Frank Whitbeck

Nacimiento : 1882-07-17, Rochester, New York, USA

Muerte : 1963-12-23

Historia

Frank Whitbeck was the longtime chief of publicity/exploitation at MGM. He also narrated several hundred theatrical trailers for MGM features.

Películas

The Horse with the Human Mind
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
This short film focuses on Bess, considered to be the smartest horse in the movies, as she works with her trainer.
Twenty Years After
Narrator (voice)
This short celebrates the 20th anniversary of MGM. Segments are shown from several early hits, then from a number of 1944 releases.
Presenting Lily Mars
Trailer Narrator (voice)
Judy Garland es Lily, una chica de pueblo con grandes dotes musicales. Un productor de Broadway la descubre y a pesar de que cree que ya lo ha visto todo, cae rendido a sus pies. Lily lo acompaña a Nueva York donde tendrá la gran oportunidad con la que ha estado soñando. Sin embargo, también se dará cuenta que no todo en Broadway es tan bonito como ella imaginaba.
Fingers at the Window
Trailer Announcer (Voice) (uncredited)
In Chicago, an unemployed actor aims to solve the mystery concerning a string of ax murders, apparently committed by a lunatic.
Personalities
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
In this "Romance of Celluloid", MGM showcases performers whose careers are just starting. Excerpts from their recently released films are included. The narrator says that moviegoers will have to decide whether these fledgling actors and actresses have that certain quality that made superstars out of MGM players Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and Lana Turner.
We Must Have Music
Narrator
A short history of movie music is presented, from silent films accompanied by a single piano, to the elaborate song scores for musicals (with scenes from MGM's musicals) and background music for dramas. Conductor/composer
You Can't Fool a Camera
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
This short starts out as a documentary. In a dramatization, Eadward Muybridge's photographic experiments prove that when a horse gallops, there are times when all four of the animal's feet are off the ground. We are then brought to the present, where MGM directors and their cinematographers are shown working on current productions. The film closes with closeups of the studio's major stars and a tribute to the studio's actors who have joined the armed forces.
Eyes of the Navy
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Produced by MGM in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, this short film follows U.S. naval aviators through their basic training in Florida and advanced training in California.
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
Self
This short documentary, presented and directed by MGM sound engineer Douglas Shearer, goes behind the scenes to look at how the sound portion of a talking picture is created.
Tormenta mortal
Trailer Announcer (voice)
Victor Roth es un profesor universitario que vive tranquilamente con su familia en un pequeño pueblo del sur de los Alpes alemanes. Pero, cuando Hitler llega al poder (1933), los Roth, como todas las familias de origen judío, se ven obligados a separarse. Además Roth ve cómo su carrera se arruina y cómo sus hijos varones apoyan el nacionalsocialismo. En cambio, su hija Freya (Sullavan) y su prometido Martin (Stewart) ven con claridad meridiana que la única salida es huir del país.
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Narrator
This short promotes the premise that movies often create a demand for the fashions seen in them. It starts with a vignette in rural America. A mother and daughter go to town to buy a new dress. In the dress shop window is a designer dress worn by Joan Crawford in a recent movie. We then go to Hollywood and visit Adrian, MGM's chief of costume design, and see how multiple copies of a single clothing pattern are produced. The film ends with short segments of several MGM features.
Edison, el hombre
Trailer Narrator (voice)
Mediante flashback, un Edison de 82 años narra su vida desde su llegada a Nueva York con 22 años, cuando ya empezó a hacer sus pinitos en el mundo de la invención.
El joven Edison
Narrator (voice)
Desde que era un niño, Thomas Alba Edison (Mickey Rooney) empezó a realizar sus primeros experimentos químicos en el sótano de su casa. Además, tuvo que ejercer múltiples oficios antes de poder registrar su primera patente. Queda para el recuerdo la escena de la operación de la madre, en que el joven Edison idea un sistema de juego de luces con espejos para iluminar el improvisado quirófano.
Northward, Ho!
Narrator (voice)
Behind-the-scenes promotional featurette to publicize the epic outdoor adventure Northwest Passage filmed on location in Idaho.
The Old South
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
This short film chronicles the importance of cotton to the economy and culture of America's Old South.
Los hijos de la farándula
Trailer Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
Dos jóvenes se proponen triunfar en el mundo del espectáculo: son Mickey Moran (Mickey Rooney), talentoso músico y cantante, hijo de un artista veterano, y Patsi Barton (Judy Garland), una joven cantante
The Ice Follies of 1939
Radio Announcer (Uncredited)
