Saturday, September 22, 2012

What A Character! Frank McHugh, Annabelle’s Husband, & So Much More

Whoop it up, wranglers! Frank and the boys show
Texas visitors action in All Through the Night


This review is part of the What A Character! Blogathon, hosted by Paula of Paula’s Cinema Club, Kellee of Outspoken and Freckled, and Aurora of Once Upon A Screen. The Blogathon runs from September 22nd through 24th, 2012. By all means, please leave comments for one and all! :-)

My husband Vinnie and I first saw character actor Frank McHugh (1889-1981) on TV, when we were watching the 1942 Warner Bros. wartime comedy-thriller All Through the Night (ATtN) on TCM. We of Team Bartilucci loved both Frank and the movie right away!  And why wouldn’t we, with its great high concept: “Damon Runyon Kicks Nazi Heinie in NYC.”  Heck, we could easily devote this entire blogpost to ATtN alone, considering the cast’s many wonderful character actors. In addition to our Frank, ATtN’s cast included Humphrey Bogart (who I’ve always thought had the soul of a character actor along with his star quality); William Demarest; Jackie Gleason; Phil Silvers; Barton MacLaine; Edward Brophy; Wallace Ford; Charles Cane; Conrad Veidt; Judith Anderson; Martin Kosleck; and Peter Lorre.  But for us, Frank stole the show as Barney, the newlywed among the tough but good-natured “sports promoters” (translation: bookies and gamblers) in Bogart’s crew. We’ll always affectionately think of Frank as “Annabelle’s Husband” in honor of Barney’s new bride (Jean Ames), who barely even gets time to kiss her groom before Bogie & Company whisk him away to fight Fifth Columnists in New York City. As Barney, Frank gets some of the best lines in this totally entertaining blend of comedy and action:
Barney: “Annabelle’s waiting for me…after all, I’m a married man. I got obligations.”
Gloves (Bogart): “All right, send her flowers.”
 Barney: “Well…that wasn’t my idea.”

Slugger Frank clobbers Fifth Columnists in All Through the Night!


Talking to Madame (Anderson) at the auction house after Gloves and Sunshine (Demarest) are knocked out and tied up:

Barney: “Lookit, lady, when we started out tonight, there were three of us. Twenty minutes later, there was only two. Now there’s only one. One of us isn’t enough to leave here alone!”

Hooch your daddy? Frank and James Cagney in
The Roaring Twenties (1939)
Of course, before Frank became one of our favorite character actors, Francis Curray McHugh was born in Homestead, PA in 1889, the youngest member of a family of character actors. Indeed, the McHugh family had their own stock company, including sister Kitty McHugh and brother Matt McHugh. Sometimes they got screen credit, and sometimes they didn’t, but the McHugh family was always working, whether it was Matt playing uncredited roles like “Third Man on Death Row” in My Favorite Brunette or faux waiter Frisco in The Mad Miss Manton, or Kitty McHugh getting screen credits as Mae in The Grapes of Wrath or Goldie in Blonde Trouble. Fans of the 1947 film noir The Dark Corner may also recognize Matt as the milkman who comes to Lucille Ball’s apartment. At the age of 10, young Frank literally got into the act and began his own acting career with the rest of the clan.

Frank and James Cagney as sea salts in
Here Comes the Navy (1934)
Frank made his Broadway bow in 1925 in The Fall Guy. Five years later, Hollywood came a-knockin’, and he made his film debut in The Dawn Patrol.  Warner Bros. hired him as a contract player, where he usually played the hero’s sidekick and/or comedy relief.  Usually looking and sounding nervous yet likable, Frank appeared in over 90 movies at Warners, as well as Paramount’s Going My Way and My Son John, both of which cast McHugh as priests. (My Son John was Robert Walker’s last film, which you can read about in my Strangers on a Train post, if you’re interested.  But I digress….).  Frank’s regular-joe characters ranged from mechanics to newspapermen to sidekicks to tough guys—or not-so-tough guys, like the aforementioned Barney—with hearts of gold.  Frank often appeared with another in-demand character actor, Allen Jenkins (Ball of Fire; Lady on a Train; the voice of TV’s Officer Dibble on Hanna-Barbera’s Top Cat). Sometimes Frank even got the girl, a la ATtN!

