At RKO

[TopBilled]

ANNA NEAGLE

VICTORIA THE GREAT (1937)
SIXTY GLORIOUS YEARS (1937)
NURSE EDITH CAVELL (1939)
IRENE (1940)
NO NO NANETTE (1940)
SUNNY (1941)
THEY FLEW ALONE (1942)
FOREVER AND A DAY (1943)
YELLOW CANARY (1943)

[TopBilled]

CHESTER MORRIS

THE CASE OF SERGEANT GRISCHA (1930)
TOMORROW AT SEVEN (1933)
FLIGHT FROM GLORY (1937)
SKY GIANT (1938)
LAW OF THE UNDERWORLD (1938)
SMASHING THE RACKETS (1938)
PACIFIC LINER (1939)
FIVE CAME BACK (1939)
MARINES FLY HIGH (1940)

[txfilmfan]

9 hours ago, TopBilled said:

Time for a reflection--

This thread has caused me to go through the entire list of RKO films.

I'm learning some interesting things. Like, did you know the studio made a few French films in the early 30s? These were French-language versions of English-language hits. Where they brought a French director and French stars to the RKO lot in Hollywood to basically redo some stories that they had already done in English. I would imagine TCM has access to these and it would be fun to see them broadcast, alongside the English versions.

I thought this practice was in place at several Hollywood studios in the 1930s, and not just in French but other European languages too (mostly German)?

You would think that with the global depression ongoing, it would have been more economically viable to just subtitle the original films rather than completely redo them, or dub them.  Would the studios earn enough revenue from a foreign-language version to make it viable?   Was it a technological issue with either dubbing or subtitling?  

Silent films were easily adapted to foreign markets, as all that had to be changed (barring any local censorship issues) were the intertitles.  I wonder why they latched on to making multiple versions for various markets once the sound era took hold?

After typing all of that, I found that there's a Wikipedia page on the topic..  It was a fairly widespread practice, and many of the foreign version films are lost.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple-language_version

[TopBilled]

5 hours ago, txfilmfan said:

I thought this practice was in place at several Hollywood studios in the 1930s, and not just in French but other European languages too (mostly German)?

You would think that with the global depression ongoing, it would have been more economically viable to just subtitle the original films rather than completely redo them, or dub them.  Would the studios earn enough revenue from a foreign-language version to make it viable?   Was it a technological issue with either dubbing or subtitling?  

Silent films were easily adapted to foreign markets, as all that had to be changed (barring any local censorship issues) were the intertitles.  I wonder why they latched on to making multiple versions for various markets once the sound era took hold?

After typing all of that, I found that there's a Wikipedia page on the topic..  It was a fairly widespread practice, and many of the foreign version films are lost.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple-language_version

Thanks for the link, it is very helpful. Obviously the practice continued. So there must have been a market for stories re-filmed in other languages, instead of just dubbing or subtitling. 

The list that is on wiki confirms the three RKO pictures I found that were made in French. I had wondered if there were any more, but it seems RKO only did this three times:

• ECHEC AU ROI (1931) which was the French remake of THE ROYAL BED (1931).  This was directed by Henri de la Falaise and used a cast of established French stars as well as a Canadian actress in a lead role. They did not film this in France. RKO brought them all to Hollywood.
• NUIT D'ESPAGNE (1931) which was the French remake of TRANSGRESSION (1931). Also directed by Henri de la Falaise.  It used a different cast of French and Belgian performers. And it was also made in Hollywood.
• LE FILS DE L'AUTRE (1932) which was a remake of THE WOMAN BETWEEN (1931). Also directed by Henri de la Falaise.  It used stars that had appeared in ECHEC AU ROI (1931) and NUIT D'ESPAGNE (1931). 

None of these films are listed as being lost on the IMDb. Interestingly, they were released in the U.S. (for French speaking Americans?) and in Canada, which makes sense. So I guess the main reason they were re-filming these in French is because of the Canadian market.

[TopBilled]

LILY PONS

I DREAM TOO MUCH (1935)
THAT GIRL FROM PARIS (1937)
HITTING A NEW HIGH (1937)

[TopBilled]

ROBERT ARMSTRONG

DANGER LIGHTS (1930)
THE TIP-OFF (1931)
SUICIDE FLEET (1931)
IS MY FACE RED? (1932)
PENGUIN POOL MURDER (1932)
THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME (1932)
PANAMA FLO (1932)
THE LOST SQUADRON (1932)
HOLD 'EM JAIL (1932)
KING KONG (1933)
BLIND ADVENTURE (1933)
THE SON OF KONG (1933)
GIGOLETTE (1935)
WITHOUT ORDERS (1936)
THE EX-MRS. BRADFORD (1936)
THE FLYING IRISHMAN (1939)
MY FAVORITE SPY (1942)
ACTION IN ARABIA (1944)
AROUND THE WORLD (1944)
THE FALCON IN SAN FRANCISCO (1945)
CRIMINAL COURT (1946)
THE FUGITIVE (1947)
RETURN OF THE BADMEN (1948)
MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1949)
THE PACE THAT THRILLS (1952)

[TopBilled]

VIRGINIA WEIDLER

FRECKLES (1935)
LADDIE (1935)
THE OUTCASTS OF POKER FLAT (1937)
MOTHER CAREY'S CHICKENS (1938)
THE ROOKIE COP (1939)
FIXER DUGAN (1939)
THE GREAT MAN VOTES (1939)

[TopBilled]

JOHNNY WEISSMULLER

TARZAN TRIUMPHS (1943)
TARZAN'S DESERT MYSTERY (1943)
TARZAN AND THE AMAZONS (1945)
TARZAN AND THE LEOPARD WOMAN (1946)
TARZAN AND THE HUNTRESS (1947)
TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS (1948)

[TopBilled]

NANCE O'NEIL

A WOMAN OF EXPERIENCE (1931)
THE ROYAL BED (1931)
CIMARRON (1931)
WESTWARD PASSAGE (1932)

[TopBilled]

I have to stop for a second and pause...I watched Nance O'Neil's fantastic performance as the king's wife in THE ROYAL BED (1931) yesterday. 

