THE PUBLIC DEFENDER (1931) THE STOLEN JOOL (Short) (1931)

Ruined depositors and an imprisoned bank president spur a broker to ferret out the culprits behind a failed bank.
Wealthy playboy Pike Winslow dons the mantle of 'The Reckoner,' a mysterious avenger, when he learns that his lady friend Barbara Gerry's father has been framed in a bank embezzlement scandal—using meticulous planning and split-second timing, Pike, along with his associates, the erudite 'Professor' and tough-guy scrapper 'Doc,' attempt to find proof that will clear Gerry and identify the real culprits.
Initial release: July 31, 1931
Director: J. Walter Ruben
Production Company: RKO Pictures
Screenplay: George Goodchild, Bernard Schubert
Producers: William LeBaron, Louis Sarecky

INCLUDES THE STOLEN JOOLS
The Stolen Jools is a 1931 American pre-Code comedy short produced by the Masquers Club of Hollywood, featuring many cameo appearances by film stars of the day. The stars appeared in the film, distributed by Paramount Pictures, to raise funds for the National Vaudeville Artists Tuberculosis Sanitarium. The UCLA Film and Television Archive entry for this film says—as do the credits—that the film was co-sponsored by Chesterfield cigarettes to support the "fine work" of the NVA sanitarium.
When the film was shown in theaters in 1931, a person would appear after the movie to ask the audience for donations. Because the film was made for charity, it has a huge cast of actors from various studios in addition to Paramount, including Warner Bros., RKO, MGM, and Hal Roach Studios.
This film was retitled The Slippery Pearls in the United Kingdom. It was thought to have been lost until a print was found in the UK in the 1990s. Another print was later found in the US under the alternative title.

** Directors: William C. McGann, John G. Adolfi, Thomas Atkins

** Stars:

At the Police Station Wallace Beery Buster Keaton Jack Hill J. Farrell MacDonald Edward G. Robinson George E. Stone

The Law: Eddie Kane, Stan Laurel, and Oliver Hardy

At the Victim's House Our Gang: Farina, Stymie, Chubby, Mary Ann Jackson, Shirley Jean Rickert, Echo, Wheezer, Pete the Pup, Polly Moran Norma Shearer, Hedda Hopper

Tete-a-Tete: Joan Crawford William Haines

On the Porch Swing: Dorothy Lee

At Breakfast: Victor McLaglen Edmund Lowe El Brendel

In the Hotel: Charlie Murray George Sidney Winnie Lightner Fifi D'Orsay Warner Baxter Irene Dunne

At Lunch: Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey

In the Movie Studio: Richard Dix Claudia Dell Lowell Sherman

The Newsmen: Eugene Pallette Stuart Erwin Skeets Gallagher Gary Cooper Wynne Gibson Charles "Buddy" Rogers

The Detective: Maurice Chevalier

Under the Tree: Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Loretta Young Richard Barthelmess Charles Butterworth

Couples at Home: Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyon, Barbara Stanwyck and Frank Fay

In a Movie Scene: Jack Oakie and Fay Wray

Projectionist George "Gabby" Hayes

The Midget: Little Billy (Billy Rhodes) Mitzi Green solves the mystery.

(Uncredited) Joe E. Brown Robert Ames Bert Lytell

These films were originally produced long before the advent of High Definition TV. Therefore they are best viewed on a small screen. HD TVs tend to stretch and skew the picture. Set your HD TV on a 4:3 aspect ratio. (That was the old TV format). Please do not expect DVD or Commercial level DVDs from these films.