Frank as Father Timothy O'Dowd in Going My Way
During Radio’s heyday, Frank proved to be as versatile a voice actor as he was a film actor, starring in 1935’s in Shell Chateau, and then in 1938 in the Warner Brothers Academy Theater. The next decade saw Frank performing in several Radio dramas. Then, in 1946, Frank got another break: popular Film and Radio comedian Stuart Erwin had been starring on the CBS Radio sitcom Phone Again, Finnegan. Realizing he was spreading himself too thin with commitments, Erwin stepped down, and Frank got the gig, joining the cast as Fairchild Finnegan.  By the early 1950s, Frank’s film career was winding down, so he migrated to Television, racking up over 80 TV credits. From 1964 through 1965, Frank and his Going My Way co-star teamed up for The Bing Crosby Show, where Frank played Bing's comic foil, Willis Walter.


Frank's in the swim with Elvis
in Easy Come, Easy Go (1967)
Ironically, Frank had supporting roles in two different films titled Easy Come, Easy Go (ECEG), which just goes to show that everything old is new again, at least when it comes to movie titles! The first ECEG was a 1947 comedy-drama described on the IMDb as “A film that possibly held the record for the most Irish-descent players in an American-produced movie before The Quiet Man was shot on location in Ireland, and that includes The Informer.”  The second ECEG was a 1967 Elvis Presley comedy-adventure with Navy frogman Elvis and local shopkeeper Frank joining forces to find undersea treasure—which turns tricky when Frank’s character, Captain Jack, confesses he’s afraid of water!
Being an in-demand
character actor is thirsty work!


Frank quietly retired from show business in 1969 with his wife, Dorothy, and died of natural causes in 1981, survived by his wife of 48 years and his three children. Of course, he lives on in the hearts and films of his many fans, including all of us here at Team Bartilucci HQ.  What A Character, indeed!

The 1947 Easy Come, Easy Go. Don't mix those two up!
If you want to hear more about All Through the Night, check my review here.

34 comments:

  1. Awesome post about an excellent actor. David and I LOVE McHugh "One Way Passage" best! You picked some of my other favorites especially "All through the Night" & "Going My Way."

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    1. Gilby, I'm so glad you enjoyed my Frank McHugh post; thanks a million! Thanks too for reminding me about ONE WAY PASSAGE! I double-checked: Our Man Frank actually played the same petty thief on the run in both in the original 1932 version of ONE WAY PASSAGE, where his character was named "Skippy," and its 1940 remake, 'TIL WE MEET AGAIN, where he had the delightful moniker "Rockhingham T. Rockingham." We're especially glad you and David love ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT; it's further proof that you have great taste in movies as well as being nifty people! :-)

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  2. Oh, Dorian. Great post! Frank McHugh is one of those I never quite remember but then never forget. The wonderful gifts and sorrows of character actors. What a career he had and overdue to get his due! Although I added ATtN to my "must see" because I've never seen it. It never ends - thank goodness for us - the wealth of film treasures to be explored and drooled over.

    As always, a wonderfully enjoyable post and a great entry to our blogathon. Thanks so much for taking part!

    Aurora

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    1. Aurora, many thanks for your kind words, and for including me and Frank McHugh in your truly awesome Blogathon! :-) I wholeheartedly agree with you about "the wonderful gifts and sorrows of character actors," especially considering the great character actors who had to flee their homelands to find both safety and acting careers in America. Hooray for Hollywood and the U.S.A.!

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  3. To me Frank McHugh is really the quintessential character actor, I know the face but not the name..."that guy, you know, the one that was in UNION DEPOT and ONE WAY PASSAGE..." It's great to learn more about him...thank you :)

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    1. Paula, thanks for your comments about my Frank McHugh blogpost! It's amazing when you consider how he made his mark in so many different media - stage, screen (including TV), radio - and he was practically, as Judy Garland sang, born in a trunk, being the youngest of a family of character actors! Thanks again for including me in this terrific Blogathon; you go, girls! :-)

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  4. If Frank McHugh is in the room, the world is a better place. The perfect best friend - but just hide the booze! Great post, Dorian!

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    1. FlickChick, your comment "If Frank McHugh is in the room, the world is a better place" had me smiling, because it's so true! I for one am drinking a non-alcoholic toast to him! :-) Thanks for your funny and charming comments!

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  5. LOVE Frank McHugh, and am so glad to read more about his career. Also, I really respect the fact that he was married to the same woman for 48 years.

    Great post, Dorian. Plus, you really do write The Best photo captions!

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    1. Ruth, you're a gal after my own heart when it comes to swell character actors! :-) I too found Frank McHugh all the more endearing when I discovered he'd been happily married to the same woman for 48 years - what a guy!

