Chester Morris
Birthday: 1901-02-15 Place of Birth: New York City, New York, USA
Synopsis
Chester Morris (born John Chester Brooks Morris; February 16, 1901 – September 11, 1970) was an American stage, film, television, and radio actor. He had some prestigious film roles early in his career, and was nominated for an Academy Award. Chester Morris is best remembered today for portraying Boston Blackie, a criminal-turned-detective, in the modestly budgeted Boston Blackie film series of the 1940s.
Acting
Schlitzie: One of Us
The rise and fall...and rise of Schlitzie, the lovable man-child performer from Tod Browning's cult film "Freaks." He lived to perform, until he was put in an institution and left to die. His persona earned him a place in Punk history when the Ramones recorded "Pinhead," dolls and jewelry were created in his image, and "American Horror Story: Freakshow" paid homage to him. According to sideshow lore, Schlitzie was one of the most beloved performers.
Complicated Women
Looks at the stereotype-breaking films of the period from 1929, when movies entered the sound era, until 1934 when the Hays Code virtually neutered film content. No longer portrayed as virgins or vamps, the liberated female of the pre-code films had dimensions. Good girls had lovers and babies and held down jobs, while the bad girls were cast in a sympathetic light. And they did it all without apology.
The Great White Hope
A black champion boxer and his white female companion struggle to survive while the white boxing establishment looks for ways to knock him down.
The She-Creature
A mysterious hypnotist reverts his beautiful assistant back into the form of a prehistoric sea monster that she was in a past life.
Gang Busters
Gang Busters is a 30 minute television series, hosted by Chester Morris, that aired on NBC from March 20 to Oct. 23, 1952. The series dramatized FBI cases.
Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture
Blackie is seen leaving a Chinese laundry where the proprietor has been murdered, and must track down the real killer in Chinatown.
Trapped by Boston Blackie
Blackie is the natural suspect when an expensive pearl necklace is stolen while he is supposed to be guarding it.
Blind Spot
A mystery writer becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation when a publisher he last saw is found dead.
The Phantom Thief
Boston Blackie, in the 11th film of the Columbia series, indulges in some wit-trading with a squirmy spiritualist who deals in blackmail, murder and the occult. "Blackie" out to help his pal, "Runt," recover some jewels, finds himself involved in the homicides, and also finds himself as the prime suspect, and now has to find the real culprit in order to clear himself. So "Blackie,", a man of many talents and already a proved magician from cases past, shows he knows a little bit about dancing skeletons, walking phantoms and spiritualism himself, and holds a séance to unmask the murderer.
A Close Call for Boston Blackie
Blackie runs into a woman he formally loved who now is married with a kid. When her husband gets out of prison he's killed in Blackie's apartment and of course the police thing Blackie pulled the trigger. Blackie must set out to prove his innocence as well as capture the real killers.
Rough, Tough and Ready
The story is the old bromide about two brawling buddies, duking it out over the same girl, in this case pert Jo Matheson (Jean Rogers). Owen and Brad own a salvage company, but split up over Jo. Both separately sign up for the army, and both are reunited in the Pacific.
Boston Blackie's Rendezvous
Blackie helps the police rescue hostage from an escaped maniac on a killing spree.
Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion
Blackie is implicated in a murder when he accidently sells a phony Charles Dickens first edition at an auction.
Secret Command
Sam Gallagher returns home to Los Angeles as an undercover spy for the Navy, getting a job at the shipyards where his brother, Jeff, is a foreman. Jeff still resents Sam for abandoning the family years ago and fears he may steal away Lea Damaron, his current girlfriend -- who is Sam's old flame. While Sam tries to sniff out Nazi saboteurs in the plant, he grows closer to Jill McGann, the agent tasked with pretending to be his wife.
Double Exposure
In New York City, a newly hired photographer becomes embroiled in a scandal when her photo is mistaken for evidence of a murder and she must try to prove her own innocence.
Gambler's Choice
The professional gambler Ross Hadley is the owner of a posh gaming establishment in the heart of New York...
After Midnight with Boston Blackie
Blackie is arrested when retrieving stolen gems from a safety deposit box for a friend.
The Chance of a Lifetime
A mad scramble for stolen loot ensues after Boston Blackie has prisoners released for work in a wartime defence plant.
Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood
Blackie receives a call from a friend who asks him to retrieve some money from his apartment and deliver it to him in California. Performing this good deed, he is accused of theft, but is allowed to proceed to Hollywood to help the police find a lost diamond.
Meet Boston Blackie
When a murder occurs on an ocean liner docked in New York, the trail leads to Coney Island and a spy ring.
Confessions of Boston Blackie
A murder is committed during the auction of a valuable statue. The prime suspect is Boston Blackie, whose reputation for living on the edge of the law makes him an easy target for the police. When the body disappears, Blackie must find it to prove his innocence.
No Hands on the Clock
A wise-cracking private detective's honeymoon is interrupted by a kidnapping case.
The Marines Fly High
Marine lieutenants Dan and Jim fight bandits in the South American jungle, while competing for the attention of beautiful Joan Grant.
Five Came Back
Twelve people are aboard Coast Air Line's flagship the Silver Queen enroute to South America when the airplane encounters a storm and is blown off course. Crashing into jungles known to be inhabited by head hunters, pilots Bill and Joe race against time to fix the engines and attempt a take off. The situation brings out the best and worst in the stranded dozen as they create a makeshift runway and prepare to escape before the natives attack. But damage to the plane and low fuel reserves means that only 5 people can be carried to safety.
Pacific Liner
An outbreak of cholera threatens a luxury liner in this surprisingly low-budget melodrama from RKO. En route from Shanghai to San Francisco, chief engineer Crusher McKay (Victor McLaglen) and shipboard doctor Tony Craig (Chester Morris) become rivals for the attention of nurse Ann Grayson (Wendy Barrie). A Chinese stowaway, meanwhile, infects the stokehold with cholera and it is left to Crusher to keep the engines at full throttle until reaching harbor. But morale sinks to an all-time low when Crusher himself is stricken and the overworked men threaten with mutiny. Tony attempts to keep the stokers in check but the situation is growing more dangerous by the minute when a heroic Crusher rises from his sickbed. Leaving their previous petty squabbles behind, Tony and Crusher manage to guide the ship safely to harbor, where the doc and Ann rekindle their romance.
Blind Alley
A gangster takes a doctor and his family hostage.
Law of the Underworld
A respected citizen with secret ties to the local mob is faced with revealing his criminal connections to save two innocent people from execution
Smashing the Rackets
Jim 'Socker' Conway, former boxer and FBI hero, is maneuvered for political reasons into a do-nothing job in the district attorney's office. Meanwhile, he meets wild debutante Letty Lane, girlfriend of mob mouthpiece Steve Lawrence; and Letty's much nicer sister Susan. Now the slot machine gang brutally beats Jim's friends Franz and Otto. And Jim finds a way to use his nominal position to go into the racket- busting business. But his success puts Letty in deadly peril...
Sky Giant
Given the job of training young pilots for important post-war cargo flights, hard-boiled Col. Stockton forces ex-officer Stag Cahill back into the military to be his aide at the academy. Complications arise when Stockton's son Kenneth arrives for training and Stockton, believing his son to be a slackard, looks for an excuse to drop him from the program. Rivalry develops between Stag and Ken as well, as they fall for the same girl.
I Promise to Pay
A man goes to a loan shark to finance his family's vacation.
