Complete Hal Roach Streamliners Collection Vol. 1 DVD Set Coming in March
Today, ClassicFlix announced the beginning of a new series within their Silver Series line of DVD releases of lesser-known titles from Hollywood’s golden age. The Complete Hal Roach Streamliners Collection is a planned multi-volume DVD series, collecting the 22 mini-length comedy features produced by Hal Roach between 1941 and 1948. Each of the films speeds by at a length under one-hour.
Volume 1 is planned for a March 31st release. Here are the details from ClassicFlix:
ClassicFlix is pleased to announce Volume 1 of our Complete Hal Roach Streamliners Collection: The Tracy and Sawyer Military Comedies.
Due to street on March 31st, 2020, this set marks the first official Home Video release of all six delightful military comedies, with their final film, Cinecolor produced Here Comes Trouble (1948) – specifically remastered in color from a 35mm print for this set (details below).
About the Silver Series line:
Knowing so many unseen and longed-for classics sit in studio vaults and other archives collecting dust, ClassicFlix established the Silver Series line to shine the light of day on such lesser-known titles by making them available in affordable DVD editions.
DVD Details:
For the first time on DVD come all six Tracy and Sawyer streamliners produced by Hal Roach in this special collection from ClassicFlix!
When you hear the word “streamliner,” you might picture those high-speed passenger trains from the 1930s to the 1950s. For pioneering movie producer Hal Roach, however, “streamliner” had an entirely different meaning.
The man whose film studio was known as the “Lot of Fun” saw a changing landscape in the picture business in the late 1930s and came up with the idea of producing features with shorter run times to accommodate movie houses, as well as cut production costs. The concept would prove successful with 22 streamliners being produced by the studio between 1941 and 1948.
Hal Roach premiered his first streamliner in September of 1941: Tanks a Million, a military comedy that teamed William Tracy and Joe Sawyer as catastrophe-prone dogfaces. The popular duo would star in five more service romps for Roach, Hay Foot (1942), About Face (1942), Fall In(1943), Yanks Ahoy (1943) and the Cinecolor produced Here Comes Trouble (1948) — which was remastered in color from a 35mm print exclusively for this set.
This special six film collection is a must-have for any fan of Hal Roach with each film culled from the original Hal Roach Studio masters. Featured players include James Gleason, Margaret Dumont, Noah Beery, Jr., Douglas Fowley, Elyse Knox, Frank Faylen, Jean Porter, Marjorie Lord, Veda Ann Borg, Charles Lane, Betty Compson and Joan Woodbury.
Tanks a Million (1941, 50 min.)
When Dorian “Dodo” Doubleday gets drafted into the Army, his photographic memory quickly gets him promoted to sergeant, much to the dismay of all those around him, especially Sergeant Ames.
This delightful first entry of the series co-stars James Gleason and Noah Beery, Jr., and features many other familiar faces including Douglas Fowley, Elyse Knox, Frank Faylen and Dick Wessel.
Hay Foot (1942, 47 min.)
The hilarity continues at Camp Carver as Colonel Barkley mistakes Dodo as an expert marksman, and plans to teach braggarts Ames and Cobb a lesson via his newfound “best shot in the Army”.
The team of Tracy and Sawyer is solidified in this second installment of the series as both actors receive top billing. Featured players include James Gleason returning as Col. Barkley, Noah Beery, Jr. (now Sgt. Cobb), Elyse Knox, who is now Betty Barkley (the colonel’s daughter) and Douglas Fowley.
About Face (1942, 44 min.)
Wanting to paint the town, a broke Sergeant Ames suddenly becomes Doubleday’s pal when he learns that Dodo has just won a wad of cash in a radio contest.
Along for the ride are a bevy of featured players including Jean Porter, Marjorie Lord, Margaret Dumont, Veda Ann Borg, Charles Lane, Frank Faylen and Dick Wessel (both now bartenders). Also spotted in brief roles are Mike Mazurki, Rebel Randall, Pat Flaherty and Ralph Dunn.
Fall In (1943, 48 min.)
Dodo is up for a promotion and Ames is out to prove that he’s the better man, but they soon join forces as a spy ring is discovered right under their noses.
Jean Porter is back, but now love interest Joan, while Frank Faylen plays his third different role in the series, this time as Captain Gillis (a last name he would later don in the popular TV series The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis). Also featured are Rebel Randall, Arthur Hunnicutt and Tom Fadden.
Yanks Ahoy (1943, 59 min.)
Called to special duty overseas, Dodo and Ames board a naval vessel and soon learn of a saboteur’s plot to blow up the ship.
This fifth installment in the series features Marjorie Woodworth as love interest Phyllis Arden, Frank Faylen (now playing seaman Jenkins) and Minor Watson as Captain Scott.
Here Comes Trouble (1948, 50 min.)
Now civilians, police reporter Doubleday and police officer Ames set their sights on busting up an organized crime ring that’s terrorizing the city.
This first and only Cinecolor entry in the series, Here Comes Trouble is silent film star Betty Compson’s final credited role. Also featured are Joan Woodbury, Emory Parnell and Beverly Lloyd.
