MONTY BANKS FILMOGRAPHY:

This joint effort is a result of combining Davide Turconi's 1987 biofilmography, "Monty Banks: Biofilmografia" for the Centro Cinema Citta di Cesena, and later additions by Robert Farr and Joe Moore.  Original material by Farr and Moore ©2008

FILMOGRAPHY KEY :

PRODUCTION CO./RELEASING CO.

YEAR: day-month=release date FILM TITLE (aka=ALSO KNOW AS/ALTERNATIVE RELEASE TITLES; wt= WORKING TITLE; for= FOREIGN RELEASE TITLES; # of reels; p.=producer; sup.=supervisor; d.=director; w.=writer; sp.= screenplay; sc=scenario writer; st.=story; au.=author; ad.=adaptation; ph.=photographed by; ed.=editor; mus.=music; mus.d.=music director; snd.=sound; dia.dir.=dialogue director; t.=titles; asst. dir.=assistant director; art d.=art director; c.=cast; ?= unconfirmed or spurious information) ©=copyright date; LP # or LU #=Library of Congress copyright number.

The name that Banks used for his billing changed throughout his career.  Banks is variously referred to as "Monty", "Monte"  or "Montague" Banks; "Mario", "Pietro" or "Frenchy" Bianchi.  The name used in this filmography is the name as it appears in the credits, copyright deposit, or trade review.  In those cases in which there is no billing information, we have used his most common moniker, "Monty Banks". 

Where possible, a plot synopsis has been included.  The exception is for films that have not survived, were not copyrighted, and were not reviewed (unfortunately, for Banks and for us, this is true for many of the shorts).  For plot descriptions of the British features, see Denis Gifford's The British Film Catalogue: 1985-1970 (bibliography).

FILM CAREER IN BRIEF

1916-1920   BITS AND LEADS IN SHORTS FOR VARIOUS STUDIOS

1920-1921   SHORTS FOR WARNER BROS/FEDERATED FILM EXCHANGES

1922-1923   SHORTS FOR BEN WILSON/FEDERATED FILM EXCHANGES

1923-1925   SHORTS AND FEATURES FOR GRAND ASHER

1925-1928   FEATURES FOR PATHE

1928-1936   SHORTS AND FEATURES FOR BRITISH COMPANIES

1938-1939   FEATURES FOR BRITISH TWENTIETH CENTURY- FOX

1941-1945   FEATURES FOR U.S. TWENTIETH CENTURY- FOX

FILMOGRAPHY

FROM 1917 THROUGH HIS SIGNING WITH WARNER BROTHERS IN 1920, BANKS PLAYED BITS AND LEADS IN INNUMERABLE SHORTS FOR VARIOUS COMPANIES.  IN TODAY'S PARLANCE, HE WAS A "FREELANCER".  THE LIST BELOW PROBABLY REPRESENTS A FRACTION OF THESE APPEARANCES. 

ALL FILMS ARE SILENT TWO REELERS UNLESS NOTED.

1916-17:

UNIVERSAL SPECIAL/STERN FILM CO:

Dec. 1916 - 1917 THE PURPLE MASK (Serial: 16 chapters, 2 rls. each; d. Grace Cunard, Francis Ford; c. Grace Cunard, Francis Ford, Jean Hathaway, Peter Gerald, Jerome Ash, John Featherstone, John Duffy, Mario Bianchi, Joe Moore, Gertrude Short, Tom London, William White, Philip Ford, Abe Mundon, John [Jack] Ford? 
Chapter 1 THE VANISHED JEWELS © 12-15-1916 LP9768
Chapter 2 SUSPECTED © 12-15-1916 LP9770
Chapter 3 THE CAPTURE © 12-15-1916 LP9771
Chapter 4 FACING DEATH © 12-15-1916 LP9771
Chapter 5 THE DEMON OF THE SKY © 1-11-1917 LP9774
Chapter 6 THE SILENT FEUD © 1-16-1917 LP9994
Chapter 7 THE RACE FOR FREEDOM © 1-23-1917 LP10061
Chapter 8 THE SECRET ADVENTURE © 1-29-1917 LP10090
Chapter 9 A STRANGE DISCOVERY © 5-21-1917 LP10810
Chapter 10 THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY © 2-14-1917 LP10186
Chapter 11 THE GARDEN OF SURPRISES © 2-24-1917 LP10259
Chapter 12 THE VAULT OF MYSTERY © 3-3-1917 LP10299
Chapter 13 THE LEAP © 3-3-1917 LP10300
Chapter 14 THE SKY MONSTERS © 3-15-1917 LP10384
Chapter 15 THE FLOATING SIGNAL © 3-24-1917 LP10455
Chapter 16 A PRISONER OF LOVE © 4-2-1917 LP10491

1917:

KEYSTONE/TRIANGLE COMEDIES:

3-13* HIS CRIMINAL CAREER (wt. THE RESCUE; 1 rl; p. Mack Sennett; d. Ferris Hartman; asst.dir. Bert Gorman; ph. Elgin Lessley; Frank Darien, Vera Reynolds, Al McKinnon, Mario Bianchi) No©

5-10* AIRED IN COURT (wt. THE LETTER STORY; 1 rl; p. Mack Sennett; d./c. Jack Dillon; ph. R.W. Walter; c. Marie Manley, Frank Bond, Mario Bianchi, Marianne de la Torre, Claire Strickley) No©

5-29* HIS WIDOW'S MIGHT (wt. THE BEACH STORY; HOTEL STORY; BEACH RESORT STORY; 1 rl; p. Mack Sennett; d. Henry Kernan; w. Ralph Cedar?; ph. E.B. Shoedsack; c. Harry Depp, Cecile Arnold, Frederick Bertrand, Mario Bianchi, Della Pringle, Roxana McGowan) No©

6-8*  A WARM RECEPTION (wt. DETECTIVE STORY; PEARL STORY; 1 rl;   p. Mack Sennett; d./c. Jack Dillon; asst.dir. Frank Reynolds; ph. R.W. Waller; c. Alatia Marton, Marianne de la Torre, Mario [Pietro} Bianchi, Pat Kelly, Jack Dillon, Larry Bowes) No©

6-17* HIS HIDDEN TALENT (wt. DETECTIVE STORY; 1 rl; p. Mack Sennett; d. Reggie Morris; asst.dir. Charles Huber; ph. Perry Evengold; c. Ray Griffith, Vera Reynolds, James Rowe, Phyllis Daniels, Mario Bianchi, Marianne de la Torre) No©

?     THREE HATS AND TWO HEADS (d. Reggie Morris; c. Rae Godfrey, Monty Banks [billed as Mario Bianchi], Frank Bonn, Marianne de La Torre, Martin Kinney, Rose Carter)   No©

* Keystone/Triangle release dates are typically when the film was “finished or shipped”.

