Cheating Cheaters
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Richard Thorpe
Fay Wray
Cesar Romero
Minna Gombell
Henry Armetta
Francis L. Sullivan
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Tom Palmer meets Nan and her father, Dr. George Brockton, on his return voyage from Europe, but is unaware that they are jewel thieves. George, Nan and her supposed mother Nell, along with hired killer Steve Wilson, who pretends to be the butler, and "music teacher" Professor Toni Verdi rent a house on Long Island next to the Palmers. Just as she had hoped, Nan gets an invitation to the Palmers and, once there, she asks them to store her jewels in their safe so that she can observe the set up and combination. When a Mr. Hanley from the Carnegie Foundation arrives to discuss Tom's rescue of a man who jumped overboard during the cruise, the Brocktons fear that he may be Ferris, a renowned detective whom no one has ever seen. Later, Tom and his "family," who are also thieves, plot to rob the Brocktons, and speculate as to the identity of Ferris. One night, Tom and Mr. Palmer go to rob the Brocktons, while Nan goes to rob the Palmers, with the help of Toni and Steve. Nan is successful, but Tom and Palmer are caught and tied up by her cohorts. Nan is delighted to discover that Tom is also a thief, and he proposes that they elope with the jewels. The police surround the houses and they are all arrested, but Tom is released to the custody of Ferris, who is actually Nan. Nan tells Tom that because he was helpful to her, the courts will go easy on him, and she will be waiting for him when he is ready.
Director
Richard Thorpe
Cast
Fay Wray
Cesar Romero
Minna Gombell
Henry Armetta
Francis L. Sullivan
Hugh O'connell
Wallis Clark
Ann Shoemaker
John T. Murray
George Barraud
Morgan Wallace
Harold Huber
Reginald Barlow
Pat Flaherty
John Ince
Harry C. Bradley
Lee Shumway
Edward Peil Sr.
Walter Brennan
King Baggott
Ed Haskett Jr.
Billy West
Don Brodie
Crew
Stanley Bergerman
Norbert Brodine
Ray Curtiss
Margaret Donovan
Phil Karlstein
Gilbert Kurland
Carl Laemmle
Carl Laemmle
Harry Mancke
Billy Moritz
Arthur Morton
James Mulhauser
Maurice Pivar
Jean Raymond
Allen Rivkin
George Robinson
Barry Trivers
Gladys Unger
Edward Ward
Vera West
Harrison Wiley
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The synopsis and credits were taken from the studio continuity and contemporary reviews. According to Universal production files at the USC Cinema-Television Library, John Wray played the part of Finelli, however, this conflicts with the Call Bureau Cast Service and the Motion Picture Herald review cast credits, which credit Harold Huber. Wray's contribution to the final film is undetermined. Cheating Cheaters was previously filmed twice by C.K.Y. Film Corp. The 1919 version was directed by Allan Dwan and starred Clara Kimball Young and Jack Holt, and the 1927 version was directed by Edward Laemmle and starred Betty Compson and Kenneth Harlan (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1911-20 and 1921-30; F1.0652 and F2.0843).
