Gorgeous George

 

ALIAS THE CHAMP-1949-Smug stupid Lt. Peterson (Robert Rockwell) of the LAPD is visited by Lorraine Connors (Audrey Long), manager of pro wrestler Gorgeous George (playing himself). It seems George is being threatened by gangster Al Merlo (Jim Nolan) who wants to control pro-wrestling. Later we are treated to a match between George (at the height of  his fame) and Bomber Kulkovic (future character actor Henry Kulky). Legendary ring announcer Jimmy Lennon introduces them. Two gangsters look on. Later Peterson visits backstage but George rebuffs him. "Beat it, Junior you bore me". After having a fistfight with Merlo, Peterson takes Lorraine out to dinner at a club where he gets into a tussle with wrestler Sam Menacker over the affections of singer Collette (Barbara Fuller) who's connected to Merlo. Later when Merlo demands Menacker get a title shot at the gorgeous one an all out brawl erupts between several wrestlers (described by one character as “the grunt and groan boys”) including big lovable Tor Johnson (credited as the Super Swedish Angel). 

Peterson is made wrestling commissioner. In their match Menacker dies and George is arrested for murder! The police commissioner (John Hamilton) isn't happy. Using a film of the match Peterson solves the murder, clears George, stops Merlo and gets Lorraine (and her marbles). It's too bad Gorgeous George wasn't the star of this movie. Without him and the wrestling angle it's just an innocuous low budget crime/love story. Real life pro wrestler Sam Menacker was one of the strongmen who tackled Mighty Joe Young the same year. 

Director George Blair had been making movies since the mid-forties but a few years after this would venture into TV and work with John Hamilton again on “The Adventures of Superman”.

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Jail Busters

JAIL BUSTERS-1955-For some reason in this Bowery Boys entry, Chuck (David Gorcey) has become a newspaper reporter. His paper sends him undercover to the state pen to check out charges of corruption. He gets beaten up pretty badly and Slip (Leo Gorcey) vows revenge! 

He, Sach (Huntz Hall) and Butch (Bennie Bartlett) devise a plot to be put in jail to find out who's responsible. They think they are getting help from another reporter (Lyle Talbott; I've lost count how many of the series he's been in) but he just wants them to rob a jewelry store so he can pay off his gambling debts with the stolen goods. Of course this means "the boys" are sent to prison for real but don't realize it. Anthony Caruso is a jailed mobster, weasel voiced Percy Helton is the warden and Barton McLane is a corrupt prison guard. John Harmon, Fritz Feld, Henry Kulky and Emil Sitka all have un-billed roles. Bernard Gorcey as Louie is in it but only has a few scenes. Written by Edward Bernds and Ellwood Ullman. Directed by William Beaudine.

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