SUNSHINE COMEDIES/ FOX FILM CORP.:

11-11 ROARING LIONS AND WEDDING BELLS (p./sc. Henry Lehrman; d. William Campbell (& Jack White? [according to his own recollection in “The White Brothers”] & Henry Lehrman? [according to "Variety"]; c. Lloyd Hamilton, Mildred Lee, Charles Dorety, Jack Richardson, Jess Weldon [and, according to "Variety", Jimmie Adams, Tom Wilson, Mario Bianchi])  A rejected suitor sends a lion as a wedding gift.  An enormously popular comedy which was endlessly remade in different settings. © 10-9-17   LP11529 

1918:

L-Ko COMEDIES/UNIVERSAL PICTURES:

6-10  THE BELLES OF LIBERTY aka LIBERTY BELLES (d. James Davis; c. Monty Banks (billed as "Frenchie Bianchi", L-Ko Beauty Girls, Eva Novak, Caroline Wright, "Captain Peacock", Dave Morris, Rube Miller)  A Liberty Loan party instigates a wild chase when couples start eloping.  © 7-3-18 LP12629

JEWEL PRODUCTIONS/UNIVERSAL PICTURES:

8-1   THE GEEZER OF BERLIN (d. Arthur D. Hotaling; sc. Frank Howard Clark; t. Tom Brett and Allies; c. Ray Handford, Jack Stewart, Marvin Loback, Walter Bytell, Richard Pennell, Earl Lynn, Hughie Mack, Bartine Burkett, Monty Banks ("The Doughboy"), Bert Roach, Raymond Hatton)  A broad parody of Germany under the Kaiser, along the lines of SOLDIER ARMS (Chaplin) and YANKEE DOODLE IN BERLIN (Sennett).  © 7-19-18 LP12686

SUNSHINE COMEDIES/ FOX FILM CORP.:

9-22  ROARING LIONS ON THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (p./d. Henry Lehrman; c. Hugh Fay, Billie Ritchie, Jimmie Adams, Lloyd Hamilton, Monty Banks)  Banks has a bit role in this story of lions run amok aboard a train.  © 9-22-18   LP 12899 

COMIQUE FILM CORP./ PARAMOUNT PICTURES

?     A SCRAP OF PAPER (1 rl; d./w./c. Roscoe Arbuckle; c. Glen Cavender, Al St. John, Monty Banks)  A WWI Bond Drive film made for Canadian audiences.  No©

11-24 THE SHERIFF (p. Joseph M. Schenck; d./w./c. Roscoe Arbuckle; c. Betty Compson, Monty Banks [billed as Mario Bianchi], Glen Cavender, Al St. John)  Sheriff Fatty idolizes Douglas Fairbanks and gets an opportunity to emulate his hero when his girlfriend is abducted.  Monty fills in for Buster Keaton.  No©

1919:

1-5   CAMPING OUT (p. Joseph M. Schenck; d./w./c. Roscoe Arbuckle; c. Al St . John, Alice Lake, Monty Banks)  Roscoe can't stand his wife's cooking, so he sails to Catalina Island to cook for himself.  Monty fills in for Buster Keaton.  © 12-31-18   LP13236

2-3   LOVE (p. Joseph M. Schenck; d./c. Roscoe Arbuckle; w. Vincent Bryan; c. Al St. John, Winifred Westover, Monty Banks)  To win back his girl, country boy Fatty goes to the big city and poses as a housemaid. Monty fills in for Buster Keaton.   © 2-21-19   LP13449

BULLS EYE FILM CORP.:

?     ONE NIGHT ONLY (d./w. Charles Parrott; ph. L. J. Burrud; c. Leo White, Monte Banks, Charles Dorety, Harry Mann, Beatrice Lovejoy, James Parrott)  Comedy in a run down vaudeville house.  © 8-2-19   LP14019

?     DON 'T PARK HERE (d. Charles Parrott; c. Evelyn Nelson, Harry Mann, Monte Banks, Roscoe "Tiny" Ward, Charles Dorety, Leo White, Jimmy Parrott)  Comic car thieves terrorize the city.  Banks plays "one of the idle rich". © 8-22-19   LP14119

?     Incomplete 35mm print in Library of Congress collection  under title, UNIDENTIFIED NICHOL NO. 40 (1 rl of 2; d. Charles Parrott; c. Billy West, Monty Banks, Mack Swain, Leo White, F. Stanton Heck)  West, Banks, and Swain run a detective agency and are constantly at odds with    hairdresser Leo White whose salon is across the hall. Shown at Pordenone in 1994 but title still unidentified.

1920:

COMIQUE FILM CORPORATION/ PARAMOUNT PICTURES:

1-11  THE GARAGE aka FIRE CHIEF (p. Joseph M. Schenck; d./w./c. Roscoe Arbuckle; sc. Jean Havez; ph. Elgin Lessley; ed. Herbert Warren; c. Buster Keaton, Molly Malone, Harry McCoy, Daniel Crimmins, Monty Banks, Luke the Dog)  Monty has an unbilled bit as the owner of a vaudeville dog show.  Buster Keaton's final film with Arbuckle.  © 12-15-19   LP 14555 

FAMOUS PLAYERS-LASKY/PARAMOUNT PICTURES:

2-22  TOO MUCH JOHNSON (5 rls; d. Doland Crips; sc. Tom J. Ghereghty from the play by William Gillette; c. Bryant   Washburn, Lola Wilson, Adele Farrington, G.H. Geldart, Monte Blue, Monte Banks, Elsie Lorimer, Gloria Hope, George Hackathorn, Phil Gastrock)  Monty plays a cuckolded husband in this comedy of marital infidelity.  © 12-3-19 LP14531

VITAGRAPH CO. OF AMERICA :

Mar   THE GROCERY CLERK (w./d/.c. Larry Semon; c. Lucille Carlisle , Monte Banks, Frank Alexander, Bill Hauber, Pete Gordon)  Clerk Larry causes havoc in a grocery store.  A title card describes Banks' character as "A 'he vamp', who, through his 'oily' ways, became the town 'gusher'".  © 1-29-20   LP 14722

STAR COMEDIES/UNIVERSAL PICTURES:

5-28  A HERO'N EVERYTHING  (1 rl; d. Allan Curtis; c. Monty Banks, Mavis Montell)  Country boy Monty follows his love to the city where he prevents her from marrying a city slicker.  © 5-28-20   LP15175

MERMAID COMEDIES/EDUCATIONAL FILM EXCHANGES:

8-7   DUCK INN  (p. Jack White; d. Gilbert W. Pratt; c. Lloyd Hamilton, Marvel Rea, Monty Banks)   Two members of a duck hunting club vie for the same woman.  No©

WARNER BROTHERS/FEDERATED FILM EXCHANGES: 

Sept  HIS NAUGHTY NIGHT (d. Gilbert W. Pratt; w. Clyde Bruckman; c. Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert) No©

Oct.  A RARE BIRD (d. Gilbert W. Pratt; w. Clyde Bruckman; c. Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert)  Monty tries to help a lady and her mischievous parrot with disastrous consequences. No© 

Nov.  A FLIVVER WEDDING (d. Gilbert W. Pratt; w. Clyde Bruckman; c. Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert)  No©

Dec.  NEARLY MARRIED (d. Gilbert W. Pratt; w. Clyde Bruckman; c. Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert) No©

1921:

Jan.  KIDNAPPER'S REVENGE (d. Gilbert W. Pratt; w. Clyde Bruckman; c. Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert) No©

Feb.  A BEDROOM SCANDAL (d. Gilbert W. Pratt; w. Clyde Bruckman; c. Monty Banks, Bee Jamieson, Bill Braisdell, Flo Carpenter, Florence Gilbert)  Marital misunderstandings. No©

Mar.  HIS DIZZY DAY (d. Gilbert W. Pratt; w. Clyde Bruckman; c.  Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert) No©

Apr.  WHERE IS MY WIFE? (d. Gilbert W. Pratt; w. Clyde Bruckman; c. Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert) No©  At the beach, Monty's wife keeps attracting rival suitors. 

