Michael O'Halloran
Cast & Crew
John Rawlins
Scotty Beckett
Allene Roberts
Tommy Cook
Isabel Jewell
Charles Arnt
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
When fifteen-year-old Lily Nelson's alcoholic mother Laura is struck by an automobile and hospitalized, Lily, who is crippled, worries that she may be sent to a charity home. However, newsboy Joey takes her to a modest apartment occupied by his orphaned co-worker, seventeen-year old Michael O'Halloran, and he agrees to let her stay there. With help from kindly druggist Douglas "Doc" Bruce, Michael arranges to have Lily examined by Dr. Edward Carrell, a prominent orthopedist, in the hope that surgery may restore the use of her legs. When Mrs. Nelson is released from the hospital and resumes drinking, she finds Lily living with Michael, accuses him of abducting her daughter and informs the police. Lily, who despises her mother, refuses to go with her and, with Joey's help, she and Michael escape. Later, after the boys buy Lily a new dress and a hair permanent kit, Michael borrows Doc's old car and drives Lily to see Dr. Carrell, who examines her and finds no physical reason for her inability to walk. He tells Michael that her problem is the result of a mental condition induced by her mother's behavior and that she can walk if she chooses. Although Michael and Lily have declared their love, Michael is arrested by the police and arraigned in juvenile court on the charge of abducting Lily. During the hearing, Lily becomes extremely concerned about Michael's predicament and leaves her wheelchair to approach the judge to deliver an impassioned plea for his acquittal. Mrs. Nelson realizes that Lily would not be walking were it not for Michael's intervention and asks the judge to dismiss the case. She then vows to start a new life with the help of Doc, who has given her a job.
Director
John Rawlins
Cast
Scotty Beckett
Allene Roberts
Tommy Cook
Isabel Jewell
Charles Arnt
Jonathan Hale
Gladys Blake
Roy Gordon
Florence Auer
William Haade
Dorothy Granger
Douglas Evans
Beverly Jons
Greg Barton
Lee Phelps
Harry Strang
Bob Scott
Ralph Brooks
Rob Haines
Ethyl Halls
Crew
Clem Beauchamp
Frank Beetson
Charlsie Bryant
Ted Coodley
Lucius O. Croxton
Harry S. Franklin
Lud Gluskin
Erna Lazarus
Julian Lesser
Ken Lobben
Jack Mckenzie
Frank Melford
Eileen Ramsey
Morris Rosen
Paul Schmutz Sr.
John Sheets
Jean L. Speak
Charles Straumer
John Sturtevant
Merrill White
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The film's onscreen title reads: "Gene Stratton-Porter's Michael O'Halloran." Although an October 1947 Hollywood Reporter news item stated that producers Julian Lesser and Frank Melford had formed Windsor Pictures Corp. to make features in the $200,000 to $250,000 budget range and had acquired rights to four Stratton-Porter novels, the corporation appears to have produced only this Stratton-Porter story. The novel was filmed twice before. In 1923, Stratton-Porter produced Michael O'Halloran, which was directed by James Leo Meehan and starred Virginia True Boardman and Ethelyn Irving (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1921-30; F2.3576). In 1937, Republic made a film using the same title, which was directed by Karl Brown and starred Wynne Gibson and Warren Hull (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931-40; F3.2848).