Laughing Irish Eyes
Cast & Crew
Joseph Santley
Phil Regan
Walter C. Kelly
Evalyn Knapp
Ray Walker
Mary Gordon
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Pat Kelly, a fight promoter and head of the Irish-American Athletic Club, bets his crooked partners, Silk Taylor and Tony Martin, $10,000 and his interest in the club that he can find an Irish boxer who can become a contender to the title within six months. Kelly's reputation has been sullied in part by the radio broadcasts of sports announcer Eddie Bell, who is in love with Pat's daughter Peggy, but nonetheless discredits Pat on the radio. Pat and Peggy go to Dublin, where Pat is to negotiate with trainer Joe Cronin for the contract of middleweight boxer Tiger O'Keefe, who is also a heavyweight drinker. While Pat waits at a tavern for Tiger, Peggy meets singing blacksmith Danno O'Keefe, with whom she goes to the Cork County Fair. She encourages him to enter a singing contest, which he wins, although his prize, a new car, is wrecked soon after when Danno, distracted by kissing Peggy, does not see it roll down a hill. The couple then go back to the tavern where Pat is still waiting. Danno bids Peggy goodbye, but outside the tavern, he bumps into Tiger and they begin to fight. Pat watches as Danno knocks out Tiger, and Cronin then convinces Danno to pass himself off as Tiger, whom Pat has not yet met, so that he can go to America while Cronin keeps his commission. On board the ship to the United States, Peggy finds out that Pat thinks Danno is Tiger, but Danno promises her that he will fight and not disgrace her father. When they arrive, however, Peggy uses her influence with Eddie to get Danno a singing job on the radio. The same night Danno is to begin his show, however, he is scheduled to fight his first bout, and the distraught Peggy confides in Eddie that Danno is not a professional boxer. Eddie then convinces Silk and Tony that if they arrange for Danno to win a few fights, they can make a mint betting against him later. Silk and Tony bribe Danno's first opponent, Kid Campo, to take a dive, as well as his next one, Battling Winters. Soon Danno is set to fight the contender, K. O. Schultz, and Pat bets Silk more money and his interest in Danno that the Irishman will win in six rounds. Meanwhile, Peggy tells Eddie that she and Danno are to be married directly after the fight. Jealous, Eddie feels that he has been used, so he reveals the secret of Danno's identity over the radio. Danno confronts Eddie, who then tells him that Peggy betrayed him, and Danno tries to leave for Ireland hours before the fight. Peggy locates Danno on the dock, exposes Eddie's duplicity and assures him of her love. Determined to help Pat, Danno enters the ring at Madison Square Garden and, after a fierce struggle, wins the fight. He then retires from boxing, happy with his new radio contract and beautiful Peggy.
Director
Joseph Santley
Cast
Phil Regan
Walter C. Kelly
Evalyn Knapp
Ray Walker
Mary Gordon
Warren Hymer
Betty Compson
J. M. Kerrigan
Herman Bing
Raymond Hatton
Clarence Muse
Russell Hicks
Maurice Black
John Sheehan
Robert E. Homans
John Indrisano
Ritchie Mccarron
Jimmy O'gatty
Don Larue
Charles Randolph
Ray Brown
Ann Bupp
Crew
Colbert Clark
Olive Cooper
Harry Grey
Terry Kellum
Milton Krasner
Reggie Lanning
Nat Levine
Joseph H. Lewis
Sidney Mitchell
Stanley Rauh
Ben Ryan
Murray Seldeen
Sam H. Stept
Wallace Sullivan
Sidney Sutherland
Mack Wright
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
According to Hollywood Reporter and Film Daily news items, this picture was originally to star Guy Robertson. Hollywood Reporter news items noted that Charles A. Logue and Mary McCarthy were scheduled to work on the screenplay, but their participation in the completed film has not been confirmed. This was the first film Phil Regan, who was a Brooklyn police officer prior to becoming an actor, made for Republic.
