Ken Murray
Nacimiento : 1903-07-14, New York City, New York, USA
Muerte : 1988-10-12
Historia
Ken Murray (born Kenneth Abner Doncourt, July 14, 1903 – October 12, 1988) was an American comedian, actor, radio and television personality and author.
After finding success on the vaudeville stage, Murray moved to Hollywood and made his film debut in the 1929 romantic drama Half Marriage, followed by a role in Leathernecking in 1930. Murray was the host of a weekly radio variety show (The Ken Murray Show) on NBC 1932-33 and on CBS 1936–37. He later was the original host (1945-57) of Queen for a Day, on the Mutual Broadcasting System radio show, which was simulcast on KTSL (now KCBS-TV), Channel 2 in Los Angeles.
During World War II, Murray was one of the many celebrities to volunteer at the Hollywood Canteen. In 1947, he produced Bill and Coo, a feature film using trained birds and other animals as actors. Bill and Coo won a special Academy Award for "novel and entertaining use of the medium of motion picture" and "artistry and patience" .
He was also the host of The Ken Murray Show, a weekly music and comedy show on CBS Television that ran from 1950 to 1953. The show was the first to win a Freedom Foundation Award. Murray also guest starred on several television series, including The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford and The Bing Crosby Show.
Murray produced and co-starred as "Smiling Billy Murray" in a 1953 film, The Marshal's Daughter, a western that featured his protege Laurie Anders in the title role, her sole film performance. In 1962, Murray portrayed the top hat wearing, cigar chewing, drunken Doc Willoughby in John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance starring John Wayne and James Stewart, arguably his most memorable screen role. Paired off for most of the picture with Edmond O'Brien as an alcoholic newspaper editor, he drunkenly rolls over the gunshot corpse of villain Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) with his boot, looks around off-handedly, and says "Dead" to the surrounding crowd of euphoric Mexicans.
In 1964, Murray played Whipsaw, the operator of a stagecoach depot in the episode "Little Cayuse" of the television series Death Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews. He and his partner take in a Cayuse orphan (Larry Domasin), who demonstrates his loyalty to the men during an Indian attack. In 1965, Murray played a THRUSH financier and owner of a caribbean casino in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. In 1966, Murray was cast as Melody Murphy in the Walt Disney film Follow Me, Boys! starring Fred MacMurray, Vera Miles and Kurt Russell.
A documentary looking at the life and career of film director Frank Capra. Hosted by Ron Howard.
Thanks
Falso documental sobre Leonard Zelig, un hombre que asombró a los Estados Unidos de los años 20 con su increíble capacidad para adaptarse a la gente que le rodea.
Souvenir Salesman
Hollywood, año 1924. La dulce Estie llega a la ciudad soñando con convertirse en una estrella de cine. Pero no será sencillo de conseguir triunfar en la meca del cine, aunque ella y el perro Won Ton Ton harán todo lo posible por conseguirlo.
Grover
Uno a uno, los miembros del equipo de un proyecto especial están siendo asesinados por telequinesis, la habilidad de mover cosas usando sólo el poder de la mente. El objetivo es descubrir quién de los miembros que quedan es el asesino y detenerle.
Melody Murphy
Un músico de jazz acepta trabajar en el almacén del pequeño pueblo en el que se instala. Cuando comprueba que nadie se ocupa de la educación de los niños, decide formar un grupo de boy scouts. Su idea, al principio, es recibida con mucho recelo, pero poco a poco consigue que los muchachos se entusiasmen con el proyecto.
Editor
Ken Murray narrates his 16mm home movies shot over 35 years in Hollywood.
Himself
Ken Murray narrates his 16mm home movies shot over 35 years in Hollywood.
Host
A collection of behind the scenes and home movies from the golden age of Hollywood.
Producer
A collection of behind the scenes and home movies from the golden age of Hollywood.
Mr. Hurley
El invento del flubber no ha proporcionado al profesor Ned Brainard las riquezas que pensaba. El Pentágono ha declarado el invento top secret y el IRS acosa al profesor con enormes impuestos por el descubrimiento. Además, su mujer Betty está celosa por las atenciones que recibe Brainard de una antigua novia de universidad. Mientras tanto, el científico está creando el flubbergas, que entre otras cosas puede cambiar la atmósfera o hacer ganar partidos de fútbol...
Doc Willoughby
Un anciano senador del Congreso de los Estados Unidos, Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart), relata a un periodista la verdadera historia de por qué ha viajado junto a su mujer Hallie (Vera Miles) para acudir al funeral de un viejo amigo, Tom Doniphon (John Wayne). Todo comenzó muchos años atrás, cuando Ransom era un joven abogado del este que llegó en diligencia a Shinbone, un pequeño pueblo del Oeste, para ejercer la abogacía e imponer la ley. Poco antes de llegar a su destino, es atracado y golpeado brutalmente por el temido pistolero Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin).