May   HIS FIRST HONEYMOON (d. Gilbert W. Pratt; c. Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert) No©

June  BRIDE AND GLOOM (d. Jack Warner or Gilbert W. Pratt; c. Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert, Sid Smith, William Blaisdell)  Monty tries everything to collect on his accident insurance, but to no avail.  No©

July  IN AND OUT (d. Gilbert W. Pratt; c. Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert) No©

July  PEACEFUL ALLEY (d. Gilbert W. Pratt; w. Clyde Bruckman; c. Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert)   Trouble erupts when Monty finds a pocketbook in a tough neighborhood.  No© 

Aug.  FRESH AIR  (d. Gilbert W. Pratt; c. Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert) Monty must capture a live "woof" in order to win his girl.  No©

Aug.  SQUIRREL FOOD (d. Gilbert W. Pratt; c. Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert)  Monty finds himself behind prison bars when he is used by his girlfriend to free her brother.  No© 

Dec.  THE POOR SIMP (p. Jack Warner; d. Gilbert W. Pratt; c. Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert) No©

12-21 CLEANED AND DRY (d. Jack Warner; c. Monty Banks, Florence Gilbert) Monty uses his dry cleaning delivery service to appropriate clothes for his own use.  No©

?     BE CAREFUL (p. Jack Warner; c. Monty Banks, Thelma Worth)   No©

?     SAILING ALONG (p. Jack Warner; c. Monty Banks, Marian Nixon)   No©

1922:

BEN WILSON/FEDERATED FILM EXCHANGES:     

April F.O.B. AFRICA (p. Ben Wilson; c. Monty Banks, William Blaisdell)  Automobile salesman Monty takes over the African territory.  No©

9-25  PURE BUT SIMPLE (p./d. Ben Wilson; c. Monty Banks)  A canoe race settles a contest between rival suiters.  No©

10-23 LOVE TAPS (p./d. Ben Wilson; c. Monty Banks)  Love in a boardinghouse leads to fisticuffs in the street.  No©

11-10 BRILLIANTINO THE BULL FIGHTER (p./d. Ben Wilson; c. Monty   Banks) No©

12-18 6 A.M. (p./d. Ben Wilson; c. Monty Banks) No©

?     GOLD RECEPTION (p. Ben Wilson; d. Herman C. Raymaker; c. Monty Banks) No©

?     LOVE'S HANDICAP (p. Ben Wilson; d. Ward Hayes; c. MontyBanks) No©

1923:

1-15  HANGIN' AROUND (p./d. Ben Wilson; c. Monty Banks, Lois Byrd) No©

2-13  OIL'S WELL (p./d. Ben Wilson; c. Monty Banks) No©

?     PLEASE ARREST ME (p. Ben Wilson; c. Monty Banks) No©

?     EAST IS WORST (p. Ben Wilson; c. Monty Banks) No©

?     A QUIET VACATION (p. Ben Wilson; c. Monty Banks) No©

?     TRY AND GET IT (d. Ben Wilson?; c. Monty Banks) No©

?     FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING (d. Ben Wilson?; c. Monty Banks) No©

MONTY BANKS COMEDIES/GRAND ASHER DISTRIBUTING CORP.:

9-29  PAGING LOVE (d. Herman C. Raymaker; c. Monty Banks, Lois Boyd, Catherine Bennett, Bill Kelley, Ena Gregory, William Blaisdell)  Monty tries to make good as an encyclopedia salesman in order to win his girl.  © 7-26-23   LP 19234

9-30 THE COVERED SCHOONER (d. Harry Edwards; ph. Wlm. Williams; art dir. Earle Olin; c. Monty Banks, Lois Boyd, Jack Dawn, Milton Yahrney, William Blaisdell, Bill Kelley)  After several failed suicide attempts, Monty is shanghaied, then befriends a gorilla.  © 8-23-23   LP19349

10-30 SOUTHBOUND, LTD . (working title: PULLMAN STORY; w./d. Alfred Goulding; or d. Gilbert W. Pratt;  c. Monty Banks, Lois Boyd, William Blaisdell, Catherine Bennett, Bill Kelley)  Fleeing form a cop, Monty hops a train where he foils a hold up.  The climax is a race between an auto and the train's engine.  © 9-21-23   LP19429

11-30 TAXI PLEASE (d. Harry Edwards; c. Monty Banks, Lois Boyd, William Blaisdell, Ena Gregory, Catherine Bennett)  Taxi    driver Monty is framed as a thief and sent to jail, but   later proves his innocence and wins the girl. © 10-9-23 LP19482

12-30 ALWAYS LATE (d. Herman C. Raymaker; c. Monty Banks, William Blaisdell, Catherine Bennett)  Clerk Monty is almost late      for his wedding when the hat in which he hid his wedding ring blows away. © 10-23-23   LP19522

1924:

1-30  THE BOY IN BLUE (d. Harry Edwards; c. Monty Banks, William Blaisdell, Milton Fahrney, Catherine Bennett)  Amateur   detective Monty wants to become a policeman, but can't pass the physical because of a bad tooth.  © 11-19-23 LP19628

2-29  HOT SANDS (d. Herman C. Raymaker; c. Monty Banks, Catherine Bennett, Bill Kelley, William Blaisdell, Ena Gregory) Monty and his rival vie for the attentions of a girl at the beach and at an amusement park.  © 12-26-23   LP19771

3-17  WEDDING BELLS (working title WEDDING RINGS; d. Harry Edwards; c. Monty Banks, Ena Gregory, Catherine Bennett) Monty must babysit and the get rid of a neighbor's dog before his fiance will marry him.  © 2-5-24   LP19888 

4-18  PAY OR MOVE (d. Harry Edwards; c. Monty Banks, Ena Gregory)  Monty tries to win the respect of his girlfriend's father by freeing him from the extortionist group, "Koo Koo Klan".  © 3-10-24   LP19972

5-11  RACING LUCK (6 rls.; d. Herman C. Raymaker; st. Jean Havez, Lex Neal; ph. Ray June; c. Monty Banks, Helen Ferguson, Martha Franklin, D. J. Mitsoras, Lionel Belmore, Francis McDonald, William Blaisdell, Al Martin, Al Thompson, Ed Carlie, Scadato)  Monty plays Italian immigrant Mario Bianchi who runs afoul of gangsters but proves himself by winning an auto race. © 4-18-23   LU20088

6-2   A WILD GOOSE CHASE (d. Herman C. Raymaker; c. Monty Banks, Catherine Bennett)  A goose swallows Monty's wedding ring just as he is about to give it to his girl. © 2-7-24   LP20053

6-26  KIDS WANTED (d. Harry Edwards; c. Monty Banks, Ena Gregory, William Blaisdell)  To win an inheritance, bachelor Monty must pose as a husband and father.  © 5-21-24   LP20222

7-8   THE GOLF BUG (d. Herman C. Raymaker; c. Monty Banks) While attempting to golf, Monty saves a farm girl on a runaway buggy.  ©6-18-24  LP20319

7-10  HOME COOKING (d. Herman C. Raymaker; c. Monty Banks, Eva  Gregory, William Blaisdell)  Monty and Ena are newlyweds who try to impress their parents with their culinary skills. © 6-19-24   LP20318

?  A CONCRETE MIX-UP (d. Harry Edwards; c. Monty Banks, Ena Gregory, Catherine Bennett, Bill Kelley  No©

1925:

PATHE EXCHANGE, INC./MONTY BANKS PICTURES CORP.

