William C. McGann

William C. McGann
Total Credits at Criticker: 40 (Director)
Titles you haven't rated - Director (40)
In Old California
Boston pharmacist Tom Craig comes to Sacramento, where he runs afoul of local political boss Britt Dawson, who exacts protection payment from the citizenry. Dawson frames Craig with poisoned medicine, but Craig redeems himself during a Gold Rush epidemic. (imdb)
The Slippery Pearls
Star-packed promotional short subject intended to raise funds for the National Variety Artists tuberculosis sanitarium, produced in association with a cigarette company! Plot involves the investigation of the reported theft of Norma Shearer's jewelry. Laurel & Hardy appear briefly (as does every other cast member) as two detectives. (imdb)
The Case of the Black Cat
Perry Mason looks into a trio of murders heralded by the shriek of a cat. (TCM.com)
Two Against the World
Martha Carstairs was charged with murder twenty years earlier. Now, as her daughter Edith is about to be married to Malcolm Sims Jr., son of a wealthy industrialist, a sensationalistic radio station revives interest in the case, leading to the suicide of Martha and her husband. Opposing the station's policy is Sherry Scott, supported by his secretary Alma Ross, "two against the world."
Penrod and His Twin Brother
When trying to find their lost dog, a young boy and his "gang" of pals get into trouble with a group of real gangsters.
American Empire
Two men join forces to build a cattle empire, and battle rustlers, bad weather and each other. (imdb)
Girls on Probation
This film proves the old adage "You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose, but you shouldn't pick friends who rob banks." Local bad girl Hilda convinces Connie to join her at a party and lends Connie a dress she "borrowed" from the cleaners where they both work. When the dress gets torn, the owner Jane and her boyfriend Neil notice and Connie gets blamed, fired, and prosecuted for it. (imdb)
Sh! The Octopus
Comedy-mystery finds Detectives Kelly and Dempsey trapped in a deserted lighthouse with a group of strangers who are being terrorized by a killer octopus AND a mysterious crime figure named after the title sea creature. (imdb)
Trial By Trigger
California logger Bill Cardigan must save his stand of redwoods from being bought by unscrupulous Dan Fallon, a logging company owner from Michigan. (imdb)
Blackwell\
In a fictional version of true events at the New York prison of Blackwell's Island in 1934, reporter Tim Haydon breaks up a crime organization run by racketeer Bull Bransom from within the prison. (imdb)
Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die
Wyatt Earp cleans up Tombstone and faces the Clanton gang at the O.K. Corral. (imdb)
Highway West
In this crime drama, a remake of Heat Lightning(1931), a robber kills a bank teller during a robbery and then takes his wife, who believes he is a traveling businessman, on the road with him as he flees. He is eventually captured and sentenced. Meanwhile his wife returns to running a motel and gas station with her sister. Her drab daily existence changes dramatically when her husband escapes from prison three years later and forces her to protect him. (allrovi.com)
I Like Your Nerve
In this romantic comedy, a milquetoast bookworm finds his life transformed when he takes the advice of a fortune teller and travels to Central America. There he finds a distressed young woman about to be sold into marriage. His attempts to rescue her change him into a swashbuckling hero. (allrovi.com)
Illegal
This is the story of a woman who kicks out her no-good second husband after he wastes all her money. Since gambling and drink had taken all her money, she decides to use the money from a windfall to open an illegal after hours night club and gambling parlor, in order to provide her two daughters with a high society education. Eventually she gets caught, and the daughters take over the night club and legitimize it. But the daughters have conflicts, and the husband shows up to complicate matters. (imdb)
Alcatraz Island
A man who has been railroaded into prison is framed for the murder of a fellow inmate and must prove his innocence. (imdb)
Brides Are Like That
Fred, the wealthy owner of apple groves, has sent his nephew to college, but the only job that his nephew has after graduating is the job of not working. Bill is a dreamer, a talker and a golf player and he has a lot of ideas, but still lives off Fred. When Hazel gets engaged to Doc Jenkins, it takes a while, but Bill talks her into marrying him instead. The only problem is that now, he needs to find a job. (imdb)
Dr. Christian Meets the Women
A "professor" hits Dr. Christian's town, promising the local women dramatic weight loss in a very short time if they follow his regimen of strict diet and a particular type of diet pill. Dr. Christian tries to warn them that the man is a dangerous charlatan but, mesmerized by the prospect of almost instantaneous weight loss, the women ignore his warnings. (imdb)
Everybody\
The first (and last) in an intended series about 'The Hobby Fmily", in which every family member was immersed in a hobby-pursuit of some kind: Here, Tom Leslie must choose between losing his job or publishing news in a manner he thinks is unfair. His wife, whose hobby is stamp-collecting, diverts his attention from his troubles at the newspaper by stirring up his interest in his own hobby, photography. (imdb)
Freshman Love
