Call a Messenger
Encyclopedia
Call a Messenger is a 1939 Universal Studios
film that starred Billy Halop
and Huntz Hall
of the Dead End Kids
and several of the Little Tough Guys
.
After becoming friends with fellow messenger boy Bob Prichard, Jimmy decides to hook Bob up with his sister, Marge. He feels that Bob is a much better match for Marge then a local gangster who has been spending too much time with her. Pretty soon, Jimmy's brother Ed returns home from prison. At first, Jimmy is glad to have his brother back home, but pretty soon, he and Ed get mixed up with some gangsters who plan on robbing the post office.
Billy Halop
and Huntz Hall
returned to Universal beginning with this film. Universal decided to pair the Dead End Kids
with the Little Tough Guys
. Pretty soon, most of the other Dead End Kids would also sign on. In this film, the billing appears as: Billy Halop and Huntz Hall of the Dead End Kids and the Little Tough Guys.
Most of the Little Tough Guys returned for this film, reprising the roles they had in their previous films. The only regular Little Tough Guy who did not return for this film was 'Monk' (Charles Duncan
). Ironically, at one point in this film, Jimmy's sister makes a reference to Monk, even though he is absent.
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
film that starred Billy Halop
Billy Halop
William "Billy" Halop was an American actor born in New York City.He came from a Jewish theatrical family: his mother was a dancer, and his sister Florence Halop was a child actress, who later worked on radio and in television...
and Huntz Hall
Huntz Hall
Henry Richard "Huntz" Hall was an American radio, theatrical, and motion picture performer noted primarily for his roles in the "Dead End Kids" movies, such as Angels with Dirty Faces , which gave way to the "The Bowery Boys" movie franchise, a prolific and highly successful series of comedies in...
of the Dead End Kids
Dead End Kids
The Dead End Kids were a group of young actors from New York who appeared in Sidney Kingsley's Broadway play Dead End in 1935. In 1937 producer Samuel Goldwyn brought all of them to Hollywood and turned the play into a film...
and several of the Little Tough Guys
Little Tough Guys
The Little Tough Guys were a group of actors who made a series of films and serials released by Universal Studios from 1938 through 1943...
.
Plot
Jimmy Hogan and his gang are caught robbing a post office. Jimmy is given a choice to either go to reform school or work as a messenger boy for the post office as punishment. Jimmy decides to be a messenger boy, and soon drags his pals into the job. The kids eventually enjoy their jobs, especially when their new boss, Frances O'Neill, turns out to be quite attractive.After becoming friends with fellow messenger boy Bob Prichard, Jimmy decides to hook Bob up with his sister, Marge. He feels that Bob is a much better match for Marge then a local gangster who has been spending too much time with her. Pretty soon, Jimmy's brother Ed returns home from prison. At first, Jimmy is glad to have his brother back home, but pretty soon, he and Ed get mixed up with some gangsters who plan on robbing the post office.
Chronology
- In terms of chronological order, this was released after the Dead End KidsDead End KidsThe Dead End Kids were a group of young actors from New York who appeared in Sidney Kingsley's Broadway play Dead End in 1935. In 1937 producer Samuel Goldwyn brought all of them to Hollywood and turned the play into a film...
film, The Angels Wash Their FacesThe Angels Wash Their FacesThe Angels Wash Their Faces is a 1939 Warner Bros. film starring Ronald Reagan and The Dead End Kids.-Plot:Gabe Ryan is released from reform school and it taken to a new house by his sister Joy to start a new life where no one knows of his past...
.
Production
Dead End KidsDead End Kids
The Dead End Kids were a group of young actors from New York who appeared in Sidney Kingsley's Broadway play Dead End in 1935. In 1937 producer Samuel Goldwyn brought all of them to Hollywood and turned the play into a film...
