B-unit

The job of work had been assigned to him by the studio: My Pal Wolf, a "kiddy flick" about a little girl and her dog, for RKO's B-unit.

Caught in the Crossfire: Adrian Scott and the Politics of Americanism in 1940s Hollywood 2007

After a year of moderate success writing for Columbia's B-unit, Schary was fired summarily when he asked for a raise.

Caught in the Crossfire: Adrian Scott and the Politics of Americanism in 1940s Hollywood 2007

Jacques Tourneur directed several films for Lewton before moving on to Out of the Past (1947), perhaps one of the best noirs ever made; Lewton's innovative B-unit also launched the directing careers of Mark Robson and Robert Wise, both of whom had strong ties to Popular Front politics and went on to direct both films noir and social problem films.

Caught in the Crossfire: Adrian Scott and the Politics of Americanism in 1940s Hollywood 2007

Adrian Scott was to have a key role in the new B-unit, and he looked forward to repeating his winning formula: low-budget, high-quality films that expressed his Popular Front political vision.

Caught in the Crossfire: Adrian Scott and the Politics of Americanism in 1940s Hollywood 2007

For a young writer with a burgeoning social consciousness and dreams of becoming a serious dramatist, his relegation to such low-budget B-unit films as Gridiron Flash must have been difficult to swallow.

Caught in the Crossfire: Adrian Scott and the Politics of Americanism in 1940s Hollywood 2007

Schary's agent was sure that this outspokenness would cost Schary his job; instead, Mayer promoted him, putting him in charge of production for MGM's entire B-unit.

Caught in the Crossfire: Adrian Scott and the Politics of Americanism in 1940s Hollywood 2007

Soon afterward, Scott and Paxton finally collaborated — with disastrous results — on a screenplay for The Great Gildersleeve series, produced by the RKO B-unit.

Caught in the Crossfire: Adrian Scott and the Politics of Americanism in 1940s Hollywood 2007

Tight, neat little comic thrillers starring the long-underrated Lloyd Nolan, backed by a slew of cherce supporting players from Hollywood's boiling B-unit.

VW's Favorite DVDs of 2007: Richard Harland Smith 2007

Tight, neat little comic thrillers starring the long-underrated Lloyd Nolan, backed by a slew of cherce supporting players from Hollywood's boiling B-unit.

Archive 2007-12-09 2007

Allan's presence at the studio probably was a factor in Adrian's being hired at RKO in 1934 as a $25-a-week technical consultant on Gridiron Flash, a college football drama for the studio’s low-budget B-unit, though he did not receive screen credit for his contributions.

Caught in the Crossfire: Adrian Scott and the Politics of Americanism in 1940s Hollywood 2007