home/movie/1936/the plot thickens

The Plot Thickens

NR

MysteryComedy

6.2/10(4 ratings)

A priceless Cellini silver cup is stolen from a local museum with both Hildegarde and Oscar on the case.

12-11-1936

1h 9m

The Plot Thickens

Backdrop for The Plot Thickens

Main Cast

Movie Details

Production Info

Director:: Ben Holmes

Production:: RKO Radio Pictures

Key Crew

Associate Producer:: William Sistrom

Screenplay:: Jack Townley

Locations and Languages

Country:: US

Filming:: US

Languages:: en

Main Cast

James Gleason

James Gleason

James Gleason was born in New York City to William Gleason and Mina Crolius, who were both in the theatre. He was married to Lucile Gleason (born Lucile Webster), and had a son, Russell Gleason. As a young man James fought in the Spanish-American War. After the war he joined the stock company at the Liberty Theater in Oakland, California, which his parents were running. James and his wife then moved to Portland, Oregon, where they played in stock at the Baker Theater. For several years afterward they toured in road shows until James enlisted in the army during World War I. When he returned he appeared on the stage in "The Five Million." He then turned to writing, including "Is Zat So", which he produced for the NY stage. He also wrote and acted in "The Fall Guy" and "The Shannons on Broadway." Next he wrote The Broadway Melody (1929) for MGM. He collaborated, in 1930, on The Swellhead (1930), Dumbbells in Ermine (1930), What a Widow! (1930), Rain or Shine (1930) and His First Command (1929). He and his wife were then contracted to Pathe, Lucille to act, and James (or Jimmie as he was known) as a writer. Probably his most famous acting role was as Max Corkle, the manager of Joe Pendleton who was wrongly plucked from this life into the next, in the hit fantasy Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941).

Known For

Arsenic and Old Lace

Arsenic and Old Lace

1944

The Night of the Hunter

The Night of the Hunter

1955

Crash Dive

Crash Dive

1943

Zasu Pitts

Zasu Pitts

Zasu Pitts was an American actress who starred in many silent dramas and comedies, transitioning successfully to mostly comedy films with the advent of sound films. She may be best known for her performance in Erich von Stroheim's epic silent film Greed. Based on her performance, von Stroheim labeled Pitts "the greatest dramatic actress". He also featured her in his films The Honeymoon (1928), The Wedding March (1928), War Nurse (1930) and Walking Down Broadway, released as Hello, Sister! (1933). However, for the most part, with the advent of sound Pitts was mostly relegated to comedy parts. A bitter disappointment was when she was replaced in the classic war drama All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) by Beryl Mercer after her initial appearance in previews drew unintentional laughs, despite her intense performance. She had viewers rolling in the aisles in Finn and Hattie (1931), The Guardsman (1931), Blondie of the Follies (1932), Sing and Like It (1934) and Ruggles of Red Gap (1935). In 1936 and 1937 she portrayed Hildegarde Withers in two movies, succeeding Edna May Oliver as the spinster sleuth, but they were not well received. In the 1950s she started focusing on television. This culminated in her best known series role, playing second banana to Gale Storm on CBS's The Gale Storm Show (1956) (also known as Oh, Susannah) in the role of Elvira Nugent ("Nugie"), the shipboard beautician. In 1961, Pitts was cast opposite Earle Hodgins in the episode "Lonesome's Gal" on the ABC sitcom, Guestward, Ho!, set on a dude ranch in New Mexico. In 1962, Pitts appeared in an episode of CBS's Perry Mason, "The Case of the Absent Artist". Her final role was as Gertie, the switchboard operator in the Stanley Kramer comedy epic It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963).

Known For

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

1963

Life with Father

Life with Father

1947

Greed

Greed

1924

Owen Davis Jr.

Owen Davis Jr.

Owen Gould Davis Jr. (October 6, 1907 – May 21, 1949) was an American actor known primarily for his work in film. He also performed in the theatre, making his Broadway debut in the play Carry On (1928), which his father, Owen Davis, had written.

Known For

All Quiet on the Western Front

All Quiet on the Western Front

1930

Knute Rockne All American

Knute Rockne All American

1940

Murder on a Bridle Path

Murder on a Bridle Path

1936

Unknown Actor

Unknown Actor

Known For

Murder on a Bridle Path

Murder on a Bridle Path

1936

Barbara Foley

We're on the Jury

We're on the Jury

1937

Mrs. Clyde

There's Always Tomorrow

There's Always Tomorrow

1934

Janet White

Arthur Aylesworth

Arthur Aylesworth

Arthur Preston Aylsworth, professionally known as Arthur Aylesworth (occasionally also using the regular no-e surname spelling), was an American stage and screen actor. Aylesworth's Broadway career spanned the years 1911-1942; he appeared in many productions. In the 1930s he became a contract player at Warner Bros. working in character roles, often uncredited.

