Jennifer Holt

Jennifer Holt

Born: November 10, 1920
Died: September 21, 1997
in Hollywood, California, USA
From Wikipedia

Born Elizabeth Marshall Holt in Hollywood, California to actor Jack Holt and his wife, Margaret Woods. She and her brother Tim would both have careers in acting.

She made her film debut using the stage name "Jacqueline Holt" in a 1941 western starring Hopalong Cassidy and went on to make forty-seven films during the 1940s. All but eight of her roles were in western films in which she appeared opposite cowboy stars such as Lash LaRue, Tex Ritter and Johnny Mack Brown.

Holt made her final film in 1949 then in 1950 co-hosted a television show called Panhandle Pete and Jennifer which ran for one season. During the remainder of the 1950s she made occasional guest appearances on television western series such as The Gabby Hayes Show and Tales of Wells Fargo starring Dale Robertson. Although the popularity of western films had faded by the mid-1950s, during the 1970s western film festivals became popular with fans of the genre and she occasionally participated as a guest.

Jennifer Holt was married several times, living for a while in Mexico and was in Dorset in England at the time of her death in 1997.

Jennifer made a batch of westerns in the 1940s, primarily at Universal and PRC as the heroine to Johnny Mack Brown, Tex Ritter, Rod Cameron, Buster Crabbe, Eddie Dean and Lash LaRue. Her first western was the Hopalong Cassidy STICK TO YOUR GUNS (Paramount, 1941). She also played the female lead in a couple of cliffhangers, ADVENTURES OF THE FLYING CADETS (Universal, 1943) and HOP HARRIGAN (Columbia, 1946).

THE HAWK OF POWDER RIVER (Eagle-Lion/PRC, 1948) was Holt's favorite western role, as she portrayed the masked leader of a band of outlaws. She and most of her gang are gunned down by singing cowboy Eddie Dean in the film-ending shootout.

Holt had several marriages, lived in the United States and Mexico, and resided in England at the time or her death in 1997. One of her marriages was to movie actor William Bakewell (1908-1993) whom she starred with in the HOP HARRIGAN chapter play. Bakewell may be best remembered as "Major Tobias Norton" in the 1950s Disney Fess Parker/Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier TV show.

Even though her father Jack and brother Tim made scores of westerns and outdoorsy type films, Jennifer was never in any of their movies. And despite many reports throughout the years, an actor named David Holt (1927-2003) was NOT the brother of Jennifer and Tim Holt nor the son of Jack Holt.

In the late 1940s - early 1950s, Jennifer hosted/participated in several television programs that originated in Chicago. One was her portrayal of "Aunt Judy" to the puppet "Uncle Mistletoe" in the 15 minute THE ADVENTURES OF UNCLE MISTLETOE which was broadcast locally and over ABC. Chicago department store Marshall Fields did this program in response to competitor Montgomery Ward's Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. After a couple years, Jennifer exited Mistletoe and did another children's program, PANHANDLE PETE AND JENNIFER, which originated from NBC in Chicago. That 15 minute series ran from 1950 - 1951.

Movies for Jennifer Holt...

