HIGHER AND HIGHER (1943)
THE FALCON OUT WEST (1944)
GOIN' TO TOWN (1944)
HEAVENLY DAYS (1944)
THE FALCON IN HOLLYWOOD (1944)
WEST OF THE PECOS (1945)
FIRST YANK INTO TOKYO (1945)
LADY LUCK (1946)
A LIKELY STORY (1947)
THE BOY WITH GREEN HAIR (1948)
THE CLAY PIGEON (1949)
THE WINDOW (1949)

[Princess of Tap]

7 minutes ago, TopBilled said:

BARBARA HALE

HIGHER AND HIGHER (1943)
THE FALCON OUT WEST (1944)
GOIN' TO TOWN (1944)
HEAVENLY DAYS (1944)
THE FALCON IN HOLLYWOOD (1944)
WEST OF THE PECOS (1945)
FIRST YANK INTO TOKYO (1945)
LADY LUCK (1946)
A LIKELY STORY (1947)
THE BOY WITH GREEN HAIR (1948)
THE CLAY PIGEON (1949)
THE WINDOW (1949)

I just got the DVD's for "The Falcon" movie series and had a chance to see Barbara Hale in both of those movies listed above.

I shouldn't have been surprised, but in 1944 she had everything that she would always have.

 She displayed the complete actress: accomplished and self-assured.

[TopBilled]

1 minute ago, Princess of Tap said:

I just got the DVD's for "The Falcon" movie series and had a chance to see Barbara Hale in both of those movies listed above.

I shouldn't have been surprised, but in 1944 she had everything that she would always have.

 She displayed the complete actress: accomplished and self-assured.

Yes, it's easy to see how she was able to go from bit parts to starring roles in such a short time. It sort of annoys me when people think of her as Della Street. She was so much more.

[TopBilled]

WILLIAM "BILL" BOYD

THE PAINTED DESERT (1931)
BEYOND VICTORY (1931)
THE BIG GAMBLE (1931)
SUICIDE FLEET (1932)
CARNIVAL BOAT (1932)
MEN OF AMERICA (1932)
LUCKY DEVILS (1933)
EMERGENCY CALL (1933)
FLAMING GOLD (1933)
 

[sagebrush]

Wow, Robert Ryan seems to take the crown when it comes to number of films at RKO! When you get to Ginger Rogers, TopBilled, I'm sure we will see she leaves him in the dust!

[TopBilled]

4 minutes ago, sagebrush said:

Wow, Robert Ryan seems to take the crown when it comes to number of films at RKO! When you get to Ginger Rogers, TopBilled, I'm sure we will see she leaves him in the dust!

Yes, I think Robert Ryan, Irene Dunne, Richard Dix, Anne Shirley and Ginger Rogers are the RKO champs.

I will post Ginger's RKO total in a little while.