Fred Essler

The Mask of Dimitrios

A mystery writer is intrigued by the tale of notorious criminal Dimitrios Makropolous, whose dead body was found washed up on the shore in Istanbul. He decides to follow the career of Dimitrios around Europe, in order to learn more about the man. Along the way he is joined by the mysterious Mr. Peters, who has his own motivation.

The Unsinkable Molly Brown

The buoyant Molly Brown has survived the first crisis of her life—a flood. Sixteen years later she sets out to make her way in the world. She assures the Leadville saloon keeper that she can sing and play the piano, and learns quickly. Soon she marries Johnny Brown, who in a few years will be able to replace the original cigar wrapper wedding ring with a replica in gold and gemstones. The Browns head for Europe and bring a few crowned heads back to Denver for a party that turns into a ballroom brawl. Molly goes to Europe alone, returning on the Titanic. She didn't survive a flood as a baby for the story to end here.

The Benny Goodman Story

Young Benny Goodman is taught clarinet by a music professor. He is advised to play whichever kind of music he likes best, but to make a living, Benny begins by joining the Ben Pollack traveling band.

The Admiral Was a Lady

Ex-WAVE encounters four fun-loving, work-hating men, all of whom want to marry her.

The Money Trap

When half a million dollars disappears from a doctor office's safe, the cops assigned to the burglary case, Joe and Pete, decide to find the money and keep it for themselves.

Saratoga Trunk

An opportunistic Texas gambler and the exiled Creole daughter of an aristocratic family join forces to achieve justice from the society that has ostracized them.

Hot Rod Girl

After his kid brother is killed in a street race, a champion drag-racer quits racing. However, a new kid comes to town determined to force him back into racing so he can take his title--and he's already taken his girlfriend.When his younger brother, Steve, is killed racing a hot-rod, Jeff Northup blames himself for the accident since he had built the car for his brother and had encouraged him to race it, with other boys on a special course provided by police detective Ben Merrill, who is working to reduce the city's hot-rod fatalities by providing supervision for the dangerous hobby. Jeff withdraws from participating in races on Merrill's course and, without his leadership, reverts to racing on the streets. "Bronc" Talbott, a newcomer, makes a play for Jeff's girlfriend, Lisa Vernon. Eventually, the taunting-Talbott forces Jeff into a race which results in the death of a bicycling child, and evidence seems to indicate Jeff was at fault.

The White Tower

Mountain climbers in the Swiss Alps mull over past problems while trying to conquer a perilous peak.

The Unwritten Code

A Nazi spy sneaks into the U.S., hoping to release hundreds of German prisoners. He fails, but not until plenty of bullets have been spent.

The I Don't Care Girl

This semi-film within a film opens in the office of producer George Jessel, who never saw a camera he couldn't get in front of, who is holding a story conference to determine the screen treatment for the life of Eva Tanguay, and Jessel is unhappy with what the writers present him.He tells them to look up Eddie McCoy, Eva's one-time partner, for the real inside story on the lusty and vital Eva. Eddie's version is that he discovered her working as a waitress in an Indianapolis restaurant in 1912, wherein singer Larry Woods and his partner Charles Bennett get into a fight over her and both land in the hospital, and McCoy convinces the manager to put Eva on as a single to fill their spot. She flopped, but McCoy arranges for Bennett to be her accompanist, and she went out of his life. The writers look up Bennett, now head of a music publishing company, who says McCoy's story is phony, and it was Flo Zigfeld who discovered Eva for his Follies.

What Next, Corporal Hargrove?

An Army corporal and his con-man sidekick take a shortcut to heroism in World War II France.

My Gun Is Quick

Detective Mike Hammer's investigation of a murder puts him in the middle between warring jewel thieves.

My Man Godfrey

The eccentric Bullock household again need a new butler. Daughter Irene encounters bedraggled Godfrey Godfrey at the docks and, fancying him and noticing his obviously good manners, gets him the job. He proves a great success, but keeps his past to himself. When an old flame turns up Irene's sister Cordelia starts making waves.