Una patinadora sobre hielo pone en peligro su matrimonio cuando se convierte en una estrella de cine. Primera aparición en color de Joan Crawford.
Another Romance of Celluloid: Electrical Power
Narrator (uncredited/voice)
This short begins at Boulder Dam (now Hoover Dam). The electricity generated here by the Colorado River is sent to Hollywood, where movie studios need it to make movies. After a tour of the MGM studios' power plants, we see short advertisements for upcoming MGM releases.
The City of Little Men
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
The story of Boys Town, founded by Father Edward Flanagan in 1917 as a haven for wayward, homeless, and neglected boys.
Hollywood Goes to Town
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
This short shows how Hollywood gets ready for the world premiere of an "important" movie. The film celebrated here is Marie Antoinette (1938), which had its premiere at the Carthay Circle Theatre. We see the street leading to the theatre transformed to suggest a garden that might be seen in a French palace. This includes the placement of trees and other foliage, as well as large statues along the route. Grandstands are set up so fans can see their favorite stars as they arrive for the premiere. Finally, the proverbial "galaxy of stars" arrives in their limousines. Fanny Brice and Pete Smith make remarks at the microphone set up on the carpet outside the theatre.
Arsène Lupin Returns
Radio Broadcaster (voice) (uncredited)
A woman and a man vying for a woman's affection: the usual love trio? Not quite so since the belle in question is Lorraine de Grissac, a very wealthy and alluring society woman, while one of the two rivals is none other than Arsène Lupin, the notorious jewel thief everybody thought dead, now living under the assumed name of René Farrand. As for the other suitor he is an American, a former F.B.I. sleuth turned private eye by the name of Steve Emerson. Steve not only suspects Farrand of being Lupin but when someone attempts to steal a precious emerald necklace from Lorraine's uncle, Count de Brissac, he is persuaded Lupin is the culprit. Is Emerson right or wrong? Which of the two men will win over Lorraine's heart?
Another Romance of Celluloid
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
This second entry in MGM's "Romance of Film" series documents how celluloid movie film is processed and features behind-the-scenes glimpses of current MGM productions.
The Romance of Celluloid
Self
Several behind the scenes aspects of the movie-making business, which results in the enjoyment the movie going public has in going to the theater, are presented. They include: the production of celluloid aka film stock, the materials used in the production of which include cotton and silver; construction crews who build sets including those to look like cities, towns and villages around the world; a visit with Jack Dawn who demonstrates the process of creating a makeup design; the screen testing process, where many an acting hopeful gets his/her start; the work of the candid camera man, the prying eyes behind the movie camera; a visit with Adrian, who designs the clothes worn by many of the stars on screen; and a visit with Herbert Stothart as he conducts his musical score for Conquest (1937). These behind the scenes looks provide the opportunity to get acquainted with the cavalcade of MGM stars and their productions that will grace the silver screen in the 1937/38 movie season.
The Romance of Celluloid
Sound Effects
Several behind the scenes aspects of the movie-making business, which results in the enjoyment the movie going public has in going to the theater, are presented. They include: the production of celluloid aka film stock, the materials used in the production of which include cotton and silver; construction crews who build sets including those to look like cities, towns and villages around the world; a visit with Jack Dawn who demonstrates the process of creating a makeup design; the screen testing process, where many an acting hopeful gets his/her start; the work of the candid camera man, the prying eyes behind the movie camera; a visit with Adrian, who designs the clothes worn by many of the stars on screen; and a visit with Herbert Stothart as he conducts his musical score for Conquest (1937). These behind the scenes looks provide the opportunity to get acquainted with the cavalcade of MGM stars and their productions that will grace the silver screen in the 1937/38 movie season.
The Grand Bounce
Radio News Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
A man writes a check for $1,000 to cover a gambling debt. The problem is that he doesn't have enough money in his bank account to cover it. The check was written on Friday afternoon, but cannot be cashed before the following Tuesday. The check is used to pay several debts until...
Lest We Forget
Director
A tribute to Will Rogers.
Man Of The People
Radio Announcer (voice)
An Italian immigrant studying the law gets mixed up with crooks.
The Candid Camera Story (Very Candid) of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures 1937 Convention
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
This short film chronicles various events associated with MGM's 1937 convention for the studio's national sales and distribution staff.