Emil Sitka ~

The Fourth Stooge

        "The most important actor in most Stooges films, besides the Stooges themselves, was the sharp-nosed, wide-eyed Emil Sitka... His presence was such a mainstay of the operation that many thought of him as an undeclared 'fourth Stooge.'"

                                       -Moe Feinberg, Larry Fine's brother

                                         Larry The Stooge In the Middle


 

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To communicate with friends and fans of Emil Sitka, share information about his life and career, preserve the cultural heritage of the Hollywood productions in which he participated, and promote his legacy as The Fourth Stooge.


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EMIL'S FILM #6

DON'T GAMBLE WITH STRANGERS

Released June 22, 1946

Producer-Jeffrey Bernerd
Director-William Beaudine

CAST

Kane Richmond
Bernadene Hayes
Peter Cookson
Gloria Warren
Charles Trowbridge
Frank Dae
Tony Caruso
Phil Van Zandt
Harold Goodwin
Leonard Mudie
Bill Kennedy
Addison Richards
Ferris Taylor
Mary Field
Edith Evanson


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EmilSitka.com / Films / #6

DON'T GAMBLE WITH STRANGERS
(1946)


Emil Sitka's List of Movies

NO.:
DATE:
PICTURE:
STUDIO:
DAILY SALARY:
STAR:
DIRECTOR:
ROLE:
TYPE:
PROD. NO.:
6
Mar. 7, 1946
DON'T GAMBLE WITH STRANGERS
Monogram
$ 10.50
Kane Richmond
William Beaudine
gambler
worldly
4604
Emil, left, is a "worldy gambler" caught with chips in hand.


Films of Emil Sitka: DON'T GAMBLE WITH STRANGERS (1946)
by Saxon E. Sitka

          DON'T GAMBLE WITH STRANGERS was Emil's sixth movie acting job, and it seemed like his film career was starting to take off. This was his fourth film since the beginning of the year and it was only early March.
          Movie director William Beaudine had seen Emil on stage in a play and told him that he thought he had a great deal of potential as an actor. In fact, Beaudine was Emil's original sponsor for membership in the Screen Actors Guild, and Emil worked with him previously, in his second film job in ONE EXCITING WEEK a couple months earlier.
          Although his first five roles had been fairly small, they seemed to be getting a little more substantial each time: a few more lines, a few more seconds on-screen, and a little bit more "character" in each one. When his sixth movie role came around, in a feature film for Monogram Pictures, Emil had high expectations for a big role, especially since the director was William Beaudine. However, this time he would be disappointed.
          Emil's diary for Thursday, March 7, 1946:

"Don't Gamble with Strangers" -
My movie job No. 6 (only extra, tho -)
          I thought sure I'd be acting in a role in William Beaudine's latest picture here at Monogram today. After all, hasn't he been most encouraging to me at the beginning?
          So when I drove out there early this morning I had visions of many things. A role too big, or too demanding, for me to handle satisfactorily. Or another "extra" job as Mr. Beaudine previously called me for, of course, with a "bit" in mind later. Or perhaps an easy role which might carry for a week or more through a long portion of the picture?
          None of these big things, bub, none!
          At the gate there was Mr. Bert Hampton of General Casting Corporation with whom I registered about a week ago. And he handed me a mere "extra" voucher. I walked onto a set filled with hundreds of extras, all elegantly dressed - and impressing me with the idea that I certainly am nobody in Hollywood.
          I met Bill Beaudine, who answered my query "Yes, I did ask for you at General Casting." But I doubt this. Anyway, I could easily have played a lead in this!

          Extras in Hollywood are persons appearing in a film but with no lines. They are pretty much simply faces in a crowd. My dictionary says an extra is "one hired for a motion picture or stage production to augment the number of people in a crowd or group scene."
          Emil sincerely considered himself a truly serious and competent actor and vowed to himself early on that he was not going to take any roles as an extra. That was ten years earlier when he first began trying to "break into pictures." At this point, Emil apparently relaxed that vow, at least a little, but the diary also reveals his ambition and confidence.

The End

Copyright, Saxon Emil Sitka. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of any portion of this article in any form is prohibited.




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DON'T GAMBLE WITH STRANGERS (1946)



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