George Waggner (story), George Waggner (screenplay)
Stars:
John Wayne, Sheila Bromley, Charles Brokaw
Signed for a series of B pictures by Universal in 1936, John Wayne alternated between westerns and modern-day adventure yarns. Idol of the Crowds stars Wayne as a hockey player, threatened with more bodily harm than usual when he refuses to cheat. Leading lady Sheila Bromleyfalls in love with Wayne due to his "no funny business" stance. Alas, honesty has its price: Wayne's enemies contrive to seriously injure the hockey team's 12 year old mascot Billy Burrud. Idol of the Crowds was produced by Paul Malvern, the man responsible for John Wayne's earlier western series for Lone Star/Monogram.