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JB
★ Acting

John Breen

1906 – 1972 · New York, USA · Active 1938–1968
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Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man

Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man

1951 ★ 6.8
as Trainer (uncredited)

Lou Francis and Bud Alexander have just graduated from a private detective school. Tommy Nelson, a middleweight boxer, comes to them with their first case. Tommy recently escaped from jail after being accused of murdering his manager, and asks the duo to accompany him on a visit to his fiancée, Helen Gray. He wants her uncle, Dr. Philip Gray, to inject him with a special serum which will render Tommy invisible, and hopes to use the newfound invisibility to investigate his manager's murder and prove his innocence. Dr. Gray adamantly refuses, arguing that the serum is still unstable, recalling that the formula's discoverer, Jack Griffin, was driven insane by the formula and did not become visible again until after he was killed. However, as the police arrive Tommy injects himself with it and successfully becomes invisible. Detective Roberts questions Dr. Gray and Helen while Bud and Lou search for Tommy. Helen and Tommy convince Bud and Lou to help them seek the real killer, after Tommy explains that the motive for the murder occurred after he refused to "throw" a fight, knocking his opponent, Rocky Hanlon, out cold. Morgan, the promoter who fixed the fight, ordered Tommy's manager beaten to death while framing Tommy for the crime. In order to investigate undercover, Lou poses as a boxer, with Bud as his manager. They go to Stillwell's gym, where Lou gets in the ring with Rocky. Tommy, still invisible, gets into the ring with them and again knocks out Hanlon, making it look like Lou did it, and an official match is arranged. Needing to prove Morgan was behind the plot to frame Tommy, Bud and Lou go out to the same restaurant to covertly spy on him alongside an invisible Tommy. But the effects of the serum and Tommy getting drunk make the task difficult for the two who have to keep covering for him. Morgan pays off Lou to throw the fight, but when the match occurs with the aid of an invisible Tommy, Hanlon is knocked out yet again after a wildly chaotic boxing match. Morgan plans Bud's murder, but is thwarted by Tommy. Bud, Lou, and Tommy fight off Morgan and his goons, but when Tommy is rendered partially visible from some steam he is wounded in the battle and begins to bleed badly. The protagonists rush to the hospital where a blood transfusion is arranged between Lou and Tommy, thanks to Lou having the same blood type. During the transfusion Tommy becomes visible again – some of Tommy's blood has apparently entered Lou, who briefly turns invisible, only to reappear with his legs inexplicably on backwards.

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Career Highlights Top 6 by popularity · TMDB

Filmography

50 credits
1960s 9 credits
1968
Ice Station Zebra as Bar Patron (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.3
1967
The Guns of Will Sonnett as Townsman (uncredited)
TV ★ 6.3
1966
Inside Daisy Clover as Crew Member (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.6
1966
A Big Hand for the Little Lady as Barfly (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.1
1966
Gambit as Cafe Patron (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.0
1963
Twilight of Honor as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.5
1962
How the West Was Won as Waiter (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.0
1962
To Kill a Mockingbird as Juror (uncredited)
Movie ★ 8.0
1962
Sam Benedict as Clerk (uncredited)
TV ★ 6.7
1950s 30 credits
1959
Bonanza as Delegate (uncredited)
TV ★ 7.5
1959
Bonanza as Townsman (uncredited)
TV ★ 7.5
1959
Bonanza as Party Guest (uncredited)
TV ★ 7.5
1959
TV ★ 7.5
1958
Wanted: Dead or Alive as Barfly (uncredited)
TV ★ 7.0
1958
Wanted: Dead or Alive as Townsman (uncredited)
TV ★ 7.0
1957
Movie ★ 5.0
1957
Footsteps in the Night as Salesman (Uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.6
1957
Trackdown as Townsman (uncredited)
TV ★ 6.9
1957
Have Gun, Will Travel as Barfly (uncredited)
TV ★ 7.3
1957
Tombstone Territory as Barfly (uncredited)
TV ★ 6.8
1956
Movie ★ 7.2
1956
Somebody Up There Likes Me as Hearing Specatator (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.2
1955
Illegal as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.4
1955
It's Always Fair Weather as Pedestrian (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.0
1955
Gunsmoke as Townsman (uncredited)
TV ★ 6.7
1955
The 20th Century Fox Hour as Reporter (uncredited)
TV ★ 6.0
1955
Gunsmoke as Bartender (uncredited)
TV ★ 6.7
1954
Broken Lance as Townsman (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.5
1953
How to Marry a Millionaire as Cook (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.8
1952
Rancho Notorious as Barfly (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.5
1952
Movie ★ 6.5
1952
Hellgate as Prisoner (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.7
1952
High Noon as Church Member (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.7
1952
Dangerous Assignment as Hotel Guest (uncredited)
TV ★ 5.3
1951
Movie ★ 6.3
1951
He Ran All the Way as Co-Worker (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.2
1951
On Dangerous Ground as Waiter (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.6
1951
A Place in the Sun as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.3
1950
The Furies as Party Guest (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.2
1940s 9 credits
1949
Ringside as Fight Spectoator (uncredited)
Movie ★ 5.0
1947
It Happened on Fifth Avenue as Man Tossing Pudding (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.1
1947
Monsieur Verdoux as Pedestrian (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.7
1947
Thunder Mountain as Waiter (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.0
1945
The Jade Mask as Police Officer (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.1
1944
Hollywood Canteen as Soldier (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.3
1942
Yankee Doodle Dandy as Soldier (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.1
1942
For Me and My Gal as Soldier (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.5
1941
I Wake Up Screaming as Sidewalk passerby (uncredited)
Movie ★ 6.9
1930s 2 credits
1939
Gone with the Wind as Townsman (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.9
1938
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse as Spectator at Robbery (uncredited)
Movie ★ 7.2