''Bonzo Goes to College'' is a 1952 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

Frederick De Cordova Frederick Timmins de Cordova (October 27, 1910 – September 15, 2001) was an American stage, motion picture and television director and producer. He is best known for his work on ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson''. Early life De Cordova ...

and starring

Maureen O'Sullivan Maureen O'Sullivan (17 May 1911 – 23 June 1998) was an Irish-American actress, who played Jane in the ''Tarzan'' series of films during the era of Johnny Weissmuller. She performed with such actors as Laurence Olivier, Greta Garbo, William ...

Edmund Gwenn Edmund Gwenn (born Edmund John Kellaway; 26 September 1877 – 6 September 1959) was an English actor. On film, he is best remembered for his role as Kris Kringle in the Christmas film ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947), for which he won th ...

, Charles Drake,

Gigi Perreau Gigi Perreau (born February 6, 1941) is an American film and television actress. Early years The daughter of French-born Robert and Eleanor Child Perreau-Saussine, she was born Ghislaine Elizabeth Marie Thérèse Perreau-Saussine. Career Perrea ...

Gene Lockhart Edwin Eugene Lockhart (July 18, 1891 – March 31, 1957)"Gene Lockhart"
''The ...

, and Bonzo.

Plot

Former lab

chimpanzee The chimpanzee (''Pan troglodytes''), also known as simply the chimp, is a species of great ape native to the forest and savannah of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed subspecies. When its close relative th ...

Bonzo, suddenly literate, runs away from a carnival sideshow. He lands in the college town of Pawlton, where young Betsy mistakenly believes the chimp is a gift from her grandfather, Pop Drew, the football coach at Pawlton. Betsy wants to formally adopt Bonzo, something her parents, Marion and Malcolm Drew, aren't too sure about. A judge goes along with the idea, pretending to officially approve an adoption, just to humor the girl. Betsy then writes her other grandfather, millionaire Clarence Gateson, to inform him she now has a baby brother. Gateson is thrilled until he arrives in Pawlton and finds the truth. Gateson warms up to Bonzo and even takes him golfing. Discovering what a natural athlete the chimpanzee is, an idea is hatched that Bonzo could play quarterback for the college, where Pop is desperate for good players. A couple of con men, Edwards and Wilbur Crane, kidnap the chimpanzee just before the big game and replace Bonzo with one that can't play ball. Before they can collect their bets, the real Bonzo turns up and wins the game.

Cast

as Marion Gateson Drew *

as Ten 'Pop' Drew * Charles Drake as Malcolm Drew *

as Betsy Drew *

Gene Lockhart Edwin Eugene Lockhart (July 18, 1891 – March 31, 1957)"Gene Lockhart"
''The ...

as Clarence B. Gateson * Bonzo as Bonzo *

Irene Ryan Irene Ryan (born Irene Noblitt, Noblett, or Noblette; October 17, 1902 – April 26, 1973) was an American actress and comedienne who found success in vaudeville, radio, film, television, and Broadway. She is most widely known for her por ...

as Nancy *

John Miljan John Miljan (November 9, 1892 – January 24, 1960) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1924 and 1958. Biography Born in 1892, Miljan was the tall, smooth-talking villain in Hollywood films for almost four deca ...

as Wilbur Crane * Frank Nelson as Dick *

Jerry Paris William Gerald Paris (July 25, 1925 – March 31, 1986) was an American actor and director best known for playing Jerry Helper, the dentist and next-door neighbor of Rob and Laura Petrie, on ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'', and for directing the majo ...

as Edwards * Guy Williams as Ronald Calkins *

Richard Garrick Richard Garrick (December 27, 1878 – August 21, 1962) was an Irish-born American actor and director. Life and career Garrick was born Richard Thomas O'Brien in the townland of Portlaw, County Waterford, Ireland. His father, James E. O'Brien ...

as Judge George Simpkins *

Tom Harmon Thomas Dudley Harmon (September 28, 1919 – March 15, 1990), known as Tom Harmon, as well as by the nickname "Old 98", was an American football player, military pilot, actor, and sports broadcaster. Harmon grew up in Gary, Indiana, and playe ...

as Tom Harmon

References

External links

* * * 1952 films 1950s sports comedy films American black-and-white films American sports comedy films American football films American sequel films Films about apes Films about animals playing sports Films directed by Frederick de Cordova Films set in universities and colleges Universal Pictures films Films scored by Frank Skinner 1952 comedy films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films {{1950s-comedy-film-stub