I had never heard of her before and wanted to study up on her. To learn what she was about, how her career took shape, anything else interesting about her.

Turns out there's a very interesting chapter in Nance's life. When she was younger, she was very close friends with Lizzie Borden. Yes, that Lizzie Borden. They were rumored to have been lovers...and there's an interesting photo of them I found:

[TopBilled]

GORDON JONES

WALKING ON AIR (1936)
NIGHT WAITRESS (1936)
DON'T TURN 'EM LOOSE (1936)
SEA DEVILS (1937)
THERE GOES MY GIRL (1937)
CHINA PASSAGE (1937)
THE BIG SHOT (1937)
FIGHT FOR YOUR LADY (1937)
QUICK MONEY (1937)
WE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE (1937)
THEY WANTED TO MARRY (1937)
NIGHT SPOT (1938)
HIGHWAYS BY NIGHT (1942)
YOUTH RUNS WILD (1944)
EASY LIVING (1949)

[TopBilled]

MILDRED COLES

PLAY GIRL (1941)
SCATTERGOOD MEETS BROADWAY (1941)
HURRY CHARLIE HURRY (1941)
LADY SCARFACE (1941)
SO THIS IS WASHINGTON (1943)

[TopBilled]

HERBERT MARSHALL

MAKE WAY FOR A LADY (1936)
THE LADY CONSENTS (1936)
A WOMAN REBELS (1936)
BREAKFAST FOR TWO (1937)
A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT (1940)
FOREVER AND A DAY (1943)
FLIGHT FOR FREEDOM (1943)
THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE (1945)
CRACK-UP (1946)
ANGEL FACE (1953)
STAGE STRUCK (1958)

[TopBilled]

BEULAH BONDI

FINISHING SCHOOL (1934)
TWO ALONE (1934)
VIVACIOUS LADY (1938)
BACK TO BATAAN (1945)
BACK FROM ETERNITY (1956)
THE UNHOLY WIFE (1957)

[TopBilled]

JOHN WAYNE

ALLEGHENY UPRISING (1939)
A LADY TAKES A CHANCE (1943)
TALL IN THE SADDLE (1944)
BACK TO BATAAN (1945)
WITHOUT RESERVATIONS (1946)
TYCOON (1947)
FORT APACHE (1948)
SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (1949)
FLYING LEATHERNECKS (1951)
THE CONQUEROR (1956)
JET PILOT (1957)

[TopBilled]

LIZABETH SCOTT

EASY LIVING (1949)
THE COMPANY SHE KEEPS (1951)
THE RACKET (1951)
SILVER LODE (1954)

[spence]

I STAYED ALL 3 TIMES ON THE RKO RADIO SIDE OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES ON MELROSE AND GOWER, AT LAST COUNT they were now gonna actually tear down the legendary RKO Globe?

i was able to stay at exact same motel at 777 north vine street and directly south is THE RAVENSWOOD APTS where MAE WEST lived 7 died in 1980 she lived there 48yrs

Not a good area nowadays though, in the g. store right next to the motel-(an econo loge of HOLLYWOOD) i heard gunfire from the south while shopping

it was surreal to think I was near 7 slept only a short couple of blocks from where THE MARX BROS. FRED & GINGER, CARY GRANT & KATE HEPBURN, MITCHUM,etc worked nearby

[spence]

1 hour ago, TopBilled said:

JOHN WAYNE

ALLEGHENY UPRISING (1939)
A LADY TAKES A CHANCE (1943)
TALL IN THE SADDLE (1944)
BACK TO BATAAN (1945)
WITHOUT RESERVATIONS (1946)
TYCOON (1947)
FORT APACHE (1948)
SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (1949)
FLYING LEATHERNECKS (1951)
THE CONQUEROR (1956)
JET PILOT (1957)

Like the searchers, She wore a Yellow Ribbon is finally getting it's due

[spence]

Just now, spence said:

Like the searchers, She wore a Yellow Ribbon is finally getting it's due

and also fort apache, obviously based on custer

[spence]

1 hour ago, TopBilled said:

LIZABETH SCOTT

EASY LIVING (1949)
THE COMPANY SHE KEEPS (1951)
THE RACKET (1951)
SILVER LODE (1954)

to topbilled, i forget where you live, you told me in the past i think been to whats left of HOLLYWOOD?

[spence]

mitchum had a nickname for boss Howard Hughes at RKO, THE PHANTOM because he rarely saw the guy

[spence]

to topbilled, good post buddy1 7 let me know on above question about you & HOLLYWOOD please?

[TopBilled]

45 minutes ago, spence said:

to topbilled, i forget where you live, you told me in the past i think been to whats left of HOLLYWOOD?

I went to college in Los Angeles. Then spent my 20s and early 30s in Orange County and West Hollywood. 

[spence]

Just now, TopBilled said:

I went to college in Los Angeles. Then spent my 20s and early 30s in Orange County and West Hollywood. 

see any celebs?

[spence]

Just now, spence said:

see any celebs?

you must know the studios then & where they are located, heard anything about the rko globe?