Beverly Hills Family Robinson
Title: Beverly Hills Family Robinson
Character: Production Assistant
Released: January 25, 1997
Type: Movie
Marsha Robinson, host of a TV cooking show, takes her family on a working vacation to a South Seas Island, but their yacht is hijacked by pirates, and then shipwrecked, and the Robinsons must survive Marsha's complaints while they build a treehouse, meet a handsome carpenter, bond together as a family and fight off the pirates
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Title: Johnny Midnight
Released: January 3, 1960
Type: TV
Johnny Midnight is an American crime drama that aired for one season in syndicated from January to December 1960. The series stars Edmond O'Brien as the title character.
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The Tioga Kid
Title: The Tioga Kid
Character: Jenny Morgan
Released: June 17, 1948
Type: Movie
Ranger Eddie Dean is looking for the outlaw the Tioga Kid, a man he closely resembles. He runs into Joe Morino and his gang of rustlers at the same time Tioga arrives to cut himself into Morino's game. But Morino doesn't give in and in the showdown, Eddie and the Kid find themselves on the same side.
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Range Renegades
Title: Range Renegades
Character: Belle Morgan
Released: June 6, 1948
Type: Movie
After Marshal Jordan is honored by Jimmy, Cannonball and others for his forty years as a law officer, the Sawyer mine is blown up by Belle's foreman, Kern, following Sawyer's refusal to sell out. Dan Jordan, the Marshal's son, interested in Belle, secretly the head of the outlaws, is lured by her from scouting the road on which his father guards a ore shipment. Jimmy and Cannonball drive off the outlaws, headed by Kern and Burton, but the Marshal is fatally wounded. The town council appoints Jimmy the new Marshal, which disappoints Dan, but Belle persuades him to become Jimmy's deputy, in order to get information from him about ore and payroll shipments. Dan quits as deputy and fights Jimmy when the latter suspects Belle of involvement in the robberies.
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The Hawk of Powder River
Title: The Hawk of Powder River
Character: Vivian Chambers
Released: April 9, 1948
Type: Movie
B-western starring Eddie Dean as a singing lawman who comes to the aid of a pretty rancher (June Carlson) who's been targeted for murder by a notorious bandit known as "The Hawk".
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Tornado Range
Title: Tornado Range
Character: Mary King
Released: February 21, 1948
Type: Movie
Tornado Range is one of five Eddie Dean westerns originally produced by PRC in 1947 but released the following year by Eagle-Lion. Cast as a troubleshooter for the U.S. Land Office, Dean is assigned to settle a deadly range war. Sure enough, the warring homesteaders and cattlemen are being whipped into a frenzy by a third party, who hopes to "divide and conquer," claiming the land for himself. Surprisingly, all-purpose PRC villain George Cheseboro isn't the culprit in this one; instead, he's cast as the father of heroine Jennifer Holt. Roscoe Ates is once more on hand for some questionable comedy relief.
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Trail of the Mounties
Title: Trail of the Mounties
Character: Kathie McBain
Released: December 20, 1947
Type: Movie
A Canadian mountie is framed for committing crimes, while investigating a gang of criminals.
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Where the North Begins
Title: Where the North Begins
Character: Mary Rockwell
Released: December 14, 1947
Type: Movie
A Canadian Mountie investigates the disappearance of a brother officer.
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Shadow Valley
Title: Shadow Valley
Character: Mary Ann Jarvis
Released: November 29, 1947
Type: Movie
At least 10 percent of the 58-minute Eddie Dean western Shadow Valley is comprised of stock shots from earlier Dean oaters. This time, the star plays as U.S. marshal who comes to the rescue of the standard damsel in distress (Jennifer Holt, sister of Tim and daughter of Jack). The double-dyed villain (George Cheseboro) is a crooked lawyer (and former train robber) who wants to lay claim to the heroine's ranch.
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The Fighting Vigilantes
Title: The Fighting Vigilantes
Character: Abby Jackson
Released: November 15, 1947
Type: Movie
Taylor's men are robbing incoming supply wagons to enable Taylor to sell goods at inflated prices. The Vigilantes led by Frank Jackson are doing the same so the ranchers won't starve. Marshals Lash and Fuzzy arrive to try and find the real culprits.
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Stage to Mesa City
Title: Stage to Mesa City
Character: Margie Watson
Released: September 13, 1947
Type: Movie
Lash and Fuzzy sent to help John Watson with his stage line arrive to find him murdered. Recognizing the outlaws they trail them to their leader Baxter. But before Baxter can tell who the big boss is he is shot. After getting the stage through to assure the mail contract, Lash now realizes who the boss is.
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Ghost Town Renegades
Title: Ghost Town Renegades
Character: Diane Trent
Released: July 26, 1947
Type: Movie
Gold has been found and Sharp is out to get the land. He has the land owners killed and then has Watson forge new deeds. Cheyenne and Fuzzy arrive in time to save Trent. Then they go after the gang and its leader.
