At RKO

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Incidentally, I am only posting stars who made three or more films at RKO. A lot of people made one or two RKO films.

I also toyed with the idea of posting producers (like Val Lewton) or directors (like Robert Wise) but for now the focus is just on the performers.

I might come back later and add the works of the studo's most important producers and directors.

In the case of Orson Welles, it gets a bit tricky. His voice is heard over the soundtrack of THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS which he directed, but technically he does not appear on screen.

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ORSON WELLES

SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON (1940) narration
CITIZEN KANE (1941)
THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS (1942) narration
JOURNEY INTO FEAR (1943)
TOMORROW IS FOREVER (1946)
THE STRANGER (1946)
IT'S ALL TRUE (1993) segments filmed by Welles in 1942

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GINGER ROGERS

THE TIP-OFF (1931)
SUICIDE FLEET (1931)
CARNIVAL BOAT (1932)
PROFESSIONAL SWEETHEART (1933)
FLYING DOWN TO RIO (1933)
RAFTER ROMANCE (1933)
CHANCE AT HEAVEN (1933)
FINISHING SCHOOL (1933)
THE GAY DIVORCEE (1934)
ROMANCE IN MANHATTAN (1934)
ROBERTA (1935)
IN PERSON (1935)
TOP HAT (1935)
STAR OF MIDNIGHT (1935)
FOLLOW THE FLEET (1936)
SWING TIME (1936)
SHALL WE DANCE (1937)
STAGE DOOR (1937)
HAVING WONDERFUL TIME (1938)
VIVACIOUS LADY (1938)
CAREFREE (1938)
BACHELOR MOTHER (1939)
THE STORY OF VERNON AND IRENE CASTLE (1939)
FIFTH AVENUE GIRL (1939)
PRIMROSE PATH (1940)
KITTY FOYLE (1940)
LUCKY PARTNERS (1940)
TOM DICK AND HARRY (1941)
ONCE UPON A HONEYMOON (1942)
TENDER COMRADE (1943)
HEARTBEAT (1946)
THE FIRST TRAVELING SALESLADY (1956)

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ANNE SHIRLEY

FINISHING SCHOOL (1934)
BACHELOR BAIT (1934)
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES (1934)
CHASING YESTERDAY (1935)
CHATTERBOX (1936)
MAKE WAY FOR A LADY (1936)
M'LISS (1936)
TOO MANY WIVES (1937)
STELLA DALLAS (1937)
MEET THE MISSUS (1937)
CONDEMNED WOMEN (1938)
MOTHER CAREY'S CHICKENS (1938)
LAW OF THE UNDERWORLD (1938)
A MAN TO REMEMBER (1938)
SORORITY HOUSE (1939)
BOY SLAVES (1939)
CAREER (1939)
ANNE OF WINDY POPLARS (1940)
VIGIL IN THE NIGHT (1940)
UNEXPECTED UNCLE (1941)
THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER (1941)
THE MAYOR OF 44TH STREET (1942)
FOUR JACKS AND A JILL (1942)
GOVERNMENT GIRL (1943)
BOMBARDIER (1943)
MUSIC IN MANHATTAN (1944)
MURDER MY SWEET (1944)

[yanceycravat]

Not sure if this matters to your list but Wheeler and Woolsey made SO THIS IS AFRICA at Columbia. Their only feature outside of RKO.

[TopBilled]

Just now, yanceycravat said:

Not sure if this matters to your list but Wheeler and Woolsey made SO THIS IS AFRICA at Columbia. Their only feature outside of RKO.

Thanks for the correction. I will go back and edit the earlier post.

[Ray Faiola]

21 hours ago, TopBilled said:

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

Did I forget anyone important?

Paul Guilfoyle!

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RICHARD DIX

SEVEN KEYS TO BALDPATE (1929)
LOVIN' THE LADIES (1930)
SHOOTING STRAIGHT (1930)
CIMARRON (1931)
YOUNG DONOVAN'S KID (1931)
THE PUBLIC DEFENDER (1931)
SECRET SERVICE (1931)
THE LOST SQUADRON (1932)
ROAR OF THE DRAGON (1932)
HELL'S HIGHWAY (1932)
THE CONQUERORS (1932)
THE GREAT JASPER (1933)
NO MARRIAGE TIES (1933)
ACE OF ACES (1933)
STINGAREE (1934)
WEST OF THE PECOS (1934)
HIS GREATEST GAMBLE (1934)
THE ARIZONIAN (1935)
SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR (1936)
YELLOW DUST (1936)
BLIND ALIBI (1938)
SKY GIANT (1938)
TWELVE CROWDED HOURS (1939)
RENO (1939)
THE MARINES FLY HIGH (1940)
MEN AGAINST THE SKY (1940)
THE GHOST SHIP (1943)

