Li'l Abner (1940 Film)
''Li'l Abner'' is a 1940 film based on the comic strip ''Li'l Abner'' created by Al Capp. The three most recognizable names associated with the film are Buster Keaton as Lonesome Polecat, Jeff York as Li'l Abner, and Milton Berle, who co-wrote the title song. This was the first of two films based on the popular Al Capp strip, the second being Paramount's 1959 musical, ''Li'l Abner'', which was also based on the hit 1956 Broadway musical ''Li'l Abner''. The film was poorly received, with the rubber "facial appliances" worn by some of the characters to simulate Capp's character designs being especially deficient. Plot Li'l Abner becomes convinced that he is going to die within twenty-four hours, so agrees to marry two different girls: Daisy Mae (who has chased him for years) and Wendy Wilecat (who rescued him from an angry mob). It is all settled at the Sadie Hawkins Day race. Cast See also * Dogpatch * Dogpatch USA Dogpatch USA was a theme park located in northwest Ar ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Albert S
Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Albert Computers, Inc., a computer manufacturer in the 1980s Entertainment * Albert (1985 film), ''Albert'' (1985 film), a Czechoslovak film directed by František Vláčil * ''Albert'' (2015 film), a film by Karsten Kiilerich * Albert (2016 film), ''Albert'' (2016 film), an American TV movie * Albert (album), ''Albert'' (Ed Hall album), 1988 * Albert (short story), "Albert" (short story), by Leo Tolstoy * Albert (comics), a character in Marvel Comics * Albert (Discworld), Albert (''Discworld''), a character in Terry Pratchett's ''Discworld'' series * Albert (suspiria), Albert, a character in Dario Argento's 1977 film ''Suspiria'' Military * Battle of Albert (1914), a WWI battle at Albert, Somme, France * Battle of Albert (1916), a WWI battle at ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Li'l Abner (musical)
''Li'l Abner'' is a 1956 musical with a book by Norman Panama and Melvin Frank, music by Gene De Paul, and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Based on the comic strip ''Li'l Abner'' by Al Capp, the show is, on the surface, a broad spoof of hillbillies, but it is also a pointed satire on other topics, ranging from American politics and incompetence in the United States federal government to propriety and gender roles. After several other writers and composers considered musicalizing the comic strip, Al Capp finally made a deal in 1955 with the eventual creators for a musical to be financed by Paramount Pictures, which wanted to follow the stage version with a film musical. The Broadway production opened on November 15, 1956, and ran for a moderately successful 693 performances. The score and Michael Kidd's choreography received critical praise, but some critics felt that the book's adaptation lost the spirit of the comic strip. Kidd and Edie Adams, as Daisy Mae, won Tony Awards, while newcome ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Doodles Weaver
Winstead Sheffield Glenndenning Dixon "Doodles" Weaver (May 11, 1911 – January 17, 1983) was an American character actor, comedian, and musician. Born into a wealthy West Coast family, Weaver began his career in radio. In the late 1930s, he performed on Rudy Vallée's radio programs and '' Kraft Music Hall''. He later joined Spike Jones' City Slickers. In 1957, Weaver hosted his own NBC variety show ''The Doodles Weaver Show''. In addition to his radio work, he also recorded a number of comedy records, appeared in films and guest-starred on numerous television series from the 1950s through the 1970s. Weaver made his last onscreen appearance in 1981. Despondent over poor health, Weaver fatally shot himself in January 1983. Early life Born in Los Angeles, Weaver was one of four children born to Sylvester Laflin Weaver, a wealthy roofing contractor, and Nellie Mabel (Amabel) Dixon Weaver. His older brother was Pat Weaver, who served as the president of NBC in the 1950s. Weaver's ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mickey Daniels
