Knockout Reilly

Knockout Reillyis alost1927 Americansilentdrama filmdirected byMalcolm St. Clairand written by Pierre Collings, John W. Conway, andKenneth Raisbeckbased upon a story byAlbert Payson Terhune.The film starsRichard Dix,Mary Brian,Jack Renault,Harry Gribbon,Osgood Perkins,and Lucia Backus Seger. The film was released on April 16, 1927, byParamount Pictures.

Knockout Reilly
lobby card
Directed by	Malcolm St. Clair
Screenplay by	Pierre Collings John W. Conway Kenneth Raisbeck
Based on	"The Hunch" byAlbert Payson Terhune
Produced by	William LeBaron Malcolm St. Clair Jesse L. Lasky Adolph Zukor
Starring	Richard Dix Mary Brian Jack Renault Harry Gribbon
Cinematography	Edward Cronjager
Production company	Famous Players–Lasky Corporation
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	April 16, 1927(1927-04-16)
Running time	70 minutes
Country	United States
Language	Silent(Englishintertitles)

Plot

When a successful prizefighter known as "Killer" Agerra causes trouble in a nightclub, aNew Jerseymill worker, Dundee Reilly, knocks him out. This impresses both Pat Malone, an ex-boxer, and Pat's attractive sister Mary, who takes a liking to Reilly. Reilly becomes a boxer under Pat's tutelage, but is framed for a crime and ends up serving nearly a year behind bars at hard labor. While incarcerated, he keeps up his training.When he gets out, Agerra's opponent in an upcoming fight drops out, so Pat Malone arranges for "Knockout" Reilly to be his replacement in the ring. Agerra is much too good for him. Reilly is on the verge of being knocked out when Mary Malone visits his corner and tells him it was Agerra who framed him and caused him to go to jail. A newly motivated Reilly knocks his foe flat.

Cast

• Richard Dixas Dundee 'Knockout' Reilly
• Mary Brianas Mary Malone
• Jack Renault as Killer Agerra
• Harry Gribbonas Pat Malone
• Osgood Perkinsas Spider Cross
• Lucia Backus Seger as Mrs. Reilly
• Larry McGrath as Kewpie Dugan
• John Mertonas Buck Lennard (credited as Myrtland La Varre)
• Scotty Devlin as Reilly's Chauffeur
• John Dipse as Fighter in Preliminary Bout
• Eddie Garvey (unidentified role)
• Sailor Gibbs as Fighter at Training Camp
• Patsy Haley as Referee
• Joe Humphries as Ring Announcer
• Ted "Kid" Lewisas Fighter at Training Camp (credited as Kid Lewis)
• Tommy McFadden (unidentified role)
• Graham McNameeas Radio Reporter
• Kid McPartland as Timekeeper
• Jack Perry as Fighter at Training Camp
• Billy Vidabeck as Fighter at Training camp
• George Ward as Fighter in Preliminary Bout
• John Burdette as Minor role

Production

Film historian Ruth Anne Dwyer notes that the movie sequences dealing with training were filmed on location at theLake Placid, New York,the traditional venue for professional training camps. Actual boxing rings were built on which to film the bouts. Dwyer adds “St. Clair paid great attention to details of costuming and the sets in an effort to impart as much authentic detail as possible.” Due to his keen interest in boxing, as well as the freedom Paramount provided him in casting Knockout Reilly, St. Clair assembled numerous figures from professional boxing to appear in cameo roles.

Among these areGraham MacNamee,who covered the 1927 broadcast ofDempsey-Tunneyheavyweight match, announcerJoe Humphreysappears as himself covering the staged fight between Dix and Renault, Patsy Haley as referee, trainer Jimmy DeForrest (who trained Jack Dempsey), boxer Kid McPartland, as timekeeper, former featherweight Larry McGrath, bantam-weight champTed "Kid" Lewis,light heavyweights Billy Vidabeck and Jack Perry, and prizefighter Scotty Devlin, who plays Dix’s chauffeur in the film.

See also

• List of boxing films

References

• Dwyer, Ruth Anne. 1996.Malcolm St. Clair: His Films, 1915-1948.The Scarecrow Press,Lantham, Md., and London.ISBN0-8108-2709-3

External links

• Knockout ReillyatIMDb
• SynopsisatAllMovie
• Stillsat The Lost Films Of Richard Dix