The DONNYBROOK GIRLS: Faith (“Fay”) Martin (ELIZA DUNCAN), Hope Kenner (SARAH MAY GREGORY), and Charity (“Cherry’) Randall (ADRIANNE PALMER) made their debut film in the very popular D-A comedy series in 1941 in the film of the same name. The three girls: Hope, the brains of the trio, mostly because she was not as hot-tempered as  Fay, though they could certainly match each other in cracking wise. The third girl, tall, blonde Cherry was a gentle soul—unless you got her angry, something that happened at least once every picture. (Like Popeye’s “I’ve had all I can stands ‘cause I can’t stands no more!” Cherry’s explosions would be proceeded by; “I’ve had EEE—NNUFFF!!!”) Matinee fans often recited this battle cry as their blonde amazon swept into action.

ELIZA DUNCAN as Faith ("Fay")Martin SARAH MAY GREGORY as Hope Kenner

   (Eliza Dushku)                                        (Sarah Michelle Gellar)

ADRIANNE PALMER as Charity ("Cherry" Martin) KRISTEN BELMONT as "Daphne Devereaux"

 (Adrianne Palicki)                                                         (Kristen Bell)

REOCCURING CHARACTERS:

ELISHA CANTRELL as "Evelyn (Evie) Everest"

(Elisha Cuthbert)

JUDY FIELDER as "Joanie Jordan"

(Jodelle Ferland)

ANN ROBERTSON as "Spunky Twilliger"

(AnnaSophia Robb)

THE DONNYBROOK GIRLS (1941) saw the girls, who had technically graduated from Donnybrook Home for Girls housed on an old Victorian estate in the suburbs of a city that looks an awful lot like New York. They help out with the younger girls, who are a feisty but lovable bunch especially a tomboy who calls herself “Spunky” Twilliger (her real name is Charlotte Sophia. She was played by ANN ROBERTSON).  They also work at part-time jobs. One of these jobs is serving as messengers and it is through one of these that they run afoul of a spoiled rotten debutante named Evelyn Everest (ELISHA CANTRELL). A girl they have clashed with in the past since she attended Parkwood Academy, a snotty school for rich girls is located in an old Victorian estate right next to the Donnybrook property. In  fact, it was  Evie who first poisoned the reasonably good relations between the two schools by getting the school to build a wall after she lost a fair fight to Hope, whom she always regards as her arch-enemy. Evie recruits a handpicked team of debutant warriors (REGINA ADAMS, BROOKE NEVILLE, DANIELLE SAYRE, and TERI PORTER) to start a brawl during a water balloon fight between the two schools. (This part is led by Spunky and her Parkwood counterpart—a pint-sized curly-haired terror named “Joanie Jordan” (juvenile actress JUDY FIELDER). However, when Spunky and Joanie have be rescued from a broken tree limb, the police have to be called and the press get involved . Even though Evie and her friends cooperated with Hope and her friends to rescue the younger girls,  the late-arriving press gives sole credit to the rescue to the Hope and the DG’s.Evie, stung at being denied the chance to impress her father vows revenge . She seizes the chance to publicly blame the whole incident on the Donnybrook  girls and demands the school be shut down. A public hearing is to be held with live radio coverage. However,  Joanie and Spunky team up and trick Evvie into bragging about what she has done, unaware that a hidden microphone is broadcasting it on a live radio show. When Evie realizes she’s been tricked, she goes berserk and attacks Hope, but the smaller girl defeats her while Fay and Cherry rout the other girls. Donnybrook Hall is saved. A simple story, but the fights were done with great enthusiasm and the comic interplay between all the girls brought plenty of laughs.

Notes: Eliza Duncan: Eliza Dushku; Sarah Mary Gregory: Sarah Michelle Gellar; Adrianne Palmer: Adrianne Palicki; Ann Robertson: AnnaSophia Robb; Elisha Cantrell: Elisha Cuthbert; Regina Adams: Rachel McAdams; Brooke Neville: Brooke Nevin; Teri Porter: Teri Polo; Danielle Sayre: Daniella Savre; Judy Fielder: Jodelle Ferland.

Even so, one crucial element was not introduced until the sequel: KNOCKOUT DEB (1941) when KRISTEN BELMONT joined the cast as heiress “Daphne Devereaux”.

