This purpose of this blog is to put together a virtual list/collection of memorable (if fleeting) references to the cities of Wilkes-Barre, PA or Scranton, PA in movies/TV/music/Broadway/books (in the script, setting, lyrics, etc).
We'd like to thank everyone for the overwhelming support and suggestions for the Entertainment blog. I'll continue adding these as blog entries as time permits.
The fantastic Barb Williams from Memphis, Tennessee, a regular contributor to the movie blog, emailed me yesterday about a Scranton reference in a James Cagney boxing movie from the 1930s:
"While I was home with the flu last month, Turner Classic Movies showed The Irish in Us with James Cagney. Scranton was mentioned two times while Cagney's boxing protege was being prepped for a bout. The opposition's handlers, as I recall in my flu-dazed state, were telling Cagney's fighter (named Carbarn Hammerschlog) that the guy he is slated to fight killed his opponent during a boxing match in Scranton."
The Irish In Us features an impressive cast including James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland, Frank McHugh and Pat O'Brien; it was directed by Lloyd Bacon (42nd Street, The Fuller Brush Girl starring Lucille Ball).
The Irish In Us tells the story of three Irish brothers--policeman Pat (Pat O'Brien), fireman Mike (Frank McHugh) and boxing promoter Danny (James Cagney)--who live with their Ma. Though his brothers try to convince Danny to settle down with a secure job, Danny believes his boxing ingenue Carbarn (Allen Jenkins) will soon bring him fame and fortune. To complicate matters, Pat's fiance Lucille (Olivia de Havilland) starts falling for Danny. Also of note is The Irish In Us is said to feature an abundance of New York Irish stereotypes.
Though the film has never been officially released on VHS or DVD, an independent company (www.freemoviesondvd.com/) that sells copies of out-of-print and hard-to-find classic films does offer copies of The Irish In Us for sale on DVD. To purchase a copy, click here.
Much thanks again to Barb Williams for this Scranton reference. Barb, I hope you've fully recovered from your recent bout with the flu! Keep em' comin'!
I'm not sure if this film would qualify as an authentic Scranton reference, but 1931's Dance, Fools, Dance includes a character named Bert Scranton, played by Cliff Edwards.
Fearing her brother Roddy (William Bakewell) has become part of a bootleg gang, cub reporter Bonnie Jordan (Joan Crawford) volunteers to cover the follow-up story to the murder of the paper's star reporter, Bert Scranton (Cliff Edwards), while he is investigating a Prohibition-era massacre.
Bonnie is a former socialite who, after her father lost all his money in the stock market crash, has to find work.
Posing as a professional dancer, she infiltrates the gang of Jake Luva (Clark Gable), working in one of his speakeasies. Flirting with Luva, she finds out to her horror that her brother was not only involved in the gangland massacre, but was the one who murdered Scranton. Luva finds out who she really is, and he orders her killed. Luva, however, is killed after she shoots her brother.
Bonnie, rather than hiding her brother in the newspaper story she writes, tells the whole truth. In so doing, she wins the respect, admiration, and love of Bob (Lester Vail), the man who previously rejected her as a silly flapper in the days when she was wealthy and didn't make any contribution to life.
Though not available on DVD, Dance, Fools Dance, was released for a brief time on VHS as part of MGM's Forbidden Hollywood Collection. To purchase a copy of the video, click here.
Also, Don McKeon recently emailed me and told me he caught Dance, Fools, Dance on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and Scranton is said many, MANY times.
The clip below features a passing character saying, "Hello, Scranton!"
My colleague (and Angela look-alike winner at last fall's Office Convention in Scranton) Amy Buntz has told me that actor Andy Buckley, who plays Dunder Mifflin CFO David Wallace on NBC's The Office will be appearing in the Scranton St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 15th.