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Pioneer Justice
Title: Pioneer Justice
Character: Betty Walters
Released: June 28, 1947
Type: Movie
A ranger in Buffalo Gap has been killed and the trail leads to a gang headed by Bill Judd. When there is yet another killing, the sheriff seems remarkably hesitant to arrest the culprit and may be taking his orders from a mystery boss. Teaming up with Al's pretty sister and her Uncle Bob, Cheyenne and Fuzzy go in search of the mystery villain.
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Buffalo Bill Rides Again
Title: Buffalo Bill Rides Again
Character: Dale Harrington
Released: April 18, 1947
Type: Movie
Produced by Jack Schwartz for low-budget company Screen Guild, this mild Western starring the veteran Richard Arlen was apparently the first entry in a proposed series. Arlen played the title role, here assigned by the army to quell an Indian attack on the powerless settlers. The Indians are accusing Tom Russell (John Dexter) of murdering a member of the tribe, an act, as Buffalo Bill discovers, actually committed by a gang of outlaws hired by investment company owner J.B. Jordon (Frank O'Connor). Buffalo Bill Rides Again was soundly defeated by a low budget and slipshod direction by the veteran Bernard B. Ray. Popular B-Western villain Ted Adams disappeared mysteriously halfway through the film, only to be replaced by Edmund Cobb. Jennifer Holt, the daughter of Arlen contemporary Jack Holt and by far the busiest B-Western heroine of the 1940s, had little to do other than letting herself be kidnapped by evil Gil Patric.
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Over the Santa Fe Trail
Title: Over the Santa Fe Trail
Character: Carolyn
Released: February 13, 1947
Type: Movie
Curt Mason saves Doc Henderson's Medicine Show from being robbed by the Morrell gang but later earns the enmity of Carolyn when he blames the troupe for polluting a local watering hole. Arriving in town, the medicine show, which consists of Doc Henderson, Taffy, the singing group the Hoosier Hot Shots and Carolyn, begin their performance while Curt is unsuccessfully attempting to stop the Morrell gang from robbing the bank. The sheriff mistakes Curt for one of the gang, and to save their friend, Curt's buddies Biscuit and Big Boy stampede their cattle through town. In order to clear his good name, Curt and his friends go in search of the real bank robbers, who as it turns out are working under orders from Doc Henderson.
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Trigger Fingers
Title: Trigger Fingers
Character: Jane Caldwell
Released: September 20, 1946
Type: Movie
Blacksmith Pinto Peters calls on his old friend, Sam "Hurricane" Benton, to help him clear his son, Jimmy, of a murder charge. Hot-headed Jimmy, believes that the best way to cure a man of cheating at cards is to shoot him. He didn't shoot him enough, as the gambler only feigns death as part of a plot to gain possession of land owned by Pinto, as they know there is gold on the land buried there by an outlaw gang years ago.
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Hop Harrigan: America's Ace of the Airways
Title: Hop Harrigan: America's Ace of the Airways
Character: Gail Nolan
Released: March 27, 1946
Type: Movie
Hop Harrigan, a top Air Corps pilot, leaves the military and he and his mechanic, Tank Tinker, open up a small charter air service. They are hired to fly an inventor, Dr. Tabor, to his secret laboratory, where he is working on a new and powerful energy machine. However, a mysterious villain named The Chief Pilot is determined to have the new energy machine for his own purposes and kidnaps Dr. Tabor.
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Moon Over Montana
Title: Moon Over Montana
Character: Gwynn Randal
Released: February 16, 1946
Type: Movie
Jimmy Wakely and his sidekick "Lasses" White run into trouble as they attempt to hire some cattle cars on the Cattleman's Railroad to take their herd to market. Rancher Joseph Colton has bought up all the cattle cars and intends to purchase the penniless line from principal stockholder Gywnn Randall. She is eager to sell to Colton but doesn't realize that he intends to force all the ranchers out of business once he has control of the line.
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The Lost Trail
Title: The Lost Trail
Character: Jane Burns
Released: October 19, 1945
Type: Movie
Having briefly abandoned his standard "Nevada Jack McKenzie" characterization in Flame of the West, cowboy star Johnny Mack Brown was back as Nevada Jack in Monogram's The Lost Trail. Vowing to bring in a gang of stagecoach outlaws, Nevada redoubles his efforts when he learns that the owner of the stagecoach line is pretty Jane Burns (Jennifer Holt).
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Song of Old Wyoming
Title: Song of Old Wyoming
Character: Vicky Conway
Released: October 11, 1945
Type: Movie
Old Ma Conway champions statehood for Wyoming, believing the measure would put an end to the territory's lawlessness; but the elderly woman is opposed by cattle buyer and tax assessor Lee Landow and greedy banker Dixon. When Ma offers her opinion in a newspaper article, Landow sends his henchman Ringo to put the fear of God in the woman.
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Renegades of the Rio Grande
Title: Renegades of the Rio Grande
Character: Dolores Salezar
Released: June 1, 1945
Type: Movie
A cowboy who was trying to return the loot from a robbery finds hmself suspected of the crime.
