Spencer Tracy

Spencer Tracy

Born: April 2, 1900
Died: June 10, 1967
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor, noted for his natural style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy won two Academy Awards for Best Actor from nine nominations, sharing the record for nominations in that category with Laurence Olivier.

Tracy first discovered his talent for acting while attending Ripon College, and he later received a scholarship for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He spent seven years in the theatre, working in a succession of stock companies and intermittently on Broadway. Tracy's breakthrough came in 1930, when his lead performance in The Last Mile caught the attention of Hollywood. After a successful film debut in John Ford's Up the River starring Tracy and Humphrey Bogart, he was signed to a contract with Fox Film Corporation. His five years with Fox featured one acting tour de force after another that were usually ignored at the box office, and he remained largely unknown to audiences after 25 films, almost all of them starring Tracy as the leading man. None of them were hits although The Power and the Glory (1933) features arguably his most acclaimed performance in retrospect.

In 1935, Tracy joined Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, at the time Hollywood's most prestigious studio. His career flourished with a series of hit films, and in 1937 and 1938 he won consecutive Oscars for Captains Courageous and Boys Town. He made three smash hit films supporting Clark Gable, the studio's principal leading man, firmly fixing the notion of Gable and Tracy as a team in the public imagination. By the 1940s, Tracy was one of the studio's top stars. In 1942, he appeared with Katharine Hepburn in Woman of the Year, beginning another popular partnership that produced nine movies over 25 years. Tracy left MGM in 1955, and continued to work regularly as a freelance star, despite an increasing weariness as he aged. His personal life was troubled, with a lifelong struggle against severe alcoholism and guilt over his son's deafness. Tracy became estranged from his wife in the 1930s, but never divorced, conducting a long-term relationship with Katharine Hepburn in private. Towards the end of his life, Tracy worked almost exclusively for director Stanley Kramer. It was for Kramer that he made his last film, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner in 1967, completed just 17 days before his death.

During his career, Tracy appeared in 75 films and developed a reputation among his peers as one of the screen's greatest actors. In 1999 the American Film Institute ranked Tracy as the 9th greatest male star of Classic Hollywood Cinema.

Movies for Spencer Tracy...

Rat Pack
Title: Rat Pack
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: January 11, 2022
Type: Movie
In the 1950s, a small group of artists monopolized the attention of the cameras and the public. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford together form the "rat pack": they sing the most popular hits of the moment, star in the most profitable Hollywood films and are already making a splash on television . This documentary, produced by a recognized specialist in the history of Hollywood, recounts the exceptional destiny of this informal group which flirted with the greats of this world, notably through Sinatra, personal friend of American President Kennedy.
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Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
Title: Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: July 27, 2018
Type: Movie
A deliciously scandalous portrait of unsung Hollywood legend Scotty Bowers, whose bestselling memoir chronicled his decades spent as sexual procurer to the stars.
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And the Oscar Goes To...
Title: And the Oscar Goes To...
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: February 1, 2014
Type: Movie
The story of the gold-plated statuette that became the film industry's most coveted prize, AND THE OSCAR GOES TO... traces the history of the Academy itself, which began in 1927 when Louis B. Mayer, then head of MGM, led other prominent members of the industry in forming this professional honorary organization. Two years later the Academy began bestowing awards, which were nicknamed "Oscar," and quickly came to represent the pinnacle of cinematic achievement.
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Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
Title: Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: January 29, 2013
Type: Movie
Uncensored. Laugh along with Hollywood's brightest stars in this hilarious compilation of bloopers from some of the biggest movies in history . You'll see stars such as Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, Ronald Reagan, Marlene Dietrich, Boris Karloff, Edward G. Robinson, Errol Flynn and more. They're not so perfect after all when these flubbed moments are caught on film!
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1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Title: 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: July 2, 2009
Type: Movie
This documentary focuses on 1939, considered to be Hollywood's greatest year, with film clips and insight into what made the year so special.
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Bogart: The Untold Story
Title: Bogart: The Untold Story
Character: Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: January 5, 1997
Type: Movie
Stephen H. Bogart narrates the rise to fame of his father, Humphrey Bogart through the use of film clips, written material and interviews of friends and co-workers.
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Ingrid Bergman Remembered
Title: Ingrid Bergman Remembered
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: April 6, 1996
Type: Movie
Her name conjures up beauty, grace, talent and style. One of the greatest actresses of her time, she is best remembered for a natural and vulnerable persona which was so genuine and alluring. Her cinematic contributions produced such classics as "Casablanca," "Gaslight" and "Anastasia." But Ingrid's story goes deeper than the triumphs of her movie career.
