This week we’re pleased to bring you another of Timothy’s lesser-seen films in its entirety. It’s the “teenage On the Waterfront,” Rumble on the Docks (1956), directed by Fred F. Sears. Tim has one of his best supporting roles as Frank Mangus, lackadaisical torpedo to waterfront boss Joe Brindo (Michael Granger).
Plus James Darren, Robert Blake, Dan Terranova, and Freddie Bell and His Bellboys! Let’s get ready to rumble!
Our (late) pic of the day is another from Rumble on the Docks (1956), the teenage On the Waterfront directed by Fred F. Sears. Timothy turns in a great supporting performance as Frank Mangus, the lackadaisical muscle behind racketeer Joe Brindo (Michael Granger).
Frank is incapable of merely sitting on a couch or a chair – he must drape himself across it, over it, or around it. It’s pretty much a running gag throughout the film. Yet another part that could have been routine and forgettable in the hands of a lesser talent, here given the unmistakable Carey treatment.
Our pic of the day takes another look at Fred F. Sears‘ Rumble on the Docks (1956), kind of a teenage On the Waterfront with a side of West Side Story thrown in for good measure. Racketeer Joe Brindo (Michael Granger) and his torpedo Frank Mangus are pleased with the outcome of a big court case.
Granger had appeared with Timothy three years earlier in Henry Hathaway‘s White Witch Doctor (1953), both of them in don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-’em roles. He became another dependable character actor in films and on television in the 1950s and early 1960s. In 1961 he made several TV appearances, then dropped out of sight until 1977, when he portrayed his final role in an episode of Kojak. What he was up to in that sixteen-year interval is a mystery. He died of a heart attack in 1981, at the age of 58.
We close the week, and the first month of 2014, with another shot of Frank Mangus, the blasé torpedo of Rumble on the Docks (1956), directed by Fred F. Sears. This pic pretty much encapsulates my feelings after a trying and frustrating week.
This neat little film has finally seen an official DVD release, so you won’t have to contend with the “Drive In Classics” logo any longer. Wishing you a great weekend and a better week ahead.
Today’s pic is an original promotional still from Rumble on the Docks (1956), directed by Fred F. Sears. It still bears the original studio stamp and a typed notation glued to it on the back. The note reads “RACKETEER’S HENCHMAN BEATEN – Tim Carey, trigger man for crooked union boss, is found beaten and brought to latter’s headquarters in a scene from Columbia’s ‘Rumble on the Docks,’ produced by Sam Katzman.”
Tim is being propped up by James Darren and Robert Blake, the latter his future co-star in Revolt in the Big House (1958) and four Baretta episodes in the ’70s. Darren enjoyed a successful career as a teen heartthrob and singing sensation in the ’50s and ’60s, then found his niche on television in The Time Tunnel and many other series. Trekkies will remember him as the holographic lounge singer Vic Fontaine on several episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in the late 1990s.
Today we take another look at Rumble on the Docks (1956), one of director Fred F. Sears‘ drive-in classics of the 1950s. Here we see torpedo Frank Mangus making time with the honeys at a shindig thrown by his boss. I’m not sure who the lucky extra is.
This enjoyable flick marked the first of Timothy’s six appearances with Robert Blake over the years. They would go on to co-star in Revolt in the Big House (1958) and in four episodes of Baretta in the ’70s. As much as I would dearly love to ask Blake about his experiences working with Tim, something tells me that he would be a very difficult interview these days.
This week’s video is a clip from Rumble on the Docks (1956), director Fred F. Sears‘ teenage take on On the Waterfront (1954). Timothy has some amusing line reads in this scene as Frank Mangus, torpedo to waterfront racket boss Joe Brindo (Michael Granger) and thorn in the side of whistle-blowing gang member Jimmy Smigelski (James Darren).
Rumble on the Docks (unable to embed, sorry about that!)
Sears was one of the most accomplished B-movie directors of the 1950’s, helming such other drive-in classics as Teen-Age Crime Wave (1955), Rock Around the Clock (1956), Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956), The Werewolf (1956) and Don’t Knock the Rock (1956). He also directed many Westerns and several war films in the late 40’s and early 50’s, until the teen movie craze hit in the mid-50’s. He was busy!
Let’s get ready to rumble! Our pic for today is from Fred F. Sears’ Rumble on the Docks (1956), starring James Darren and Robert Blake. Tim is Frank Mangus, the rather dim-witted but funny torpedo of mobster Joe Brindo (Michael Granger). He drapes himself across the furniture, wears sunglasses indoors after a fight, and has amusing line reads such as “Excuse me, baby doll, I’m gonna steal your cute boy friend, OK?”
This is another film that really needs an official DVD release. Until that happens, get yourself an unofficial copy this-a-way.
The Timothy Carey Experience 