Hay Abbott!

 

 (imdb)

IT AIN'T HAY-1943-Wilbur, an inept but lovable cab driver (Lou Costello) is blamed for the death of a carriage horse owned by King O'Hara (Cecil Kellaway) and his daughter Peggy (Patsy O'Connor). With help from his friend Grover (Bud Abbott) he gets a new horse.

Unfortunately, they accidentally steal a famous racehorse Tea Biscuit, owned by Col. Brainard (Samuel S. Hinds; also in the team's RIDE 'EM COWBOY the year before). They are pursued by a man named Warner (Eugene Pallette) who they cost several jobs. Shemp Howard is Umbrella Sam and Eddie Quillan is Harry the Horse.

 IT AIN'T HAY was the third of five Abbott & Costello comedies directed by Erle C. Kenton (ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1932)) who also found time to direct several in the classic Universal horror series. This entertaining Abbott and Costello vehicle is based on a story by Damon Runyon which caused the film not to be released on DVD with the other Universal A & C comedies. A few years ago matters with Runyon's estate were cleared up and it was finally released.

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Early Talkie

 

 (imdb)

THE NINTH GUEST-1934-8 people are invited to a mysterious party given by someone known only as "The host". The group includes two political rivals who hate each other, a snooty society dame (Helen Flint) and a doctor (Samuel Hinds). The only levelheaded guest is an author (Donald Woods). "The host" talks to them via a special radio and says they all will die. They begin to be killed one by one with the killer being revealed in the finale.

 It's a pre-code talkie based on a play that resembles Agatha Christie's “Then There Were None” which was written later. Genevieve Tobin and Vince Barnett co-star. Unsung director Roy William Neill would go on to make THE BLACK ROOM (with Karloff), FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN and the lion's share of the Univeral Sherlock Holmes series with Basil Rathbone.

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