Million Dollar Movie- WOR-TV Channel 9
Written by Joe D on December 6th, 2007
I found an old ad for the wonderful Million Dollar Movie! During the 60’s M$M would run the same movie twice a day for a week! I guess the idea was based on movie theaters where the same movie would be shown several times a day for a week or two. This enabled you to watch a movie over and over and the ability to do that before VCR’s and home video got a lot of youngsters interested in filmmaking. George Romero, director of Night Of The Living Dead has said that watching Tales Of Hoffmann over and over on M$M inspired him to pursue a career in film. This is where I first saw films that got me interested in filmmaking. Lord Of The Flies, The Boy With The Green Hair, Robinson Crusoe, The Crawling Eye, King Kong, Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons, Two Women, La Dolce Vita, etc., etc. Someone was programming European Art Films from the 50’s as this ad demonstrates. So to the unknown programmer, wether living or up in Film Valhalla, a million thanks from all the incipient filmmakers you inspired.
This is the opening for Million Dollar Movie that was used during the 1970’s.
7
AM
I’m trying to get the phone number for the old channel 13… wortv. Im searching for a documentary that was on that channel many many years ago………….. thank you
7
AM
WOR was always Channel 9 as far back as I can recall. Channel 13 was WNET, it started off originating in New Jersey, I believe Newark, N.J, then it moved to NYC. What’s the documentary you’re looking for? Can you describe it?
12
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Is there a listing of movies that were on the Million dollar Movie?
I remeber a movie and can’t find it anywhere. I think it was called “The Sword and the Dragon”.
anyone remember this??
23
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lucy i saw a movie on the million doller movies it was called Marianne Of My Youth i think it was from Argentina does anyone remember
23
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does anyone remember the name of a thriller movie that appeared on “the million dollar movie” that may have had the title of “Ministry of Fear”.??? ..It was very dark,creepy and frightening.. not to be confused with the 1945 graham greene novel. I think it may have been an Italian film. This has been haunting me since I was child.
much thanks,
joe
24
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Joseph
can you remember any more details? What happened, where it took place, etc.
JD
6
PM
my mom is looking for the title of a movie from this show that had something to do with aliens sticking needles in the back of people’s necks. Obviously, it’s from the 50’s era and had something to do with a little boy… if anyone could think of the title or where to find it, we’d appreicate it! thanks 🙂
7
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Lynne
That movie is called Invaders From Mars, it was made in 1953, it was remade in 1983 but the original is the one your mom saw, Here’s the link to it’s IMDB page
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045917/
Buy the DVD here for 5 bucks: http://www.amazon.com/Invaders-Mars-Special-Helena-Carter/dp/B0000714AG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1239113531&sr=8-1
16
AM
It’s awesome film to watch.
31
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the movie, Ministry of Fear was also known as “Kill Baby Kill” the italian director, Mario Bava. That friggin movie gave me the nightmares when i was so young.
2
PM
I think it was called Operation Fear, Ministry of Fear is a Fritz Lang movie.
18
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Mitch Goodman
The name of the movie is “The Magic Sword” with Basil Rathbone as the heavy. One of his last films.
12
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I’m seaching for the title of a movie that played on Million dollar movie in thew 1950’s. genre: fantasy. Involved an invasion of the Slavic people By the Mongol hordes. One scene I’ll never forget: the mongol leader rides to the top of a mountain made up of slain warriors. something about a magic horse. anybody remember this film??
13
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The sword and the dragon, a great film by the great Alexander Ptushko AKA Illya Muromets
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049358/
10
AM
looking for a million dollar movie shown in the 1950’s I believe, about a young indian boy traveling alone, trying to find his way back home…
10
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Bob
Any more info would be helpful.
11
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was there a host to million dollar movie? if so what was his name?
11
PM
There was no host on the Million Dollar Movie.
