Harmon of Michigan (1941)

Tom Harmon (ol' # 98 for the Michigan Wolverines, husband of actress Elyse Knox and father of Mark Harmon and Kelly Harmon)took a back seat to no one on the football field (except the ... See full summary »

Director:

Charles Barton

Writers:

Richard Goldstone (story), Stanley Rauh (story),

Stars:

Tom Harmon, Anita Louise, Forest Evashevski

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Harmon	...	Tom Harmon
Anita Louise	...	Peggy Adams
Forest Evashevski	...	Forest Evashevski
Oscar O'Shea	...	'Pop' Branch
Warren Ashe	...	Bill Dorgan
Stanley Brown	...	Freddy Davis
Ken Christy	...	Joe Scudder
Tim Ryan	...	Flash Regan
William Hall	...	Coach Jimmy Wayburn
Larry Parks	...	Harvey
Lloyd Bridges	...	Ozzie
Chester Conklin	...	Gasoline Chuck
Sam Balter	...	Sam Balter
Wendell Niles	...	Wendell Niles
Tom Hanlon	...	Tom Hanlon

Storyline

Tom Harmon (ol' # 98 for the Michigan Wolverines, husband of actress Elyse Knox and father of Mark Harmon and Kelly Harmon)took a back seat to no one on the football field (except the Minnesota Gophers) or, later, in the broadcast booth, but, on film, he managed to find himself in two of the all-time bad sports movies..."The Spirit of West Point" and "Harmon of Michigan." The latter, if it had been a true-life biography of Tom Harmon, might have made a passable film but after a short prologue, narrated by sports writer Bill Henry who is not the same as actor William Henry, that semi-recaps Harmon's football-playing days at the University of Michigan, it quickly develops into a mess that indicates the director and writers used the technical adviser, Coach Jeff Cravath, only to put plays on the blackboard. Once Harmon,(supposedly playing himself but the character he plays here has more character flaws than the law allows), graduates from Michigan, he marries his college sweetheart Peggy...

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Plot Keywords:

coach | college | michigan | referee | wolverine | 

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Taglines:

A SCREEN SCOOP...TOM HARMON...THE FOOTBALL STAR OF THE DECADE...BROUGHT TO YOU AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS FAME! (original poster-all caps)

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Sport

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 September 1941 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

65 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

User Reviews

Old Fashioned Football Movie

An old fashioned football movie, made on the eve of U.S. entry into World War II, in which Harmon would serve with distinction. It begins with footage of Harmon's games at Michigan, in which Harmon, "old number 98," starred as a triple threat, becoming the best known All-American of his day and featured in LIFE magazine. After a brief pro career, Harmon became a sportscaster and, married to actress Elyse Knox, father of Mark Harmon, a UCLA All-American and actor. Tom Harmon's team-mate Forest Evashevsky, another All-American and later a successful coach, also features in the film, while Anita Louise plays Harmon's wife. It's a simple story of an ambitious young coach who needs to learn a few lessons in life and sports from an old coach and a loving wife. It has some good staged football action, of the game as it was played in the late '30s and, of course, a happy ending.