The Pride of the Yankees (1942)

 

Dan Duryea plays a small role in this well-remembered 1942 film, The Pride of the Yankees. He appeared as Babe Ruth's press agent in several scenes throughout the picture. The film stars Gary Cooper and Teresa Wright, supported by veteran actor, Walter Brennan, and real-life baseball hero, Babe Ruth.

Posters and Lobby Cards

 

Despite the fact that there were several variations of posters and lobby cards for this film, Dan Duryea's name never even appeared on one of them! These are some nice examples (die-hard Duryea fans will just have to add his name on their own). Just click on the photos below to download or view at fullsize.

    

  

The Pride of the Yankees: Thoughts on the Film

 

Written and Posted by Sarah
Dan Duryea came to Hollywood in 1941 to appear in the film The Little Foxes. Audiences reacted favorably to his performance, as did the critics. For the next three years, Duryea appeared in small supporting roles as the studios tested him in various types of characters. He played in movies such as Ball of Fire, Sahara, and Mrs. Parkington. Probably the most well-known of his first films is The Pride of the Yankees.

The film starred Gary Cooper and Teresa Wright as famed Baseball Hero Lou Gehrig and his wife. It's a lovely film on a touching topic. Cooper does a great acting job as the ailing Yankee player, so be prepared to shed a tear or two. The finale features a cameo by real-life Baseball Hero Babe Ruth!

Dan D.'s role in this is a small one (with only a few minutes of screen time). He played Babe Ruth's press agent and the antagonist of Walter Brennan (in the part of Gehrig's agent). Plenty of sarcasm and smirking in those few minutes. It's fun to see Duryea so young, so keep an eye out for him!

If you're interested in reading a blow-by-blow synopsis of the film, just CLICK HERE for TCM's movie page.