      Thanks a million for your praise of my goofy captions! They're a big part of the fun for me. Kudos also to my sweet hubby Vinnie, for his GIF skills! :-)

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  6. real nice post & great pick, McHugh is another one of the lovable character actors that make you smile, the jolly buddy, also good at playing exasperated. Like you I am a huge fan of ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT! remember when first watching it, feeling like I just discovered an amazing Bogart movie nobody else seems to know about! big fan of that gif too, haha. Something I did not know about was the other McHughs, thanks for pointing that out, will be on the lookout for them now. all the best!

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    1. Kristina, beaucoup thanks for your enthusiastic praise about my Frank McHugh post! I know what you mean, because when I first came across ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT, I'd never heard of it, but I fell in love with it and felt like I'd discovered hidden treasure. I'm so glad you and I and other fans of great character actors and comedy-mysteries are discovering it, too! And like you, now that I know Frank had not only a talented brother in Matt, but an entire show biz family, I've been keeping an eye on the other McHughs, too. Isn't research wonderful? :-)

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  7. I'm so happy to see this post! I love McHugh. He is so lovable and just cracks me up. I first saw him in "I Love You Again" with my all time faves Myrna Loy and William Powell and immediately fell for him. He is funny! Since then, I seek out movies he's in. I've never seen an article about him though, until now. This is wonderful! Thank you!

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    1. Sarah, thanks for your kind words about my post about Frank McHugh; I'm always happy to meet fellow Frank fans! Funny you should mention I LOVE YOU AGAIN, because I watched it for the first time recently. What a hoot - it's delightfully nutzoid! I confess this was the first time I'd seen Myrna Loy and William Powell in a film of their that WASN'T a THIN MAN movie! :-)

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  8. I've always loved Frank McHugh and Dick Powell serenading each other with "Ah the Moon is Here" during the rehearsal scenes of "Footlight Parade."

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    1. Kevin, with my love of film noir, I sometimes forget that Dick Powell was a crooner first! Now I have to see Powell and our man Frank in FOOTLIGHT SERENADE; thanks for the tip! :-)

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    2. Oops! Of course I meant FOOTLIGHT PARADE! I typed too fast! :-) Thanks again for the heads-up!

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  9. But he can't be known as "Annabelle's husband", he's already known as "Father Tim" from my frequent viewings of "Going My Way".

    Frank's pal James Cagney had the greatest respect for McHugh's talent saying that he could take a nothing scene on paper and turn it into something memorable on screen. Cagney sure knew what he was talking about.

    Not only a wonderful choice, another wonderful article.

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    1. Caftan Woman, thank you most kindly for your much-appreciated praise for our salute to our hero Frank McHugh! You had me smiling with: "'...he can't be known as 'Annabelle's husband', he's already known as 'Father Tim' from my frequent viewings of "Going My Way'". Ah, actors, always living a double life, or even a triple life! :-)

      I loved hearing that wonderful quote about Frank from his bud James Cagney, too. The general consensus from my research confirms that he was loved by all who knew him. Don't you love it when folks you like on stage and screen turn out to be swell folks, too? :-)

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  10. Thanks for this fun post on Father Tim. Frank McHugh is one of those fellows we always recognize. I never knew much about his private life. Would love to know more about his stock company work. Great job.

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    1. Jacqueline, many thanks for your positive feedback about Frank McHugh in all his guises, from wise guys to priests and so much more! :-) Heck, I'd love to know more about the McHugh family's stock company, too; it sure sounds like a good way to keep a family together!

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  11. Nice to know more about him. I really want to watch the two James Cagney films in the photos and also The Mad Miss Manton, and I'll pay attention to Frank!
    Don't forget to read my contribution to the blogathon! :)
    Kisses!

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    1. Hey, Le, always nice to have you joining in the blogger fun! I think you'll be a big fan of Frank McHugh instantly, if you haven't already! :-) I'm looking forward to your blogpost about Walter Brennan in TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT and Mercedes McCambridge, too! Thanks for your comments!

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  12. Le, both my husband and I have been trying to get your translator to work. I was able to read the English translation, but when I tried to reply in English, I kept getting error messages and "Try again" responses that didn't work. At least I got to read your blogpost, and I very much enjoyed it! That picture of Mercedes McCambridge was hilarious; she looks cute, like a black bunny! Great post, Le!

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  13. Dorian,

    You do justice to one of Warner Brother's great character actors. McHugh always brightened up the screen in so many classic films. Like so many great character actors he had a distinctive face and personality. Great job as always!

