Idol of the Crowds

Idol of the Crowds is a 1937 American sports drama film directed by Arthur Lubin and starring John Wayne as an ice hockey player.[1] It was one of a series of non-Westerns Wayne made for Universal.[2] The film was originally called Hell on Ice but the Hays Office requested this be changed.[3]

Idol of the Crowds
Theatrical poster
Directed byArthur Lubin
Screenplay byGeorge Waggner
Harold Buckley
Story byGeorge Waggner
Produced byTrem Carr
Paul Malvern
StarringJohn Wayne
Sheila Bromley
Huntley Gordon
CinematographyHarry Neumann
Edited byCharles Craft
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • September 30, 1937 (1937-09-30)
Running time
60 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

The New York Panthers ice hockey team is struggling in the standings. A scouting team headed by Kelly (Hopton) heads to Maine where they've heard of a promising former amateur player. He turns out to be John Hanson (Wayne), now a chicken farmer.

Hanson does not wish to return to the game, but when he learns how much money he can make, he agrees solely so he can make enough to upgrade his farm. His skills make him an instant sensation, but as the team heads toward the championship series, he runs afoul of crooked gamblers and the beautiful woman (Bromley) they tempt him with.

Cast

Production

The film was announced in April 1937.[4] In May Universal announced the film as part of its upcoming output.[5]

Filming took place in May.[6] Wayne later said "I'm from Southern California. I've never been on [expletive] skates in my life. I was in the hospital for two [expletive] days after that."[7]

Wayne's biographer Scott Eyman later said "It was a fish-out-of-water experience" for the actor. "Hockey was just something completely alien to him. This was before television, so he'd probably never even seen a hockey game... As for his skating, he basically gets away with it. He's OK as long as he's moving in a straight line."[7]

Reception

The Christian Science Monitor said it had "sufficient excitement".[8]

Lawsuit

Madison Square Gardens sued Universal Pictures over the movie claiming the hockey scenes damaged its reputation, by falsely representing that the violent games in the film took place at the Garden.[9] The suit was unsuccessful.[10]

See also

References
  1. Idol of the Crowds Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 4, Iss. 37, (January 1, 1937): 196.
  2. Vagg, Stephen (September 14, 2019). "The Cinema of Arthur Lubin". Diabolique Magazine.
  3. Schallert, E. (June 18, 1937). ZANUCK TO STAR SHIRLEY TEMPLE IN "REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM". Los Angeles Times
  4. SCREEN NOTES: Of Local Origin Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. April 17, 1937: 15.
  5. Universal's Plans Outlined: Fifty Feature Pictures for Coming Year to Cost $13,500,000 Los Angeles Times May 19, 1937: A3.
  6. THREE NEW FILMS LISTED FOR TODAY New York Times May 29, 1937: 21.
  7. John Wayne's (gratefully) forgotten hockey movie: A non-skater made Idol of the Crowds Hughes, James. The Guelph Mercury June 7, 2014: D.9.
  8. Monitor Movie Guide: Durbin-Stokowski Make Music In Original and Amusing Film The Christian Science Monitor October 16, 1937: 17.
  9. "Incorporating Hockey Clips in U Feature Brings Madison Square Suit". Universal. May 18, 1938. p. 7.
  10. "Garden Loses Suit vs U's Hockey Film". Variety. June 15, 1938. p. 4.
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