Faithful in My Fashion

A U.S. Army sergeant is home on leave to reconnect with his girlfriend he hopes to marry. However, in the years he's been away, she's gotten a huge promotion where they used to work together - and has become engaged to another man.

Scarlet Street

Cashier and part-time starving artist Christopher Cross is absolutely smitten with the beautiful Kitty March. Kitty plays along, but she's really only interested in Johnny, a two-bit crook. When Kitty and Johnny find out that art dealers are interested in Chris's work, they con him into letting Kitty take credit for the paintings. Cross allows it because he is in love with Kitty, but his love will only let her get away with so much.

Every Girl Should Be Married

Anabel Sims is determined to find the perfect husband. She thinks she's found her man in Madison Brown, a handsome pediatrician. She then prepares an elaborate scheme to trap him into marriage

Wintertime

Nora and her uncle get railroaded into spending the night at a broken-down hotel in Canada. After Nora falls for the handsome owner, she convinces her uncle to invest in the inn and modernize it. After the hotel opens, Nora's uncle faces financial ruin and her romance hit a snag in the form of pretty reporter.

Up in Arms

Hypochondriac Danny Weems gets drafted and accidentally smuggles his girlfriend aboard his Pacific-bound troopship.

G.I. Blues

Stationed in West Germany, soldier Tulsa McLean hopes to open up a nightclub when he gets out of the army. Tulsa may lack the capital for such a venture, but a chance to raise the cash comes his way through a friendly wager. Local dancer Lili (Juliet Prowse) is a notorious ice queen, and Tulsa bets everything he has that a friend of his can earn her affections. But, when that friend is dispatched to Alaska, it's up to Tulsa to melt Lili's heart.

Messenger of Peace

Poignant true story of Pastor Armin Ritter, who is sent to build a church in a backwoods community and rebuilds the faith of the residents. He ministers to the town folk, including an alcoholic carpenter.

Around the World

Bandleader Kay Kyser takes his troupe of nutty musicians, goofball comics and pretty girl singers on a tour around the world to entertain the troops during World War II.

Behind the Rising Sun

A Japanese publisher urges his American-educated son to side with the Axis.

Mission to Moscow

Ambassador Joseph Davies is sent by FDR to Russia to learn about the Soviet system and returns to the US as an advocate of socialism.

Address Unknown

When a German art dealer living in the US returns to his native country he finds himself attracted to Nazi propaganda.

A Royal Scandal

Catherine the Great falls in love with an army officer who is plotting against her.

Captain Eddie

WWI flyer Eddie Rickenbaker remembers his life which brought him from a car salesman, race driver and pilot in WWI, to an important person in the early years of civil airline service, after his plane crashed in the South Pacific in late 1942.

Hotel Berlin

An assortment of diverse characters gather at the Hotel Berlin in World War II Germany as the Third Reich falls.

Riff-Raff

A private detective foils the plans of villains attempting to take over Panamanian oil fields while he searches for a valuable map hidden in plain sight.

Giving Thanks Always

During the many challenges in preparing for Thanksgiving holiday festivities, Anna and other family members forget the real meaning of the day. That is, until Rev. Martin remind them of the blessings God has given through salvation in Christ and assurance of eternal life in heaven.

Passage to Marseille

A freedom-loving French journalist sacrifices his happiness and security to battle Nazi tyranny.

Ten North Frederick

After her father's funeral, Ann Chapin thinks back over the last five years of his life, years of apparent political and personal failure dominated by a selfish and dissatisfied wife, eased only by alcohol. But it starts to emerge that he had in fact one brief and unsuspected period of happiness and love.

The Toast of New Orleans

Snooty opera singer meets a rough-and-tumble fisherman in the Louisiana bayous, but this fisherman can sing! Her agent lures him away to New Orleans to teach him to sing opera but comes to regret this rash decision when the singers fall in love.

The Fabulous Irishman

Romanticized life story of Robert Briscoe, the first Jewish Lord Mayor of Dublin.