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La Classe américaine
Title: La Classe américaine
Character: The Professional Witness (archive footage)
Released: December 31, 1993
Type: Movie
George Abitbol, the classiest man in the world, dies tragically during a cruise. The director of an American newspaper, wondering about the meaning of these intriguing final words, asks his three best investigators, Dave, Peter and Steven, to solve the mystery. (Sixteen French actors dub scenes from various Warner Bros. films to create a parody of Citizen Kane, 1941.)
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Harlow: The Blonde Bombshell
Title: Harlow: The Blonde Bombshell
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: February 6, 1993
Type: Movie
Actress Sharon Stone hosts this documentary about the life and career of 1930s sex symbol Jean Harlow. Included are clips from many of her films, photos and stories about her life before she became a movie star, and accounts of her troubled personal life, including a domineering mother, the failure of her three marriages and the suicide of her second husband.
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Movie Tough Guys
Title: Movie Tough Guys
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: January 1, 1991
Type: Movie
This compilation of film highlights features many of the biggest box office tough guys of the 1930s, '40s, and '50s—Bogart, Brando, Cagney and more!
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Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World'
Title: Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World'
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: January 1, 1991
Type: Movie
A star-studded documentary and tribute to the classic comedy, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.
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Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To
Title: Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To
Character: (archive footage)
Released: June 4, 1990
Type: Movie
This tribute to Myrna Loy is organized chronologically with a few photographs, many film clips, a handful of personal appearances, and a detailed commentary delivered on camera by Kathleen Turner. Turner walks us through Loy's career as a dancer and an actress miscast as an exotic. She comes into her own as a grown-up women: shrewd, funny, decorous, and sexy - in "Manhattan Melodrama" and "The Thin Man." Her volunteer work during World War II, later stage work, and progressive politics come in for admiration as well. It's her style - seen best in her roles as a wife of charm and independence - that's captured and celebrated here.
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James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
Title: James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: November 22, 1988
Type: Movie
Documentary about James Stewart's long career as an actor and positive personal life.
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The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
Title: The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: October 1, 1988
Type: Movie
This documentary revisits the making of Gone with the Wind via archival footage, screen tests, insightful interviews and rare film footage.
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The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn
Title: The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: March 9, 1986
Type: Movie
In this tribute to her frequent co-star and longtime love, Katharine Hepburn hosts a behind-the-scenes look at Spencer Tracy's personal and professional life that features intimate personal accounts, interviews and clips from his most acclaimed work on the silver screen.
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George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey
Title: George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey
Released: March 3, 1985
Type: Movie
Biography of the legendary filmmaker directed by his son.
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Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Title: Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Character: Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: February 25, 1983
Type: Movie
Out-takes (mostly from Warner Bros.), promotional shorts, movie premieres, public service pleas, wardrobe tests, documentary material, and archival footage make up this star-studded voyeuristic look at the Golden age of Hollywood during the 30s, 40, and 50.
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That's Entertainment, Part II
Title: That's Entertainment, Part II
Character: (archive footage)
Released: May 16, 1976
Type: Movie
Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire present more golden moments from the MGM film library, this time including comedy and drama as well as classic musical numbers.
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Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Title: Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: August 6, 1975
Type: Movie
Period music, film clips and newsreel footage combined into a visual exploration of the American entertainment industry during the Great Depression.
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That's Entertainment!
Title: That's Entertainment!
Character: (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: June 21, 1974
Type: Movie
Various MGM stars from yesterday present their favorite musical moments from the studio's 50 year history.
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Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Title: Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: January 10, 1972
Type: Movie
A documentary about the glorious history of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and its decline leading to the sale of its back lot and props. By extension this provides a general history of Hollywood's Golden Age and the legendary studio system.
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Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Title: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Character: Matt Drayton
Released: December 11, 1967
Type: Movie
A couple's attitudes are challenged when their daughter brings home a fiancé who is black.
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The Big Parade of Comedy
Title: The Big Parade of Comedy
Character: Haggerty in 'Libeled Lady' (archive footage)
Released: September 2, 1964
Type: Movie
Film clips highlight the funniest scenes and brightest comic stars in MGM's history.
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It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Title: It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Character: C. G. Culpepper
Released: November 7, 1963
Type: Movie
A group of strangers come across a man dying after a car crash who proceeds to tell them about the $350,000 he buried in California. What follows is the madcap adventures of those strangers as each attempts to claim the prize for himself.
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How the West Was Won
Title: How the West Was Won
Character: Narrator (voice)
Released: November 2, 1962
Type: Movie
The epic tale of the development of the American West from the 1830s through the Civil War to the end of the century, as seen through the eyes of one pioneer family.
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Hollywood: The Selznick Years
Title: Hollywood: The Selznick Years
Character: Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: December 31, 1961
Type: Movie
Henry Fonda hosts this retrospective on the career and films of iconic filmmaker David O. Selznick, who epitomized the era of the auteur producer in the 30s and 40s.
