Phyllis Coates
Also Known As: Gypsie Ann Evarts Stell
Biography: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Phyllis Coates (born Gypsie Ann Evarts Stell; January 15, 1927) was an American actress best known for her portrayal of reporter Lois Lane in the 1951 film Superman and the Mole-Men and in the first season of the television series Adventures of Superman. Coates signed a movie contract with Warner Bros. extending from 1948 to 1956. She co-starred with George O'Hanlon as the title character's wife in the studio's Joe McDoakes short-subject comedies. She acted in film serials including Jungle Drums of Africa (1953), Gunfighters of the Northwest (1953), and Panther Girl of the Kongo (1955). Her film career also included roles in Girls in Prison (1956), I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957), Blood Arrow (1958), Cattle Empire (1958), The Incredible Petrified World (1959), The Baby Maker (1970) and Goodnight, Sweet Marilyn (1989). Coates was one of Hollywood's most consistently employed actresses of the 1950s and '60s. She freelanced steadily, appearing in numerous low-budget features, many of them Westerns, as well as serials and a steady stream of TV appearances, both as a regular in several series and as a guest cast member in others. All this was in addition to the "McDoakes" shorts, in which she continued to appear until Warner Bros. discontinued the series in 1956.
Department: Acting
Place of Birth: Wichita Falls, Texas, USA
Birthday: January 15, 1927
Deathday: October 11, 2023
Adult: No
Gender: Female
Popularity:
Known For:
I Was a Teenage Frankenstein
Overview: Professor Frankenstein creates a teenager from an accident victim, who gets angry when he learns he is going to be taken apart.
Genres: Horror Science Fiction
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1957-11-23
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The Incredible Petrified World
Overview: When the cable breaks on their diving bell four people find themselves trapped in a hidden underwater world.
Genres: Adventure Science Fiction Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1959-11-18
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The Baby Maker
Overview: Tish Gray had a baby and gave it up for adoption. She is contacted by a second childless couple who want her to have the husband's baby because of the wife's inability to have children. She accepts but finds that knowing the parents, and developing a relationship with them for the entire pregnancy complicates the simple arrangement.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1970-10-01
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Superman and the Mole-Men
Overview: Reporters Clark Kent and Lois Lane arrive in the small town of Silsby to witness the drilling of the world's deepest oil well. The drill, however, has penetrated the underground home of a race of small, furry people who then come to the surface at night to look around. The fact that they glow in the dark scares the townfolk, who form a mob, led by the vicious Luke Benson, intent on killing the strange people. Only Superman has a chance to prevent this tragedy.
Genres: Action Adventure Family Fantasy Romance Science Fiction
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1951-11-23
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Flat Top
Overview: A rock hard commander trains Navy Carrier Pilots during the Second World War
Genres: Drama Action War
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1952-10-26
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So You Want a Raise
Overview: Joe McDoakes asks for a raise and is informed by his boss that the employee selected by him to run the office while he is on vacation will get a raise.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1950-09-23
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So You Want to Move
Overview: Joe plans on moving but needs tips on how.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1950-08-19
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So You Want a Television Set
Overview: Joe and Alice buy a television set and, due to some excuse, or another, the neighbors begin to drop in, stay to watch television, and raid their refrigerator.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1953-05-23
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So You Want to Be an Heir
Overview: Thinking he may inherit a million dollars from his dying grandmother, Joe McDoakes finds himself the target of murderously greedy family members.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1953-12-19
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So You Want to Play the Piano
Overview: Alice neglects her housework because she is enthralled with the long-haired piano player, Gregor Flatorsharpsky, next door. Joe buys a piano, and the accompanying free lessons, and sets out to impress Alice. Alice is vastly unimpressed.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1956-05-05
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Chicago Confidential
Overview: In the Windy City, the mob infiltrates a powerful union.
Genres: Action Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1957-08-30
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Girls in Prison
Overview: An inmate is persuaded to take part in a breakout by cellmates anxious to cash in on loot they believe she has hidden.
