Crash Donovan
Cast & Crew
William Nigh
Jack Holt
John King
Nan Grey
Eddie Acuff
Hugh Buckler
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Doris Tennyson, Johnnie Allen and "Alabam" Thomas visit a carnival in order to watch "Crash" Donovan do stunts on his motorcycle. The two men are members of the California Highway Patrol, and Doris, the daughter of the chief of the Patrol, is in love with Johnnie. Afterward, Alabam introduces them to Crash, who knew Johnnie's brother from the war. Doris challenges Crash to join the Patrol, where she believes his daredeviltry would serve a useful purpose. Later that evening, Crash is at a nightclub when a fight breaks out. Johnnie answers the call for help. Using the ensuing confusion as a cover, gangsters rob the club. Johnnie shoots them as they leave and is wounded, but Crash jumps on his motorcycle and follows the criminals. He holds them until Johnnie's partner, Alabam, arrives. The excitement of the evening convinces Crash to join the Patrol. He is delighted to learn that Doris' father is the new head of the training school. Johnnie is also attending the school, taking a required refresher course. He and Johnnie become rivals for Doris' affections. When Crash and Johnnie become riding partners, Doris asks Crash to look after Johnnie for her. Finally Crash graduates, performing a series of stunts at the ceremony. He learns that the work of a highway patrolman is hard and often sad. Careless drivers routinely crash their cars and sometimes children are killed. During a chase after suspected smugglers, Alabam is wounded. Johnnie and Crash exchange shots with the smugglers at their hideout, and Johnnie is captured by them. Worried that his friend will be killed in the shootout after the other patrolmen arrive, Crash volunteers to rescue Johnnie. The patrolmen start a fire to hide his approach. Riding his motorcycle through the flames, Crash rescues Johnnie. Doris gratefully thanks Crash, who then realizes that Doris really loves the other man. Disappointed, Crash returns to the carnival.
Cast
Jack Holt
John King
Nan Grey
Eddie Acuff
Hugh Buckler
Ward Bond
James Donlan
Douglas Fowley
William Tannen
Huey White
Al Hill
Gardner James
Paul Porcasi
George Stinson
Lane Chandler
Hal Craig
Earl Hodgins
Wallace Gregory
Philip Morris
Stanley King
Lee Phelps
William H. Royle
Pat O'malley
Monte Vandergrift
Duke York
Lester Dorr
Dick Allen
Ernie Adams
Alan Bridge
Lew Kelly
William Lemuels
Jack Cheatham
Jean Rogers
Franklin Parker
Jeffrey Sayre
Chester Clute
Isabel Withers
Clyde Hager
Alyce King And Sisters
Alexander Cross
Sammy Finn
Robert Strong
Elaine Von
Shirley Jean Rickert
Joel C. Lyon
William Ruhl
Joseph Sawyer
Jack Hatfield
Jack Richardson
Crew
Julius Bernheim
Norbert Brodine
Norbert Brodine
Brymer
Charles Carroll
Ralph Delacey
Karl Detzer
Bill Ely
Fred Frank
Ansel Friedberger
Cliff Friend
Hanson Fritch
John P. Fulton
Charles Grayson
Herman Heller
Marjorie Klein
Milton Krasner
Joseph Lapis
Carmen Lombardo
Edward Mcgregor
Emily Moore
Jean Negulesco
Jean Raymond
William Reiter
Byron Robinson
Nat Ross
Harold Shumate
Eugene Solow
George Stinson
Homer G. Tasker
Charles Tobias
Ned Washington
Allie Wrubel
Muriel Yoeman
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The film's working titles were Crashing Through and Crashing Donovan. According to a news item in April 10, 1936 Hollywood Reporter, William Nigh took over from director Edward Laemmle. Another Hollywood Reporter news item states that Jean Negelesco directed the racing sequences and retakes and Laemmle directed the dramatic scenes. An early Hollywood Reporter production chart credits Robert Presnell with the original story.