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Judgment at Nuremberg
Title: Judgment at Nuremberg
Character: Dan Haywood
Released: December 18, 1961
Type: Movie
In 1947, four German judges who served on the bench during the Nazi regime face a military tribunal to answer charges of crimes against humanity. Chief Justice Haywood hears evidence and testimony not only from lead defendant Ernst Janning and his defense attorney Hans Rolfe, but also from the widow of a Nazi general, an idealistic U.S. Army captain and reluctant witness Irene Wallner.
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The Devil at 4 O'Clock
Title: The Devil at 4 O'Clock
Character: Father Matthew Doonan
Released: October 18, 1961
Type: Movie
A crusty, eccentric priest recruits three reluctant convicts to help him rescue a children's leper colony from a Pacific island menaced by a smoldering volcano.
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Inherit the Wind
Title: Inherit the Wind
Character: Henry Drummond
Released: July 7, 1960
Type: Movie
Schoolteacher Bertram Cates is arrested for teaching his students Darwin's theory of evolution. The case receives national attention and one of the newspaper reporters, E.K. Hornbeck, arranges to bring in renowned defense attorney and atheist Henry Drummond to defend Cates. The prosecutor, Matthew Brady is a former presidential candidate, famous evangelist, and old adversary of Drummond.
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The Last Hurrah
Title: The Last Hurrah
Character: Mayor Frank Skeffington
Released: December 31, 1958
Type: Movie
In a changing world where television has become the main source of information, Adam Caulfield, a young sports journalist, witnesses how his uncle, Frank Skeffington, a veteran and honest politician, mayor of a New England town, tries to be reelected while bankers and captains of industry conspire in the shadows to place a weak and manageable candidate in the city hall.
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The Old Man and the Sea
Title: The Old Man and the Sea
Character: The Old Man
Released: October 7, 1958
Type: Movie
Santiago is an aging, down-on-his-luck, Cuban fisherman who, after catching nothing for nearly 3 months, hooks a huge Marlin and struggles to land it far out in the Gulf Stream.
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Desk Set
Title: Desk Set
Character: Richard Sumner
Released: August 2, 1957
Type: Movie
A computer expert tries to prove his electronic brain can replace a television network's research staff.
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The Mountain
Title: The Mountain
Character: Zachary Teller
Released: May 31, 1956
Type: Movie
Selfish Chris Teller pressures his older brother, a retired climber, to accompany him on a treacherous Alpine climb to loot the bodies of plane crash victims.
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Bad Day at Black Rock
Title: Bad Day at Black Rock
Character: John J. Macreedy
Released: January 13, 1955
Type: Movie
One-armed war veteran John J. Macreedy steps off a train at the sleepy little town of Black Rock. Once there, he begins to unravel a web of lies, secrecy, and murder.
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Broken Lance
Title: Broken Lance
Character: Matt Devereaux
Released: September 25, 1954
Type: Movie
Cattle baron Matt Devereaux raids a copper smelter that is polluting his water, then divides his property among his sons. Son Joe takes responsibility for the raid and gets three years in prison. Matt dies from a stroke partly caused by his rebellious sons and when Joe gets out he plans revenge.
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The Actress
Title: The Actress
Character: Clinton Jones
Released: September 25, 1953
Type: Movie
The true story of Ruth Gordon's early struggles on the road to stage stardom.
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Plymouth Adventure
Title: Plymouth Adventure
Character: Capt. Christopher Jones
Released: November 28, 1952
Type: Movie
During the Mayflower pilgrims' long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean on their way to America, Captain Christopher Jones falls in love with William Bradford's wife Dorothy.
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Pat and Mike
Title: Pat and Mike
Character: Mike Conovan
Released: June 13, 1952
Type: Movie
Pat Pemberton is a brilliant athlete, except when her domineering fiancé is around. The ladies golf championship is in her reach until she gets flustered by his presence at the final holes. He wants them to get married and forget the whole thing, but she cannot give up on herself that easily. She enlists the help of Mike Conovan, a slightly shady sports promoter. Together they face mobsters, a jealous boxer, and a growing mutual attraction.
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The People Against O'Hara
Title: The People Against O'Hara
Character: James P. Curtayne
Released: September 1, 1951
Type: Movie
A defense attorney jeopardizes his career to save his client.
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Father's Little Dividend
Title: Father's Little Dividend
Character: Stanley Banks
Released: April 5, 1951
Type: Movie
Newly married Kay Dunstan announces that she and her husband are having a baby, leaving her father to come to grips with the fact that he will soon be a granddad.
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Father of the Bride
Title: Father of the Bride
Character: Stanley T. Banks
Released: May 18, 1950
Type: Movie
Proud father Stanley Banks remembers the day his daughter, Kay, got married. Starting when she announces her engagement through to the wedding itself, we learn of all the surprises and disasters along the way.