Richard Daniels Jr. (October 11, 1914 – August 20, 1970) known professionally as Mickey Daniels, was an American actor. Signed by Hal Roach in 1921, he was, along with Joe Cobb, Jackie Condon, Jackie Davis, Mary Kornman, and Ernie Morrison, a regular in the popular ''Our Gang'' comedies during the silent era of the series, between 1922 and 1926. Early life and career Daniels was born in Rock Springs, Wyoming, the son of Welsh-born American actor Richard Daniels and his wife Hannah. In 1921, Daniels was discovered by a talent scout while performing at an amateur night at the Rialto Theatre in Rock Springs. Shortly thereafter, he was signed by Hal Roach to appear in the ''Our Gang'' film series. The red-haired, freckle-faced Daniels was one of the lead characters in the ''Our Gang'' film shorts from 1922 to 1926. In the earlier shorts, he was often a rival (often with Davis) for Mary Kornman's attentions. He first appeared in the first Our Gang short ''Our Gang'' in 1922 when h ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dick Elliott
Richard Damon Elliott (April 30, 1886 – December 22, 1961) was an American character actor who played in over 240 films from the 1930s until the time of his death. Early years Elliott was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Career Elliott played many different roles, typically as a somewhat blustery sort, such as a politician. A short, fat man, Elliott played Santa Claus on the Jimmy Durante, Red Skelton, and Jack Benny programs. Elliott had a couple of memorable lines in ''It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946), in which he scolded James Stewart, who was trying to say goodnight to Donna Reed, advising him: "Why don't you kiss her instead of talking her to death?" He also had a few memorable appearances in episodes of the '' Adventures of Superman'' television series. He appeared three times as Stanley on the CBS sitcom '' December Bride'', as well as on two of ABC/Warner Brothers' western series, ''Sugarfoot'' and ''Maverick''. He was cast as the prospector Peter Cooper and the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Chester Conklin
Chester Cooper Conklin (January 11, 1886 – October 11, 1971) was an early American film comedian who started at Keystone Studios as one of Mack Sennett’s Keystone Cops, often paired with Mack Swain. He appeared in a series of films with Mabel Normand and worked closely with Charlie Chaplin, both in silent and sound films. Early life Conklin was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa. One of three children, he grew up in a violent household. When he was eight, his mother was found burned to death in the family garden. Although first judged a suicide, his father, a devoutly religious man who hoped his son would be a minister, was eventually charged with murder, but found not guilty at trial. Conklin won first prize when he gave a recitation at a community festival. A few years later, he ran away from home after vowing to a friend he would never return, a promise he kept. Heading to Des Moines he found employment as a hotel bellhop, but then moved to Omaha, Nebraska, where his interes ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Lucien Littlefield
Lucien Littlefield (August 16, 1895 – June 4, 1960) was an American actor who achieved a long career from silent films to the television era. He was noted for his versatility, playing a wide range of roles and already portraying old men before he was of voting age. Life and career Lucien Littlefield was born in San Antonio, Texas and attended Staunton Military Academy. He started his movie career in 1913 and worked as an actor until his death in 1960. He usually portrayed comedic supporting characters, often much older than himself. His role of the doctor in '' The Cat and the Canary'' (1927) is one of his more notable performances. The character actor appeared with Laurel and Hardy, first as an eccentric professor in '' Dirty Work'' and finally as a veterinarian in '' Sons of the Desert'', both made in 1933. He also played Mary Pickford's father in '' My Best Girl'' in 1927. Other roles include the western ''Tumbleweeds'' with William S. Hart, the comedy ''Ruggles of Red G ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Walter Catlett
Walter Leland Catlett (February 4, 1889 – November 14, 1960) was an American actor and comedian. He made a career of playing excitable, meddlesome, temperamental, and officious blowhards. Career Catlett was born on February 4, 1889, in San Francisco, California. He started out in vaudeville, teaming up with Hobart Cavanaugh at some point, with a detour for a while to opera, before breaking into acting. He debuted on stage in 1906 and made his first Broadway appearance in either ''The Prince of Pilsen'' (1910 or 1911) or ''So Long Letty'' (1916). His first film appearance was in 1912, but then he went back to the stage and did not return to films until 1929. He performed in operettas and musicals, including ''The Ziegfeld Follies of 1917'', the original production of the Jerome Kern musical ''Sally'' (1920) and the Gershwins' '' Lady, Be Good'' (1924). In the last, he introduced the song " Oh, Lady Be Good!" In 1918, he starred in, stage-managed and rewrote an Oliver Mor ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Johnny Arthur
