Throttle Pushers (1933)

Highlights the fast-paced and dangerous world of professional auto racing.

Director:

Jules White

Stars:

Pete Smith, Fred Frame, Wild Bill Cummings

Cast

Cast overview:
Pete Smith	...	Narrator (voice)
Fred Frame	...	Self - Racecar Driver
Wild Bill Cummings	...	Self - Racecar Driver
Stubby Stubblefield	...	Self - Racecar Driver
Cliff Bergere	...	Self - Racecar Driver
Arvol Brunmeier	...	Self - Racecar Driver
E.A. 'Babe' Stapp	...	Self - Racecar Driver (as Babe Stapp)
Barney Oldfield	...	Self - Official Race Starter
Wilbur Shaw	...	Self - Racecar Driver

Storyline

An MGM short with occasionally humorous commentary by Pete Smith who this time out tells the viewer all about the auto racing industry. Some of the cars have 200 horsepower and can hit hit 100 miles per hour. It features many of the racing stars of the day and then the race itself. Several of the cars crash with a couple of them looking quite severe.

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Plot Keywords:

year 1933 | 1930s | 20th century | auto racing | crash | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Short | Sport

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Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: How'd you do, people? Here we are at the American Legion Ascot Speedway in Loose An-ge-lays. Los Angeles, to you and me. Arriving at the speedway are the fastest cars in their class. Sturdy little engines of extreme velocity, extraordinary combustion, exceptional prepotency, and, eh, whatnot.

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Crazy Credits

Narrator Pete Smith identifies all remaining cast members verbally.

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Connections

Follows Athletic Daze (1932)

User Reviews

Pete Smith narrates sports documentary...

There's not much you can say about this Pete Smith Specialty from 1933 except that the antiquated racing cars are a far cry from what viewers of the sport expect to see today.

Photography is dark and grainy, which doesn't help matters at the racetrack, but the theme is simply to show how daring these guys are when it comes to speed--and how fast a tire can be changed when one goes out of gear. There are a few crashes too, one of them quite spectacular, but the narration just goes on ignoring things when the crashes occur no matter how seriously hurt a driver might be.

It's done in dry documentary style and not as polished as the later Pete Smith specialties would be. I couldn't work up much enthusiasm for it.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 April 1933 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Legion Ascot Speedway, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White