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PAUL GUILFOYLE

WANTED! JANE TURNER (1936)
WINTERSET (1936)
SEA DEVILS (1937)
THE SOLDIER AND THE LADY (1937)
THE WOMAN I LOVE (1937)
YOU CAN'T BUY LUCK (1937)
BEHIND THE HEADLINES (1937)
YOU CAN'T BEAT LOVE (1937)
SUPER-SLEUTH (1937)
HIDEAWAY (1937)
FLIGHT FROM GLORY (1937)
FIGHT FOR YOUR LADY (1937)
SHE'S GOT EVERYTHING (1937)
QUICK MONEY (1937)
DANGER PATROL (1937)
MAID'S NIGHT OUT (1938)
CRASHING HOLLYWOOD (1938)
DOUBLE DANGER (1938)
THIS MARRIAGE BUSINESS (1938)
BRINGING UP BABY (1938)
LAW OF THE UNDERWORLD (1938)
BLIND ALIBI (1938)
SKY GIANT (1938)
I'M FROM THE CITY (1938)
THE SAINT IN NEW YORK (1938)
CAREFREE (1938)
FUGITIVES FOR THE NIGHT (1938)
MR. DOODLE KICKS OFF (1938)
THE MAD MISS MANTON (1938)
TARNISHED ANGEL (1938)
THE LAW WEST OF TOMBSTONE (1938)
PACIFIC LINER (1939)
BOY SLAVES (1939)
ABE LINCOLN IN ILLINOIS (1940)
THE SAINT TAKES OVER (1940)
MILLIONAIRES IN PRISON (1940)
WILDCAT BUS (1940)
ONE CROWDED NIGHT (1940)
THE SAINT IN PALM SPRINGS (1941)
PETTICOAT LARCENY (1943)
SINBAD THE SAILOR (1947)
A WOMAN'S SECRET (1949)
FOLLOW ME QUIETLY (1949)
MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1949)
I MARRIED A COMMUNIST (1949)

[yanceycravat]

Wish TCM would air WINTERSET.😊

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KAY KYSER

THAT'S RIGHT YOU'RE WRONG (1939)
YOU'LL FIND OUT (1940)
PLAYMATES (1941)
MY FAVORITE SPY (1942)
AROUND THE WORLD (1943)

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ROBERT MITCHUM

GIRL RUSH (1944)
NEVADA (1944)
WEST OF THE PECOS (1945)
THE LOCKET (1946)
TILL THE END OF TIME (1946)
CROSSFIRE (1947)
OUT OF THE PAST (1947)
RACHEL AND THE STRANGER (1948)
BLOOD ON THE MOON (1948)
THE BIG STEAL (1949)
HOLIDAY AFFAIR (1949)
WHERE DANGER LIVES (1950)
MY FORBIDDEN PAST (1951)
HIS KIND OF WOMAN (1951)
THE RACKET (1951)
MACAO (1952)
ONE MINUTE TO ZERO (1952)
THE LUSTY MEN (1952)
ANGEL FACE (1952)
SECOND CHANCE (1953)
SHE COULDN'T SAY NO (1954)

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JOHN BEAL

HAT COAT AND GLOVE (1934)
THE LITTLE MINISTER (1934)
LADDIE (1935)
BREAK OF HEARTS (1935)
M'LISS (1936)
WE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE (1937)
THE MAN WHO FOUND HIMSELF (1937)
BORDER CAFE (1937)
DANGER PATROL (1937)
THAT NIGHT! (1957)

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RUTH WARRICK

CITIZEN KANE (1941)
OBLIGING YOUNG LADY (1942)
FOREVER AND A DAY (1943)
JOURNEY INTO FEAR (1943)
PETTICOAT LARCENY (1943)
THE IRON MAJOR (1943)
CHINA SKY (1945)

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JOE PENNER

NEW FACES OF 1937 (1937)
THE LIFE OF THE PARTY (1937)
GO CHASE YOURSELF (1938)
MR. DOODLE KICKS OFF (1938)
I'M FROM THE CITY (1938)
THE DAY THE BOOKIES WEPT (1939)
MILLIONAIRE PLAYBOY (1940)

[sagebrush]

I'm waiting for Fred Astaire's recognition....

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FRED ASTAIRE

FLYING DOWN TO RIO (1933)
THE GAY DIVORCEE (1934)
TOP HAT (1935)
ROBERTA (1935)
FOLLOW THE FLEET (1936)
SWING TIME (1936)
SHALL WE DANCE (1937)
A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS (1937)
CAREFREE (1938)
THE STORY OF VERNON AND IRENE CASTLE (1939)
THE SKY'S THE LIMIT (1943)

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MAUREEN O'HARA

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (1939)
A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT (1940)
DANCE GIRL DANCE (1940)
THEY MET IN ARGENTINA (1941)
THIS LAND IS MINE (1943)
THE FALLEN SPARROW (1943)
THE SPANISH MAIN (1945)
SINBAD THE SAILOR (1947)
A WOMAN'S SECRET (1949)
AT SWORD'S POINT (1952)