Genres: Drama Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1956-07-01
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Goodnight, Sweet Marilyn
Overview: The supposed story of superstar Marilyn Monroe's death...as told by a "friend" of hers. Watch flashbacks from "Goodbye Norma Jean" as it leads up to the night when Marilyn Monroe died.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1989-12-01
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So You Think You're Not Guilty
Overview: Joe McDoakes pleads "not guilty" to a traffic violation but is convicted anyway. Handling this setback in his usual manner, the two-dollar fine quickly pyramids to a 10-year jail sentence.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1950-04-15
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Panther Girl of the Kongo
Overview: Jean Evans of an international wildlife foundation, who is known to Africa as 'the Panther Girl' because of her bravery in jungle living, stumbles on a plot by a mad scientist to frighten the natives out of a diamond-laden district by chemically growing crayfish to giant size, and enlists the aid of a game hunter friend to prevent a monster rampage and bring the culprits to justice.
Genres: Action Science Fiction
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1955-01-03
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Blues Busters
Overview: The Bowery Boys (Bowery Boys) open a nightclub after Sach has his tonsils out and wakes up with a singing voice.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1950-10-29
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So You Want to Be a Bachelor
Overview: "I never knew what happiness was till I got married—and then it was too late," Joe recalls, flashing back to bachelor days and his courtship with Alice.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1951-09-22
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So You Want to Wear the Pants
Overview: It's a dangerous hypnotic suggestion when a psychiatrist tells married couple Joe and Alice McDoakes to switch points of view during a session.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1952-11-08
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The Claw Monsters
Overview: An evil scientist in a remote jungle location cultivates giant crawfish (!) as a means of scaring trespassers away from his diamond mine. Condensed from one of the last Republic serials, "Panther Girl of the Congo". (1955).
Genres: TV Movie Action Science Fiction Horror
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1966-01-01
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Cattle Empire
Overview: After serving a five year prison sentence for allowing his men to destroy a town in a drunken spree, a trail boss is hired by the same town's leading citizen to drive their cattle to Fort Clemson. Complicating matters, a rival cattle baron also hires the cattle driver to lead his herd.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1958-04-01
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So You Want to Throw a Party
Overview: Joe and Alice McDoakes are planning on throwing a party, but Joe mixes up his list of creditors with the list of names Alice gave him to invite. The creditors have a much better time than Joe does.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1950-02-04
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Scorching Fury
Overview: Three masked bandits responsible for a wave of holdups and bank robberies stick up a stagecoach on its way to Boone City.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1952-01-01
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Fargo
Overview: The brother (House Peters Jr.) of rancher Bill Martin (Bill Elliott) is killed in a stampede started by cattleman. Bill returns to the Fargo country to take his brother's place and is welcomed by law-abiding cattleman MacKenzie (Jack Ingram)) and his daughter Kathy (Phyllis Coates). The leader of the ruthless cattle interests are townsman Austin (Arthur Space) and his henchmen Red (Myron Healey), Link (Robert J. Wilke) and Albord (Terry Frost). Bill has the idea of putting up barbed wire to keep the herds from been driven over the land cultivated by the farmers. He, aided by Tad Sloan (Fuzzy Knight), produces the wire by make-shift methods, but it proves effective. The cattleman charge in court that the wire is dangerous to their herds but lose the case. Austin orders his men to seize Bill, bale him in strands of the wire, and throw him on the stage of the town hall during a fall festival. Bill doesn't take kindly to this and it precipitates open war.
Genres: Action Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1952-09-07
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The Screen Director
Overview: A documentary short film depicting the work of the motion picture director. An anonymous director is shown preparing the various aspects of a film for production, meeting with the writer and producer, approving wardrobe and set design, rehearsing scenes with the actors and camera crew, shooting the scenes, watching dailies, working with the editor and composer, and attending the first preview. Then a number of real directors are shown in archive footage (as well as a predominance of staged 'archive' footage) working with actors and crew.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1951-03-12
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The Gunman
Overview: Terrorized citizens send for a Texas lawman to rid their town of bandits.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1952-01-01
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Invasion, U.S.A.