'Smiling Billy' Murray
To fully appreciate the western comedy The Marshal's Daughter, one must be aware that its star, a zaftig, wide-eyed lass named Laurie Anders, was in 1953 a popular TV personality. A regular on The Ken Murray Show, Anders had risen to fame with the Southern-fried catchphrase "Ah love the wi-i-i-ide open spaces!" Striking while the iron was hot, the entrepreneurial Murray produced this inexpensive oater, which cast Anders as Laurie Dawson, the singing daughter of a U.S. marshal (Hoot Gibson). Teaming with her dad to capture outlaw Trigger Gans (Bob Duncan), Laurie briefly disguises herself as a masked bandit. Amidst much stock footage from earlier westerns and a plethora of lame jokes and dreadful puns, The Marshal's Daughter is a treat for trivia buffs, featuring such virile actors as Preston S. Foster, Johnny Mack Brown, Jimmy Wakely and Buddy Baer as "themselves."
Ken Murray
El hermano de John Torno, capellán del ejército, es asesinado en la habitación de un hotel. La única pista que existe son unas palabras escritas en una Biblia que ha desaparecido. John, en su afán por descubrir al criminal, sospecha del empleado de una fábrica de su propiedad al que él mismo acusó de desfalco.
Producer
The feathered residents of Chirpendale are terrorized by an evil black crow by the name of "The Black Menace". But to the citizen's rescue comes a brave young taxi puller named Bill! In other words, every single role in this film is played by birds. Actual birds.
Ken Murray
The feathered residents of Chirpendale are terrorized by an evil black crow by the name of "The Black Menace". But to the citizen's rescue comes a brave young taxi puller named Bill! In other words, every single role in this film is played by birds. Actual birds.
Two young beautiful starlets use the Griffith Observatory telescope to find stars in Hollywood.
Malcolm Hammond
Swing and jitterbug.
Jerry Traynor
In this musical comedy, a pregnant disc jockey misses her husband who is fighting overseas. Stressed out by the situation and her job, she decides to take some time off and convinces her twin sister to trade places with her. The switcheroo causes the soldier her husband appointed as her unofficial guardian no end of confusion.
Barney Nelson
Newly-elected reform Mayor Jones celebrates his victory over the crooked political machine with a party at Earl Carroll's night club. Steve Kalkus, the defeated racketeer-politician, has Earl Carroll and several of his acts kidnapped, figuring the kidnapping coup will cause Jones to be laughed out of office. In Carroll's absence his assistant, Ramona Lisa, and his press agent, Barney Nelson put on the show themselves with the remaining talent, the chorus girls and also pressing into the entertainment cigarette girls, cloakroom girls, the doorman and others including oil heiresses Brenda Gusher and Cobina Gusher. Carroll and the other prisoners make their escape when a kidnapped juggling act sends their captors down in a barrage of beer bottles.
Nap Sisler
In this musical comedy, two star-struck small town kids head for the Big Apple and become famous for their jitterbug act. Their fame doesn't last long, but they had fun anyway. Songs include: "Baltimore Bubble," "Gingham Gown," "Just a Bore," "Wasn't It You," "Kaneski Waltz" (Frank Skinner, Charles Henderson).
Don King
A Broadway producer is in a quandary when he discovers that the opening of his newest big production coincides with that of a major charity event. He despairs that the show will close after opening night until an ingenious writer suggests that he simply give the production snob-appeal by making the tickets nearly impossible to get by fabricating a story that they were all purchased by a flamboyant Texas oil baron who is totally besotted by the show's star.
Mac
When a Broadway playboy is found dead, it's up to detective Jim Stevens to pick the murderer out of several likely candidates.
Jim McGuire
A lovely fashion model's dreams of marital bliss are shattered when her fiance jilts her. To make matters worse, her father kills the cad and she gets accused of the crime.
Peter Sturgis
Fame goes to a priggish singer's head and almost costs him his girlfriend.
Spencer B. Dazy
Society matron Mrs. Livingston Baldwin Crane is selected as a juror in the trial of former chorus girl Yvette Gordon, who's accused of murdering her rich older husband. In court and during deliberations, Mrs. Crane proves to be a disruptive and unorthodox juror.
Frank
Chick Evans is a Marine private in Honolulu, Hawaii. He falls for society girl Delphine Witherspoon, and begins to scheme as to how to win her over.
Charles Turner
A young couple marries in secret. Judy's afraid her parents won't approve of Dick and she'll lose her generous allowance. Her parents bring her home from the city where she's been studying art and encourage the attentions of Tom, a persistent suitor. Judy and her jealous husband have an argument that leads her back to the city, a drunken, amorous Tom and a tragedy.