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CARY GRANT

SYLVIA SCARLETT (1935)
THE TOAST OF NEW YORK (1937)
BRINGING UP BABY (1938)
GUNGA DIN (1939)
IN NAME ONLY (1939)
MY FAVORITE WIFE (1940)
SUSPICION (1941)
ONCE UPON A HONEYMOON (1942)
MR. LUCKY (1943)
NONE BUT THE LONELY HEART (1944)
NOTORIOUS (1946)
THE BACHELOR AND THE BOBBY-SOXER (1947)
MR. BLANDINGS BUILDS HIS DREAM HOUSE (1948)
EVERY GIRL SHOULD BE MARRIED (1948)

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BARBARA STANWYCK

ANNIE OAKLEY (1935)
THE BRIDE WALKS OUT (1936)
THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS (1936)
STELLA DALLAS (1937)
BREAKFAST FOR TWO (1937)
THE MAD MISS MANTON (1938)
CLASH BY NIGHT (1952)
CATTLE QUEEN OF MONTANA (1954)
ESCAPE TO BURMA (1955)

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TOM CONWAY

THE FALCON'S BROTHER (1942)
CAT PEOPLE (1942)
THE FALCON STRIKES BACK (1943)
I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943)
THE FALCON IN DANGER (1943)
THE SEVENTH VICTIM (1943)
THE FALCON AND THE CO-EDS (1943)
THE FALCON OUT WEST (1944)
A NIGHT OF ADVENTURE (1944)
THE FALCON IN MEXICO (1944)
THE FALCON IN HOLLYWOOD (1944)
TWO O'CLOCK COURAGE (1945)
THE FALCON IN SAN FRANCISCO (1945)
THE FALCON'S ALIBI (1946)
CRIMINAL COURT (1946)
THE FALCON'S ADVENTURE (1946)
TARZAN AND THE SHE-DEVIL (1953)
BARBADOS QUEST (1955)
BREAKAWAY (1955)
DEATH OF A SCOUNDREL (1956)

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CHARLES COBURN

THE PEOPLE'S ENEMY (1935)
VIVACIOUS LADY (1938)
IN NAME ONLY (1939)
BACHELOR MOTHER (1939)
THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES (1941)
UNEXPECTED UNCLE (1941)

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EDNA MAY OLIVER

HALF SHOT AT SUNRISE (1930)
CIMARRON (1931)
FANNY FOLEY HERSELF (1931)
CRACKED NUTS (1931)
LAUGH AND GET RICH (1931)
PENGUIN POOL MURDER (1932)
LADIES OF THE JURY (1932)
THE CONQUERORS (1932)
HOLD 'EM JAIL (1932)
ANN VICKERS (1933)
THE GREAT JASPER (1933)
LITTLE WOMEN (1933)
MURDER ON THE BLACKBOARD (1934)
WE'RE RICH AGAIN (1934)
MURDER ON A HONEYMOON (1935)
NURSE EDITH CAVELL (1939)
THE STORY OF VERNON AND IRENE CASTLE (1939)

[Ray Faiola]

19 hours ago, yanceycravat said:

Wish TCM would air WINTERSET.😊

WINTERSET is an orphan film. RKO's rights expired decades ago. UCLA has 35mm nitrate and safety preservation materials. They had a screening some years ago. It took me years to finally acquire an original 16mm print. I would love to see TCM run material from UCLA but under whose auspices? Ugh.

Speaking of Paul Guilfoyle, when CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION was announced at the CBS Upfront presentation, I was at the Tavern-on-the-Green afterparty and went up to greet Paul Guilfoyle. I welcomed him to the Network, told him how much I had enjoyed his work and that I was a huge fan of his father's work, especially his groundbreaking performance in WINTERSET. He nodded graciously and we both moved on to more gladhanding. Soon afterwards I was reading a newspaper article about CSI's Guilfoyle and it stated he was not related to the late American actor. In fact, the latter Guilfoyle was doing stage in New Jersey when he was greeted backstage by the (elder) Paul Guilfoyle Fan Club! Did I feel like a total jerk? YES!

[TopBilled]

Glad to see various discussions occurring, since that is what I hoped would happen by posting some of these lists.

For some reason RKO has always been a studio I admired, though it had its share of ups and downs.

Yesterday I watched four of the Anne Shirley movies TCM aired recently. Most of these are around 65 to 70 minutes. It occurred to me how well constructed these "programmers" are. One of them, SORORITY HOUSE (1939), had a script by Dalton Trumbo that was quite profound. It was interesting to see how the studio was developing Ms. Shirley as a star with her subsequent vehicles.

One of the Anne Shirley pictures I looked at was M'LISS (1936) which was a remake of a 1918 silent film starring Mary Pickford. After I watched the one with Anne Shirley I watched Pickford's version, which was much more "harrowing" and violent. You could tell (or at least I could tell) that RKO softened the harder aspects of the story for Anne Shirley's fans, and all the more violent stuff was played off screen. They didn't exactly compromise the story but certainly made it more saccharine and sellable.