9-6   KEEP SMILING (6 rls; d. Gilbert W. Pratt, Albert Austin; st. Monty Banks, Herman C. Raymaker, Clyde Bruckman; ph. James Diamond, Lee Garmes, Barney McGill; ed. Claude    Berkeley; technician. Frederick Ritter; c. Monty Banks,   Robert Edeson, Anne Cornwall, Stanhope Wheatcroft, len Cavender, Donald Morelli, Syd Crossley, Ruth Holly, Martha Franklin, Jack Huff, Mrs. Tom Forman)  Hydrophibic inventor Monty must participate in a speedboat race. © 8-28-25   LU21781

1926:

10-10 ATTA BOY (6 rls; p. A, MacArthur; d. Edward H. Griffith; st. Charles Horan, Alf Goulding; t. Harold Christie; ph. William Reese, Ted Tetzlaff, Blake Wagner; c. Monty Banks, Virginia Bradford, Ernie Wood, Fred Kelsey, Virginia Pearson, Henry A. Barrows, Earl Metcalf, Mary Carr, Jimmie Phillips)   Copy boy Monty Milde makes reporter and foils a kidnap plot. © 10-4-26   LU23179

1927:

1-30  PLAY SAFE (5 rls; p. Howard Estabrook; d. Joseph Henabery; sc. Charles Horan, Harry Sweet; st. Monty Banks; ph. Blake Wagner; c. Monty Banks, Virginia Lee Corbin, Charles Mailes, Charles Gerard, Bud Jamieson, Rosa Gore, Syd Crossley, Max Ascher, Fatty Alexander)  Monty falls in love with an heiress who is being victimized by a dishonest trustee.  NOTE:  An extant two-reel version entitled, CHASING CHOO-CHOOS was derived from the climactic runaway train sequence of this film, as was the final segment of Robert Youngson's DAYS OF THRILLS AND LAUGHTER   (1961) ©1-27-27  LU23549

4-17  HORSE SHOES (6 rls; p. A. MacArthur; d. Clyde Bruckman; st./sc. Monty Banks, Charles Horan; ph. James Diamond; c. Monty Banks, Ernie Wood, Henry Barrows, John Elliott, Jean  Arthur, Arthur Thalasso, Bert Appling, Agostino Borgato,  Florence Lee, Ida Darling, Alfred Fisher)  Young lawyer Monte Milde solves a mystery and wins the heart of his employer's daughter.  © 3-5-27  LU23727

12-4  FLYING LUCK (aka THE FLYING FOOL; 7 rls; p. Monty Banks; d. Herman C. Raymaker; sc. Charles Horan, Matt Taylor; t. Paul   Perez; st. Charles Horan, Monty Banks; ph. James Diamond; c. Monty Banks, Jean Arthur, J. W. Johnston, Kewpie Morgan, Eddie Chandler, Silver Harr)  Monty, a graduate of a flying school correspondence course, helps the army win an air stunt show.  © 10-30-27   LP24641

1928:

1-15  A PERFECT GENTLEMAN (p. A. MacArthur; d. Clyde Bruckman; st./sc. Charles Horan, ph. James Diamond; c. Monty Banks,   Ernest Wood, Henry Barrows, Ruth Dwyer, Arthur Thalasso, Hazel Howell, Agostino Borgato, Mary Foy, Syd Crossley, Jackie Coombs)  Everything goes wrong for bank clerk Monty Brooks on the day of his wedding.  © 7-19-27   LU24193

NOTE: BANKS' U.S. CAREER AS A STARRING COMEDIAN ENDED WITH "A PERFECT GENTLEMAN".  WITH ONLY A FEW EXCEPTIONS, ALL OF THE FOLLOWING FILMS WERE PRODUCED IN GREAT BRITAIN .  THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT THIS WORK IS DENIS GIFFORD'S THE BRITISH FILM CATALOGUE: 1895-1970.  GIFFORD LISTS FILMS ACCORDING TO THE FIRST EXHIBITORS' TRADE SHOWING OR OTHER CRITERIA, EVEN THOUGH THIS MAY PRECEDE THE ACTUAL RELEASE DATE BY AS MUCH AS A YEAR.  ALL FILMS LISTED BELOW ADHERE TO GIFFORD'S CHRONOLOGY.

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL PICTURES:

Aug.  CHAMPAGNE (British; p. John Maxwell; d. Alfred Hitchcock; sc. Eliot Stannard based on the novel by Hall Caine; ph. John J. Cox; asst. dir. Frank Mills; c. Betty Balfour, Jean Bradin, Theo Von Alten, Gorden Harker, Monty Banks?[cameo])

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL PICTURES / WARDOUR:

Sept. ADAM 'S APPLE (aka HONEYMOON AHEAD (USA); British; 7200'; d./sc. Tim Whelan; co-sc. Rex Taylor; ph. Rene Guissart, C. W. Pocknall; art.d. J. E. Wills; c. Monty Banks, Gillean Dean, Lena Halliday, Judy Kelly, Colin Kenney, Dino Galvani, Hal Gordon, Charles O'Shaughnessy, Alfred Hitchcock?[cameo])  NOTE: A 9.5mm short derived from this feature was released to European film collectors under the title, MONTY, CUSTOMS' OFFICIAL.

Oct.  COCKTAILS (British; 6236' & 6100'; d. Monty Banks; st. S. Sydney, Rex Taylor; c. Long and Short, Enid Stamp-Taylor, Nigel Barrie)

Dec.  WEEKEND WIVES (British; 7226'; d. Harry Lachman;  sc. Victor Kendall, Rex Taylor; ph. J. J. Cox; art. Hugh Gee; ed. Emile de Ruelle; c. Estelle Brody, Annette Benson, Jameson Thomas, Monty Banks, George Gee, Ernest Thesiger. Koko Arrah)  NOTE: Pathescope released a two reel version of this film in 9.5mm to European film collectors.

1929:

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL PICTURES:

Nov.  ATLANTIC (British; 90 mns; all-talking with foreign language versions; from the play (or novel?), "The Berg" by Ernest Raymond; 
p./d. E. A. Dupont, ph. Charles Rosher; m. John Reynders; c. John Longden, Madeleine Carroll, Ellaline Terriss, Franklin Dyall, Arthur Hardy, Monty Banks, Donald Calthrop, Francis Lister, Joan Barry, John Stuart)

1930:

PRODUCERS DISTRIBUTING CORP./UNIVERSAL PICTURES:

Feb.  EVE'S FALL (British; 34 mins; p. Gordon Bostock; d. Monty Banks st. Arthur Eckersly, Gordon Bostock; ph. T.H. Sparkuhl, H.E. Palmer; snd. D.F. Scanlen; c. John Stuart, Muriel Angeus, Donald Stuart, Joy Windsor, Irwin Twins, Happy Boys, Louise Blackburn, Ian Wilson)  
© 9-3-30 LP1528

Feb.  AMATEUR NIGHT IN LONDON (British; released in the U.S. by Pathe Checker Comedies as TRYING THEM OUT; 34 mns; 
d. Monty Banks; st. Gordon Bostock; ph. J. Cox, H.E. Palmer; snd. A. Ross; c. Billy Caryll, Duncan & Godfrey, Charlie Rego, Billie Rego, Plaza Boys, Don & Luis, Archie McCaig, Harry Rogers, Jessie Hitter, James Barber, Tubby Phillips)   ©4-25-30  LP1997