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Malaya
Title: Malaya
Character: Carnaghan
Released: December 27, 1949
Type: Movie
After living abroad for several years, journalist John Royer returns to the United States just after the U.S. enters World War II. His boast that he could easily smuggle rubber, a key wartime natural resource, out of Malaya has him tasked with doing just that. He manages to get someone from his past, Carnaghan, sprung from Alactraz and together they head off to South East Asia posing as Irishmen. Once there, Carnaghan lines up some of his old cronies and with Royer and a few plantation owners plans to smuggle the rubber out from under the Japanese army's watchful eye.
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Adam's Rib
Title: Adam's Rib
Character: Adam Bonner
Released: November 18, 1949
Type: Movie
When a woman attempts to kill her uncaring husband, prosecutor Adam Bonner gets the case. Unfortunately for him his wife Amanda (who happens to be a lawyer too) decides to defend the woman in court. Amanda uses everything she can to win the case and Adam gets mad about it. As a result, their perfect marriage is disturbed by everyday quarrels.
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Edward, My Son
Title: Edward, My Son
Character: Arnold Boult
Released: March 1, 1949
Type: Movie
Following the death of his only son, a ruthless businessman reflects on his life, his unhappy marriage and his questionable parenting skills.
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State of the Union
Title: State of the Union
Character: Grant Matthews
Released: April 30, 1948
Type: Movie
An industrialist is urged to run for President, but this requires uncomfortable compromises on both political and marital levels.
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Cass Timberlane
Title: Cass Timberlane
Character: Cass Timberlane
Released: November 6, 1947
Type: Movie
Judge Cass Timberlane marries a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, Virginia Marshland. A baby is stillborn and she turns more and more to attorney friend of of Cass' Brad Criley. While quarreling the Judge tells Virginia to stay with Brad, but when she becomes sick he brings her home.
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The Sea of Grass
Title: The Sea of Grass
Character: Col. James B. Brewton
Released: April 25, 1947
Type: Movie
A St. Louis woman marries a New Mexico cattleman who is seen as a tyrant by the locals.
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Without Love
Title: Without Love
Character: Pat Jamieson
Released: March 22, 1945
Type: Movie
In World War II Washington DC, scientist Pat Jamieson's assistant, Jamie Rowan, enters a loveless marriage with him. Struggles bring them closer together.
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Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
Title: Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
Character: Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle
Released: November 15, 1944
Type: Movie
In the wake of Pearl Harbor, a young lieutenant leaves his expectant wife to volunteer for a secret bombing mission which will take the war to the Japanese homeland.
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The Seventh Cross
Title: The Seventh Cross
Character: George Heisler
Released: July 24, 1944
Type: Movie
In Nazi Germany in 1936 seven men escape from a concentration camp. The camp commander puts up seven crosses and, as the Gestapo returns each escapee he is put to death on a cross. The seventh cross is still empty as George Heisler seeks freedom in Holland.
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Twenty Years After
Title: Twenty Years After
Character: (archive footage)
Released: January 1, 1944
Type: Movie
This short celebrates the 20th anniversary of MGM. Segments are shown from several early hits, then from a number of 1944 releases.
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A Guy Named Joe
Title: A Guy Named Joe
Character: Pete Sandidge
Released: December 24, 1943
Type: Movie
A cocky Air Force pilot stationed in England during World War II falls for a daring female flier. After he's killed on a mission, he is sent back to Earth by heavenly General with a new assignment.
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Keeper of the Flame
Title: Keeper of the Flame
Character: Stevie O'Malley
Released: April 1, 1943
Type: Movie
Famed reporter Stephen O'Malley travels to a small town to investigate the death of a national hero.
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His New World
Title: His New World
Character: Narrator (voice)
Released: January 24, 1943
Type: Movie
Spencer Tracy narrates this MGM documentary on the rigorous process of selection and training of aviation students -- "Dodos" as one of them is forced to expatiate on to a sergeant.
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Tortilla Flat
Title: Tortilla Flat
Character: Pilon
Released: May 21, 1942
Type: Movie
Danny, a poor northern Californian Mexican-American, inherits two houses from his grandfather and is quickly taken advantage of by his vagabond friends.
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Ring of Steel
Title: Ring of Steel
Character: Narrator (voice)
Released: April 2, 1942
Type: Movie
Documentary short detailing the American soldier's part in preserving the fundamental ideals of this nation.
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Woman of the Year
Title: Woman of the Year
Character: Sam Craig
Released: February 5, 1942
Type: Movie
Rival reporters Sam and Tess fall in love and get married, only to find their relationship strained when Sam comes to resent Tess' hectic lifestyle.
