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. :)

 

A Bird in the Hand :)

Hello Everyone,

I know we all pray and hope that the COVID-19 pandemic would just disappear--now. And, it will fade away, eventually.

As a respite for now, here's Jack Kelly and Ann Blyth in a publicity still for the 1952 film Sally and Saint Anne:

It appears that JK as amateur magician "Mike O'Moyne" thinks he made a dove disappear from his hat. But, what's that in sister Sally's hand? ;)

Well, please stay tuned for more JK magic in TDS--and stay well.

A Danish "Basket" :)

Hello Everyone,

In the midst of this turbulent time of social distancing, working from home and panic buying, here's a little diversion from Denmark:

This is the cool cover of the Danish program for the episodic 1956 Mexican film Canasta de Cuentos Mexicanos, or, A Basket of Mexican Tales. As you can see, Jack Kelly (with co-star Mari Blanchard) is featured prominently on the cover. Strangely though, Ms. Blanchard gets top billing above the photo, but JK's name is a no-show.

He is mentioned in the cast list, albeit with sixth billing:

There are two more pix of JK in the section of  the program about his episode in the film ("Kurven" or "The Basket"):

The synopsis (roughly translated via Google) reads:

"Gladys and Eddie Winthrop are vacationing in Mexico. They buy some inexpensive but beautiful hand-woven baskets and take them home to New York. A chocolate maker sees one of the baskets and decides it would make excellent packaging for his goods. He places a large order for baskets with the Winthrops. They immediately return to Mexico to start production. However, they encounter an unexpected obstacle: the Indian from whom they purchased the original baskets explains that while he's not interested in becoming wealthy, the more baskets he and his family weave, the more it will cost the Winthrops because of the detailed work involved. The Winthrops realize their dream of making a quick profit from cheap labor isn't viable and reluctantly return to New York. Eddie gets a clerk job and Gladys returns the mink coat she bought thinking the basket money would pay for it."

Well, I hope this brightened your day a bit. Please stay tuned for more basketsful of fun with TDS. :)

Happy Saint Patrick's Day 2020!

Vintage original postcard physically scanned

from The La Bartista Kellection

BONUS! Jack Kelly's very own recipe for corned beef and cabbage:

Another Valentine's Day Question :)

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

A few years back, TDS asked a Valentine's Day question.

Well, here's another Valentine's Day question:

The answer is: "Of course he is!"

Because "he" is Jack Kelly:

"Don't pout if he suddenly decides to have the gang over for dinner--he'll do the cooking and you'll love it. The guy's a whiz at golf, swimming and spear fishing. Easy-going and generous, he'll surprise you with gifts. If you get a kick out of life, Kelly's the boy for you."

No doubt about that! :)

And if you get a kick out of Kelly, please stay tuned to TDS! :)

Yet Another Postcard Post :)

Hello Everyone!

Yet another Jack Kelly postcard has joined the Kellection, and it's an absolute doozy! It's also the earliest (and best) one I've seen so far:

The front of the card shows a young JK  during his pre-Maverick days as a Universal-International contract player. Just look at that smile! :) There's also a facsimile signature.

 

The reverse of the card (addressed to a fan in Kansas) has a 2-cent postmark and a plug for the U-I film Mississippi Gambler, which was released in 1953.

The message says:

"Dear Friend: Thank you for your letter. I am only too happy to send you a photograph in response to your request. In the event you wish a larger photograph, I am listing below the various sizes available. You will note a small charge is made to cover printing and mailing cost. Thanks again for writing me."

The charges are $1.00 for a 11" x 14" photo, $0.25 for an 8" x 10" photo, $0.10 for a 5" x 7" photo and $.05 for "snapshots". How I wish photos of JK were available at those prices today--I paid a lot more than $1.00 for this postcard. ;)

Well, I hope this post has your "stamp" of approval. TDS is the address for all things JK, so please stay tuned! :)