Writing

Leonard Praskins

Known for

Writing

Credits

24 titles

Known for

Call of the Wild poster
6.3

Jack Thornton has trouble winning enough at cards for the stake he needs to get to the Alaska gold fields. His luck changes when he pays $250 for Buck, a sled dog that is part wolf to keep him from being shot by an arrogant Englishman also headed for the Yukon. En route to the Yukon with Shorty Houlihan -- who spent time in jail for opening someone else's letter with a map of where gold is to be found -- Jack rescues a woman whose husband was the addressee of that letter. Buck helps Jack win a $1,000 bet to get the supplies he needs. And when Jack and Claire Blake pet Buck one night, fingers touch.

Call of the Wild

1935

Gorilla at Large poster
5.5

At a carnival called the Garden of Evil, a man is murdered, apparently by a gorilla...or someone in a gorilla suit.

Gorilla at Large

1954

Emma poster
6.6

After decades of raising the motherless Smith children, housekeeper Emma Thatcher is faced with resentment when she marries their father.

Emma

1932

The Brasher Doubloon poster
6.0

Mrs. Elizabeth Bright Murdock hires Marlowe to find an old rare coin, the Brasher Doubloon, that belonged in her deceased husband's collection. Marlowe begins investigating, but quickly finds himself entangled in a series of unexplained murders.

The Brasher Doubloon

1947

Stablemates poster
6.3

A boozy former veterinarian and a teenage orphan team together with dreams of entering a broken-down horse in the big race.

Stablemates

1938

Bird of Paradise poster
5.0

When a young South Seas sailor falls overboard, the beautiful daughter of a Polynesian king dives in and saves his life. Thus begins the romance of Johnny and Luana. Though Luana is promised to another man, Johnny whisks her away, and for a brief time the lovers live very happily together. But, when a local volcano threatens their lives, Luana knows that she must sacrifice herself to the volcanic gods in order to save her island.

Bird of Paradise

1932

Behind the camera

Call of the Wild poster
6.3

Jack Thornton has trouble winning enough at cards for the stake he needs to get to the Alaska gold fields. His luck changes when he pays $250 for Buck, a sled dog that is part wolf to keep him from being shot by an arrogant Englishman also headed for the Yukon. En route to the Yukon with Shorty Houlihan -- who spent time in jail for opening someone else's letter with a map of where gold is to be found -- Jack rescues a woman whose husband was the addressee of that letter. Buck helps Jack win a $1,000 bet to get the supplies he needs. And when Jack and Claire Blake pet Buck one night, fingers touch.

Call of the Wild

1935

Gorilla at Large poster
5.5

At a carnival called the Garden of Evil, a man is murdered, apparently by a gorilla...or someone in a gorilla suit.

Gorilla at Large

1954

Emma poster
6.6

After decades of raising the motherless Smith children, housekeeper Emma Thatcher is faced with resentment when she marries their father.

Emma

1932

The Brasher Doubloon poster
6.0

Mrs. Elizabeth Bright Murdock hires Marlowe to find an old rare coin, the Brasher Doubloon, that belonged in her deceased husband's collection. Marlowe begins investigating, but quickly finds himself entangled in a series of unexplained murders.

The Brasher Doubloon

1947

Stablemates poster
6.3

A boozy former veterinarian and a teenage orphan team together with dreams of entering a broken-down horse in the big race.

Stablemates

1938

Bird of Paradise poster
5.0

When a young South Seas sailor falls overboard, the beautiful daughter of a Polynesian king dives in and saves his life. Thus begins the romance of Johnny and Luana. Though Luana is promised to another man, Johnny whisks her away, and for a brief time the lovers live very happily together. But, when a local volcano threatens their lives, Luana knows that she must sacrifice herself to the volcanic gods in order to save her island.

Bird of Paradise

1932

The Ice Follies of 1939 poster
5.6

Mary and Larry are are a modestly successful skating team. Shortly after their marriage, Mary gets a picture contract, while Larry is sitting at home, out of work.

The Ice Follies of 1939

1939

O'Shaughnessy's Boy poster
6.2

A circus wild animal trainer searches for the son who was taken away from him by a meddling relative years earlier.