In the story, Daphne challenges Evie Everest by promoting a amateur boxer—Cherry Martin against Evie’s amateur (who is really a professional from out of town) played by TAYLOR COLT. When Evie realizes how good Cherry is, she tries to rig the fight by having Faith and Hope taken prisoner. Kristen (with the help of Spunky Twilliger and Joanie Jordan) tracks her down. A big brawl defeats Evie and her henchwomen (ADAMS, NEVILLE, SAYRE AND PORTER again). Then, the DG’s rush to the big fight where a demoralized Cherry is taking a beating. When they appear, Cherry rallies and knocks out her opponent . Kristen and the Donnybrooke Girls celebrate the win.

Notes: Kristen Belmont: Kristen Bell; Taylor Colt: Taylor Cole.

This was quickly followed up by PARDON OUR  PUNCHES (1941), which finds the girls trying to promote Cherry’s boxing career. Daphne manages to antagonize some tough girls (led by JENNIFER GARNETT in a rare “heel” turn), backed up by NICOLE AYRES and MONICA KEENE). However the absence of ELISHA CANTRELL was noticed by fans and although the film was far from a flop, disappointed reactions were made clear to the producers, who were quick to remedy the lapse.

Notes: Jennifer Garnett: Jennifer Garner; Nicole Ayres: Nikki Aycox; Monica Keene: Monica Keena.

ELISHA CANTRELL returned to create even more trouble in the 1942 releases: beginning with DISORDER IN THE COURT as Evelyn tries to entrap Daphne in a faked personal injury lawsuit so her father can get the better of Daphne’s father. The DG’s manage to expose Evie’s treachery and she is obliged to leave the country. Daphne’s father appoints Faith, Hope and Charity to be Daphne’s bodyguards to keep her out of trouble. REGINA ADAMS and BROOKE NEVILLE return as Evelyn’s henchwomen.

 This was, followed by the DG’s attempts to help Daphne’s father start an airline business in UP IN THE AIR against a gang of hijackers who are secretly financed by Evie. (This begins a series of adventures in which the DG’s never realize their real antagonist is the vengeful Evie). Among the hijackers are three crooked stewardesses played by DANIELLE SAYRE (a different character than her earlier appearances) ,JESSICA D’ALBA, and  a DOUBLE-ACTION newcomer KATIE DAWSON, the year before her breakthrough role as THE CHEETAH in WONDER WOMAN VS. THE CHEETAH.

The film highlight is a gunfire-less dogfight between pilots (who knew?) Daphne and Evie in which Daphne out-pilots her mysterious foe. Very good miniature work for this scene.

Notes: Jessica D'Alba: Jessica Alba; Katie Dawson: Katie Hoklmes.

Next came COUNTRY KNOCKOUTS, the girls volunteer to help Donnybrook Hall renovate a summer camp which leads them into conflict with some feisty local farm girls. (stirred by up Mystery Lady EVIE EVEREST).  featured a dandy barnyard brawl with Faith, Hope, Charity and Daphne versus the catfighting  efforts of  LACEY CALVERT,  ERICA DARE, TAYLOR COLE and  ALLISON MCKAY as the fighting farmers’ daughters.

Notes: Lacey Calvert: Lacey Chabvert; Erica Dare: Erica Durance; Taylor Colt: Tyalor Cole; Allison McKay: Allison Mack.

The final release of 1942 was a “special”, a bit longer, a bit bigger budget and set south of the border, called MAYHEM DOWN IN MEXICO. Daphne brings the Donnybrook Girls down to a hacienda where she is trying to persuade a Mexican businessman to make a major deal with her father. They promptly run afoul of JESSICA D’ALBA, CAMILLA BELLAMY, JENNA DONOVAN, Mexican spitfires who are being led by The Lady in Black, Evie, of course. After much fighting, the misunderstandings are cleared up, the deal made and Evie has to make another humiliating escape as the DG’s wonder: “Who was that woman? She kind of looked familiar.”)

Notes: Jessica D'Alba: Jessica Alba; Camilla Bellamy: Camilla Belle; Jenna Donovan: Jenna Dewan.

Moving on to the 1943 season, the Donnybrook Girls try to help Daphne’s new modeling agency get off the ground. Naturally, the Lady in Black is soon on hand helping a rival agency in MODEL MISBEHAVIOR with the help of ARIELLE KENT, AMANDA SHEFFIELD and NICOLE AYERS as model brawlers. This one was notable for its brawls: in sleepwear, in swimwear, and evening gowns.

Notes: Arielle Kent: Arielle Kebbel; Amanda Sheffield: Amanda Seyfried; Nicole Ayers: Nikki Aycox.