Overview: A group of American witness the deadly invasion of the United States by the Soviet Union.
Genres: Drama Science Fiction
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1952-12-10
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Oklahoma Justice
Overview: Johnny Mack Brown goes up against a lady bank robber in this average Mack Brown series late-entry from Monogram. The lady, played by Barbara Allen, is of course called "Ma." In order to get the goods on "Ma" and her "brood," Mack Brown must masquerade as a lone bandit.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1951-08-18
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Canyon Raiders
Overview: Whip Wilson only gets to crack his trademark weapon once in this economic Western filmed in toto at the Iverson Movie Ranch in Chatsworth, CA. A government agent, Wilson arrives in the near ghost town of Tunis, where his friend is in trouble with a couple of horse thieves. The latter are also terrorizing a homesteader, Texas Milburn, and his wife, Ruth, and when the female sheriff Alice Long interferes, she finds herself taken hostage.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1951-04-07
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Wyoming Roundup
Overview: When newcomers Whip and Bob break up a saloon fight they are made town Marshals. This puts then in the middle of the range war between large ranch owner Howard and the small ranchers. Everyone thinks Howard is the culprit but Whip believes otherwise.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1952-11-09
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Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists!
Overview: A comprehensive story of Hollywood's horror and science fiction films of the 1950s, told by the people who made them.
Genres: Documentary History
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2021-02-13
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Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
Overview: The story of the short film from the beginning of the movies in the 1890s, when all movies were shorts, through the 1950s when short subjects virtually disappeared from theaters.
Genres: Documentary TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2002-02-05
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Man from Sonora
Overview: Someone stole Johnny Mack Brown's horse. If he can locate his missing horse, then he can prove they are also robbing the stagecoach.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1951-03-11
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Blood Arrow
Overview: Phyllis Coates, TV's erstwhile Lois Lane, essays one of her largest film roles in Blood Arrow. Coates is cast as a devout Mormon girl whose mission is to transport smallpox vaccine to her friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, this requires her to journey through hostile Indian territory. Appointing themselves as the girl's unofficial protectors are Indian scout Scott Brady, trapper Don Haggerty and (reluctantly) gambler Paul Richards.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1958-03-31
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Stage to Blue River
Overview: Whip Wilson has to stop bandits who are trying to take over a stage line.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1951-12-30
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Nevada Badmen
Overview: The "badmen" of the title in this average western from Monogram are Waller, a greedy express agent and Banker Jensen, who conspire to separate Bob Bannon from the gold found on his property. Bob's brother Jim and his two pals Whip Wilson and Texas arrive too late to save Bob from the bad guys. Hoping to flush out the killer, Whip arranges to auction off the property.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1951-05-27
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So Your Wife Wants to Work
Overview: Joe McDoakes' wife Alice wants to return to work to add income to the household. Joe would rather she stay at home to tend to domestic duties. When Alice threatens to return to her old job, a reluctant Joe agrees to her request to get her a job at his office. How will this work out?
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1956-07-14
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El Paso Stampede
Overview: The cattle that are being rustled apparently vanish as no one is able to find them. But Rocky Lane, in his last B western, is on the job and he is assisted as usual by Nugget Clark.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1953-09-06
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Marshal of Cedar Rock
Overview: Banker Mason is after the ranchers land so he can resell it to the railroad for a profit. He has the railroad agent killed and replaces him with his stooge who then offers even less than Mason. But Rocky eventually suspects Mason and when Bill Anderson informs him the agent is a fake, they head out after Mason
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1953-02-01
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Perils of the Jungle
Overview: On an African safari with his friend Grant, Clyde Beatty plans to buy some black-maned Numbian lions from Jo Carter but her animals are wiped out by a fire. Despite interference by rival dealer Gorman, who hopes to ruin Jo, Beatty saves her business by helping her to capture an adult gorilla. (2nd story) When Grant is bitten by a tsetse fly and falls ill, Beatty heads for the nearest hospital through the territory of the dangerous Matabeles tribe. They are captured and condemned to death by Grubbs, a white man living with the tribe and stealing their gold. Using the Matabele Boy King as a shield, Beatty and Grant make an escape and Grubbs is forced to accompany them, leaving his loot behind.
