Mary Astor (Bobby Blake), Lyle Talbot (Fred Dennis), Nat Pendleton (Rocky), Joyce Compton (Mae), Thurston Hall (Curtis), Henry Mollison (Thornton), Wyrley Birch (Paul Thornton), Robert Strange (Standish), Russell Hicks, Howard C. Hickman, George Webb, Lloyd Whitlock, Bruce Sidney, Harry Stafford, Boyd Irwin (directors), Mary Blake (Miss Walsh), Wade Boteler (collection agency manager), Marc Lawrence (Griffin), Lillian Leighton (Mrs Leary), Eddie Fetherston (Jostler), Robert Gordon (messenger boy), Neil Moore (Mason), Max Wagner (Al), Ralph McCullough (truck salesman), Lillian Stuart.
Director: DEL LORD. Screenplay: Harold Buchman, Lee Loeb. Story: Al Martin, Sherman L. Lowe. Photography: Allen G. Siegler. Film editor: James Sweeney. Special camera effects: E. Roy Davidson. Associate producer: Ben Pivar.
Copyright 8 June 1936 by Columbia Pictures of California. New York opening at the Globe: 13 June 1936. Australian release: 23 September 1936. 64 minutes
U.K. release title: CAUGHT BY TELEVISION.
SYNOPSIS: An inventor (Lyle Talbot) is hard put to sell his cheapo television system until he falls in with a couple of enthusiastic amateurs (Nat Pendleton and Mary Astor). But his success is almost stymied by the machinations of a corrupt corporation executive, who is allied with a vicious killer (Marc Lawrence).
COMMENT: Although it veers a bit uncertainly from slapstick comedy to stop-at-nothing thrills, this "B" still holds the interest despite its dated (even quaint) subject matter.
The pace is fast, production values are surprisingly high and director Del Lord pulls no punches.
The players respond enthusiastically, although our star, Mary Astor, battles against none too flattering photography and, for some reason, is outclassed in the beauty stakes by Joyce Compton who is also more alluringly made up and costumed.
In some shots, Mary looks positively dowdy. However, for Joyce Compton (and Nat Pendleton) fans, "Trapped by Television" is a must.
Director: DEL LORD. Screenplay: Harold Buchman, Lee Loeb. Story: Al Martin, Sherman L. Lowe. Photography: Allen G. Siegler. Film editor: James Sweeney. Special camera effects: E. Roy Davidson. Associate producer: Ben Pivar.
Copyright 8 June 1936 by Columbia Pictures of California. New York opening at the Globe: 13 June 1936. Australian release: 23 September 1936. 64 minutes
U.K. release title: CAUGHT BY TELEVISION.
SYNOPSIS: An inventor (Lyle Talbot) is hard put to sell his cheapo television system until he falls in with a couple of enthusiastic amateurs (Nat Pendleton and Mary Astor). But his success is almost stymied by the machinations of a corrupt corporation executive, who is allied with a vicious killer (Marc Lawrence).
COMMENT: Although it veers a bit uncertainly from slapstick comedy to stop-at-nothing thrills, this "B" still holds the interest despite its dated (even quaint) subject matter.
The pace is fast, production values are surprisingly high and director Del Lord pulls no punches.
The players respond enthusiastically, although our star, Mary Astor, battles against none too flattering photography and, for some reason, is outclassed in the beauty stakes by Joyce Compton who is also more alluringly made up and costumed.
In some shots, Mary looks positively dowdy. However, for Joyce Compton (and Nat Pendleton) fans, "Trapped by Television" is a must.