4
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WOR TV Tower was a 760 foot (231.65 metre) tall lattice tower used for FM- and TV-broadcasting at North Bergen, New Jersey, USA. The 420 ton tower was built in 1949. At the time of its construction, it was the tenth tallest man-made structure in the world.[1] At the beginning of 1953, the TV transmissions were moved to Empire State Building, but the tower remained. On November 8, 1956, the top of the tower was hit by a small aircraft, which knocked off the top and killed six people. Afterwards the tower was dismantled.
Finance Dollar
20
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For Mitch Goodman:
This is an incredible discussion–long-term though it may be. There are four people discussing the great old “Slavic” movie: The Sword and the Dragon. Joe D is right on target and even placed a website. The film is Russian, made when Romantic styling was not totally prohibited. It has a great narrative schema and although is in Russian originally is capably dubbed. Joe D gave the heroic principal antagonist, Illya Moramets (sp?). There are many great scenes, e.g., the mountain built of people which Colleen ascends on his horse, the flying dragon, the sycophantic suck-ups in the Mongol retinue of Colleen (sp?), Colleen’s blubberous diplomatic envoy who appears to have been overindulging in bismarcks and blintzes for several decades who is quickly dispatched by Illya with a horrific throw of his scimitar. Actually the horde was called the Tugars–Colleen and his Tugars.
Ken W. is incorrect about your film, but spot on in his discussion of his movie; he is talking of The Magic Sword, a truly atmospheric sword and sandal film with, as Ken points out, Basil Rathbone and Gary Lockwood (2001,A Space Odyssey) And for a kid it was very, very spooky.
Both films are quite entertaining. The Sword and the Dragon came out about 1/2 century prior to the recent Dragon-fetish.
Anyway, as Mitch Goodman queries, where can I find an archive list of The Million Dollar Movie presentations?
21
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Ken
I once ran across an early listing of Million Dollar Movie films, I’ll see if I can track it down again.
5
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I remember watching a war film where one of the main characters fell in love with an Asian woman(the enemy) and somehow he left her but promised to return. Then the US was attacking her village. Everything was burning and people were getting killed everywhere. The soldier was looking all over trying to find her. You see her running with a baby trying to find him. She ends up getting killed but dies protecting the baby(the soldier finds her lying over the baby; his of course) Any idea what the name is?
7
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Anne
I don’t know what that film is. But I’ll put the word out.
16
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Another movie shown on “million dollar movie” between 1954 or 55. It takes place in England with an american bomber pilot trying to get a british war widow to date him. Because her previous husband died in the war she wants nothing to do with anyone in uniform. At the end of the show the american pilot is going out on a bomb mission and asks her to wait for him. She still refuses so he leaves her house and reports to the airfield. The end of the movie is at the airfield, the bombers going overhead and the widow is trying to use sign language to tell the pilot that she will wait and loves him. Last scene is the pilot dipping the wings of the b-52 in recognition. Using Van Johnson & Donna Reed as the stars, with the title being ” ? widow”, nothing comes up. Any help would really be appreciated
18
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I can’t believe it’s Van Johnson and Donna Reed or you would have found it. I’ll check the RKO lists.
15
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Joe D, Could you suggest anything that I could do to find the name of the movie myself. At a loss of what to do next.
15
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There are books listing all the RKO productions, a lot of the Million Dollar Movies were part of the RKO library, purchased by General Tire and distributed to their TV stations.Look in one of these books.
6
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Does anyone know the name of a black and white movie that appeared quite often on “Million Dollar Movie†during the mid-to-late 1950’s that opens with a young woman and her fiancé moving into a house where other people are living and the woman at times sees a witch appear in the basement.
The witch turns into a dog (German shepard) that the woman imagines chasing her as she runs outside past a long picket fence.
4
PM
I remember a movie from my childhood, but not necessarily sure if it was one of the Million Dollar movies. My sole recollection of this movie is the very last scene where there are thousands of ants or bugs carrying a distraught woman out from the house. I think she was some sort of paranoid, delusional woman, but I just cannot seem to remember the exact plot. I saw this movie as a child growing up in Brooklyn, NY. It had to have been either the late 1960’s or early 1970’s. If anyone remembers such a movie with this bizarre ending I have described, please advise if you would happen to know the title.