Genres: Adventure
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1953-03-19
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Canyon Ambush
Overview: A mysterious masked rider and his gang are murdering ranchers and robbing stages. Government Agent Johnny Mack Brown has been called in to help the Sheriff.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1952-10-12
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The Maverick
Overview: Wild Bill Elliott must escort a gang of killer cattleman who have been terrorizing homesteaders.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1952-12-14
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The Sun Was Setting
Overview: A woman is dying in her apartment. Two friends visit her and she tells them she wants to go to Chinatown. They convince her not to go, and then leave themselves. Unable to stand her confinement, the woman dies.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1951-01-01
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So You Want to Hold Your Husband
Overview: Fed up with Joe's indifference toward her, Alice McDoakes takes her troubles to a marriage counselor. None of the courses of action she is advised to take have any impact on Joe, until she is advised to create the impression that she has left Joe for another man.
Genres: Documentary Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1950-07-01
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Smart Girls Don't Talk
Overview: A society woman gets involved with a gangster only to find he has hidden plans.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1948-10-09
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The Story of Superman
Overview: This is the complete story of the origin of Superman, his career in comics, cartoons and film. Every question that you may have ever asked is addressed in this documented story of Superman - his impact on our comic book generation- his success in films and television. Rare scenes and interesting insights populate this fascinating exploration of our favorite super hero. Don't miss this thrilling experience.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1989-06-01
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The Longhorn
Overview: A double-crossing cowboy and his gang of henchmen steal cattle, even from friends, in this classic Western.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1951-11-25
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Outlaws of Texas
Overview: Monogram's Outlaws of Texas is surprisingly bereft of the action highlights one might expect from star Whip Wilson. This time, the Whip and his saddle pal Andy Clyde play heroes Tom and Hungry who work undercover to break up a gang of bank robbers.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1950-12-10
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Topeka
Overview: Bill Elliot emulates his idol William S. Hart in the superior western Topeka. Elliot plays the archetypal Good Bad Man, hired to kick the crooked element out of a small town. A hard-drinking, hard-living man, Elliot entertains thoughts of taking over the town himself for the benefit of his own gang. After several reels of soul-searching, Elliot decides to honor his promise to clean up the town for its decent citizens. Evidently director Thomas Carr rented a camera crane for this Allied Artists production, since the camera performs remarkable calisthenics, the kind not normally seen in a medium-budget western.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1953-08-09
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Gunfighters of the Northwest
Overview: Constable Ward is assigned to track down a mysterious villain known only as The Leader. Trying to locate a secret gold mine, The Leader pits the Indians against the Mounties, whom he blames for creating trouble.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1954-04-14
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My Blue Heaven
Overview: Radio star Kitty Moran, long married to partner Jack, finds she's pregnant, but miscarries. For a change, the couple turn their act into a series on early TV and try to adopt a baby. Finally they acquiring a girl in a somewhat back alley manner.
Genres: Drama Music
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1950-09-15
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Hollywood: The Movie
Overview: An ambitious filmmaker sets out to make an avant-garde film but soon learns the only way he can secure financing is if he shows Jessica Hahn's breasts. Also, two old women are magically transformed into young starlets.
Genres: Fantasy Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1996-01-01
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Whisper Kill
Overview: Ambitious reporter, Liz Bartlett, secretly wishes that Jerry Caper, her business associate were dead. Yet her hidden desire soon becomes a reality when he is brutally murdered. Investigative reporter, Dan Walker is assigned to the murder case and becomes intrigued by the pretty reporter. they begin a passionate affair but Dan can't dispel his suspicion of Liz's guilt. When a second murder is commited, Dan probes deeper, looking for clues in Liz's past. But just as the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place, Dan follows a lead, bringing him face to face with the killer in a shocking ending, filled with suspense.
