Jack Kelly - A Real American Boy! :)

Hello All!

I figure everyone is stir-crazy by now, so let's escape to Hong Kong--if only vicariously--with Jack Kelly and May Wynn:

I think this is my favorite Kellectible at the moment. It's a magnifico Mexican lobby card for Hong Kong Affair to which my camera didn't do justice. I can't get enough of its wild colors and crazy fonts, or of course, JK!

The wording on the right side is Google-translated as: "Opium smuggling threatening great fortunes of crime and mystery! He was going to recover a fortune and discovered the fatal intrigue! Mysterious China exposed as it is!"

Unfortunately, audiences weren't too intrigued by Hong Kong Affair, even though it starred JK, "That Bart Maverick Guy!" Less than a year after its release in 1958, it ended up in towns like Magna, Utah, where it was relegated to Saturday matinee status:

"Hong Kong Affair - That Bart Maverick Guy, Jack Kelly, his first starring picture. Filmed against the mysterious background of Hong Kong. See Jack Kelly as a real American Boy, first time on screen!" the ad for the Gem Theatre proclaimed. It added: "Hey Gang! Want to take a trip with that Bart Maverick Guy, Jack Kelly, to Hong Kong and get in on the surprise! Then see Hong Kong Affair."

The film was accompanied by cartoons, Captain Video and two feature comedies, promising fun for all.

Not surprisingly, Hong Kong Affair quickly hit the small screen. It was a "First-Run Movie" on WMAL-TV (now WJLA-TV) in Washington D.C. in 1960:

"That Bart Maverick guy [again] leaps into action in the seething Orient. Filmed hot in Hong Kong!"

Nowadays, Hong Kong Affair seems to have vanished from screens completely. Maybe it will turn up on Turner Classic Movies someday?

Well, until then, keep travelin' with TDS & keep well. :)

Jack Kelly's Universal Appeal :)

Hello!

Jack Kelly and his pals definitely aren't practicing social distancing in the photo below. But, they have a good excuse--this pic was snapped in 1953:

The info on the back of the photo reads: "THEY"RE INTERNATIONAL--WITH A UNIVERSAL APPEAL! - It's a young people's movie world at Universal-International Studios, noted for development of young talent for the screen. Herewith is a mixed group of Hollywood hopefuls and winners of the second annual 'Miss Universe' bathing beauty contest, now under contract to U-I. Left to right: Lisa Gaye; Brad Jackson; Maxine Morgan ('Miss Australia'); Lance Fuller (currently in Taza, Son of Cochise); Alicia Ibanez ('Miss Uruguay'); William Leslie; Christiane Martel ('Miss Universe' and in costume for her first movie, Yankee Pascha); Jack Kelly; and Emita Arosemena ('Miss Panama')."

A close-up of Hollywood hopeful JK:

 

Of the other U-I contract players pictured above, few besides JK went onto notable careers, although Lance Fuller did appear in "The Island in the Swamp" and "The Cats of Paradise" episodes of Maverick, portraying a character ("Faro Jack Norcross") in the latter episode which spoofed Richard Boone's "Paladin" from Have Gun--Will Travel.

 

And, Lisa Gaye (sister of actress Debra Paget) appeared with JK in the 1961 Maverick episode "State of Siege", which also guest-starred Ray Danton:



Caption: "Bart Maverick (Jack Kelly, left), Soledad (Lisa Gaye), and Don Felipe (Ray Danton) make up a happy household before 'A State of Siege' hits their Spanish hacienda, forcing them to fight for their lives on MAVERICK."


Incidentally, JK was part of another line-up of talent in 1975, this time to publicize an episode of the Ellery Queen series in which he guest-starred:

 

Well, "hopefully" this post "appealed" to you. Please stay tuned for more fun with JK in TDS and please stay well. :)