Connection
Producers Releasing Corporation
- Infos
- Best films
If you like this company, let us know!
Foundation date 1 january 1939
For the Cecil B. DeMille film studio (1925-1927), see Producers Distributing Corporation.
Producers Releasing Corporation was one of the less prestigious Hollywood film studios that comprised what became known as Poverty Row, and lasted from 1939-47. PRC, as it was commonly known, made low-budget B-movies for the lower half of a double bill or the upper half of a neighborhood cinema showing second-run films. The company was substantial enough to not only produce but distribute its own product and some imports from the UK, and operated its own studio facility, first at 1440 N. Gower Street (on the lot that eventually became Columbia Pictures) from 1936-43, then the complex used by the defunct Grand National Films Inc. from 1943-46. The studio was located at 7324 Santa Monica Blvd. The address is now a shopping plaza.
PRC produced 179 feature films and never spent over $100,000 on any of them. Most of its films actually cost considerably less than that.
Filmography of Producers Releasing Corporation (73 films)
Production
Add to a movie list
Railroaded! (1947)
, 1h12Directed by Anthony Mann
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Noir, Crime
Actors John Ireland, Sheila Ryan, Hugh Beaumont, Ellen Corby, Jane Randolph, Clancy Cooper
The innocent owner of a van that is unsuspectingly used in a back-room bookie operation robbery is "railroaded" (informal, refers to the conviction of someone based on false or weak evidence without proper corroboration) for the killing of a cop during the getaway.
Killer at Large (1947)
, 1h1Directed by William Beaudine
Origin USA
Genres Crime, Romance
Actors Robert Lowery, Frank Ferguson, Leonard Penn, Stanley Blystone, Howard M. Mitchell, Jack Cheatham
Paul Kimberly, a newspaper reporter, quits his job to investigate crooked dealings at a local veterans' housing administration. The newspaper editor assigns reporter Anne Arnold to lure him back to the paper. The two reporters expose an embezzling ring.
Too Many Winners (1947)
, 1h1Directed by William Beaudine
Origin USA
Genres Noir, Crime
Actors Hugh Beaumont, Trudy Marshall, Ralph Dunn, Claire Carleton, Grandon Rhodes, John Hamilton
Le détective privé Michael Shayne (Hugh Beaumont) se retrouve embarqué dans une affaire de faux billets ayant pour cadre l'hippodrome local. Il fait tour à tour la rencontre du propriétaire du journal local, Gil Madden (Ben Welden ), de la riche Mayme Martin (Claire Carleton), du directeur de la piste John Hardeman (Grandon Rhodes), de l'imprimeur Ben Edwards (Byron Foulger) et d'un tas d'autres personnages et ce sous l'œil du détective Pete Rafferty (Ralph Dunn ) et secondé par sa secrétaire Phyllis Hamilton (Trudy Marshall).
Philo Vance Returns (1947)
, 1h4Directed by William Beaudine
Origin USA
Genres Action, Noir, Crime
Actors William Wright, Clara Blandick, Ramsay Ames, Damian O'Flynn, Frank Wilcox, Iris Adrian
Vance investigates the murders of a newly-engaged couple.
The Mask of Diijon (1946)
, 1h13Directed by Lew Landers
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Horror, Noir, Crime
Themes Films about magic and magicians
Actors Erich von Stroheim, Jeanne Bates, William Wright, Edward Van Sloan, Denise Vernac, George Chandler
Diijon, a tired magician, gives up his act to study the power of the mind. His wife Victoria, once supportive, now is struggling to pay bills. She urges her stubborn and older husband to return to the magic field where Diijon was considered one of the greats. He refuses but does reluctantly agree to do a hypnotism nightclub act at Victoria's urging. The act goes bad and he's laughed off the stage. He's convinced this is the handiwork of Victoria's ex-lover Tony Holliday. Later, Diijon finds that he does indeed have the power to control men's minds and begins to take revenge on the people he felt made him look like a fool. He hypnotizes his young wife to kill the man. Unfortunately for Diijon, things go horribly wrong.
Her Sister's Secret (1946)
, 1h26Directed by Edgar George Ulmer
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Pregnancy films, Films about sexuality, Political films
Actors Nancy Coleman, Phillip Reed, Margaret Lindsay, Regis Toomey, Felix Bressart, Henry Stephenson
During World War II, Toni Dubois meets soldier Dick Connolly at Pepe's. They have breakfast there the following day, and Dick proposes to Toni, who decides to wait until six weeks have passed before meeting again to see if they truly love each other. However, during the six weeks pause, Dick's leave gets canceled, and Toni believes she was a one night stand because the letter he wrote to her explaining his leave situation becomes lost. Toni decides to visit her sister Renee, who is married to Bill Gordon. When Bill is shipped overseas, Toni reveals she is pregnant from her one night with Dick. As Renee and Bill are unable to have their own child, Renee asks if she can have the baby and tell Bill it is hers. Toni gives birth to a boy, who Renee names Billy. Renee takes the child and Toni agrees not to see little Billy for another three years.
Murder Is My Business (1946)
Directed by Sam Newfield
Origin USA
Genres Action, Adventure, Noir, Crime
Actors Hugh Beaumont, Mary Beth Hughes, Lyle Talbot, Cheryl Walker, George Meeker, Pierre Watkin
Le détective privé Michael Shayne (Hugh Beaumont) est en conflit avec le chef de la police local, Pete Rafferty (Ralph Dunn ). Ce dernier menace de fermer l'agence de Shayne. Et Shayne aggrave son cas en étant mêlé à une affaire de meurtre. Sa secrétaire, Phyllis Hamilton (Cheryl Walker), lui vient en aide.
