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!
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.
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 