The Secret Six
Encyclopedia
For the DC comic book see Secret Six (comics)
.
The Secret Six is a fast-paced 1931 Pre-Code crime film
starring Wallace Beery
as "Slaughterhouse Scorpio", a character very loosely based on Al Capone
, and featuring Lewis Stone
, John Mack Brown
, Jean Harlow
, Clark Gable
, Marjorie Rambeau
and Ralph Bellamy
. The film was written by Frances Marion
and directed by George W. Hill
for MGM.
the same year, in which Gable was billed second to Beery and had a role almost as large, and China Seas
, also with Harlow, four years later. By 1935, both Gable and Harlow were billed over Beery, with all three listed above the title. Harlow and Gable were to make six movies together before her untimely death.
Secret Six (comics)
The Secret Six is the name of three different fictional comic book teams in the , plus an alternate universe's fourth team. Each team has had six members, led by a mysterious figure named Mockingbird, whom the characters assume to be one of the other five members.-Original Secret Six:The Secret Six...
.
The Secret Six is a fast-paced 1931 Pre-Code crime film
Pre-Code crime films
The era of American film production from the early sound era to the enforcement of the Hays Code in 1934 is denoted as Pre-Code Hollywood. The era contained violence and crime in pictures which would not be seen again until decades later...
starring Wallace Beery
Wallace Beery
Wallace Fitzgerald Beery was an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in Min and Bill opposite Marie Dressler, as Long John Silver in Treasure Island, as Pancho Villa in Viva Villa!, and his titular role in The Champ, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
as "Slaughterhouse Scorpio", a character very loosely based on Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
, and featuring Lewis Stone
Lewis Stone
Lewis Shepard Stone was an American actor.Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, son of Bertrand Stone and Philena Heald Ball. Stone's hair grew gray by the time he was twenty. He fought in the Spanish-American War, then returned to a career as a writer. He soon began acting...
, John Mack Brown
Johnny Mack Brown
Johnny Mack Brown was an All-American college football player and film actor originally billed as John Mack Brown at the height of his screen career.-Early life:...
, Jean Harlow
Jean Harlow
Jean Harlow was an American film actress and sex symbol of the 1930s. Known as the "Blonde Bombshell" and the "Platinum Blonde" , Harlow was ranked as one of the greatest movie stars of all time by the American Film Institute...
, Clark Gable
Clark Gable
William Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
, Marjorie Rambeau
Marjorie Rambeau
Marjorie Rambeau was an American film and stage actress.-Early life:Rambeau was born in San Francisco, California to Marcel Rambeau and Lilian Garlinda Kindelberger. Her parents split up when she was a girl. She and her mother went to Nome, Alaska where young Marjorie dressed as a boy, sang and...
and Ralph Bellamy
Ralph Bellamy
Ralph Bellamy was an American actor whose career spanned sixty-two years.-Early life:He was born Ralph Rexford Bellamy in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Lilla Louise , a native of Canada, and Charles Rexford Bellamy. He ran away from home when he was fifteen and managed to get into a road show...
. The film was written by Frances Marion
Frances Marion
Frances Marion was an American journalist, author, and screenwriter often cited as the most renowned female screenwriter of the twentieth century alongside June Mathis and Anita Loos.-Career:...
and directed by George W. Hill
George W. Hill
George William Hill was an American film director and cinematographer.-Career:He began his film career at age 13 as a stagehand with director D. W. Griffith...
for MGM.
Cast (in credits order)
- Wallace BeeryWallace BeeryWallace Fitzgerald Beery was an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in Min and Bill opposite Marie Dressler, as Long John Silver in Treasure Island, as Pancho Villa in Viva Villa!, and his titular role in The Champ, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
as Louis 'Louie' Scorpio - Lewis StoneLewis StoneLewis Shepard Stone was an American actor.Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, son of Bertrand Stone and Philena Heald Ball. Stone's hair grew gray by the time he was twenty. He fought in the Spanish-American War, then returned to a career as a writer. He soon began acting...
as Richard 'Newt' Newton - John Mack BrownJohnny Mack BrownJohnny Mack Brown was an All-American college football player and film actor originally billed as John Mack Brown at the height of his screen career.-Early life:...
as Hank Rogers - Jean HarlowJean HarlowJean Harlow was an American film actress and sex symbol of the 1930s. Known as the "Blonde Bombshell" and the "Platinum Blonde" , Harlow was ranked as one of the greatest movie stars of all time by the American Film Institute...