Mar.  THE NEW WAITER (British; released in the U.S. by Pathe on 6-8-30 ; 35 mns; d. Monty Banks; c. Rebla, Robert Hine, Leonard Henry, Quentin Tod, Barry Oliver, Betty Oliver, Joy Spring, Betty Frankiss, Charlot Girls)

Mar.  THE MUSICAL BEAUTY SHOP (British; released in the U.S. by Pathe on 6-1-30 ; 35 mns; p. Gordon Bostock; d. Monty Banks; 
c. Leonard Henry, Ethel Baird, Barrie Oliver, Pope Stamper, Betty Oliver, Joy Spring, Charlot Girls)

Apr.  THE JERRY BUILDERS (British; released in the U.S. by Pathe Rainbow Comedies on 9-28-30 as NEAT AND TIDY; 30 mns; p. Gordon Bostock; d. Monty Banks; ph. Walker Blakeley; snd. George Adams; ed. A. Knott; c. Barrie Oliver, Jerry & Company, Collinson & Dean, Harry Taft, Jack Warman, Billy Reeves, Tubby Phillips, Hayes & York, Bell & Mavin, Phyllis Dillon) ©8-10-30  LP1538

May   HIS FIRST CAR (aka GEORGE CLARKE'S NEW CAR ; British; released in the U.S. by Pathe Checker Comedies as I'LL TAKE       THAT ONE ; 35 mns; p. Gordon Bostock; d. Monty Banks; story? Lauri Wylie; sc. Brock Williams; ph. Walter Blakely; snd.  George Adams; 
ed. A. Knott; c. George Clarke, Mamie Watson, Cyril Smith, Billy Tasker, Norah Dwyer, George Smith, Florence Woodgage, Tommy Latter) 
© 10-5-30   LP1613

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL PICTURES/WARDOUR:

Mar.  THE COMPULSORY HUSBAND (British; 84 mins,; from novel by John Glyder; d./c. Monty Banks; sc. Rex Taylor, Val Valentine; 
c. Monty Banks, Gladys Frazin, Clifford Heatherley, Lillian Manton, Trilby Clark, Reginald Fox, Janet Alexander, Michael Powell.  Research has yet to determine if this is the same Michael Powell who would later become a celebrated writer/director.)

Apr.  NOT SO QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (British; 50 mins; based on a story by Syd Courtneay and Lola Harvey; d. Monty       Banks); w. Victor Kendall; ph. James Rogers; c. Leslie Fuller, Mona Goya, Wilfred Temple, Stella Browne, Gladys Cruickshank, Gerald Lyle, Dmitri Vetter, Syd Courteney, Frank Melroyd, Marjorie Loring, Olivette)

Aug.  KISS ME SERGEANT (British; 56 min.; based on the play, "The Idol of Moolah" by Sydney Courtenay and Lola Harvey; p. John Maxwell; d. Monty Banks; w. Val Valentine; c. Leslie Fuller, Gladys Cruickshank, Gladys Frazin, Syd Courteney, Mamie Holland, Frank Melroyd, Lola Harvey, Roy Travers, Olivette, Marika Rokk, Gotham Quartette)

Sept. WHY SAILORS LEAVE HOME (British; 70 mns; p. John Maxwell; d. Monty Banks; w. Val Valentine; st. Syd Courteney, Lola Harvey; ph. James Rogers; Leslie Fuller, Peter Barnard, Eve   Gray, Gladys Cruickshank, Dmitri Vetter, Frank Melroyd, Syd Courteney, Lola Harvey, Gerard Lyley, Bob Johnson, Olivette, Marika Rokk)

Oct.  THE BLACK HAND GANG  (British; 63 mns; based on the play, "The Black Hand Gang"; d. Monty Banks; w. R. P. Weston, Bert Lee; 
c. Wee Georgie Wood, Dolly Harmer, Violet Young,   Lionel Hoare, Junior Banks, Viola Compton, Alfred Woods)

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL PICTURES / WARDOUR:

Oct.  ALMOST A HONEYMOON (British; 100 min.; d./w. Monty Banks; co-w. Walter Mycroft; ph. Jack Cox; c. Clifford Mollison, Donald Calthrop, Dorothy "Dodo" Watts, Lamont Dickson, C. M. Hallard)

FILMS ALBATROS:

?     LE MONSIEUR DE MINUIT (French version of ALMOST A HONEYMOON; 95 mins; d. Harry Lachman; sc. Val Valentine, Monty Banks, Walter C. Mycroft; ph. Rudolph mate, Monteran, Gerard Perrin; w. Lazare Meerson, Robert Jules Garnier; mus. Rene Mercier Helmore; c. Jean Weber, Josseline Gaal, Jules Moy, Odette Talazac, Marcel Simon, Jean Gobel, Jean Guitton, Louis Vonelly, Manzoni, Stephen Weber, Leo Courtois)

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL PICTURES / WARDOUR:

1931:

Mar.  OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE (aka SHOW A LEG ; British; 58 min.; p./d. Monty Banks; w. Val Valentine; st. Syd Courtenay,                 Lola Harvey; c. Leslie Fuller, Max Nesbitt, Alf Goddard, Molly Lamont, Mamie Holland, Wellington Briggs, Wilfred Sine, Nigel Barrie, Harry Nesbitt, Hal Gordon)

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL PICTURES/FIRST NATIONAL/PATHE:

Mar.  WHAT A NIGHT! (aka WANTED ?; British; 58 min.; p./d. Monty Banks; w. Syd Courtenay, Lola Harvey; c. Leslie Fuller, Molly Lamont, Frank Stanmore, Charles Paton, Syd Courteney, Ernest Fuller, Molly Hamley-Clifford, Olivette, Lola Harvey)

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL PICTURES/WARDOUR:

June  MY WIFE'S FAMILY (British; 80 mins; from the play of the same name by Fred Duprez, Hal Stephens, Harry B. Linton; p. John Maxwell; d. Monty Banks; w. Fred Duprez, Val Valentine; c. Gene Gerrard, Muriel Angelus, Any Veness, Charles Paton, Dodo Watts, Tom Helmore, Molly Lamont, Ellen Pollock, Jimmy Gooden)

July  POOR OLD BILL (British; 52 mns; p. Walter C. Mycroft; d. Monty Banks; w. Val Valentine; s. Syd Courtenay, Lola Harvey; ph. Claude Friese-Greene; c. Leslie Fuller, Iris Ashley; Syd Courteney, Peter Lawford, Hal Gordon, Robert Brooks-Turner, Dick Francis)

1932:

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL PICTURES/PATHE:

Jan.  MONEY FOR NOTHING (British; 72 mns; p./st./c. Seymour Hicks; d. Monty Banks; w. Victor Kendall, Walter C. Mycroft; 
c. Seymour Hicks, Betty Stockfeld, Edmund Gwenn, Donald Calthrop, Henry Wenman, Philip Strange, Amy Veness, Charles Farrell, Mike Johnson, Hal Gordon, Renee Gadd, Billy Shine)

ETABLISSEMENTS JAQUES HAIK:

?     L'AMOUR ET LA VEINE (French version of MONEY FOR NOTHING?; 95 mins; d. Monty Banks; st. Seymour Hicks; sc. Victor       Kendall, Walter C. Mycroft; Pierre Mandru; ph. Paul Cotteret, Ringel; w. Jean d'Eaubonne; c. Max Dearly, Ginette Gaubert, Rachel Devirys, Robert Ancelin, Nita Alverez, Olga Valery, Paul Marthes, Henry Richard, Gabriel, Jackues, Robert Seller, Simone Lencret, Leo Courtois, 
A. Carjol, Carina, Yvonne Claudie, Joe Saint-Bonnet, Alfred Argus) 

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL PICTURES/WARDOUR:

Jan.  TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT (aka TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT-PASS IT ON aka  BILL TAKES A HOLIDAY; British; 74 mns; 
p./d./c. Monty Banks; w. Syd Courteney, Leslie Arliss; st. Syd Courteney, Lola Harvey; c. Leslie Fuller, Amy Veness, Charles   Farrell, Frank Perfitt, Syd Crossley, Hal Walters, Hal Gordon, Betty Fields, Rene Ray, Monty Banks, Lola Harvey, Syd Courteney, Mike Johnson)

WARNER BROTHERS/FIRST NATIONAL PICTURES:

6-11  THE TENDERFOOT (70-73 mns; from the play "The Butter and Egg Man" by George S. Kaufman; p. Ray Griffith; d. Ray Enright; 
w. Arthur Caesar, Monty Banks, Earl Baldwin; st. Richard Carle; ph. Gregg Toland; ed. Owen Marks; art.d. Esdras Hartley; c. Joe E. Brown, Ginger Rogers, Lew Cody, Vivien Oakland, Robert Greig, Spencer Charters, Ralph Ince, Marion "Peanuts" Byron, Douglas Gerrard, Walter Percival, Wilfred Lucas, George Chandler, Mae Madison, Lee Kohlmar,   Harry Seymour, Richard Cramer, Jill Dennett, Joe Barton, Edith Allen, John Larkin, Theodore Lorch, Alan lane, Charlotte Merrian, Zita Moulton)  A naive cowboy invests in a Broadway show.  © 6-7-32 LP3079

RKO RADIO PICTURES:

9-16  HOLD 'EM JAIL (65 or 73-74 mns; ex.p. David O. Selznick;  assoc.p. Harry Joe Brown; d. Norman Taurog; w. S. J. Perelman, Walter DeLeon, Mark Sandrich, Albert Ray; st. Tim Wheelan, Lou Lipton; ph. Lem Smith; m. Max Steiner; ed. Artie Roberts; art.d. Carroll Clark; c. Bert Wheeler, Robert Woolsey, Betty Grable, Edgar Kennedy, Edna May Oliver, Roscoe Ates, Paul Hurst, Warren Hymer, Robert Armstrong, John Sheehan, G. Pat Collins, Jed Prouty, Spencer Charters, Stanley Blystone, Monty Banks, Leo Willis, Ben Taggart, Lee Phelps, Charles Sullivan, Jim Thorpe, Johnny Kelly, Ernie S. Adams, Monte Collins, Monty Banks)  Monty plays an official scorer who fires the game pistol into the air and brings down a goose. © 9-2-32   LP3248

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL PICTURES / WARDOUR:

Dec.  FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE (British; 86 or 90 mns; based on the   play by H. F. Maltby; p. Walter C. Mycroft; d./c. Monty Banks; 
w. Clifford Grey, Frank Launder; ph. Claude Friese-Greene; c. Bobby Howes, Constance Shotter, Arthur Riscoe, Renee Macready, Jimmy Godden, Viola Tree, Wylie Watson, Hal Gordon, Syd Crossley, Monty Banks, The Carlyle Cousins)

1933:

Apr.  LEAVE IT TO ME (aka HELP; British; 76 mins.; from the play "Leave it to Psmith" by P. G. Wodehouse and Ian Hay; p. John Maxwell; 
d. Monty Banks; w. Gene Gerrard, Frank Miller, Cecil Lewis; c. Gene Gerrard, Olive Borden, Molly Lamont, George Gee, Gus McNaughton, Clive Currie, Tonie Edgar Bruce, Peter Godfrey, Syd Crossley, Melville Cooper, Wylie Watson)

July  HEADS WE GO (aka THE CHARMING DECEIVER; British; 86 mns; d. Monty Banks; w. Victor Kendall; st. Fred Thompson; m/l. Robert Hargreaves, Stanley Damerell, Montague Ewing, Tolchard Evans; c. Constance Cummings, Frank Lawton, Binnie Barnes, Gus McNaughton, Iris Ashley, Claude Hulbert, Emilio Columbo Orchestra, Fred Duprez, Ellen Pollock, Peter Godfrey, Tonie Edgar Bruce, Michael Wilding)

Oct.  YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU (British; 70 mns; p. John Maxwell; d./c. Monty Banks; w. Frank Launder based on an idea by Stanley Lupino; ph. John J. Cox; ed. A. S. Bates; m.d. Harry Acres; m./l. Stanley Lupino, Noel Gay, Clifford Grey; c. Stanley Lupino, Thelma Todd, John Loder, Gerald  Rawlinson, James Carew, Charles Mortimer, Hugh E. Wright, Charlotte Parry, Arthur Rigby, Jr., Syd Crossley, Monty Banks)

1934:

WARNER BROTHERS/FIRST NATIONAL:

Mar.  GIRL IN POSSESSION (British; 72 mns; p. Irving Asher; d./w./c. Monty Banks; c. Laura La Plante, Henry Kendall, Claude Hulbert, Monty Banks, Bernard Nedell, Millicent Wolfe, Ernest Sefton, Charles Paton, Charlotte Perry)

May   THE CHURCH MOUSE (British; released in the U.S. by Warner Bros./First National on 12-15-34 ; 72-76 mns; from the play of the same name by Ladislas Fodor, Paul Frank; p. Irving Asher; d./c. Monty Banks; w. W. Scott Darling, Tom Geraghty; snd. Leslie Murray, H.C. Pearson; c. Laura La Plante, Ian Hunter, Edward Chapman, Jane Carr, Clifford Heatherly, John Batten, Gibb McLaughlin, Monty Banks, Florence Wood) © 12-1-34   LP5134

Sept. FATHER AND SON (British; 48 mns; based on the novel, "Barber John's Boy" by Ben Ames Williams; p. Irving Asher; d. Monty Banks; w. Randall Faye; c. Edmund Gwenn, Esmond Knight, James Finlayson, Charles Carson, Daphne Courtney, O. B. Clarence, Margaret Yarde, Roland Culver)

COMPAGNIE FRANCAISE CINEMATOGRAPHIQUE:

?     VOTRE SOURIRE (French; 85 mns; d. Monty Banks, Pierre Caron; sogg? from the comedy by George Dolley and Andre Birabeau; 
ph. Henry Barreyre; mus. Pierre Vellones; c. Marie Glory, Renee Devilder, Simone Deguyse, Victor Boucher, Ramond Rognoni, Daniel Lecourtois, Colette Claudey, Pierre Huchet, Michele Verly, Jean Dehelly, Louis Baron fils, Mathe Mussine, Jean Rousseliere, Inka Krymer, Georges Benoit, Andre Lannes)

VOGUE/PATHE:

Sept. FALLING IN LOVE (aka TROUBLE AHEAD (USA) aka BEAUTY BALL;  British; 74 mns; p. Howard Welsch; d./c. Monty Banks; w. Fred Thompson, Miles Malleson, John Paddy Carstairs; st. E. Bard, A. Hyman, Lee Leob; ph. Geoffrey Faithfull; m/l. Carroll Gibbons; 
c. Charles Farrell, Mary Lawson, Gregory Ratoff, H. F. Maltby, Diana Napier, Cathleen Nesbitt, Pat Aherne, Margot Graham, Sally Stewart, Monty Banks [as "The Film Director"], Marion Harris)