Genres: Crime Mystery Thriller TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1988-05-16
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So You're Having In-Law Trouble
Overview: Joe's in-laws come over, and they suck.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1949-08-22
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So You Want to Get Rich Quick
Overview: Joe comes up with a complicated scheme to bilk his dead uncle out of an inheritance.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1949-10-28
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So You Want to Be on the Radio
Overview: Joe McDoakes and his wife love to participate in radio show contests, but something seems to interfere every time they are lucky enough to be chosen as participants.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1948-11-06
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Once to Every Woman
Overview: At a particularly vulnerable time in her life, Carol is wooed by charming David. They fall in love, but Carol then learns that David is married. He says that he will get divorced for her, but Carol is visited by David's wife.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1956-03-01
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So You Want to Be a Plumber
Overview: In this comedic short, Joe McDoakes decides he should become a plumber.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1951-11-10
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Jungle Drums of Africa
Overview: In Africa, a deceased medical missionary's daughter in Africa carries on her father's work. Before long, she finds herself in danger from crooks and a local witch doctor.
Genres: Action Adventure Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1953-01-21
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So You Never Tell a Lie
Overview: When a wristwatch intended for a office contest winner gets mixed up and confused with the one Joe McDoakes purchased for his wife, Joe once again finds himself on the short end.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1952-08-02
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So You Want to Be Pretty
Overview: In this comedic short, Joe and Alice McDoakes each wish their looks were better.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1956-03-10
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So You Want to Be in Politics
Overview: Joe McDoakes becomes enmeshed in a corrupt political election.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1948-10-02
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So You Want to Be a Baby Sitter
Overview: Joe McDoakes does NOT want to be a baby sitter.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1949-01-08
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So You Want to Be Popular
Overview: Joe McDoakes takes advice on how to be more likeable from his only friend Homer Hotbox
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1949-03-12
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So You Want to Be a Muscle Man
Overview: Joe wants to be a muscle man.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1949-07-02
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Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love
Overview: Longtime singles Lillian Lambert and Clifford Pepperman enjoy a romance late in their lives.
Genres: Drama TV Movie
Original Language: hu
Release Date: 1991-05-12
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So You Want to Be a Paper Hanger
Overview: Joe McDoakes, ever obliging and always helpful, volunteers to hang the new wallpaper for his wife.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1951-06-02
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So You Want to Be a Cowboy
Overview: Joe McDoakes and his wife Alice attend a western movie and George soon has himself in the movie shown on the screen as Jump-Along Skip-Along McGur
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1951-04-14
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Kiss Shot
Overview: A struggling, single mom with a precocious young daughter also has an unpaid mortgage. She falls back on her pool-playing skills to pay off her debts. But just as she plays her way into a big money tournament, a globe-trotting ladies' man threatens to disrupt her life with her daughter and her peace of mind. Suddenly, everything's riding on a single shot.
Genres: Family Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1989-04-11
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Reel Radicals: The Sixties Revolution in Film
Overview: illustrates how directors pushed boundaries and altered the art of filmmaking during the turbulent, swinging 1960s. Narrated by Woody Harrelson, "Reel Radicals" features clips from such seminal films as Arthur Penn's "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967); Mike Nichols' "The Graduate" (1967); Dennis Hopper's "Easy Rider" (1969); John Frankenheimer's "The Manchurian Candidate" (1962); Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" (1964) and "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968); John Schlesinger's "Midnight Cowboy" (1969); Richard Brooks' "Elmer Gantry" (1960) and "In Cold Blood" (1967); and Norman Jewison's "In the Heat of the Night" (1967) and "The Thomas Crown Affair" (1968). Frankenheimer, Jewison, Hopper, Schlesinger, Penn, Buck Henry, Paul Mazursky, Roger Corman and Arthur Hiller are among the filmmakers who discuss the decade.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2002-04-02
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So You Think You Can't Sleep
Overview: Average working man Joe McDoakes tries desperate measures to cure his chronic insomnia.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1953-10-31
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So You Want to Go to a Convention
Overview: Joe has to find a way to go to a convention.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1952-06-07
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