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Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Title: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Character: Dr. Henry 'Harry' Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
Released: August 12, 1941
Type: Movie
Dr. Jekyll believes good and evil exist in everyone and creates a potion that allows his evil side, Mr. Hyde, to come to the fore. He faces horrible consequences when he lets his dark side run amok.
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Men of Boys Town
Title: Men of Boys Town
Character: Edward Flanagan
Released: April 11, 1941
Type: Movie
Father Flanagan raises funds, helps a disabled boy, and saves an older boy from reform school.
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A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
Title: A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
Character: Self
Released: October 24, 1940
Type: Movie
This short documentary, presented and directed by MGM sound engineer Douglas Shearer, goes behind the scenes to look at how the sound portion of a talking picture is created.
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Boom Town
Title: Boom Town
Character: Square John Sand
Released: August 30, 1940
Type: Movie
Two buddies who rise from fly-by-night wildcatters to oil tycoons over a twenty year period both love the same woman. McMasters and Sand come to oil towns to get rich. Betsy comes West intending to marry Sand but marries McMasters instead. Getting rich and losing it all teaches McMasters and Sand the value of personal ties.
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Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
Title: Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
Character: Self
Released: July 31, 1940
Type: Movie
This 1940 presentation features highlights of earlier (1928 onward) Oscar ceremonies including Shirley Temple and Walt Disney, plus acceptance speeches for films released in 1939 with recipients and presenters including Vivien Leigh, Judy Garland, Hattie McDaniel, Fay Bainter, Mickey Rooney, Thomas Mitchell, Sinclair Lewis, and more, with host Bob Hope.
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Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Title: Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Character: Self
Released: May 29, 1940
Type: Movie
This short promotes the premise that movies often create a demand for the fashions seen in them. It starts with a vignette in rural America. A mother and daughter go to town to buy a new dress. In the dress shop window is a designer dress worn by Joan Crawford in a recent movie. We then go to Hollywood and visit Adrian, MGM's chief of costume design, and see how multiple copies of a single clothing pattern are produced. The film ends with short segments of several MGM features.
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Edison, the Man
Title: Edison, the Man
Character: Thomas A. Edison
Released: May 10, 1940
Type: Movie
In flashback, fifty years after inventing the light bulb, an 82-year-old Edison tells his story starting at age twenty-two with his arrival in New York. He's on his way with the invention of an early form of the stock market ticker.
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Young Tom Edison
Title: Young Tom Edison
Character: Man Admiring Portrait of Thomas A. Edison
Released: March 15, 1940
Type: Movie
Inventor Thomas Edison's boyhood is chronicled and shows him as a lad whose early inventions and scientific experiments usually end up causing disastrous results. As a result, the towns folk all think Tom is crazy, and creating a strained relationship between Tom and his father. Tom's only solace is his understanding mother who believes he's headed to do great things.
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Northwest Passage
Title: Northwest Passage
Character: Major Robert Rogers
Released: February 23, 1940
Type: Movie
Based on the Kenneth Roberts novel of the same name, this film tells the story of two friends who join Rogers' Rangers, as the legendary elite force engages the enemy during the French and Indian War. The film focuses on their famous raid at Fort St. Francis and their marches before and after the battle.
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Northward, Ho!
Title: Northward, Ho!
Character: Himself
Released: February 10, 1940
Type: Movie
Behind-the-scenes promotional featurette to publicize the epic outdoor adventure Northwest Passage filmed on location in Idaho.
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I Take This Woman
Title: I Take This Woman
Character: Karl Decker
Released: February 2, 1940
Type: Movie
On return from Europe Dr. Decker foils glamour girl Georgi from jumping overboard. At Decker's suggestion to keep busy, she assists at his clinic in the slums.
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Stanley and Livingstone
Title: Stanley and Livingstone
Character: Henry M. Stanley
Released: August 18, 1939
Type: Movie
When American newspaperman and adventurer Henry M. Stanley comes back from the western Indian wars, his editor James Gordon Bennett sends him to Africa to find Dr. David Livingstone, the missing Scottish missionary. Stanley finds Livingstone ("Dr. Livingstone, I presume.") blissfully doling out medicine and religion to the happy natives. His story is at first disbelieved.
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From the Ends of the Earth
Title: From the Ends of the Earth
Character: Self
Released: May 28, 1939
Type: Movie
An MGM short showing how materials are shipped by boat 'From the Ends of the Earth' to Hollywood. Featuring footage from the MGM films being made at the time. Such as The Women, Thunder Afloat, Siren of the Tropics, Ninotchka, Northwest Passage, and At the Circus.
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Hollywood Hobbies
Title: Hollywood Hobbies
Character: Himself (uncredited)
Released: May 3, 1939
Type: Movie
In this short film, two starstruck movie fans hire a tour guide and see a plethora of Hollywood stars.