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    1. John, thanks so much for your enthusiastic praise for my Frank McHugh post! Frank was definitely one of a kind, and always a welcome presence in any movie. Anytime I watch one of his movies, he always leaves me with a big goofy smile on my face!

      Let me also take this opportunity to congratulate you on your CiMBA nomination! Bravo, my friend!

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  14. Loved your post, Dorian.

    I also love Frank McHugh. If he's in a movie - how bad could it be? I love ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT with its band of merry character actors stealing the show. And I love Conrad Veidt, my favorite movie villain even though in reality, he was vehemently anti-Nazi. (LOTS of love going on here.)

    I agree with you, Dorian, about Bogart's 'character' aspect. If he hadn't become a leading man, he probably would have had a long career playing various 'characters'. Kind of like Frank McHugh but without the laughs or rumply nature. :)

    McHugh had a wonderful quality - he stood out and yet he blended. He was also one of those actors who had a great squooshy aspect. Know what I mean?

    (And by the way, have you noticed how many character actors go on to have long-lived marriages? Maybe it was the 'squooshiness'. Just sayin')

    Frank McHugh was the perfect second or third banana. It sounds as if he came from a wonderful acting family. Some fun. It must have been a blast.

    'Damon Runyon kicks Nazi heinie in NYC.' HaHA!


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    1. Yvette, again you prove to be a gal after my own heart, in this case with your fondness for wonderful character actors in general and ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT in particular! I also love that Conrad Veidt hated those Nazi scum as much as the rest of us in real life. (Glad you got a kick out of my 'Damon Runyon kicks Heinie" gag! :-)

      I love your descriptions of how our guy Frank "stood out and yet he blended," as well as your delightful description of his "squooshiness." Heck, Vinnie and I consider ourselves to be endearingly squooshy (or as Vinnie says, "pillowy") ourselves! :-)

      Furthermore, you nailed it when you said, "...have you noticed how many character actors go on to have long-lived marriages? Maybe it was the 'squooshiness'. Just sayin')" In fact, if you're able to get the Warner Bros./TCM Greatest Gangster Films DVD set, it includes commentary tracks, including a nice one for ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT by director Vincent Sherman and biographer Eric Lax as well as a swell featurette, "Call the Usual Suspects: The Craft of the Character Actor." Among other things, the interviewees - including Gary Cole, James Cromwell, and so many others - mention how being a character actor as opposed to a movie star has kept many of their marriages long and happy! No doubt the squooshiness didn't hurt either! :-) Beaucoup thanks for your comments and praise, my friend, as always!

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  15. Funny, but Frank McHugh has one one those 'everyman' faces and I'm not too good at remembering him even though I've seen him in some movies. Nice tribute Miss Dorian!

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    1. Thank you kindly for your praise, Eve! I like your description of Frank McHugh's "everyman face." That's exactly what I find endearing about him, and many other character actors: you feel like you know Frank, like he could be your best pal, or your dad, or for us gals, your cuddly, down-to-earth hubby! :-)

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  16. Thank you for putting the spotlight on one of the best - and one of my favorite - character actors in all of Hollywood. He surely does live on in our hearts. I saw "I Love You Again" (1940) for the first time a few years ago - McHugh with Powell and Loy - sigh...fell in love with him all over again.

    Great choice and great piece, Dorian.

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    1. How fitting to have two of our favorite Eve-centric bloggers commenting one after the other: first our pal Eve Gaal from THE DESERT ROCKS, and now you, The Lady Eve herself, joining the conversation! :-D Thanks so much for your kind words about our salute to the funny and lovable Frank McHugh! Like you, we adored him in the zany, delightful I LOVE YOU AGAIN! Frank, Myrna Loy, William Powell, and Alfalfa -- can't ask for a better cast! :-)

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  17. Lovely tribute to an actor who added so much to every movie he was in, even if his actual screen time was short. I love this guy, Irish to the core (like me!), best breathy funny laugh in the business. Those movies would have suffered from his absence. Good one, Dorian!

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    1. Becky, beaucoup thanks for your kind praise for my salute to Frank McHugh! We folks of Irish descent have great taste as well as great genes, don't you agree? :-D Frank often made more of an impression on me than some of the so-called stars; character actors rule!

      By the way, Becks, I watched MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM on TCM last night, and I was delighted to see Frank stretching his wings as a two-fisted newspaperman, trading snappy quips with Glenda Farrell, even proposing marriage with a hot smooch at the end! Don't you love it when a character actor-type fella like Frank gets the girl? Hooray for Hollywood! :-)

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