1935:

WARNER BROTHERS/FIRST NATIONAL:

Mar.  SO YOU WON 'T TALK (British; 84 mns; p. Irving Asher;  d./c. Monty Banks; w. Russel Medcraft, Frank Launder; st. Tom Geraghty; ph. Basil Emmott; c. Monty Banks, Vera Pearce, Bertha Belmore, Enid Stamp-Taylor, Muriel Angelus, Ralph Ince, Claude Dampier, Julian Royce, A. Bromley Davenport, Peter Bernard, Jack Harley)

WARNER BROTHERS:

June  HELLO SWEETHEART (British; 70 mns; based on the play "The Butter and Egg Man" by George S. Kaufman; p. Irving Asher; d. Monty Banks; w. Brock Williams; ph. Basil Emmott; c. Claude Hulbert, Gregory Ratoff, Jane Carr, Nancy O'Neil, Olive Blakeney, Cyril Smith, Morris Harvey, Felix Aylmer, Phyllis Stanley, Johnnie Nit, Three Ginx, Marriott Edgar, Carroll Gibbons, Ernest Sefton)

ALLIED FILM PRODUCTIONS/PATHE-VOGUE:

Aug.  18 MINUTES (British; released in the U.S. as THIS WOMAN IS MINE by Paramount on 8-9-35 ; 69-70, 75 or 80 mns; p.   Gregory Ratoff; d. Monty Banks; w. Fred Thompson, Tom J. Geraghty, Ossip Dymow; st. Gregory Ratoff; ph. Jack Cox, Gregory Faithfull; mus. Alexis Archangelsky; c. Gregory Ratoff, John Loder, Benita Hume, Kathryn Sergava, Richard Bennett, Hugh Wakefield, Paul Graetz, Carl Harbord,   Rosamund Barnes, Hal Gordon, Margaret Yarde, Jullin) © 8-16-35   LP5715  

FIRST NATIONAL-WARNER BROTHERS:

Sept. MAN OF THE MOMENT (aka WATER NYMPH; British; 82 mns; based on the play, "The Water Nymph" by Yves Mirande; p. Irving    Asher; d./c. Monty Banks; w. Roland Pertwee, Guy Bolton, A. R. Rawlinson, ph. Basil Emmott, Leslie Rowson; c. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Laura LaPlante, Claude Hulbert, Margaret Lockwood, Donald Calthrop, Peter Gawthorne, Monty Banks)

ASSOCIATED TALKING PICTURES/ ABF :

Nov.  NO LIMIT (British; 79 or 80 mins.; p. Basil Dean; d. Monty Banks; w. Tom Geraghty, Fred Thompson; st. Walter Greenwood; ph. Robert G. Martin; m/l. Harry Parr Davies, Clifford and Cliffe; c. George Formby, Florence Desmond, Howard Douglas, Beatrix Fielden-Kaye, Peter Gawthorne, Alf Goddard, Florence Gregson, Jack Hobbs, Eve Lister, Edward   Rigby, Evelyn Roberts, Ernest Sefton, Arthur Young)

1936:

ASSOCIATED TALKING PICTURES/ASSOCIATED BRITISH FILM DIST.:

Feb.  QUEEN OF HEARTS (British; 80 mns; p. Basil Dean; d./c. Monty Banks; w. Clifford Grey, H. F. Maltby, Douglas Furber, Anthony Kimmins, Gordon Wellesley; ph. John W. Boyle; c. Gracie Fields, John Loder, Enid Stamp-Taylor, Fred Duprez, Edward Rigby, Julie Suedo, Jean Lister, Hal Gordon, Syd Crossley, Madeline Seymour, H. F. Maltby, Margaret Yarde, Monty Banks)

ASSOCIATED TALKING PICTURES/ABF :

Sept. KEEP YOUR SEATS PLEASE (British; 82 mns; based on the play, "The Twelve Chairs" by Elie Ilf, Eugene Petrov; p. Basil Dean; d. Monty Banks; w. Tom Geraghty, Anthony Kimmins, Ian Hay; ph. John W. Boyle; c. George Formby, Florence Desmond, Gus McNaughton, Alastair Sim, Harry Tate, Fiona Stewart, Hal Gordon, Fred Culpitt, Margaret Moffatt, Maud Gill, Mike Johnson, Ethel Coleridge, Tom Payne, Beatrix Fielden-Kaye)

LONDON SCREENPLAYS-FANFARE/RKO:

Dec.  HONEYMOON MERRY-GO-ROUND (aka OLYMPIC HONEYMOON; British; 63 mns; based on the novel "He and Ski" by F. Dawson Geatrix; p. Sidney Morgan; d./w. Alfred Goulding; w/.a. Monty Banks; w. Warren Chetwynd Strode, Joan Morgan; ph. Ernest Palmer; c. Claude Hulbert, Monty Banks, Princess Pearl, Sally Gray, Tully Comber, Bob Bowman, Wembley Lions Ice Hockey Team)

1938:

TWENTIETH CENTURY/ FOX :

June  WE'RE GOING TO BE RICH (aka HE WAS HER MAN ; British; released in the U.S. by New World Pictures/Twentieth      Century Fox on 7-8-38 ; 78-80 mns; assoc.p. Samuel G. Engel; d. Monty Banks; w. Sam Hellman, Rohama Siegel; st. James Edward Grant, ph. Mutz Greenbaum, ed. James Clarke; m./l. Lew Pollack, Sidney D. Mitchell, Harry Parr-Davies, Will Haynes, Jim Harper, Noel Forrester, Greatrex Newman, Howard Flynn, Ralph Butler; mus.d. Arthur Lange; snd. Martin Paggi, Roger Heman; c. Gracie Fields, Victor McLaglen, Brian Donlevy, Coral Browne, Ted Smith, Gus McNaughton, Charles Carson, Syd Crossley, Hal Gordon, Robert Nainby, Charles Harrison, Tom Payne, Don McCorkindale, Joe Mott, Alex Davies, Monty Banks?) © 7-8-38   LP8158

Dec.  KEEP SMILING (aka PICCADILLY CIRCUS; British; released in the U.S. as SMILING ALONG by New World Pictures/ Twentieth Century-Fox on 1-20-39 ; 83, 85, 91 or 92 mns; p. Robert T. Kane; d. Monty Banks; w. William Conselman, Val Valentine, Rodney Ackland; ph. Mutz Greenbaum; ed. James B. Clark , mus.d. Bretton Byrd;   mus./lyr. Harry Parr-Davies, Leslie Elliott, Robert Rutherford, Gerald Paul, J.P. Long, Will E. Haines, Jimmy Harper; c. Gracie Fields, Roger Livesey, Mary Maguire, Peter Coke, Jack Donahue, Hay Petrie, Mike Johnson, Eddie  Gray, Tommy Fields, Gladys Dehl, Nino Rossini, Edward Rigby, Joe Mott, Gus McNaughton, Phillip Leaver, Skippy the dog)

1939:

