Movie
Hellcats of the Navy
Released: May 1, 1957 (1957)
Runtime: 82 minutes
Genres: War, Drama, Thriller
Future "first couple" Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis made their only joint film appearance in Hellcats of the Navy. Ronnie plays Casey Abbott, commander of a WW2 submarine, while Nancy portrays navy nurse Helen Blair, Abbott's off-and-on girlfriend. During a delicate mission in which his sub is ordered to retrieve a revolutionary new Japanese mine, Abbott is forced to leave frogman Wes Barton (Harry Lauter) behind to save the rest of his crew. But Abbott's second-in-command Don Landon (Eduard Franz) is convinced that Abbott's sacrifice of Barton was due to the fact that the dead man had been amorously pursuing Helen.
Main Cast (Top 10 billed, oldest first)
- William Phillips as Carroll (as William Phillips)
Age at release: 48
- Ronald Reagan as Cmdr. Casey Abbott (Captain, USS Starfish)
Age at release: 46
- Harry Lauter as Lt. (j.g.) Wes Barton
Age at release: 42
- Don Keefer as Jug
Age at release: 40
- Arthur Franz as Lt. Cmdr. Don Landon (XO, USS Starfish)
Age at release: 37
- Nancy Reagan as Nurse Lt. Helen Blair
Age at release: 35
- Robert Arthur as Freddy Warren
Age at release: 31
- William Leslie as Lt. Paul Prentice
Age at release: 29
- Joe Turkel as Chick (as Joseph Turkel)
Age at release: 29
- Michael Garth as Bill aka Lt. Charlie
Age at release: Unknown
Show more cast
- Chester W. Nimitz as Himself (in prologue) (uncredited)
Age at release: 71