In this lively campus comedy, a stern rowing coach sets up a rigorous practice schedule for his team and insists they lead strictly disciplined lives (meaning no girls and no fun) so that they will become winners and thereby save his endangered job. Unfortunately, a seductive coed keeps leading his lambs astray. Things look bleak until the coach devises an ingenious method to recruit new oarsmen. Things really get in synch when jazz bandleader George E. Stone becomes the swingin' new coxswain. (allmovie.com)
Hot Money
In this comedy a sneaky salesman tries to sell an inventor's newest product, a water-based fuel. Before the inventor can finish testing the product he needs cash, so the salesman desperately endeavors to come up with some by creating a phony stock promotion. When he announces that the great invention has finally been perfected, investors begin handing him money hand-over-fist. The salesman then uses the cash to create a phone corporation complete with a fake board of directors. (allmovie.com)
Man of Iron
Though usually a supporting player in Warner Bros' A pictures, Barton MacLane was permitted an occasional leading role in the studio's B-picture product. Man of Iron casts MacLane as a blue-collar factory worker who, through hard work and initiative, is promoted to vice president. Unfortunately, the higher he climbs up the corporate ladder, the more capitalistic and autocratic he becomes. (allmovie.com)
Marry the Girl
The offices of a great newspaper syndicate are presided over by John B. Radway, obviously a nut, and his sister Ollie Radway, obviously the brains in the family. David "Party" Partridge, the general manager née flunky, has three tasks to get accomplished. (imdb)
Maybe It\
A young couple suffers through in-law and employment problems. (tcm.com)
Times Square Playboy
In this comedy, based on a George M. Cohan play, a hick comes to the city to attend his old buddy's wedding. The rube is such a bumpkin that trouble ensues every time he speaks. Thanks to him, the wedding is nearly called off. Fortunately it all works out in the end.
Lincoln in the White House
This short chronicles Abraham Lincoln's presidency from his inauguration through delivery of the Gettysburg Address. (imdb)
Pride of the Blue Grass
The night that Mack Lowman's mare foals, the barn is struck by lightning, killing Mack, but Danny, his seventeen-year-old son escapes with the colt, Gantry the Great. Midge Griner gets Danny a job on the horse farm owned by her father, Colonel Bob Griner. Danny trains and rides Gantry to fame, but the horse goes blind in the Kentucky Derby, as the favorite, and pulls up and loses. Through a misunderstanding Danny is banned for a year.
Cinderella\
The story of Cinderella with a children's cast.
Wolf of New York
A district attorney tackles the "Wolf of New York" who is the mastermind behind a multitude of murders and robberies plaguing the city. (imdb)
A Shot in the Dark
Homicide detective Bill Ryder reluctantly teams up with wise-cracking news-hound Peter Kennedy to solve a pair of murders. (imdb)
Niagara Falls
A short drama about a married couple planning to go to Niagara Falls.
We Go Fast
Two cops (Curtis, Deforest) flirt with highway restaurant waitress (Bari) who falls for Oriental businessman (Mohr) who turns out to be a crook. (imdb)
A Night at the Ritz
Duke Regan is the high-pressure, irresponsible promotions/marketing/press agent at the Ritz Hotel. He gets the taste of the home cooking, done by the mother of Marcia Jaynos, but thinks it was done by her brother, Leopold. Leopold has delusions of being a great chef, and the ability to delude Duke into the same, even to the point of selling him to the Ritz as a famous foreign chef. Sounds like a job for Mama.
On the Border
Farrell is taking advantage of the proximity of the rancho of Don Jose to the Mexican border by smuggling Chinese across the line into the United States. Dave, a border patrol officer posing as a tramp, is out to put an end to Farrell's activities. He is aided by police dog Rinty who gets to growl and show his teeth a lot. Pepita, the Don's daughter, gets to strum her guitar and sing a couple of songs.
When Were You Born
Mei Lee Ling, an astrology expert, tells one of her fellow passengers on a ship, that he will die within two days and the next day he is dead. The police suspects that Mei does know something, but she doesn't. But to clear herself she offers her help to solve the murder. Soon she and the police find themselves in a web of crime and false identities.
Sweepstakes Winner
A naive girl has $1,000 and is told to have two broke bookies bet it for her. They lose the money and she gets a job as a waitress. They come into the cafe and convince her to buy an Irish Sweepstake ticket.
Penrod and Sam
Penrod, Sam and the rest of the Jr. G Men go after a gang of murderous bank robbers.
The Parson of Panamint
The mayor of wild and woolly mining town Panamint, in San Francisco to fetch a preacher for the new church, happens upon young Philip Pharo, as handy with his fists as with a sermon. Arrived, it appears to Philip that some of the town's "bad" folks are better than the "better element." When he sets out to better the lives of the miners and bring flagrant sinners into his flock, the "godly" folks are of course outraged. What form will their retribution take?
Polo Joe
Despite a severe horse allergy, Joe Bolton pretends to be a passionate polo player in order to win the heart of his horse-loving neighbor.
Documentary short film demonstrating the way wartime farming measures in 1943 resulted in the greatest American food crop in history.
The Man Killers
Howard Hill, wizard of the bow and arrow, travels to Florida to hunt fish and alligators, aided by a native Seminole. He spears a shark underwater, and then watches the native wrestle with an alligator.