28
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That sounds like a cool movie.
29
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was there a movie in the 50’s called bobby valentine.
30
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I can’t find any reference to it. There was an actor named Bobby Valentine who appeared in a few movies like “In The Good Old Summer Time”.
17
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Does anyone know the name of the movie about a man and a woman on an island. I remember the woman had a baby at the end of the movie. I think the movie was made in the late 1950’s or early 1960’s. Thanks.
Barbara
18
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Wanting the title of a movie I watched as a kid, shown on Million Dollar Movie. A young couple, married, He went off to war, didn’t return. She was expecting, had child, was young and not responsible. While she was out partying, her sitter left the baby alone. The crib turned over causing the baby to cry and bring help. Baby taken away from mother. Mother devestated. She foung an abondanded baby in a church and took it. Became a responsible caretaker. In the end she got her baby back from athorities. I have been search on and off for a long time. Please if anyone can shed light would appreciate.
18
AM
Hi Lynne,
Today in 2014 unfortunately they could remake the movie and rename it “The Streets of New York”….(lol)
lynne
my mom is looking for the title of a movie from this show that had something to do with aliens sticking needles in the back of people’s necks. Obviously, it’s from the 50’s era and had something to do with a little boy… if anyone could think of the title or where to find it, we’d appreicate it! thanks
18
AM
Hi Lynne,
Unfortunately in 2014 they could remake the movie as a reality show and rename it “The Streets of New York”(lol)
Apr
6
5:44
PM
lynne
my mom is looking for the title of a movie from this show that had something to do with aliens sticking needles in the back of people’s necks. Obviously, it’s from the 50’s era and had something to do with a little boy… if anyone could think of the title or where to find it, we’d appreicate it! thanks
22
PM
It’s called Invaders From Mars, made in 1953 by William Cameron Menzies. Remade in 1986 by Tobe Hooper.
23
PM
I’m looking for the title of a comedy movie. It was set at West Point or some other military academy…
26
AM
Any more info would help. Who is in it? Black and White or Color?
20
AM
Actually, movie theatres used to have double bills – two movies playing at the same time, which changed twice a week. There were usually showings every evening, and continuous showings on weekends. As kids we’d sit in the theater all afternoon on weekends watching repeats. Another thing – people didn’t always arrive at the beginning of a movie. Sometimes you’d come in at the middle of a picture and stay until you’d seen it all. Hence the saying, “This is where I came in.”
27
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Response to Joe D-
WOR was Channel 9 (originally part of RKO) Channel 11 was WPIX owned by The Daily News (PIX as in News’ Picture Newspaper). Channel 13 was Independently owned, and still is licensed from Newark, NJ. They may ‘push NYC’ but the fine print indicates it actually is licensed from and has to deal with NJ. Prior to becoming WNET/PBS the call letters were WATV. “Back in the days” the area had the MOST TV stations in the world! CBS – 2, NBC – 4, WNEW – 5, ABC – 7, WOR – 9, WPIX – 11, & dear ole’ 13. We used to think that as the # went up the quality went down. 2 being the best and 13 being the poorest. 😀 Of course, with the PBS taking over, 13 (mid-60) is the only one really worth watching. Actually do also, resulting from cable’s broader options, really like LI’s CH 21, another PBS but with more fine programming
13
AM
I remember a movie from those Million Dollar Movie days…I teach safety courses and at one point I talk about “fit-for-duty” medical surveillance. There is a scene from an awful movie where a captain needs to kill the sea monster and the captain needs to test for “qualified” men. Each man has to drink a jug of wine and then get punched in the stomach. It is a rather funny scene (now anyway). At the end of the “testing” an old man wants to go and fight the monster, but he couldn’t possibly pass the test. But instead he shows his usefulness by turning a pigeon into an egg. The captain decides he can go (after all when everyone if fighting the sea monster, they’ll need some one to make food! Can anyone remember this movie?!
17
AM
Baby Face Nelson with Mickey Rooney was on Ch 9,Million Dollar Movie.I can’t find that movie anywhere.