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Boys Town
Title: Boys Town
Character: Father Flanagan
Released: September 8, 1938
Type: Movie
Devout but iron-willed Father Flanagan leads a community called Boys Town, a different sort of juvenile detention facility where, instead of being treated as underage criminals, the boys are shepherded into making themselves better people. But hard-nosed petty thief and pool shark Whitey Marsh, the impulsive and violent younger brother of an imprisoned murderer, might be too much for the good father's tough-love system.
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Hollywood Goes to Town
Title: Hollywood Goes to Town
Character: Self
Released: July 7, 1938
Type: Movie
This short shows how Hollywood gets ready for the world premiere of an "important" movie. The film celebrated here is Marie Antoinette (1938), which had its premiere at the Carthay Circle Theatre. We see the street leading to the theatre transformed to suggest a garden that might be seen in a French palace. This includes the placement of trees and other foliage, as well as large statues along the route. Grandstands are set up so fans can see their favorite stars as they arrive for the premiere. Finally, the proverbial "galaxy of stars" arrives in their limousines. Fanny Brice and Pete Smith make remarks at the microphone set up on the carpet outside the theatre.
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Test Pilot
Title: Test Pilot
Character: Gunner Morse
Released: April 16, 1938
Type: Movie
Jim is a test pilot. His wife Ann and best friend Gunner try their best to keep him sober. But the life of a test pilot is anything but safe.
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Another Romance of Celluloid
Title: Another Romance of Celluloid
Character: Self (uncredited)
Released: February 5, 1938
Type: Movie
This second entry in MGM's "Romance of Film" series documents how celluloid movie film is processed and features behind-the-scenes glimpses of current MGM productions.
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Mannequin
Title: Mannequin
Character: John Hennessey
Released: January 21, 1938
Type: Movie
Jessie, a young working class woman, seeks to improve her life by marrying her boyfriend, only to find out that he is no better than what she left behind.
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Big City
Title: Big City
Character: Joe Benton
Released: September 3, 1937
Type: Movie
Anna and Joe are newly married, playful and deeply in love. Joe is scraping by as cab driver in New York City during a period of corruption, mob control and violence between cab companies.
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The Romance of Celluloid
Title: The Romance of Celluloid
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: August 27, 1937
Type: Movie
Several behind the scenes aspects of the movie-making business, which results in the enjoyment the movie going public has in going to the theater, are presented. They include: the production of celluloid aka film stock, the materials used in the production of which include cotton and silver; construction crews who build sets including those to look like cities, towns and villages around the world; a visit with Jack Dawn who demonstrates the process of creating a makeup design; the screen testing process, where many an acting hopeful gets his/her start; the work of the candid camera man, the prying eyes behind the movie camera; a visit with Adrian, who designs the clothes worn by many of the stars on screen; and a visit with Herbert Stothart as he conducts his musical score for Conquest (1937). These behind the scenes looks provide the opportunity to get acquainted with the cavalcade of MGM stars and their productions that will grace the silver screen in the 1937/38 movie season.
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Captains Courageous
Title: Captains Courageous
Character: Manuel Fidello
Released: June 25, 1937
Type: Movie
Harvey, the arrogant and spoiled son of an indulgent absentee-father, falls overboard from a transatlantic steamship and is rescued by a fishing vessel on the Grand Banks. Harvey fails to persuade them to take him ashore, nor convince the crew of his wealth. The captain offers him a low-paid job, until they return to port, as part of the crew that turns him into a mature, considerate young man.
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They Gave Him a Gun
Title: They Gave Him a Gun
Character: Fred P. Willis
Released: May 7, 1937
Type: Movie
With no other prospects, a World War I veteran puts the skills they taught him in the War to use.
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Libeled Lady
Title: Libeled Lady
Character: Warren Haggerty
Released: October 9, 1936
Type: Movie
When a major newspaper accuses wealthy socialite Connie Allenbury of being a home-wrecker, and she files a multi-million-dollar libel lawsuit, the publication's frazzled head editor, Warren Haggerty, must find a way to turn the tables on her. Soon Haggerty's harried fiancée, Gladys Benton, and his dashing friend Bill Chandler are in on a scheme that aims to discredit Connie, with amusing and unexpected results.
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San Francisco
Title: San Francisco
Character: Father Tim Mullin
Released: June 26, 1936
Type: Movie
A beautiful singer and a battling priest try to reform a Barbary Coast saloon owner in the days before the great earthquake and subsequent fires in 1906.
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Fury
Title: Fury
Character: Joe Wilson
Released: June 5, 1936
Type: Movie
Joe, who owns a gas station along with his brothers and is about to marry Katherine, travels to the small town where she lives to visit her, but is wrongly mistaken for a wanted kidnapper and arrested.