as Anne Courtland - Marjorie RambeauMarjorie RambeauMarjorie Rambeau was an American film and stage actress.-Early life:Rambeau was born in San Francisco, California to Marcel Rambeau and Lilian Garlinda Kindelberger. Her parents split up when she was a girl. She and her mother went to Nome, Alaska where young Marjorie dressed as a boy, sang and...
as Peaches - Paul HurstPaul Hurst (actor)Paul Causey Hurst was an American film actor and director.-Career:Born in Traver, California, and raised on a ranch, he appeared in hundreds of films during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. However, he got his start painting scenery as part of the backstage crew during the silent movie era...
as Nick 'The Gouger' Mizoski - Clark GableClark GableWilliam Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
as Carl Luckner - Ralph BellamyRalph BellamyRalph Bellamy was an American actor whose career spanned sixty-two years.-Early life:He was born Ralph Rexford Bellamy in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Lilla Louise , a native of Canada, and Charles Rexford Bellamy. He ran away from home when he was fifteen and managed to get into a road show...
as Johnny Franks - John MiljanJohn MiljanJohn Miljan was an American actor of Serbian origin. He appeared in 201 films between 1924 and 1958.He died from cancer.-Selected filmography:* The Lone Chance * Silent Sanderson...
as Smiling Joe Colimo - DeWitt JenningsDeWitt JenningsDeWitt Clarke Jennings was an American film actor. He appeared in 153 films between 1915 and 1937.-Biography:...
as Chief Donlin - Murray KinnellMurray KinnellMurray Kinnell was an English actor. He appeared in 71 films between 1930 and 1937. He was best known as the two-timing petty-larceny hood Putty Nose in The Public Enemy...
as 'Dummy' Metz (alias of Fink) - Fletcher Norton as Jimmy Delano
- Louis Natheaux as Eddie
- Frank McGlynn Sr.Frank McGlynn Sr.Frank McGlynn, Sr. was an American stage and film actor who found success later in life playing Abraham Lincoln.-Early life:...
as Judge - Theodore Von EltzTheodore von EltzTheodore von Eltz was an American film actor. He appeared in over 200 films between 1915 and 1957.He was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.-Selected filmography:...
as District Attorney Keeler - Lynton Brent ... Reporter (uncredited)
- Charles Giblyn ... Mr. Simms - Ballistics Expert (uncredited)
- Joseph W. GirardJoseph W. GirardJoseph W. Girard was an American film actor. He appeared in over 280 films between 1911 and 1944.He was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.-Selected filmography:...
... Official (uncredited) - Tom LondonTom LondonTom London was an American actor who, according to "The Guinness Book of Movie Records," is credited with appearing in the most movies in the history of Hollywood...
... Blackjacking Gangster (uncredited) - George MagrillGeorge MagrillGeorge Magrill , was an American film actor. He appeared in 326 films between 1923 and 1952.He was born in Brooklyn, New York, was married to Ramona Oliver, and had a daughter named Marilynn...
... Police Guard at Jailhouse (uncredited) - Lee PhelpsLee PhelpsLee Phelps was an American film actor. He appeared in over 600 films between 1917 and 1953, mainly in uncredited roles...
... Smelts - Waiter (uncredited) - Oscar Rudolph ... Ivan Colimo (uncredited)
- Hector SarnoHector SarnoHector V. Sarno was an Italian-born American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 183 films between 1912 and 1948.He was born in Naples, Italy and died in Pasadena, California.-Selected filmography:...
... Finko (uncredited) - Carol Tevis ... Manicurist (uncredited)
- Walter Walker ... Onlooker in Courtroom (uncredited)
- S.D. Wilcox ... Protesting Man in Courtroom (uncredited)
Production
Beery and Gable would work together twice more, in Hell DiversHell Divers
Hell Divers is a 1931 movie starring Wallace Beery and Clark Gable as a pair of competing chief petty officers on board the USS Saratoga...
the same year, in which Gable was billed second to Beery and had a role almost as large, and China Seas
China Seas (film)
China Seas is a 1935 adventure film starring Clark Gable as a brave sea captain, Jean Harlow as his brassy paramour, and Wallace Beery as an extremely suspicious-looking character...
, also with Harlow, four years later. By 1935, both Gable and Harlow were billed over Beery, with all three listed above the title. Harlow and Gable were to make six movies together before her untimely death.