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Panama Hattie (1942) starring Red Skelton, Ann Sothern, Rags Ragland, Virginia O'Brien

Panama Hattie

Panama Hattie (1942) starring Red Skelton, Ann Sothern, Rags Ragland, Virginia O’Brien Synopsis In Panama Hattie, the brassy but gold-hearted proprietress of a Canal Zone hotel, where… Read More »Panama Hattie

Maisie Gets Her Man (1942) starring Ann Sothern, Red Skelton

Maisie Gets Her Man

Maisie Gets Her Man (1942) starring Ann Sothern, Red Skelton

Buy from Amazon.com Ann Sothern stars as Maisie Ravier in Maisie Gets Her Man.  This is the seventh entry in the “Maisie” series.  Here, vaudeville performer Maisie has to leave the knife-throwing act when her partner, “Professor Orco” is jilted by his girlfriend, and decides to take his revenge out on all women … starting with Maisie, the target of his knives! Orco throwing knives at her is a very funny scene, that ends Maisie running away from the mad Orco, only end up to knocking him silly … and leaving herself unemployed once again.

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Red Skelton in a publicity photo for Whistling in Dixie, with the lovely Diana Lewis and Ann Rutherford

Whistling in Dixie

Whistling in Dixie (1942) starring Red Skelton, Ann Rutherford, Rags Ragland

In the sequel to Whistling in the Dark, Red Skelton again plays the role of Wally Benton, ‘The Fox‘. He’s a radio detective, who simply wants to take off two weeks of vacation so he can get married to his long-suffering fiancee Carol Lambert (played by Ann Rutherford).   Wally pretends to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown in order to twist his radio sponsor’s arm in order to get that vacation. Only to have Carol change their plans when she’s contacted by Ellamae (Diana Lewis), her sorority sister from Georgia, U.S.A. Ellamae’s boyfriend appears to have been murdered.   Carol convinces Wally to go down to Georgia to get married. Wally complies, only to get involved in the unraveling mystery.

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Whistling in Brooklyn (1943) starring Red Skelton, Ann Rutherford, Rags Ragland

Whistling in Brooklyn

Whistling in Brooklyn (1943) starring Red Skelton, Ann Rutherford, Rags Ragland

Movie review of Red Skelton’s third, and final, appearance as Wally Benton, aka. The Fox. He’s a radio personality and amateur detective. In this installment, The Fox is still trying to marry his fiancee. But he’s on the run from the police after being blamed for multiple murders. Murders committed by the mysterious “Constant Reader”! Danger and comedy in equal parts, with an appearance by the Brooklyn Dodgers as well!

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Whistling in the Dark  (1941) starring Red Skelton, Conrad Veidt, Ann Rutherford, Eve Arden, Rags Ragland

Whistling in the Dark

Whistling in the Dark was  Red Skelton‘s first starring role, and gave him the opportunity to strut his comedic muscles.   The movie begins with the meeting an odd cult, Silver Haven.  “We part in radiant contentment,” is their recurring phrase.  Silver Haven is quickly revealed as a  scheme to bilk gullible people out of their money.

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DuBarry Was A Lady (1943) starring Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Gene Kelly, Virginia O'Brien, Rags Ragland, Zero Mostel, Tommy Dorsey

DuBarry Was A Lady

DuBarry Was A Lady (1943) starring Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Gene Kelly, Virginia O’Brien, Rags Ragland, Zero Mostel, Tommy Dorsey

Buy from Amazon.com The basic plot of DuBarry Was A Lady is as follows: Hat check man Louis Blore (Red Skelton) is in love with nightclub star May Daly. (Lucille Ball). May, however, is in love with a poor dancer (Gene Kelly). But due to her parents’ poverty wants to marry for money. When Louis wins the Irish Sweepstakes, he asks May to marry him. She accepts even though she doesn’t love him. Soon after, Louis has an accident and gets slipped a doctored drink (meant for Gene Kelly), where he dreams that he’s King Louis XV pursuing the infamous Madame Du Barry (Lucille Ball).

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