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Riffraff
Title: Riffraff
Character: Dutch
Released: January 3, 1936
Type: Movie
Fisherman Dutch marries cannery worker Hattie. After he is kicked out of his union and fired from his job he leaves Hattie who steals money for him and goes to jail. He gets a new job, foils a plot to dynamite the ship, and promises to wait for Hattie.
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Whipsaw
Title: Whipsaw
Character: Ross 'Mac' McBride aka Danny Ross Ackerman
Released: December 18, 1935
Type: Movie
Hot jewels from London make their way to New York, where they are stolen by racketeer Ed Dexter, who hides them with the help of his vivacious girlfriend, Vivian Palmer. Federal agent Ross McBride goes undercover to infiltrate the gang and, suspecting Vivian can lead him to the jewels, comes to her aid when she is chased by a rival gang. The two flee to the Midwest with both gangs in pursuit, but Vivian is not as gullible as Ross thinks.
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Dante's Inferno
Title: Dante's Inferno
Character: Jim Carter
Released: August 23, 1935
Type: Movie
A carny builds a gambling empire at the expense of his family's wellbeing.
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The Murder Man
Title: The Murder Man
Character: Steven 'Steve' Grey
Released: July 12, 1935
Type: Movie
Steve Grey, reporter for the Daily Star, has a habit of scooping all the other papers in town. When Henry Mander is investigated for the murder of his shady business partner, Grey is one step ahead of the police to the extent that he often dictates his story in advance of its actual occurrence. He leads the police through an 'open and shut' case resulting in Mander being tried, convicted and sentenced to death. Columnist Mary Shannon is in love with Steve but she sees him struggle greatly with his last story before Mander's execution. When she starts typing out the story from his recorded dictation, she realizes why.
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It's A Small World
Title: It's A Small World
Character: Bill Shevlin
Released: April 12, 1935
Type: Movie
Socialite, privileged, Jane Dale and lawyer Bill Shevlin meet in an automobile accident at night, on a dirt road, in a storm, near a hick town which fleeces travelers through corrupt law enforcement.
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Marie Galante
Title: Marie Galante
Character: Dr. Crawbett
Released: October 25, 1934
Type: Movie
On the French coast, unlucky Marie Galante is abducted and forced to board an American cargo ship bound for the Panama Canal. When an escape attempt leaves Marie high and dry in the Yucatan, she takes work as a nightclub singer to earn her safe passage to the Canal region. But Marie faces bigger problems when she gets mixed up in a destructive plot against the U.S. Naval fleet, and so she accepts the kindly assistance of secret agent Dr. Crawbett.
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Now I'll Tell
Title: Now I'll Tell
Character: Murray Golden
Released: June 7, 1934
Type: Movie
A two-bit gambler somehow claws his way to the top. His love for riches is only matched by his love for his wife, but he is sometimes confused by which he loves most.
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Bottoms Up
Title: Bottoms Up
Character: 'Smoothie' King
Released: April 12, 1934
Type: Movie
Promoter "Smoothie" King helps a pair of phonies con their way into a movie company. As Wanda heads toward stardom, she turns more and more from King toward the matinée idol. King must decide between his plans and her happiness.
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Looking for Trouble
Title: Looking for Trouble
Character: Joe Graham
Released: March 28, 1934
Type: Movie
Joe and Casey trouble-shoot for the phone company. They try to prove that Joes's girl Ethel's boss Dan is a crook but are trapped by criminals and left in a burning building.
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The Show-Off
Title: The Show-Off
Character: J. Aubrey Piper
Released: March 9, 1934
Type: Movie
Aubrey cons Amy into thinking he's a railroad bigwig. When he loses his job he takes one wearing a sandwich board. After he helps Joe sell his patent for a good price and an old railroad deal comes through, he's back on top and ready to marry Amy again.
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Man's Castle
Title: Man's Castle
Character: Bill
Released: November 20, 1933
Type: Movie
An unemployed man turns to crime when he gets his girlfriend pregnant.
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The Mad Game
Title: The Mad Game
Character: Edward Carson
Released: October 27, 1933
Type: Movie
Bootlegger Ed Carson is sent to prison. His old gang turns from liquor (now legal) to kidnapping. When they nab the son and daughter-in-law of the judge who sent Carson to prison, he is paroled to help in the capture.
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The Power and the Glory
Title: The Power and the Glory
Character: Tom Garner
Released: October 6, 1933
Type: Movie
A man's life is retold just after his funeral. Beginning as a track walker, Tom Garner rose through all sorts of railroad jobs to head the company. In the meantime he lost touch with his family. When he saw what was happening it was already too late.