Billy Halop
Billy Halop
William "Billy" Halop was an American actor born in New York City.He came from a Jewish theatrical family: his mother was a dancer, and his sister Florence Halop was a child actress, who later worked on radio and in television...
and Huntz Hall
Huntz Hall
Henry Richard "Huntz" Hall was an American radio, theatrical, and motion picture performer noted primarily for his roles in the "Dead End Kids" movies, such as Angels with Dirty Faces , which gave way to the "The Bowery Boys" movie franchise, a prolific and highly successful series of comedies in...
returned to Universal beginning with this film. Universal decided to pair the Dead End Kids
Dead End Kids
The Dead End Kids were a group of young actors from New York who appeared in Sidney Kingsley's Broadway play Dead End in 1935. In 1937 producer Samuel Goldwyn brought all of them to Hollywood and turned the play into a film...
with the Little Tough Guys
Little Tough Guys
The Little Tough Guys were a group of actors who made a series of films and serials released by Universal Studios from 1938 through 1943...
. Pretty soon, most of the other Dead End Kids would also sign on. In this film, the billing appears as: Billy Halop and Huntz Hall of the Dead End Kids and the Little Tough Guys.
Most of the Little Tough Guys returned for this film, reprising the roles they had in their previous films. The only regular Little Tough Guy who did not return for this film was 'Monk' (Charles Duncan
Charles Duncan
Charles Duncan may refer to:*Charles Duncan, Jr. , American administrator*Charles K. Duncan , United States Navy admiral*Charles Alfred Duncan , British soldier posthumously awarded the George Cross...
). Ironically, at one point in this film, Jimmy's sister makes a reference to Monk, even though he is absent.
The Little Tough Guys
- Hal E. ChesterHal E. ChesterHal E. "Hally" Chester is a American film producer and former child actor.He is best known for his appearances in Universal Studios's Little Tough Guys series at the end of the 1930s. His last appearance in this series was in Sea Raiders...
- B. 'Murph' Murphy - Billy Benedict - P. 'Trouble' Kearns
- David GorceyDavid GorceyDavid Gorcey was an American actor and comedian best known as being a member of the comedy team of The Bowery Boys. He was the younger brother of Dead End Kids member Leo Gorcey.-Career:...
- J. 'Yap' Crawley - Harris Berger - R. 'Sailor' Walters
Additional Cast
- Robert ArmstrongRobert Armstrong (actor)Robert Armstrong was an American film actor best remembered for his role as Carl Denham in the 1933 version of King Kong by RKO Pictures. He uttered the famous exit quote, "'Twas beauty killed the beast," at the film's end...
- Kirk Graham - Mary CarlisleMary CarlisleMary Carlisle was an American actress and singer. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, she was a star of Hollywood films in the 1930s, having been one of thirteen girls selected as "WAMPAS Baby Stars" in 1932. The archetypal blonde, Mary Carlisle was brought to Hollywood at the age of four by her...
- Marge Hogan - Anne NagelAnne NagelAnne Nagel was an American actress. She played in adventures, mysteries, and comedies for twenty-five years. She also appeared in television series in the 1950s.-Career:...
- Frances O'Neill - Victor JoryVictor JoryVictor Jory was a Canadian actor.-Biography:Born in Dawson City, Yukon, Jory was the boxing and wrestling champion of the Coast Guard during his military service, and he kept his burly physique. He toured with theater troupes and appeared on Broadway, before making his Hollywood debut in 1930...
- Ed Hogan - Buster CrabbeBuster CrabbeClarence Linden "Buster" Crabbe was an American athlete and actor, who starred in a number of popular serials in the 1930s and 1940s.-Birth:...
- Chuck Walsh - El BrendelEl BrendelEl Brendel was a vaudeville comedian turned movie star, best remembered for his dialect schtick as a Swedish immigrant. His biggest role was as "Single-0" in the sci-fi musical Just Imagine , produced by Fox Film Corporation...
- 'Baldy' - Jimmy ButlerJimmy ButlerJimmy Butler was an American, juvenile, motion-pictures actor, active in the 1930s and early 1940s....
- Bob Prichard - George Offerman Jr. - Big Lip