''Baby Face Harrington'' is a 1935 American
comedy film
A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
directed by
Raoul Walsh
Raoul Walsh (born Albert Edward Walsh; March 11, 1887December 31, 1980) was an American film director, actor, founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), and the brother of silent screen actor George Walsh. He w ...
and written by
Nunnally Johnson
Nunnally Hunter Johnson (December 5, 1897 – March 25, 1977) was an American screenwriter, film director, producer, and playwright. As a filmmaker, he wrote the screenplays to more than fifty films in a career that spanned from 1927 to 1967. He ...
,
Edwin H. Knopf
Edwin H. Knopf (November 11, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American film producer, film director, and screenwriter.
Biography
He was born in New York City and went to work early in his life in the editorial department of his brother Alf ...
and
Charles Lederer
Charles Davies Lederer (December 31, 1910 – March 5, 1976) was an American screenwriter and film director. He was born into a theatrical family in New York, and after his parents divorced, was raised in California by his aunt, Marion Davies, ...
. The film stars
Charles Butterworth,
Una Merkel
Una Merkel (December 10, 1903 – January 2, 1986) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress.
Merkel was born in Kentucky and acted on stage in New York in the 1920s. She went to Hollywood in 1930 and became a popular film ...
,
Harvey Stephens
Harvey Stephens (August 21, 1901 – December 22, 1986) was an American actor, known initially for his performances in Broadway productions, and thereafter for his work in film and on television. He was most active in film beginning in the 193 ...
,
Eugene Pallette
Eugene William Pallette (July 8, 1889 – September 3, 1954) was an American actor who worked in both the silent and sound eras, performing in more than 240 productions between 1913 and 1946.
After an early career as a slender leading man, ...
and
Nat Pendleton
Nathaniel Greene Pendleton (August 9, 1895 – October 12, 1967) was an American Olympic wrestler, film actor, and stage performer. His younger brother, Edmund J. Pendleton (1899-1987), was a well-known music composer and choir maste ...
. The film was released on April 12, 1935, by
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...
.
Plot
Millicent (
Una Merkel
Una Merkel (December 10, 1903 – January 2, 1986) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress.
Merkel was born in Kentucky and acted on stage in New York in the 1920s. She went to Hollywood in 1930 and became a popular film ...
) wants her husband Willie (
Charles Butterworth) to make a success of himself, the way her old beau Ronald (
Harvey Stephens
Harvey Stephens (August 21, 1901 – December 22, 1986) was an American actor, known initially for his performances in Broadway productions, and thereafter for his work in film and on television. He was most active in film beginning in the 193 ...
) did. In the belief what she wants most is money, Willie cashes in a life-insurance policy in exchange for $2,000 in cash, which he promptly loses.
When he sees real-estate agent Skinner (
Donald Meek
Thomas Donald Meek (14 July 1878 – 18 November 1946) was a Scottish-American actor. He first performed publicly at the age of eight and began appearing on Broadway in 1903.
Meek is perhaps best known for his roles in the films '' You Can't T ...
) with that much money, not long after having spoken with him, Willie knows who's robbed him. Meanwhile, a professional thief, Rocky Banister (
Nat Pendleton
Nathaniel Greene Pendleton (August 9, 1895 – October 12, 1967) was an American Olympic wrestler, film actor, and stage performer. His younger brother, Edmund J. Pendleton (1899-1987), was a well-known music composer and choir maste ...
), is terrifying everyone in town with his daring robberies, worrying Millicent so much that she keeps a gun nearby.
Borrowing the gun, Willie confronts Skinner and takes the $2,000. When he returns home, Willie discovers that his money has been in his wallet all along. Before he can return it to Skinner and apologize, Rocky breaks in and steals all $4,000.
Willie is accused of being an accomplice of Rocky's and sent to jail. During a breakout, Willie manages to leave a note behind for the police, who catch up just in time to apprehend Rocky and proclaim Willie a hero.
Cast
*
Charles Butterworth as Willie
*
Una Merkel
Una Merkel (December 10, 1903 – January 2, 1986) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress.
Merkel was born in Kentucky and acted on stage in New York in the 1920s. She went to Hollywood in 1930 and became a popular film ...
as Millicent
*
Harvey Stephens
Harvey Stephens (August 21, 1901 – December 22, 1986) was an American actor, known initially for his performances in Broadway productions, and thereafter for his work in film and on television. He was most active in film beginning in the 193 ...
as Ronald
*
Eugene Pallette
Eugene William Pallette (July 8, 1889 – September 3, 1954) was an American actor who worked in both the silent and sound eras, performing in more than 240 productions between 1913 and 1946.
After an early career as a slender leading man, ...
as Uncle Henry
*
Nat Pendleton
Nathaniel Greene Pendleton (August 9, 1895 – October 12, 1967) was an American Olympic wrestler, film actor, and stage performer. His younger brother, Edmund J. Pendleton (1899-1987), was a well-known music composer and choir maste ...
as Rocky
* Ruth Selwyn as Dorothy
*
Donald Meek
Thomas Donald Meek (14 July 1878 – 18 November 1946) was a Scottish-American actor. He first performed publicly at the age of eight and began appearing on Broadway in 1903.
Meek is perhaps best known for his roles in the films '' You Can't T ...
as Skinner
* Dorothy Libaire as Edith
*
Edward Nugent
Edward James Nugent (February 7, 1904 – January 3, 1995) was an American film and stage actor.
Biography
Born in 1904 in New York City, Nugent appeared in more than 80 films between 1928 and 1937. He subsequently had a second acting career o ...
as Albert
*
Robert Livingston as George
*
Stanley Fields as Mullens
* Raymond Brown as McGuire
*
Wade Boteler
Wade Boteler (October 3, 1888 – May 7, 1943) was an American film actor and writer. He appeared in more than 430 films between 1919 and 1943.
Biography
He was born in Santa Ana, California, and died in Hollywood, California, from a heart ...
as Glynn
* Bradley Page as Dave
*
Richard Carle
Richard Carle (born Charles Nicholas Carleton, July 7, 1871 – June 28, 1941) was an American stage and film actor as well as a playwright and stage director. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1915 and 1941.
Carle was born in Som ...
as Judge Forbes
*
G. Pat Collins
G. Pat Collins, also known as George Pat Collins or Pat Collins (born George Percy Collins; December 16, 1895 – August 5, 1959) was an American actor of the stage and screen.
Biography
Collins was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1895.
After ser ...
as Hank
*
Claude Gillingwater
Claude Benton Gillingwater (August 2, 1870 – November 1, 1939) was an American stage and screen actor. He first appeared on the stage then in more than 90 films between 1918 and 1939, including the Academy Award-nominated ''A Tale of Two ...
as Colton
References
External links
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*
1935 films
American comedy films
1935 comedy films
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
Films directed by Raoul Walsh
Films with screenplays by Charles Lederer
American black-and-white films
Films scored by Edward Ward (composer)
1930s English-language films
1930s American films
{{1930s-comedy-film-stub