Career Girl (1944)
, 1h9Directed by Wallace Fox
Origin USA
Genres Musical theatre, Musical
Themes Musical films
Actors Frances Langford, Edward Norris, Iris Adrian, Craig Woods, Charles Williams, Gladys Blake
Kansas City girl Joan Terry has come to New York to conquer Broadway as thousands have before her. Advised to maintain an appearance of wealth, she has been living in an expensive hotel until she is discovered. With no offers coming in she moves to an economical women's boarding house full of equally unsuccessful actresses, singers, and dancers.
A Night for Crime (1943)
, 1h8Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Comedy, Action, Crime
Actors Glenda Farrell, Lyle Talbot, Lina Basquette, Donald Kirke, Ralph Sanford, Forrest Taylor
They Raid by Night (1942)
, 1h13Directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War, Action
Themes Political films
Actors Lyle Talbot, June Duprez, Victor Varconi, George N. Neise, Charley Rogers, John Beck
The story follows the insertion of British Commandos into Norway to rescue a Norwegian general from captivity and take him to the United Kingdom to lead the Free Norwegian Forces.
Duke of the Navy (1942)
, 1h5Directed by William Beaudine
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action, Adventure
Actors Ralph Byrd, Veda Ann Borg, Zack Williams
Along with his friend Dan "Cookie" Cook (Stubby Kruger), Bill "Breezy" Duke (Ralph Byrd), a sailor who disguises himself as the heir to the Duke Chocolate Company fortune, goes on furlough from his navy job. While the duo hitchhike, Mrs. Duke (Margaret Armstrong), who is part of the true Duke Chocolate family, picks them up. She finds herself entertained by Breezy's pose, and, while she is out of town for a month, she grants them permission to stay at her suite, located at the Coral Beach Hotel. While there, Cookie and Breezy become very popular. "General" Courtney (Herbert Corthell), who is also staying at the hotel, poses as a general with lots of fortune. He plots with "Sniffy" Higgins (Val Stanton), who poses as his valet, to entice Breezy into a con game to steal the Duke fortune. Courtney hires a woman named Maureen (Veda Ann Borg) to pretend to be his daughter. Maureen fakes fainting while in an elevator with Breezy and Cookie, so the duo carry her to Courtney's hotel room. They all get to know each other, and Breezy and Cookie become fascinated with Courtney's stories of adventure. Courtney asks them to become part of his search for buried pirate treasure, and Breezy and Cookie accept. When Courtney asks for two thousand dollars for expenses, Breezy and Cookie go to their fellow sailors and convince them to come up with the money. Unknown to them, Courtney uses the money to pay for the boat and his hotel bill.
, 59minutesDirected by Sam Newfield
Origin USA
Genres Action, Western
Actors Bob Steele, Al St. John, Carleton Young, Edward Peil Sr., Charles King, Stanley Price
Billy the Kid (Bob Steele) and his friends Jeff (Carleton Young) and Fuzzy (Al St. John) are on the run. They make it to Paradise Town, where the trio witnesses the murder of Marshal Mason (Stanley Price). Fuzzy poses as the marshal and rides into the town, which is now ruled by a gang led by Burke (Curley Dresden) under orders from a prominent businessman in Paradise. Setting out to put an end to the gang's lawless rule over the town, the trio face another problem --the ward of the town banker Hardy (Edward Peil, Sr.), Ann (Phyllis Adair), who is out to set obstacles for them for unknown reasons. Along the journey they befriend Mexican secret agent Lopez (Julian Rivero), who is posing as a bartender. As the plot thickens, it is revealed that the true mastermind is Hardy, who plans on buying up all the local property to dig a smuggling tunnel to Mexico.
Desperate Cargo (1941)
, 1h7Directed by William Beaudine
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime, Romance
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Aviation films
Actors Ralph Byrd, Carol Hughes, Jack Mulhall, I. Stanford Jolley, Kenneth Harlan, Rick Vallin
On the Caribbean island of Puerto Nueva, a disparate group of individuals await a Boeing 314 Clipper, the "Caribbean Clipper" that will take them to Miami. Tony Bronson (Ralph Byrd) is the new purser for the flight who disrupts the robbery of New York journalist Jim Halsey (Jack Mulhall) at their hotel.
Emergency Landing (1941)
, 1h4Directed by William Beaudine
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War, Action, Romance
Themes Spy films, Transport films, Aviation films
Actors Forrest Tucker, Carol Hughes, Evelyn Brent, Emmett Vogan, I. Stanford Jolley, Stanley Price
Arizona inventor "Doc" Williams (Emmett Vogan)has invented a wireless remote control that can pilot an aircraft. Despite his efforts and those of his friend, pilot Jerry Barton (Forrest Tucker), they can not interest anyone in the invention. Barton has found a job as a test pilot for a millionaire named George Lambert (William Halligan) with his own aircraft company. When Doc brings a model of his invention, the two send their model aircraft to buzz Lambert on the golf course. Lambert is fascinated and arranges a test, but his daughter Betty is not, especially when the model lands in a puddle and drenches her.
Federal Fugitives (1941)
, 1h6Directed by William Beaudine
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime, Romance
Themes Transport films, Aviation films
Actors Neil Hamilton, William Beaudine, Victor Varconi, Charles C. Wilson, Doris Day, Frank Shannon
Government agent Captain James Madison (Neil Hamilton) spots a man in Washington D.C. that he thinks is Otto Lieberman (Victor Varconi), a fugitive that caused an aircraft crash that killed eight people. Without Lieberman's knowledge, Madison manages to identify him by his fingerprints on a water glass. He then learns his address after having his regular cab driver, Chuck (Lyle Latell), follow him. Lieberman has now assumed the identity of Dr. Frederic Haskell and is working with Bruce Lane (Charles C. Wilson), a wealthy lobbyist suspected of dealing with foreign agents.