Known For

Christmas in Connecticut

Christmas in Connecticut

1945

The Grapes of Wrath

The Grapes of Wrath

1940

Dragonwyck

Dragonwyck

1946

Paul Fix

Paul Fix

Paul Fix (March 13, 1901, Dobbs Ferry, New York – October 14, 1983, Los Angeles, California) was an American film and television character actor, best known for his work in westerns. Fix appeared in more than a hundred movies and dozens of television shows over a 56-year career spanning from 1925 to 1981. In the 1950s, Fix was best known for portraying Marshal Micah Torrance alongside Chuck Connors in The Rifleman. Paul Fix died October 14, 1983, Los Angeles, California, of kidney failure. He was survived by his daughter Marilyn Carey and son-in-law Harry "Dobe" Carey, three grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. Supposedly Fix taught John Wayne -- a lifelong friend -- his famous and distinctive "rolling walk" when Wayne was starting out in the business. He wanted something to set him apart, so Fix suggested the rolling gait that became his trademark.

Known For

To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird

1962

Scarface

Scarface

1932

Giant

Giant

1956

Richard Tucker

Richard Tucker

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Richard Tucker (June 4, 1884 – December 5, 1942) was an American actor. Tucker was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1884. Appearing in 266 films between 1911 and 1940, he was the first official member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and a founding member of SAG's Board of Directors. Tucker died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles from a heart attack. He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, in an unmarked niche in Great Mausoleum, Columbarium of Faith.

Known For

Wings

Wings

1927

The Jazz Singer

The Jazz Singer

1927

Libeled Lady

Libeled Lady

1936

Unknown Actor

Unknown Actor

Known For

Queen Christina

Queen Christina

1933

Elsa (uncredited)

The Merry Widow

The Merry Widow

1934

Maxim Girl (uncredited)

The Pursuit of Happiness

The Pursuit of Happiness

1934

Meg Mallory

Unknown Actor

Unknown Actor

Known For

Mystery of the Wax Museum

Mystery of the Wax Museum

1933

Morgue Attendant (Uncredited)

20,000 Years in Sing Sing

20,000 Years in Sing Sing

1932

First Reporter (uncredited)

The Mayor of Hell

The Mayor of Hell

1933

Sam (uncredited)

Unknown Actor

Unknown Actor

Known For

Dracula's Daughter

Dracula's Daughter

1936

Elena - Bride in Transylvania

I Live My Life

I Live My Life

1935

Sheila (Uncredited)

The Wedding Night

The Wedding Night

1935

Helena

Oscar Apfel

Oscar Apfel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Oscar C. Apfel (January 17, 1878 – March 21, 1938) was an American film actor, director, screenwriter and producer. He appeared in 167 films between 1913 and 1939, and also directed 94 films between 1911 and 1927. Apfel was born in Cleveland, Ohio. After a number of years in commerce, he decided to adopt the stage as a profession. He secured his first professional engagement in 1900, in his hometown. He rose rapidly and soon held a position as director and producer and was at the time noted as being the youngest stage director in America.[1] He spent eleven years on the stage on Broadway then joined the Edison Manufacturing Company. Apfel first directed for Thomas A. Edison, Inc. in 1911–12, where he made the innovative short film The Passer-By (1912). He also did some experimental work at Edison's laboratory in Orange, on the Edison Talking Pictures devices. After many years as a director, he gradually returned to acting. On March 21, 1938, Apfel died in Hollywood from a heart attack.

Known For

The Old-Fashioned Way

The Old-Fashioned Way

1934

The Woman from Monte Carlo

The Woman from Monte Carlo

1932

Manhattan Melodrama

Manhattan Melodrama

1934

Alyce Ardell

Alyce Ardell

Alyce Ardell was born on November 14, 1902 in Paris, France as Marie Alice Pradel. She was an actress, known for Alice Blues (1926), Mummy Love (1926) and A Peaceful Riot (1925). She died on March 3, 1996 in Laguna Hills, California, USA.

Known For

Three Little Wolves

Three Little Wolves

1936

Imitation of Life

Imitation of Life

1934

Ruggles of Red Gap

Ruggles of Red Gap

1935

Unknown Actor

Unknown Actor

Known For

Superman and the Mole-Men

Superman and the Mole-Men

1951

Mole-Man (uncredited)

Maisie Was a Lady

Maisie Was a Lady

1941

Midget (Uncredited)

The Terror of Tiny Town

The Terror of Tiny Town

1938

The Ranch Owner (Pop Lawson) (as John Bambury)

Unknown Actor

Unknown Actor

Known For

Double Wedding

Double Wedding

1937

Saxophonist (uncredited)

Naughty Marietta

Naughty Marietta

1935

Marietta's Drunken Brother (uncredited)

Bombshell

Bombshell

1933

Man Claiming to Be Lola's Husband (uncredited)

Unknown Actor

Unknown Actor

Known For

Mystery of the Wax Museum

Mystery of the Wax Museum

1933

Policeman (Uncredited)

Charlie Chan at the Opera

Charlie Chan at the Opera

1936

Cop (uncredited)

The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse

The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse

1938

Fingerprint Expert (uncredited)

Mary Gordon

Mary Gordon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mary Gordon (born Mary Gilmour, 16 May 1882 – 23 August 1963) was a Scottish actress, long in the United States, who mainly played housekeepers and mothers, most notably the landlady Mrs. Hudson in the Sherlock Holmes series of movies of the 1940s starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. Her body of work included nearly 300 films between 1925 and 1950. With her mother and daughter (both also named Mary), she arrived in Los Angeles in the mid-1920s and began playing variations on the roles she would spend her career on. She became friends with John Ford while making Hangman's House in 1928 and made seven more films with him. In 1939, she took on her best-remembered role as Sherlock Holmes' landlady and played the role in ten films and numerous radio plays. She was a charter member of the Hollywood Canteen, entertaining servicemen throughout the Second World War. On the radio show Those We Love, she played the regular role of Mrs. Emmett. She entered retirement just as television reshaped the entertainment industry, making only a single appearance in that medium. She was active in the Daughters of Scotia auxiliary of the Order of Scottish Clans. She lived out her final years in Pasadena, California with her daughter and grandson. She died at age 81 on 23 August 1963 in Pasadena, California after a long illness.

Known For

The Hound of the Baskervilles

The Hound of the Baskervilles

1939

Bride of Frankenstein

Bride of Frankenstein

1935

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

1939

Unknown Actor

Unknown Actor

Known For

Judgment at Nuremberg

Judgment at Nuremberg

1961

Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

Dodge City

Dodge City

1939

Joe (uncredited)

The Singing Fool

The Singing Fool

1928

John Perry

John Indrisano

John Indrisano

Born in East Boston, Johnny Indrisano was from a poverty stricken family. As a youth he vowed to "have money" some day. He boxed 155 amateur fights. He turned professional and went on to fight 83 main events in which he won 80. He defeated 5 world champions. His career lasted from 1924 to 1934. He defeated among others, Joe Dundee(World Welterweight Champ/non-title fight), Nick Testo, Johnny Freeman, Sig Keppen, and Sammy Baker. From 1934 to 1949 he worked as a boxing referee. He began as a boxing coach for movie stars and from there became a full-time boxing adviser on films. He also worked as a character actor. Among the stars he trained were John Garfield, Spencer Tracy, Carey Grant, Mickey Rooney, Robert Ryan, Robert Taylor, Jimmy Durante, Fred MacMurray, Ricardo Montalban, and William Lundigan. He died under mysterious conditions - possibly a suicide. Date of Death 9 July 1968, San Fernando Valley, California (apparent suicide by hanging)

Known For

It's a Wonderful Life

It's a Wonderful Life

1946

Some Like It Hot

Some Like It Hot

1959

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

1954

Unknown Actor

Unknown Actor

Known For

The Magnificent Ambersons

The Magnificent Ambersons

1942

Citizen (uncredited)

The Westerner

The Westerner

1940

Ticket Man (uncredited)

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

1932

Diner Cook (uncredited)

Unknown Actor

Unknown Actor

Known For

East Side, West Side

East Side, West Side

1927

Gerrit Rantoul

Sins of Man

Sins of Man

1936

Mr. Hall

The Man From Home

The Man From Home

1922

The King

Unknown Actor

Unknown Actor

Known For

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

1939

Senate Reporter (uncredited)

Crash Dive

Crash Dive

1943

Hotel Guest

The Pride of the Yankees

The Pride of the Yankees

1942

Reporter in Hospital (uncredited)

Bodil Rosing

Bodil Rosing

Bodil Rosing was born on December 27, 1877 in Copenhagen, Denmark. She was an actress, known for Sunrise (1927), You Can't Take It with You (1938) and Why Be Good? (1929). She was previously married to Einer Jansen. She died on December 31, 1941 in Hollywood, California, USA.

Known For

All Quiet on the Western Front

All Quiet on the Western Front

1930

Heidi

Heidi

1937

Grand Hotel

Grand Hotel

1932

George Sorel

George Sorel

Known For

Casablanca

Casablanca

1943

For Whom the Bell Tolls

For Whom the Bell Tolls

1943

Gilda

Gilda

1946