Next up was HOTEL HAVOC, in which Daphne tries to troubleshoot a big city hotel that turns out to be the cover for a black market ring headed by REBECCA RAYMOND, she gets some help from Evelyn who helps out with Rebecca’s established henchwomen KARA HARCOURT, CLARE KNIGHT and ALLISON MCKAY. This is also the episode where Joannie Jordan’s parents return to the USA and threaten to separate her from Spunky Twilliger, but the situation is resolved when the Jordans decide to adopt Spunky and take her to Washington D.C.

Notes: Rebecca Raymond: Rebecca Romijn; Kara Harcourt: katherine Heigl; Clare Knight: Clare Kramer; Allison McKay; Allison Mack.

The third film, LADIES OF THE RING,  found the Donnybrook Girls trying to join a female wrestling league to raise money for the Donnybrook School after a fire seriously damages the place. Evie joins as the Masked Maiden and soon enlists a couple of unsavory wrestlers ERICA DARE (a new role from COUNTRY KNOCKOUTS) and newcomer LAURA PRINCE. Lots of wrestling including a wild “falls count anywhere” between “Hope” (SARAH MAY GREGORY and the Masked Maiden, plus a “big girl ring-shaker” of  a battle between ADRIANNE PALMER and LAURA PRINCE. Also present in smaller roles were SARAH CARSON and JENNA DONOVAN (her second role in the series).

The fourth film, the 1943 “special” was DONNYBROOK BUCKAROOS in which Daphne takes the whole school out to a dude ranch. Of course, they are trailed by the relentless Evie who believes there is oil on the land, joins a group trying to force the elderly owners of the ranch to sell out. Late in the action, Evie discovers her latest allies are really Nazi saboteurs who plan to use the ranch as a base for launching air attacks on America. Horrified, Evie flees from the gang, survives having her plane shot down and then has to turn to the Donnybrook Girls for help. With the help of some local Indians girls led by CAMILLA BELLAMY and cowgirls led by JENNI-LEE HARRIS and LACEY CHABERT (Three of them getting their second roles in the series), Nazi plotters are rounded up. Evie gets to even the air score in a dogfight with the gang’s leader: The Valkyrie played by TERI PORTER (a different role from when she was Evie’s deb henchwoman) , thwarting her escape. Also among the bad girls this time around were KRYSTAL KRAMER, ARIELLE KENT, and MONICA KEENE.

As the studio geared up for the 1944 releases, the unexpected occurred: ELISHA CANTRELL announced her first pregnancy. The studio had just picked up troublesome Major Studio starlet CLAIRE DALTON on “extended loan out”. She had already made her first D-A film, the AMANDA AUSTEN mystery MURDER IN THE CHORUS LINE. Now she was thrust into a bigger role than planned for next DG production a story of newspapers vs. radio news reporters: HOT NEWS GIRLS with Claire as the newspaper reporter trying to out-scoop a radio news team of Faith, Hope and Charity to help our Daphne’s latest business venture. (Claire gets help from struggling sister journalists ERICA DARE and ALLISON MCKAY in new roles). They all get involved in exposing a corrupt city official. It seems someone is paying off inspectors to allow unlicensed “back room fights” in their nightclubs. This turns out to be NEVE NORTHWOOD, backed up by minions AMANDA SCHUYLER (some think this demotion to mere hunchwoman status after starring in her own DANCING DETECTIVE series explains why she left D-A and returned to dancing) and ROSE MacDONALD a dark-eyed, deceptively innocent-looking NATALIE PRYOR (a very early role for her). Look closely in the film and you’ll see JADE SONG as an innocent young Asian fighter being jobbed out to nasty club champ Natalie and winding up in the hospital which begins the adventure. The final battle is a nightclub wrecking brawl (did D-A have any other kind?).

The newspaper/radio station rivalry seemed to work very well and the situation was repeated in the next DG film: HEADLINE HUNTRESSES. This time the rival reporters were searching to expose a blackmail ring headed by an elegant, but hard-fighting REBECCA RAYMOND, supported by treacherous beauties KATIE DAWSON, plus newcomers SCARLETT JEWEL, and  MISSY PRESTON.

Next came ALL AT SEA, as the teams investigate reports of a mystery submarine sighted along the coast. They discover a secret submarine base concealed in by what appears to be a luxury yacht club. The Nautical Nazis were headed by REGINA ADAMS

(a major role for her) with a deceptively innocent-looking APRIL BROOKE as one of her henchwomen along with old reliables TAYLOR COLT and BROOKE NEVILLE (new roles for both, of course) supported by British newcomer BELINDA PIPER. A big fight on the docks is a highlight of the battle with young April Brooke proving a worthy contender against Adrianne Palmer and may well have gotten her the assignment as “Dr. Gloria Hunter” when THE VAMPIRE QUEEN franchise was revived after a brief hiatus.