July  SHIPYARD SALLY (working title: SALLY GOES TO TOWN; British; released in the U.S. by Twentieth Century-Fox on 10-20-39 ; 77, 79 or 80 mns; p. Robert T. Kane; d./c. Monty Banks; st. Gracie Fields, Tom Geraghty, Val Valentine; w. Karl   Tunberg, Don Ettlinger; ph. Otto Kanturek; mus.d. Louis   Levy; ed. R.E. Dearing; snd. M.M. Paggi; mus./lyr. Phil Park, Harry Parr-Davies, Fred Weatherly, Arthur C. Benson, Edward Elgar; c. Gracie Fields, Sydney Howard, Morton Selten, Norma Varden, Oliver Wakefield, Tucker McGuire, MacDonald Parke, Richard Cooper, Joan Cowick, Monty Banks)

1941:

5-30  BLOOD AND SAND (123 mns; color; based on the novel, "Sangre y Arena" by Vincente Blasco Ibanez; p. Darryl F. Zanuck; d. Rouben Mamoulian; w. Jo Swerling; ph. Ernest Palmer, Ray Rennahan (Technicolor); m. Alfred Newman; ed. Robert Bischoff; art d. Richard Day; c. Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Rita Hayworth, Anthony Quinn, Alla Nazimova, J. Carrol Naish, John Carradine, Laird Cregar, Lynn Bari, Vincente Gomez, Monty Banks, George Reeves) Monty plays Antonio Lopez in this story of a bullfighter trying to follow in his late father's footsteps. © 5-30-41   LP 10524 

10-10 GREAT GUNS (74 mns; p. Sol M. Wurtzel; d. Monty Banks; sp. Lou Breslow; ph. Glen MacWilliams; ed. Al de Gaetano; snd. W.D. Flick, Harry M. Leonard; mus.d. Emil Newman; c. Stan  Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Sheila Ryan, Dick Nelson, Edmund MacDonald, Charles Towbridge, Ludwig Stossel, Kane Richmond, Mae Marsh, Ethel Griffies, Paul Harvey, Charles Arnt, Pierre Watkin, Russell Hicks, Irving Bacon, Robert Lowery, Fred Kohler, Jr., Lyle Latell, Max Wagner, Billy Benedict, James Flavin, Edward Earle, Dave Willock, Harold Goodwin, Cyril Ring, Bud Geary, Leroy Mason, Alan Ladd,Walter Sande)  Inept valets Laurel and Hardy follow their wealthy employer into the army.   © 10-10-41   LP 10769         

1945:

6-14  A BELL FOR ADANO (104 mns; based on the novel by John Hersey; p. Louis D. Lighton, Lamar Trotti; d. Henry King; w. Lamar Trotti, Norman Reilly Raine; ph. Joseph La Shelle; mus.d. Alfred Newman; ed. Barbara McLean; c. Gene Tierney, John Hodiak, William Bendix, Glenn Langan, Richard Conte, Stanley Prager, Henry Morgan, Monty Banks [billed as Montague Banks], Reed Hadley, Roy Roberts, Hugo Haas, Marcel Dalio, et. al.)  In his last role, Banks plays Guiseppe, a resident of a war-ravaged Italian village. © 7-5-45   LP 13530      

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS:

THREE HATS AND TWO HEADS (1918; Keystone/Triangle, post-Sennett) seems to have been completed with an advertising campaign (see Turconi, "Monty Banks: Biofilmographia"), but there are no records of it having been released.  Could it have lost in the collapse of Keystone?

THE PULLMAN PORTER (r. 2-5-1919; p. Joseph M. Schenck; d./w./c. Roscoe Arbuckle)  Banks probably fills in for Buster Keaton.  No©

THE BANK CLERK (r. 4-5-1919; p. Joseph M. Schenck; d./w./c. Roscoe Arbuckle; c. Molly Malone)  Banks probably fills in for Buster Keaton.  No©

THE LOST HOWARD HAWKS COMEDIES (early 1920's) Howard Hawks, in his book-length interview with Joseph McBride, ("Hawks on Hawks"), clearly remembers directing Banks and Alice Terry in a series of short comedies.  Not only have no Hawks credits been found, but no films can be identified with Terry in them.  Still, the interview cannot be dismissed. 

UNDER THE RED ROBE (1937; New World Pictures/Twentieth Century-Fox) The AFI Catalogue of Films 1931-1940 cites a "Hollywood Reporter" news item stating that Monty Banks was to play "the leading acting role...opposite Conrad Veidt".  Banks is not in the final print.

UNKNOWN FOREIGN TITLES:

OSUDNY FLIRT  (MOMA)

MONTY BANKS NA HORACH  (MOMA)

MONTY BANKS A STRAZNIK  (MOMA)

VOLEUR MALGRE LUI (reported in a "Classic Images" 1972 column, "9.5 is Alive!" by Maurice Trace, as being in the possession of the Film Office of Paris in the 9.5mm format)

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCE SOURCES:

Gifford, Denis.  The British Film Catalogue 1895-1970: A Reference Guide.  New York, NY, McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1973.

Gill, Samuel A., "Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle: A Filmography" in Edmonds, Andy, Frame-up!: the Untold Story of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. New York, Avon Books, 1991.

Goble, Alan.  International Film Index: 1895-1990.  London , NJ , Bowker-Saur, 1991.

Hanson, Patricia King and Gevinson, Alan, eds. American Film Institute Catalogue of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Feature Films 1931-1940.  Berkley CA, University of California Press, 1993.

Internet Movie Database. www.imdb.com

Lahue, Kalton C. and Gill, Samuel A.  Clown Princes and Court Jesters.  Cranbury, NJ,  A. S. Barnes & Co., Inc., 1970.

Lahue, Kalton C.  World of Laughter: The Motion Picture Comedy Short: 1910-1930.  Norman, OK, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 1972.

Lauritzen, Einar and Lundquist, Gunnar.  The American Film Index: 1916-1920. Stockholm, distributed by Akademibokhandeln, University of Stockholm, 1984.

Library of Congress.  Motion Pictures 1912-1939: Catalogue of Copyright Entries. Washington, DC, Library of Congress, 1951.

Magliozzi, Ronald S., comp. & ed.  Treasures from the Film Archives: A catalogue of short, silent fiction films held by FIAF archives.  Metuchen , NJ & London , Scarecrow Press, 1988. 

McBride, Joseph.  Hawks on Hawks.  Berkeley , CA , Univ. of California Press, 1985.

Motion Picture News.  1917-1924.

Motion Picture News Booking Guide, vols. 1-4.  1920-1924.

Motography. 1917-1918.

The Moving Picture World.  1917-1924.

Munden, Kenneth W., Exec. Ed.  American Film Institute Catalogue: Feature Films 1921-1930.  NY & London, R.R. Bowker Co., 1971.

Nash, Jay Robert and Ross, Stanley Ralph.  The Motion Picture Guide.  Chicago, Cinebooks, Inc., 1987.

Neibaur, James L.  Arbuckle and Keaton: Their 14 Film Collaborations.  Jefferson NC and London, McFarland Press, 2007. 

Slide, Anthony.  The American Film Industry: A Historical Dictionary.  NY, Limelight Editions, 1990.

Turconi, Davide.  Mack Sennett: Il 'Re delle comiche'. Rome, Edizioni dell Ateneo Roma, 1961.

Turconi, Davide. Monty Banks: Biofilmografia. Censena, Italy, Centro Cinema Citta di Censena, 1987.

Universal Weekly.  1917-1919.

Weaver, John T.,Twenty Years of Silents. Metuchen, NJ, Scarecrow Press, 1971.


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