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Beyond the Pecos
Title: Beyond the Pecos
Character: Ellen Tanner
Released: April 26, 1945
Type: Movie
Rancher Lew Remington is at odds with longtime rival Bob Randall. The two men battle over rights of oil land that borders both their properties.
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Gun Smoke
Title: Gun Smoke
Character: Jane Condon
Released: February 16, 1945
Type: Movie
U. S. Marshals Nevada Jack McKenzie and Sandy Hopkins come upon an overturned stagecoach with the driver and the passenger dead. They learn that the passenger, Hinkley, an archaeologist, has discovered an old Indian site that contains gold relics, and a gang has robbed him of the relics he was carrying. Jane Condon, daughter of Hinkley's partner who was also murdered, tells Nevada that an old Indian guide, Shag, is the only one who knows where the site is. The outlaws find Shag first, and kill him after forcing the information from him. Hinkley's son, Joel, arrives and knows where the site is and leads Nevada and Sandy there ahead of the outlaws.
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Under Western Skies
Title: Under Western Skies
Character: Charity
Released: January 19, 1945
Type: Movie
An Arizona teacher (Noah Beery Jr.) saves a vaudeville star (Martha O'Driscoll) and her troupe from a bandit (Leo Carrillo).
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The Navajo Trail
Title: The Navajo Trail
Character: Mary Trevor
Released: January 15, 1945
Type: Movie
U.S. Marshals Nevada Jack McKenzie and Sandy Hopkins are working undercover to capture a gang stealing horses from the Navajos, and to capture the killer of a Ranger. Nevada poses as an outlaw to get in with the gang and find the leader, while Sandy pretends to be a drunken old horse thief that has knowledge of where the Navajos have hidden their ponies.
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Riders of the Santa Fe
Title: Riders of the Santa Fe
Character: Carla Anderson
Released: October 1, 1944
Type: Movie
Tom Benner controls the town and the water supply. When his stooge Mayor rebels, he has him killed and replaced with Bullseye Johnson who immediately brings in Matt Canway as the town Marshal. Conway doesn't carry a gun but he is soon on to Benner and out to prove that Benner has altered the survey lines to obtain the water rights.
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Outlaw Trail
Title: Outlaw Trail
Character: Alice Thornton
Released: April 29, 1944
Type: Movie
Carl Beldon has disappeared and the Trail Blazers have been sent to investigate. Arriving in town, they find that 'Honest John' controls everything. He even prints his own money. He also has a gang and they set out to finish off the heroes.
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Guns of the Law
Title: Guns of the Law
Character: Lillian Wilkins
Released: March 30, 1944
Type: Movie
The Texas Rangers take on a shyster who is trying to bilk a family of their money after he learns that an oil company thinks their land may contain the black gold.
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Oklahoma Raiders
Title: Oklahoma Raiders
Character: Donna Ross, aka El Vengador
Released: March 17, 1944
Type: Movie
In this western, two cowboys go to buy fresh horses for the cavalry and end up taking on two badguys and a female vigilante.
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Marshal of Gunsmoke
Title: Marshal of Gunsmoke
Character: Ellen Carey
Released: January 22, 1944
Type: Movie
U.S. marshal Ritter arrives in town to round up bandits who are attempting to fix the local elections.
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Raiders of Sunset Pass
Title: Raiders of Sunset Pass
Character: Betty Matthews
Released: December 30, 1943
Type: Movie
World War II is raging and the manpower shortage has hit the range since every able-bodied cowboy of military age is off fighting for Uncle Sam. Dad Mathews, a rancher with a huge government contract order for beef, has trouble with the cattle rustlers, led by Henry Judson and Lefty Lewis, who are taking advantage of the situation to steal his herds. John Paul Revere, Special State Investigator, arrives, and upon meeting Mathews' daughter, Betty, gets the idea of recruiting the hard-riding daughters of the district into the WAPS, an organization which will be to the cattle country what the WACS and WAVES are to the Army and Navy. He trains them in military procedure and provides them with radio sending-and-receiving sets. Johnny's sidekick, Frog Millhouse, finds himself the possessor of a "walkie-talkie" which he considers just a "doo-dad" at first, but which is instrumental in the end, in helping Johnny and the WAPS trap the gang of rustlers in their hideout.
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Adventures of the Flying Cadets
Title: Adventures of the Flying Cadets
Character: Andre Mason
Released: September 7, 1943
Type: Movie
Four youthful cadets are implicated in a series of murders, and must attempt to clear themselves of suspicion.
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The Lone Star Trail
Title: The Lone Star Trail
Character: Joan Winters
Released: August 6, 1943
Type: Movie
Rancher Blaze Barker returns to Dead Falls after being framed by land-grabbers and spending two years in jail. Paroled, he can't wear a gun, but is aided by Marshal Fargo Steele. The gang is out to gain control of all of the valley land before a dam is constructed. When Blaze raises the money to pay off the taxes on his ranch, he finds it has been marked to incriminate him.
