CAPTAIN CALAMITY Captain (1936) George Houston, Marian Nixon | Action-Adventure, Crime | HIRLICOLOR

Captain Calamity is a 1936 American South Seas adventure film directed by John Reinhardt and starring George Houston released by Grand National Pictures. It was filmed in an early color process called Hirlicolor at Talisman Studios and Santa Catalina Island, California.

SYNOPSIS
A South Seas skipper fights off thieves and pirates who are after a lost treasure.

A penniless ship's captain is taking a passenger ashore after their voyage. The passenger throws a gold coin in the ocean that he says has been bad luck to him as it was a gift from his ex-fiancee. The Captain sends one of his men, an experienced underwater diver, to successfully retrieve it. The passenger explains that is a gold Spanish doubloon and the Captain is more than welcome to it.

Going ashore, the Captain decides to have some fun by telling stories indicating that he discovered four chests full of the coins, which were pirate treasure. The news spreads throughout the island and leads to kidnapping, torture, murder and an attack on the Captain's ship.

CAST & CREW
George Houston as Captain Bill Jones / Captain Calamity
Marian Nixon as Madge Lewis
Vince Barnett as Burp
Juan Torena as Mike
Movita as Annana
Crane Wilbur as Dr. James Kelkey
George J. Lewis as Black Pierre (as George Lewis)
Roy D'Arcy as Samson
Margaret Irving as Mamie Gruen
Barry Norton as Carr
Louis Natheaux as E.D. Joblin - Store Owner
Lloyd Ingraham as Trader Jim
Alberto Gandero as Gandero - a Sailor (as Albert Gandero)
Harold Howard as Guy Warren
Charles Moyer as Mac' McKenzie - a Sailor

Directed by John Reinhardt
Written by Gordon Ray Young (story), Crane Wilbur (screenplay)
Produced by George A. Hirliman
Cinematography Mack Stengler, Tom Galligan
Edited by Tony Martinelli
Distributed by Grand National Films Inc.
Release date April 17, 1936
Running time 66 minutes
Country United States
Language English

NOTES
A Spanish-language version, El capitan Tormenta was filmed alongside Captain Calamity. Roy D'Arcy Juan Torena, Barry Norton and Movita reprised their roles (though most of the character names were changed). Fortunio Bonanova replaced Huston in the title role and Lupita Tovar served as Nixon's Spanish-language alternative, renamed Magda. Supposedly, producer Hirliman had wanted Tovar to play the female lead in both productions, but she only appeared in the Spanish version.