RICH'S TOR JOHNSON (AND OTHER Z-MOVIE STARS) THREAD

[LornaHansonForbes]

BEULAH BONDI !?!?!?!

[Bogie56]

BEULAH BONDI !?!?!?!

Tor's mother or sister in that one?

[LornaHansonForbes]

Tor's mother or sister in that one?

 

Oh please let it be "love interest" ...

[Swithin]

BEULAH BONDI !?!?!?!

That's what got my attention too. I worship Beulah Bondi as the epitome of all that is best about classic film actors. This (no-doubt) great film (which I long to see) was released in April 1934, less than three months before they began enforcing the Code.

[scsu1975]

Oh please let it be "love interest" ...

His tag-team partner

[scsu1975]

I see Lyle Talbot is also in the film. He and Tor were united about 25 years later for Plan 9. Both were at the nadirs of their career, but at least Talbot once had some sort of zenith.

 

 

[Swithin]

I see Lyle Talbot is also in the film. He and Tor were united about 25 years later for Plan 9. Both were at the nadirs of their career, but at least Talbot once had some sort of zenith.

Where does the apex come in?

[scsu1975]

Wow, I see Sidney Toler is also in this. Maybe Tor plays his Number 1 and Number 2 son.

[Swithin]

Wow, I see Sidney Toler is also in this. Maybe Tor plays his Number 1 and Number 2 son.

It is quite a cast, it's Warner Bros., it must have been on TCM, right?

[scsu1975]

Where does the apex come in?

That would be Planet of the Apex

[scsu1975]

It is quite a cast, it's Warner Bros., it must have been on TCM, right?

I don't know. Let me spend the next two weeks of my life finding out.

[Bogie56]

Didn't I read somewhere that Mayo Methot had a torrid affair with Tor during the making of this film?  the swine left her a broken alcoholic and Bogie wouldn't take her back either.

[LornaHansonForbes]

His tag-team partner

You win. That would be the greatest.

[TheGayDivorcee]

Any truth to the rumor that Tor Johnson and Rear Window's Miss Torso were an item?

[fxreyman]

Wasn't the original inspiration for 1970's Tora! Tora! Tora!, the life story of Tor Johnson???

[LornaHansonForbes]

BTW, love the new AvaTOR, Rich.

[Stephan55]

Has anyone seen Tor Johnson's first movie? It's called Registered Nurse. Tor plays "Sonnevich the Terrible Bulgarian" in the 1934 film which also features Minna Gombell, Beulah Bondi, and many others.

 

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This was just on TCM last month with a day of films dedicated to nurses.

I happened to record it.   

[Bogie56]

This was just on TCM last month with a day of films dedicated to nurses.

I happened to record it.   

Were the scenes with Tor cut?  Was TCM showing the complete print?

[Stephan55]

Were the scenes with Tor cut?  Was TCM showing the complete print?

Don't know yet, I watched a couple of the films that I had recorded that day but not that one.

I will have to have a good look at it now just for Tor's sake, before I clear the DVR for something else.

I'll make another post here and let you know.

[Arturo]

Tor Johnson, for comeback he pined

Longed for more glories a la Wood's PLAN NINE

But not just any old script

With demands, not tight-lipped

Who knew as a diva he'd shine!

[Bogie56]

I see Tor has a life mask for sale on ebay

[speedracer5]

I see Tor has a life mask for sale on ebay

Maybe we could buy it and make our own Tor-- maybe there'd be some of Tor's DNA and we could clone our very own Tor Johnson and then train him to do our bidding.

[Stephan55]

Were the scenes with Tor cut?  Was TCM showing the complete print?

 

Apparently it was complete.

 

Registered Nurse (1934) 63 min (TCM said 62 but was really 63 min, and Wikipedia said original run time was 63 min)

(recorded 5/6/2015 from TCM)

Produced by: Samuel Bischoff (uncrediteed), First National - Vitaphone pictures

Directed by: Robert Florey

Screenplay By: Lillie Hayward, Peter Milne, Arthur Greville Collins

Based on the play By: Florence Johns, Wilton Lackaye, Jr.

Music by: Heinz Roemheld (uncredited), Leo F. Forbstein (dir.) Vitaphone Orchestra

 

Brief synapse:

 

After her husband goes mad, a nurse fights off the advances of two amorous doctors.

 

While quarreling over their failed marriage, Sylvia (Bebe Daniels) and Jim Benton (Gordon Westcott) get into a car accident that leaves Jim gravely injured. Sylvia returns to her nursing job at a hospital where she is admired by both Dr. Hedwig (Lyle Talbot) and Dr. Connolly (John Halliday). When Connolly declares his love for her, Sylvia reveals that she's married and that the accident has made her husband insane. Then, to her amazement, Jim arrives at the hospital seeking a surgical cure.

 

Cast: Bebe Daniels, Lyle Talbot, John Halliday, Irene Franklin, Sidney Toler, Gordon Westcott, Mina Gombell, Beulah Bondi, Vince Barnett, Phillip Reed, Mayo Methot, Ed Gargan,

Uncredited Cast: Louise Beavers (Flo - Sadie's Maid), Harry Ekezian (El Humid the Bone Crushing Turk), Tor Johnson (Sonnevich the Terrible Bulgarian), Milton Kibbee (Male Nurse), Dennis O'Keefe (intern), Kitty McHugh (Switchboard Operator), Lottie Williams (Unconscious Patient),

 

Had I not read that Tor Johnson was Sonnevich the Terrible Bulgarian, in this movie, I would not have recognized him.

 

There is this comical scene where two professional wrestlers - Tor and Harry Ekezian (El Humid the Bone Crushing Turk) go to the hospital to visit their promoter, Sidney Toler, who is recuperating there.

When they get to the front desk Tor talks to the receptionist and shows her a news flyer that has a picture of Sonnevich the Terrible Bulgarian on it and says "That's me."

Tor has a full head of hair and is not really a bad looking fellow, nothing like his Ed Wood image at all.

 

So Tor and Harry go to Toler's room and bring him a little flower. Toler makes a snide comment and Tor explains he needs some time off because his girlfriend lives in this town. Then Tor and Harry get into a knock-down wrestling match in his room over "who is not an American" accusations.

It is reminescent of the three stooges, only there's only two of them. So they both end up in the hospital battered, bruised and bandaged, and find themselves sharing the same room.

[Swithin]

Thanks for that mouth-watering summary, Stephen. Now I really want to see this movie, Maybe they'll program it again when Tor Johnson is Star of the Month!

[scsu1975]

Thanks, Stephan.. Any chance you can upload a few screen captures of Tor?