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Shanghai Madness
Title: Shanghai Madness
Character: Pat Jackson
Released: August 3, 1933
Type: Movie
In the 1920s Pat Jackson destroys a Chinese post and is discharged from the Navy. Li Po Chang hires him to run a gunboat up the river. He drops Wildeth off at a mission for safety, but when his boat returns the mission is being attacked by communists.
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Face in the Sky
Title: Face in the Sky
Character: Joe Buck
Released: January 15, 1933
Type: Movie
Joe and Lucky travel around New England painting barns in exchange for an advertisement on one side. The meet Madge, who is cruelly treated by a her father who plans to marry her off to someone she despises.
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20,000 Years in Sing Sing
Title: 20,000 Years in Sing Sing
Character: Tommy Connors
Released: December 24, 1932
Type: Movie
Brash hoodlum Tom Connors enters Sing Sing cocksure of himself and disrespectful toward authority, but his tough but compassionate warden changes him.
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Me and My Gal
Title: Me and My Gal
Character: Danny Dolan
Released: December 4, 1932
Type: Movie
Jaunty young policeman Danny Dolan falls in love with waterfront cafe waitress Helen Riley.
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The Painted Woman
Title: The Painted Woman
Character: Tom Brian
Released: August 20, 1932
Type: Movie
After becoming involved in a killing, Kiddo gets on board Boyton's ship. When he learns what happened he dumps her on a South Sea island.
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Society Girl
Title: Society Girl
Character: Briscoe
Released: May 29, 1932
Type: Movie
Johnny is training for a championship fight. Judy distracts him, so his manager Briscoe walks out on him. Then so does Judy.
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Young America
Title: Young America
Character: Jack Doray
Released: April 17, 1932
Type: Movie
Mrs. Doray sits with a Juvenile Court Judge to learn more about problem children and what to do about them. One of the cases involves 13 year old Arthur, "the worst kid in town", who moves cars away from fiire-plugs without the knowledge of the owners. The judge gives Arthur and friend Nutty another chance. However they run into further trouble when they break into Mr. Doray's drugstore to get medicine for Nutty's grandmother. Mr. Doray is not sympathetic and completely against his wife's plan to become Arthur's guardian. More incidents occur with Mr. Doray quick to judge prior to getting all of the facts. Mrs. Doray must choose between her marriage and Arthur.
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Disorderly Conduct
Title: Disorderly Conduct
Character: Dick Fay
Released: March 20, 1932
Type: Movie
When motorcycle cop Dick Fay gives a ticket to Phyllis Crawford, her father's graft-fed influence leads to his demotion to foot patrolman.
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Sky Devils
Title: Sky Devils
Character: Wilkie
Released: March 12, 1932
Type: Movie
Wilkie and Mitchell, trying to desert their draft into the army, stow away on a ship which takes them into the war zone. While AWOL, the rivals for Mary's affections accidently destroy an ammunition dump.
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She Wanted a Millionaire
Title: She Wanted a Millionaire
Character: William Kelley
Released: February 21, 1932
Type: Movie
Impoverished Jane Miller is loved by millionaire Roger and newspaperman William. Though William warns her otherwise, she goes with the millionaire to his French chateau where she risks terrible cruelty and even death.
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Goldie
Title: Goldie
Character: Bill
Released: June 27, 1931
Type: Movie
Sailor Spike dates girls whose names he finds in an address book. Each girl has the same tatoo, placed there by another sailor Bill. When Spike meets Bill they become friends. In Calais Spike meets Goldie. Bill warns him against her, but Spike ignores the warning until he finds Bill's tatoo on Goldie as well.
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Six Cylinder Love
Title: Six Cylinder Love
Character: William Donroy
Released: May 10, 1931
Type: Movie
Troubles begin for the Sterlings when they buy an expensive car and friends start pressing them for rides.
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Quick Millions
Title: Quick Millions
Character: Daniel J. 'Bugs' Raymond
Released: April 17, 1931
Type: Movie
A truck driver "too lazy to work and too nervous to steal" gets mixed up in racketeering. Naturally his underhanded business practices make him a pillar of the community.
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Up the River
Title: Up the River
Character: Saint Louis
Released: October 10, 1930
Type: Movie
Daily life at men and women's prison units where baseball and the marching band are serious business. Two prisoners escape in order to help paroled Steve from being blackmailed by his girlfriend's ex-partner-in-crime.
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The Hard Guy
Title: The Hard Guy
Character: Guy
Released: September 6, 1930
Type: Movie
Guy and Ellen are desperate to find a way to get food and medicine for their sick child. Job are very hard to come by during the Great Depression and many are driven to desperate measures.
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Taxi Talks
Title: Taxi Talks
Character: Taxi Driver
Released: June 6, 1930
Type: Movie
Three incidents in a cab driver's day: a college boy wooing a flapper, a gold digger wooing a southern colonel, gun moll kills gangster and wants to be taken to the precinct house.