Johnny Arthur (born John Lennox Arthur Williams; May 20, 1883 – December 31, 1951) was an American stage and motion picture actor. Early years Born in Scottdale, Pennsylvania, Arthur was a veteran of twenty-five years on stage before he made his screen debut in 1923's ''The Unknown Purple''. Arthur's screen personality was nebulous enough to allow him to play the romantic lead in the Lon Chaney vehicle '' The Monster'' (1925). Talkie era With the coming of sound, Arthur developed his first comedic image, an effeminate character in films such as ''The Desert Song'' (1929), '' She Couldn't Say No'' (1930), '' Penrod and Sam'' (1931) and ''The Ghost Walks'' (1934). When the Production Code took effect on July 1, 1934, the overtly homosexual characters played by Arthur were toned down in Hollywood movies. He spent the rest of the 1930s playing fussy characters. This served him well in low-budget films like ''The Natzy Nuisance'', ''Ellis Island'' and ''Danger on the Air'', as wel ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Edgar Kennedy
Edgar Livingston Kennedy (April 26, 1890 – November 9, 1948) was an American comedic character actor who appeared in at least 500 films during the silent and sound eras. Professionally, he was known as "Slow Burn", owing to his ability to portray characters whose anger slowly rose in frustrating situations. In many of his roles, he used exasperated facial expressions and performed very deliberately to convey his rising anger or "burn", often rubbing his hand over his bald head and across his face in an effort to control his temper. One memorable example of his comedy technique can be seen in the 1933 Marx Brothers' film '' Duck Soup'', where he plays a sidewalk lemonade vendor who is harassed and increasingly provoked by Harpo and Chico. Early years Kennedy was born April 26, 1890, in Monterey County, California, to Canadians Neil Kennedy and Annie Quinn. He attended San Rafael High School before taking up boxing. He was a light-heavyweight and once went 14 rounds with Jac ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bud Jamison
William Edward "Bud" Jamison (February 15, 1894 – September 30, 1944)Okuda, Ted, and Edward Watz. 1999. The Columbia Comedy Shorts: Two-reel Hollywood Film Comedies 1933–1958'. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. . was an American film actor. He appeared in 450 films between 1915 and 1944, notably appearing in many shorts with The Three Stooges as a foil. Career Born in Vallejo, California, Jamison joined the ranks of stage and vaudeville performers making movies in California. Jamison's husky build and willingness to participate in messy slapstick and rowdy action guaranteed him work in silent comedies. In 1915 he was a member of Charlie Chaplin's stock company at Essanay Studios. From there he moved to the Hal Roach studio, playing hot-tempered comic foils for Harold Lloyd, Snub Pollard, and Stan Laurel. In the 1920s, he joined Universal Pictures' short-comedy contingent, and later worked in Mack Sennett comedies. In his earliest films, Jamison looked too young to be tota ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Maude Eburne
Maude Eburne (born Maud Eburne Riggs, November 10, 1875 – October 15, 1960) was a Canadian character actress of stage and screen, known for playing eccentric roles. Early years Eburne was born the daughter of John and Mary Riggs, in Bronte-on-the-Lake, Ontario. She studied elocution in Toronto. The death of Eburne's father in 1901 was a catalyst for her entry into acting as a profession. She said that he would not have approved a stage career for her and added, "If my father knew I was on the stage, he would not rest in peace." Career Eburne began her career in stock theater in Buffalo, New York. Her early theater work was in Ontario and New York City, debuting on Broadway to great acclaim as "Coddles" in the 1914 farce ''A Pair of Sixes''. "When I first came to New York... I said I didn't want to be beautiful young girls or stately leading women, but wanted parts that had something queer in them, especially if there were dialect." She continued to play mainly humoro ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |