Ben Alexander
Also Known As: Nicholas Benton "Ben" Alexander III, Nicholas Benton Alexander III
Biography: Nicholas Benton "Ben" Alexander III (June 27, 1911 – July 5, 1969) was an American motion picture actor, who started out as a child actor in 1916. He is best remembered for his role as Officer Frank Smith in the Dragnet franchise.
Department: Acting
Place of Birth: Goldfield, Nevada, USA
Adult: No
Birthday: May 27, 1911
Age: 113 years old
Gender: Male
Deathday: July 05, 1969
Popularity:
Known For:
All Quiet on the Western Front
Overview: When a group of idealistic young men join the German Army during the Great War, they are assigned to the Western Front, where their patriotism is destroyed by the harsh realities of combat.
Genres: Drama War
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1930-04-29
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The Family Honor
Overview: Beverly Tucker, the daughter of an impoverished aristocratic Southern family, has scraped together her last pennies to put her brother Dal through college in the hope that he will support the family after graduation. However, Dal harbors no such ambition and instead spends his time gambling and drinking in a saloon owned by the town's mayor, Curran. During a raid led by Curran's crusading son Merle, a detective is killed and Dal is accused of the crime.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1920-03-15
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Shall We Dance
Overview: Ballet star Petrov arranges to cross the Atlantic aboard the same ship as the dancer and musical star he's fallen for but barely knows. By the time the ocean liner reaches New York, a little white lie has churned through the rumour mill and turned into a hot gossip item—that the two celebrities are secretly married.
Genres: Comedy Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1937-05-07
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A Wife on Trial
Overview: Phyllis Narcissa, an underpaid children's librarian, eagerly accepts a dinner invitation from Horace de Guenther, one of her patrons, and happily entertains his invalid wife. Later, Mrs. de Guenther encourages Phyllis to meet with Mrs. Harrington, a dying rich woman whose son Allan, once a vigorous young man, was paralyzed in an auto accident. When Mrs. Harrington proposes to the librarian that she marry and take care of Allan in exchange for his wealth, Phyllis reluctantly consents. While struggling to cheer up the eternally gloomy Allan, Phyllis welcomes the visits of his friend, a doctor who informs her that her husband's paralysis may be psychosomatic.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1917-07-30
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The Vanishing Frontier
Overview: Its 1850 and California is under ruthless military rule. Kirby Tornell's rancho has been taken over by soldiers and when two of Kirby's men are captured, he goes there to free them. He meets the General's daughter there and attracted to her, repeatedly returns to see her. Eventually he is captured and now his men must try and rescue him.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1933-03-13
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The Hushed Hour
Overview: Judge Robert Appleton (Winter Hall) has led an exemplary life. His four children, however, fell short once they grew up and had to fend for themselves. When Appleton dies, his widow (Lydia Knott) explains that his last request was that each child spend one hour of contemplation with his body. The first is the youngest daughter, Daisy (Rosemary Theby), an artist of note who was betrayed and left with a son to raise out of wedlock. Next is Luke (Milton Sills), a wild young man who ran away at 19, and even though he is now married and a father, he still can't quite settle down. The eldest son, Bob (Wilfred Lucas), is next -- he wed a wealthy woman, but the marriage has no love.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1919-05-18
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The Heart of Rachael
Overview: Rachael (Bessie Barriscale) marries Clarence Breckenridge (Hershel Mayall) a widower much older than herself. Although she tries to be a good wife, he ignores her for the bottle. In addition, his daughter, Billy (Ella Hall), who is not much younger than Rachael, is spoiled. When Rachael meets the family doctor, Warren Gregory (Herbert Heyes), they fall in love.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1918-10-04
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Josselyn's Wife
Overview: Bessie Barriscale and Nigel Barrie play Ellen and Gibbs Josselyn, a young married couple who have spent several years in Europe while Gibbs, an artist, developed his talent. When they return to the States, they stay with Gibbs' father (Tom Guise) and stepmother (Kathleen Kirkham). Gibbs had never cared much for his stepmother, Lillian, but now he warms up to her -- a lot. Lillian is much younger than her husband and begins spending a suspicious amount of time with her stepson.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1919-05-05
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Two to One
Overview: A two-reel version of 1925's Pampered Youth. Included on Criterion's Blu-ray release of Orson Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons.
Genres: Drama Comedy
Original Language: xx
Release Date: 1927-12-31
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Dragnet
Overview: Two homicide detectives try to find just the facts behind a mobster's brutal murder.
Genres: Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1954-09-04
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Blue Streak McCoy
Overview: Ranger Job "Blue Streak" McCoy helps a miner and his pretty young daughter who are trying to protect their valuable mine from a gang leader who wants to take it.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1920-08-23
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Western Gold
Overview: President Lincoln personally sends Bill Gibson west to see if he can stop the holdups of the needed shipments of gold. There he meets his boyhood friend Foster. When all others refuse to take out the next gold shipment due to the killings, Bill volunteers. Jeannie, afraid for his safety, tells Foster of Bill's secret route not knowing Foster is the leader of the outlaw gang.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1937-08-27
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High Pressure
Overview: Gar Evans is a con artist, who pretends to be the owner of a "Golden Gate Artificial Rubber Company", and he is looking for investors. Finding them is relatively easy, but it becomes difficult when those want to see the inventor of the synthetic rubber...
Genres: Comedy Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1932-01-10
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Los Angeles Plays Itself
Overview: From its distinctive neighborhoods to its architectural homes, Los Angeles has been the backdrop to countless movies. In this dazzling work, Andersen takes viewers on a whirlwind tour through the metropolis' real and cinematic history, investigating the myriad stories and legends that have come to define it, and meticulously, judiciously revealing the real city that lives beneath.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2004-07-28
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Convict's Code
Overview: On parole after three years in prison, a football player encounters the man who framed him.
Genres: Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1939-01-18
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This Day and Age
Overview: A modern-day tale of gangsterism and revenge. After a notorious mobster murders a Jewish tailor and is let off for the crime, a band of outraged high-school students turns into vigilante crusaders hell-bent on punishing the wrongdoers. Memorable pre-Code moment: the students torturing a gangster by dangling him over a pit filled with rats.
Genres: Crime Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1933-08-25
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The Lady of the Dugout
Overview: Real life outlaw Al Jennings tells a "real" story about how he came to the aid of a woman who was abused by her alcoholic husband.
Genres: Western Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1918-09-01
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The Life of Vergie Winters
Overview: A small town politician, kept from marrying the love of his life, eventually marries another woman and his career ascends, but he secretly continues the relationship with his true love.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1934-06-14
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Grand Old Girl
Overview: An elderly schoolteacher is determined to rid her town of the local gambling den.
Genres: Romance Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1935-01-15
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Stage Mother
Overview: Kitty Lorraine has one purpose in life: turning her daughter Shirley into a star. Kitty controls every aspect of the girl's nascent career -- even blackmailing a stage manager so that Shirley can take a more prestigious gig. But Kitty goes too far when she breaks up her daughter's budding relationship with sweet artist Warren Foster. Heartbroken, Shirley sets off on a series of disastrous but profitable relationships.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1933-09-29
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The White Heather
Overview: Lord Angus Cameron's marriage to a woman of his titled Scottish class is thwarted by his secret marriage years before to Marion Hume, the housekeeper of the castle. Cameron attempts to repudiate the marriage, the only record of which is a certificate in the sunken wreck of a yacht, The White Heather. Marion goes to court to prove her claim and secure the rights of her son by Cameron, but is defeated. Alec McClintock, who is in love with Marion, and Cameron both want to recover the record, so they don diving suits and descend to the wreck. An underwater struggle ensues and Cameron severs his own air tube and drowns while attempting to cut off his rival's air supply. Alec then recovers the marriage record and wins Marion. —AFI
Genres: Adventure Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1919-06-29
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Suicide Fleet
Overview: Three US sailors aboard a decoy ship fight German U-boats in World War I and try to win Sally who works on the Coney Island midway.
Genres: Comedy Drama War
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1931-11-20
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Red Lights Ahead
Overview: A family loses its collective head going from rags to riches in this low-budget comedy from also-ran studio Chesterfield. Former slapstick comedian Andy Clyde starred as Grandpa Tom Hopkins who, after selling his junk business, moves in with daughter Molly (Lucille Gleason), her husband Ed (Roger Imhof), and their children Mary (Ann Doran), Edna (Paula Stone), George (Ben Alexander, and Willie (Frank Coghlan Jr.). Ed, who is a member of the town lodge "the Whales," is persuaded by Whitney (Sam Flint) the "Grand Harpoon," to buy $5,000 worth of shares in a promising gold mine, mortgaging the family home to do so. Soon the family is rich and everyone except Molly takes on airs.
Genres: Family Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1936-11-28
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The Fire-Trap
Overview: An insurance investigator falls in love with a society girl, unaware that her uncle and his boss are conspiring to commit insurance fraud by overvaluing a decrepit warehouse and its contents and burning the building to the ground.
Genres: Romance Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1935-11-26
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Flirtation
Overview: A naive farmer encounters a beautiful burlesque dancer on the streets of New York and agrees to pose as her husband during her mother's visit.
Genres: Drama Music Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1934-11-09
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Criminals Within
Overview: A young soldier uncovers a ring of spies when he investigates his brother's mysterious murder.
Genres: War Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1941-06-27
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Are These Our Children?
Overview: A tale of juvenile delinquency, about a high-school student neglecting his studies, partying hard, falling in with the wrong crowd and finally finding himself on trial for murder committed during a robbery.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1931-11-13
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Mr. Doodle Kicks Off
Overview: A wealthy businessman promises to donate a huge endowment to his college alma mater, but there's one condition -- his loser of a son, a student at the school, must become a football hero. Comedy.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1938-10-07
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Roadhouse Queen
Overview: Walter Catlett learns his son Ben Alexander has thrown over fiancee Joyce Compton for acrobat Nora Lane. He takes lawyer Arthur Housman to the road house where she is performing to lay down the law.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1933-06-29
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The Legion of Missing Men
Overview: Bob Carter, a member of the Foreign Legion, is glad to see his brother, Don, for the first time in ten years but is sorry that Don has joined the Legion. Bob, Don and Bob's buddies, Muggsy and Bilgey, go to a café and there Don falls for Nina, a singer in love with Bob. Bob doesn't know this and thinks she is Garccia's girl, and warns Don to have nothing to do with her. Don disregards the warning and Garcia discovers Nina and Don together and provokes Don into hitting him. Don is arrested and thrown into the company brig. Nina, with the aid of an Arabian sheik, Ul Ahmed, helps Don escape. Bob, Muggsy and Bilgey follow but are captured and taken to Ul Hamid's headquarters. The sheik tortures Don to force Bob to work some captured machine guns for him. Ah Hamid and his tribe attack the fort, but Bob manages to turn the machine guns against his captors, and the fort is saved.
Genres: Romance Action Adventure
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1937-07-28
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The Outer Gate
Overview: Bob Terry is in love with Lois Borden the daughter of his employer, John Borden. When some bonds are missing from the office, Bob is accused and because of Borden's strong sense of obligation to his stockholders, Bob is railroaded to prison. A few years later, the real thief is apprehended and Bob is released. He now begins his plan for revenge against Borden with the aid of his prison cell mate Todd and a gangster, John Carmody. Soon, some bonds are missing again and Borden knows Bob is involved but because Bob has suffered at his hands before, Borden assumes the responsibility and is about to be sentenced to prison. Todd is shot while trying to steal the bonds back from Carmody, but gets the bonds back to Bob and, before he dies, begs Bob to return them to the owner.
Genres: Drama Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1937-08-04
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Most Precious Thing in Life
Overview: An unwed mother watches as her illegitimate son is raised by others. Director Lambert Hillyer's 1934 drama stars Jean Arthur, Richard Cromwell, Donald Cook, Anita Louise, Jane Darwell, Mary Forbes and Ward Bond.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1934-06-15
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The Life of the Party
Overview: A singer finds another heir (Gene Raymond) to marry, to avoid the one (Joe Penner) her mother found.
Genres: Comedy Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1937-09-03
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The Divine Lady
Overview: Lady Hamilton's love affair with Admiral Horatio Nelson rocks the British Empire.
Genres: Drama History Romance War
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1928-12-26
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Man in the Shadow
Overview: In a modern cow town, the powerful ranch owner’s henchmen kill a ranch hand, prompting the sheriff to investigate despite facing strong opposition. He finds an unlikely ally in the rancher's overprotected daughter, but their quest for justice puts them both in danger.
Genres: Thriller Drama Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1957-12-12
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Buried Alive
Overview: A prison trustee rescues a despondent executioner from a bar-room brawl, and is blamed for the fight by a tabloid reporter who actually started it, and loses parole, becomes embittered, and gets blamed for murder of guard.
Genres: Crime Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1939-11-06
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American Portrait
Overview: This movie's preamble explains the importance of salesmanship after the great depression The industrial revolution has created a life of modern convenience for America, and there are more products available than most people can fathom. David, one of the main characters in this drama, is a life insurance salesman. His livelihood and profession rely on people willing to take out new policies. Throughout the beginning of the film, a narrator points out modern inventions like telephones, electric toasters, and other conveniences, and explains the significance of these items.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1940-07-31
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Tom Brown of Culver
Overview: Boy who thought his father a war hero finds he was really a deserter.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1932-06-30
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Once to Every Woman
Overview: An able nurse clashes with a new doctor at her hospital.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1934-03-24
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The Spy Ring
Overview: Two American-army officers are working on a new type of machine-gun for anti-aircraft warfare, when one of them is murdered. The other vows to get the spies that are after the invention and avenge his friend's death.
Genres: Adventure Crime Drama Mystery Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1938-01-08
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The Yankee Spirit
Overview: Very first of the Juvenile Comedies series.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1923-09-02
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The Little American
Overview: A young American has her ship torpedoed by a German U-boat but makes it back to her ancestral home in France, where she witnesses German brutality firsthand.
Genres: Drama War Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1917-07-12
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Little Orphant Annie
Overview: Annie, left orphaned after the death of her mother, goes to live in an orphanage where she tells her fellow orphans stories of ghosts and goblins. The matron of the orphanage finds Annie's closest relative, the abusive Uncle Thomp. Her uncle who puts her to hard work doing hard labor on his farm, belittling her all the while. Big Dave, a neighbor and tough cow-poke sees this and comes to her aid. Dave becomes her protector. Eventually Annie goes to live with Squire Goode and his large family. There, she entertains the children of the household with her stories, but sees her abusive aunt and uncle as her chief tormentors. She tells stories of how the goblins will take away the children if they are not good. Each story she tells is illustrated. War breaks out and Dave, who Annie adores, enlists. Uncle Thomp, hearing that Dave has been killed in action, takes pleasure in telling Annie the news. Broken-hearted, Annie falls ill and dies in bed, surrounded by family.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1918-12-31
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It's a Wise Child
Overview: In this comedy, a conservative family becomes alarmed when they begin believing their daughter is pregnant.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1931-04-10
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What Price Innocence?
Overview: A young woman has to pay the price for fooling around with men.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1933-06-24
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Annapolis Farewell
Overview: Commodore Fitzhugh, an old retired naval officer, lives at the Annapolis Naval Academy and, unhappy with the "modern" navy, likes to talk about his days in the "old" navy, especially about his part in the Battle of Manila Bay under Adm. Dewey during the Spanish-American War, when he commanded the USS Congress. That ship, now decommissioned and docked in Annapolis harbor, is--unknown to Fitzhugh--about to be towed out to sea to be used for target practice. When Fitzhugh finds this out, he sets out to either save his beloved vessel or "go down with his ship".
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1935-08-23
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Hearts of the World
Overview: A group of youngsters grow up and love in a peaceful French village. But war intrudes and peace is shattered. The German army invades and occupies village, bringing both destruction and torture. The young people of the village resist, some successfully, others tragically, until French troops retake the town.
Genres: Drama War
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1918-03-11
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The Highbinders
Overview: Author David Marshall is sandbagged by holdup men and loses his memory. He finds his way to a bookshop run by his friend Ladd, who takes him in with the hope of helping him to regain his memory. David there meets Hope Masterson and falls in love with her. Bill Dorgan, a gangster in love with Hope, kidnaps her, and David comes to her rescue. David is hit again on the head, and this time he regains his memory. He still recognizes Hope, however, and they look forward to a long and happy life together.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1926-03-21
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Penrod and Sam
Overview:
Genres: Comedy Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1923-06-18
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The Triflers
Overview: Janet Randall, a department store clerk who longs for a fling at high society, ignores the love of the poor but honest Dan Cassidy. When vacation time comes, Janet goes to a fashionable hotel and there meets her idol, society favorite Monte Moreville. Upon requesting the bill at the end of four days, Janet discovers that the tariff is more than she can afford, and Monte comes to her rescue by offering to bail her out. In exchange, Janet must pose as his wife to fend off a woman who is threatening a breach of promise suit.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1920-01-12
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Boy of Mine
Overview: A wealthy banker is a strict disciplinarian with his nine-year-old son Bill. Finally the day comes when neither Bill nor his mother can put up any more with the father's relentlessness and heavy-handed treatment; she leaves and takes Bill with her. The father must decide what's more important--maintaining his iron discipline over his family, or his family itself.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1923-12-30
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The Wet Parade
Overview: The evils of alcohol before and during prohibition become evident as we see its effects on the rich Chilcote family and the hard working Tarleton family.
Genres: Drama History Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1932-03-26
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Born to Gamble
Overview: A wealthy man relates how gambling had tragic consequences for his family.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1935-07-09
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Many a Slip
Overview: Comedy centering on the question of whether a man's wife is or isn't pregnant.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1931-03-02
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The Leather Pushers
Overview: A shifty boxing promoter places an amateur in fixed fights, then hands his contract over to an suspicious female investigative reporter as a raffle prize. He later regrets his actions, however, when the boxer becomes an honest champion.
Genres: Comedy Adventure
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1940-09-13
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Each Pearl a Tear
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1916-08-31
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The One Woman
Overview: Denounced for preaching socialism Reverend Frank Gordon founds his own "Temple of Man." financed by Kate Ransom, the woman Gordon has fallen in with love and entered into a common-law agreement with after divorcing his wife. With the outbreak of World War I, however, the members of his new congregation oppose conscription while he wholeheartedly supports the Allied cause. Driven from his own church, he returns home to find Kate in banker Mark Overman's arms, enraged he strangles the banker. Sentenced to life imprisonment, his ex-wife Ruth pleads with Governor Morrison to pardon the errant clergyman. Gordon is allowed to return to his family.
Genres: Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1918-10-01
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The Better Wife
Overview: Charmian Page has developed a great affection for the child of Sir Richard. When the child is seriously hurt in a car crash that has killed his mother Lady Beverly, who was on her way to see her lover, Charmian persuades her wealthy father to pay for the operation that saves the child. Sir Richard marries Charmian for his child's sake, but remains aloof towards her for the memory of Beverly. When he learns the truth about his late wife's infidelity, he begs for Charmian's forgiveness, realizing she is the better wife.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1919-07-13
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The Mayor of Filbert
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1919-05-25
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Through Eyes of Men
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1920-06-01
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