O'Shaughnessy's Boy

1935

Doll Face poster
4.6

Burlesque queen Doll Face Carroll is dismissed from an audition for a legitimate Broadway show because she lacks culture. Her boss/manager Mike decides that she can get both culture and plenty of publicity by writing her autobiography. He hires a ghost writer to do all the work, but doesn't count on the possibility that Doll Face and her collaborator might have more than a book on their minds.

Doll Face

1945

Advice to the Lovelorn poster
7.3

Los Angeles newspaper reporter Toby Prentiss is continually in trouble with his editor. He is demoted to running the paper's "Miss Lonelyhearts" advice column because he missed the scoop on a major earthquake whilst out on the town. Determined to be fired from the column he starts to give crazy advice to the readers, but this only makes him even more popular.

Advice to the Lovelorn

1933

The Champ poster
7.1

A broken-down alcoholic prizefighter struggles to keep custody of his adoring son.

The Champ

1931

Here Comes the Groom poster
6.5

Piccolo player Mike Scanlon loses his girl due to his unexciting lifestyle, so he decides to commit a robbery to gain notoriety. But the robbery goes awry and Mike finds himself on the run from the police, pretending to be a famous singer whose gimmick is wearing a mask in public.

Here Comes the Groom

1934

Gentleman's Fate poster
6.1

A bootlegger falls apart when his wife leaves him.

Gentleman's Fate

1931

One in a Million poster
7.0

American theatrical manager discovers Greta Muller preparing for the Olympics in Switzerland and brings her to Madison Square Garden.

One in a Million

1937

The Last Gentleman poster
5.0

In New England circa 1933, a niece is reported missing and presumed dead and Cabot Barr (George Arliss) summons his relatives to the family estate for a memorial service. Once there, Barr taunts each one, claiming their only interest in him is his money, and sends them away when the report about the niece proves to be false. Only niece Marjorie, who has ridiculed one of his pet eccentricities, seems to be the object of any sentimental affection.

The Last Gentleman

1934

Man Hunt poster
7.0

A teen detective tries to help a jewel thief's daughter.

Man Hunt

1933

The Caribbean Mystery poster
6.7

The Caribbean Mystery is a remake of Mr. Moto on Danger Island (1939)-which in turn was a remake of Murder in Trinidad. James Dunn stars as Mr. Smith, a Columbo-like Brooklyn detective who pops up on a tropical island to track down some missing geologists.

The Caribbean Mystery

1945

Looking for Trouble poster
6.7

Joe and Casey trouble-shoot for the phone company. They try to prove that Joes's girl Ethel's boss Dan is a crook but are trapped by criminals and left in a burning building.

Looking for Trouble

1934

So This Is Washington poster
5.3

Lum and Abner go to Washington to aid in the war effort by giving the government what they think is a good substitute for rubber--Abner's homemade licorice.

So This Is Washington

1943

It Grows on Trees poster
8.4

The Baxters are a typical happy American family trying to live on too little money. Mrs. Polly Baxter acquires two mysterious trees that got into a nursery shipment by mistake. They turn out to be money trees. After initial problems, Polly decides to spend the money.

It Grows on Trees

1952

Mister Scoutmaster poster
7.1

Snobby TV star, Robert Jordan, worries that he is out of touch with the younger generation and that's why his TV show is failing. He becomes a Boy Scout leader in an effort to "get in touch." Overnight hikes and other adventures follow, all centered around one small boy who takes a liking to the old curmudgeon.

Mister Scoutmaster

1953

My Pal, Wolf poster
7.5

A lonely child, neglected by her parents, encounters and befriends a German Shepherd, but she's unaware the animal is a military dog being trained for service in WW2.

My Pal, Wolf

1944

Molly and Me poster
6.7

A vivacious actress needing work becomes a housekeeper for a crusty retired politician, and gives his life the shaking-up that it needs.

Molly and Me

1945

Temptation poster
10.0

Pre-code crime drama directed by E. Mason Hopper starring Lois Wilson, Lawrence Gray, Billy Bevan and Eileen Percy.

Temptation

1930