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Frontier Law
Title: Frontier Law
Character: Lois Rodgers
Released: June 1, 1943
Type: Movie
A town is cleared of crime when a group of cowboys under the direction of Hayden battles an outlaw gang. They also manage to restore the reputation of a friend wrongly accused of murder.
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Cowboy in Manhattan
Title: Cowboy in Manhattan
Character: Mitzi
Released: May 21, 1943
Type: Movie
Bob Allen, a struggling songwriter poses as a millionaire cowboy to win Broadway star Babs Lee.
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Raiders of San Joaquin
Title: Raiders of San Joaquin
Character: Jane Carter
Released: May 1, 1943
Type: Movie
In this western, two cowboys ride to the rescue of ranchers who are fighting to keep a land-grabber from taking their land and selling it to the railroad
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Cheyenne Roundup
Title: Cheyenne Roundup
Character: Ellen Randall
Released: April 12, 1943
Type: Movie
Johnny Mack Brown's Universal western series was drawing to a close when Cheyenne Roundup was released in mid-1943. Brown is herein cast in a dual role, as honest Gils Brandon and his less-than-honest brother Buck. Pursued by lawman Steve Rawlins (Tex Ritter), Buck tries to pass himself off as the upright Gils.
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Hi, Buddy
Title: Hi, Buddy
Character: Miss Russell
Released: February 26, 1943
Type: Movie
Dick Foran and Harriet Hilliard (aka Harriet Nelson) top the cast of the Universal musical quickie Hi, Buddy. Foran plays GI Dave O'Connor, who comes to the rescue when a boy's club is threatened with foreclosure. Upon learning that the money targetted for the club has been appropriated by a crooked manager, O'Connor calls upon his army buddies to stage a big, fundraising show.
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Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground
Title: Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground
Character: Kay Randolph
Released: February 5, 1943
Type: Movie
In order to obtain a stage coach mail contract, a new road must be built. A gang of outlaws try to prevent the building of the road.
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The Old Chisholm Trail
Title: The Old Chisholm Trail
Character: Mary Lee
Released: December 11, 1942
Type: Movie
Dusty Gardner, and other Texas ranchers, are driving a herd of cattle to Abilene, Kansas along the Chisholm Trail. Desperate need of water takes them to the Turner ranch, where Belle Turner demands exorbitant prices for the water. Dusty learns that Belle is also trying to oust Mary Lee and Montana Smith from the trading post Mary operates. The sheriff sides with Belle following a fight between the two women. Belle knows there is artesian springs under the land the trading post occupies and intends to get the property by any means.
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Little Joe, the Wrangler
Title: Little Joe, the Wrangler
Character: Janet Hammond
Released: November 13, 1942
Type: Movie
Mining executive Neal Wallace arrives to investigate the losses at a gold mine and is immediately framed for murder. The murderers then incite a lynch mob but the Sheriff lets him go. Wallace eventually convinces the Sheriff of his innocence and the two then work together to get the gang that is looting the gold ore.
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Deep in the Heart of Texas
Title: Deep in the Heart of Texas
Character: Nan Taylor
Released: September 25, 1942
Type: Movie
Hoping to increase its box-office allure by adopting the title of a popular song, Deep in the Heart of Texas (clap!clap!clap!clap!) was the first Johnny Mack Brown western of the 1942-43 season. The plot concerns a group of insurrectionists who intend to keep Texas separate from the rest of the USA.
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Pardon My Sarong
Title: Pardon My Sarong
Character: Girl on Bus with Tommy (uncredited)
Released: August 7, 1942
Type: Movie
A pair of bus drivers accidentally steal their own bus. With the company issuing a warrant for their arrest, they tag along with a playboy on a boat trip that finds them on a tropical island, where a jewel thief has sinister plans for them.
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The Silver Bullet
Title: The Silver Bullet
Character: Nancy Lee
Released: August 5, 1942
Type: Movie
A cowboy heads for the town where his father was murdered to find out who was responsible.
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Private Buckaroo
Title: Private Buckaroo
Character: Joyce Mason
Released: June 12, 1942
Type: Movie
The film tells the story of army recruits following basic training, with the Andrew Sisters attending USO dances. The film is a mixture of comedy and songs.
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Broadway
Title: Broadway
Character: TWA Stewardess
Released: May 8, 1942
Type: Movie
Gangsters, nightclubs and the Roaring '20s.
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Stick to Your Guns
Title: Stick to Your Guns
Character: June Winters
Released: September 17, 1941
Type: Movie
Buck Peters arranges for Hoppy, California, Johnny and other cowboys to go to the aid of friends whose cattle are being rustled. Hoppy and California locate the rustlers' hideout and join the gang by posing as outlaws themselves, but must find a way to let the rest of the posse know where they are.