charliekane

Here goes - my first new thread.....

What is the worst example we know of an American movie star on the skids in Hollywood but coming to England to 'star' in a (usually) dull British film ?

Can't recall the title of the film, but I can suggest Cesar Romero - all teeth and trenchcoat, and well past his prime - in a not very thrilling thriller. The main thing I remember is him mixing a cocktail in a bar which, when he pours it into a glass (and thanks to some ropey effects), produces a mini-mushroom cloud much to the amazement/admiration of the local yokels.

Were these 'cultural exchanges' an attempt by the has-been to reinvigorate their career, or by the British film-makers to boost their production with a 'star' name, would you say ?

(Oh, and on the other side of the coin, what's the best example of an American actor in a British movie ? I'd say Dana Andrews in Night of the Demon)

batman

CR's film was Street of Shadows which I thought was rather good.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

batman

It bit of both I would say. Some of these films went down quite well in the US and their stars profile was sometimes raised back home. Brian Donlvey went back after the Quatermass films to star in a pretty successful TV series as did one of my favourites Tom Conway. Some producers used this actors to give the films a bit of marquee valuewhen selling the films to the US, while some actors who were dead in the water back home were farmed out by studios to serve out the time left on their contracts.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

batman

The best ones for me are the three already mentioned ... Donlevy in the Quatermass films, Andrews in NOTD and Tom Conway in several rather decent thrillers.

The worst .... Forrest Tucker was in a few stinkers but redeemed himself with The Abominable Snowman. Most of Orson Welles UK films were average to say the least.

My nomination for the worst has to another favourite of mine Bela Lugosi in Old Mother Riley Meets The Vampire.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

CaptainWaggett

Ray Milland is incredibly annoying in Circle of Danger in which he exaggerates his machismo to a ridiculous extent in order to contrast with the various effete British choreographers and blackmailers he sneers at during the course of the film.

Mark O

I wouldn't say he was 'on the skids', but I had no inkling whatsoever that James Cromwell was American when he played Prince Philip in 'The Queen'!.........it wasn't until the Film was released on DVD and watching the 'extras' that he was as 'himself', and I exclaimed "he's American"!.........but I guess that just goes to show a good actor, which he undoubtedly is

Mark

dylan

Donlevy was terribly miscast as Quatermass and gave the impression of being a washed-up star; however, at the same time he gave career-topping performances in the States in The Big Combo and Cowboy.

D.

batman

I thought Donlevy was excellent as Quatermass, his brusque manner was just right for the style of film they were making.

He was excellent in The Big Combo but that was his last US film before the first Quatermass movie and he was primarily working in televison at that point. Many of the big film studios were wary of him due to his alcohol problems.

Cowboy was another rare cinema outing for Donlevy and was made after Quatermass 2. In the US he was firmly entrenched in televison by then.

As a film actor Donlevy was on the skids by the time he first played Quatermass and it was the success of those films in the US that raised his profile and enabled him to get a lot more work on TV plus the occasional film role.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

Briant

Alan Ladd made a few films in the UK such as 'The Black Knight', 'Hell below Zero', 'The Red Beret' and 'Boy on a dolphin' that was filmed in Greece.

wadsy

There was Tab Hunter in "Troubled Waters" with Michael Goodliffe & the luscious

Zena Walker.

Briant

Dale Robertson made 'The High Terrace' in the UK in 1957.
'The grass is greener' (1960) had Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum and Jean Simmons and may be the most star studded in this category?
John Wayne made 'Brannigan' here in 1974 with Richard Attenborough.

wadsy

"Nowhere to go" with George Nader giving an impressive performance along side

Maggie Smith!

christoph404

Burt Lancaster came to Britain (Scotland to be more specific) to work with small time film maker Bill Forsythe. Didn't Sinatra come to Britain to make a cold war thriller, Im pretty sure Derren Nesbitt was in it too, title escapes me.

wadsy

The Naked Runner

Briant

'The Naked Runner' (1967)