Then came THE DONNYBROOK GIRLS WASHINGTON ADVENTURE .  The Donnybrook Girls (and their newspaper rivals CLAIRE DALTON, ERICA DARE and ALLISON MCKAY) journey to the national’s capital on a story and visit with their friends SPUNKY and JOANNIE.. Naturally they promptly run into trouble with their newspaper rivals who are on to a story that could endanger Mr, Jordan’s career. It turns out to be the work of an exotic foreign agent (JESSICA D’ALBA) seeking revenge for Mr. Jordan’s work in his overseas assignment. (JESSICA’s accomplices are CAMILLA BELLAMY and JENNA DONOVAN, once again turning up as new characters).

The 1944 “special” was TROUBLE IN TINSELTOWN as Daphne and the Donnybrook Girls investigate trouble at a studio where Daphne’s father has just made a major investment. It turns out a sneaky studio head is actually running the whole thing as a swindle using a movie that is guaranteed to fail. However Daphne and her friends finish the picture and make it a triumph. JANE BARRETT, KATIE DAWSON, KRYSTAL KRAMER, TAYLOR COLE and JENNI-LEE HARRIS are the bickering cast that the DG’s have to knock into shape to complete the picture. Movie is another nice backstage look for DOUBLE-ACTION fans.

The total of the popular series had now reached 16, double the usual number for a DOUBLE-ACTION series. Although, still profitable, the producers detected signs that their actresses were growing restless, a normal sign of a series ready to be wound up.

It was decided there would be a 17^th and final chapter to the DONNYBROOK GIRLS saga and it would allow for the return of the series’ sadly missed “bad girl” ELISHA CANTRELL’s “Evie Everest”.

In early 1945, amid much fanfare, THE DONNYBROOK GIRLS’ GREATEST ADVENTURE was released.

It opens with newspaper clippings being pasted into scrapbook as ANN ROBERTSON’s SPUNKY begins to narrate the story. The clippings tell how Evie Everest’s father disappears in an Amazon plane crash. Then scarcely a month later, a confused-looking Evie Everest elopes with a shady-looking guy named Count Tonio. Another month later  Count Tonio is found murdered and Evie, the star suspect disappears. 10 months later, Spunky narrates, Joannie and I were visiting Donnybrooke Hall. One night….

A baby is found in a basket on the doorstep of the home, which is a bit odd as this is not a home for babies. The baby is a lovely little girl: “HER NAME IS CLAIRE/ SHE IS THE MOST PRECIOUS THING IN MY LIFE, BUT I CANNOT PROTECT HER AND CLEAR MY NAME. PLEASE DO NOT TELL THE AUTHORITIES THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT FOR MY FATHER’S FORTUNE. TELL NO ONE YOU HAVE HER. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN FRIENDS, BUT I ADMIRE YOUR HONOR. PLEASE TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY BABY. I WILL CONTACT YOU WHEN I CAN.  YOURS TRULY,

      EVELYN EVEREST.

Even though baby Claire wets on her (and smiles), Hope decides they’ll take care of the kid—and help Evie inspite of herself. (“Evie always thinks she can figure a way out of her problems, but she ends up making them worse,” Hope observes).

Suffice to say, the DG’s come to the rescue. It turns out that the whole evil scheme has been hatched by Evie’s aunt Mavis, played by the redoubtable REBECCA RAYMOND, who has SARAH CARSON, APRIL BROOKE, JENNA DONOVAN and SCARLETT JEWEL to back her up. (It seems Aunt Mavis was cut out of Grandfather Everest’s will and she’s been plotting to get the family fortune back ever since). The DG’s free Evie, but are imprisoned themselves. Worse, Aunt Mavis gets her greedy hands on little Claire hoping to use the child to get control of the fortune

In a sly switch on all we’ve seen before, Evie contacts her old deb gang: REGINA ADAMS, BROOKE NEVILLE, DANIELLE SAYRE, and TERI PORTER and leads an attack to get back her baby and, oh yes, save the Donnybrook Girls/ Even Spunky and Joannie get in a little shin-kicking and tripping.

At the very end CLAIRE DALTON, ERICA DARE and ALLISON MCKAY all show up to record the event, And, as Spunky says. “We all lived happily every after.”

So after 17 features the longest non-Western series in Double-Action history came to a successful conclusion.