Recently, on Steve Lewis's mysteryfile blog there was a brief discussion about S.S. van Dine and Philo Vance, which also included comments about character actor Eugene Pallett. Pallett was always a joy to watch and he elevated almost every film he was in, notwithstanding that in private life he was a racist (which had much to do with his declining career; interestingly -- and completely off topic -- Pallett had a bit part in DeMille's Birth of a Nation in blackface).
Pallett appeared in five of the Philo Vance movies, more than any other actor, including the star. Enjoy his work in this William Powell vehicle, also featuring Florence Eldridge and Jean Arthur. (For the record, the literary Philo Vance needs a kick in the pants far more than the cinematic one does.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTSY9WBUocE
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