''Doughnuts and Society'' is a 1936 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

Lewis D. Collins Lewis D. Collins (January 12, 1899 – August 24, 1954) was an American film director and occasional screenwriter. In his career spanning over 30 years, he churned out dozens of Westerns. Career Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Collins' film caree ...

and written by

Karen DeWolf Karen DeWolf (1904–1989), sometimes known as Gypsy Wells, was an American screenwriter and novelist credited on over 50 films during her 20+ years in Hollywood. She's best known for her work on Columbia's ''Blondie'' films, in addition to movi ...

, Robert St. Claire,

Wallace MacDonald Wallace Archibald MacDonald (5 May 1891 – 30 October 1978) was a Canadian silent film actor and film producer. Biography MacDonald was born in Mulgrave, Nova Scotia, Canada, and attended school in Sydney, Nova Scotia. He started as a mess ...

, Matt Brooks and Gertrude Orr. The film stars

Louise Fazenda Louise Fazenda (June 17, 1895 – April 17, 1962) was an American film actress, appearing chiefly in silent comedy films. Early life Fazenda was born in her maternal grandparents' house in Lafayette, Indiana, the daughter of merchandise broke ...

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-o ...

Ann Rutherford Therese Ann Rutherford (November 2, 1917 – June 11, 2012) was a Canadian-born American actress in film, radio, and television. She had a long career starring and co-starring in films, playing Polly Benedict during the 1930s and 1940s in the An ...

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 ...

Hedda Hopper Hedda Hopper (born Elda Furry; May 2, 1885February 1, 1966) was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, her readership was 35 million. A strong supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committ ...

and

Franklin Pangborn Franklin Pangborn (January 23, 1889 – July 20, 1958) was an American comedic character actor famous for playing small but memorable roles with comic flair. He appeared in many Preston Sturges movies as well as the W. C. Fields films '' Interna ...

. The film was released on March 27, 1936, by

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City an ...

Plot

Belle Dugan and Kate Flanagan are partners in a doughnut business. When Belle gets $50,000 to sell her mine to a mining company for potential gold, she is brought into society and wealth with her daughter Joan. She leaves Kate behind with her son Jerry behind at the doughnut business. Although they left on bad terms, Belle invites Kate and Jerry to a party at their new mansion, all while Kate wears uncomfortable shoes. When she sits to take them off, a dog snatches them, and she embarrasses herself in front of everyone at the party. Belle kicks her out, and Joan and Jerry leave on bad terms, in defense of their mothers. That same night, Jerry has a brilliant money-making idea: a parking garage. They make a cake as a diorama and they start their garage business, as well as get into society and wealth just like Belle and Joan. This time, however, Kate has the party and invites Belle and Joan to HER mansion. Again, they leave on bad terms, as well as Joan and Jerry. Soon, Kate and Jerry sell the company because they were sabotaged by a businessman whose offer to buy out the business was rejected. As a result, they were forced to sell the company to another businessman. Now they are out of wealth and back to the doughnuts when all of a sudden, just before Joan is to marry a Frenchman, the same woman that came and gave Belle the $50,000 for her mine comes and tells her they didn't find any gold, just water. Now, Joan and Jerry get married and Belle and Kate are back where they started, at the doughnut business!

Cast

as Kate Flannagan *

as Belle Dugan *

as Joan Dugan *

as Jerry Flannagan *

as Mrs. Murray Hill *

as Benson *

Rafael Storm Rafael Storm (1889–1951) was an American film actor.Blottner p.34 Selected filmography * '' It Happened in New York'' (1935) * '' The Plot Thickens'' (1935) * ''Under the Pampas Moon'' (1935) * '' The Fighting Pilot'' (1935) * '' Lady Tubbs'' ...

as Ivan Petroff *Harold Minjir as Hoyt *

Olaf Hytten Olaf Hytten (3 March 1888 – 11 March 1955) was a Scottish actor. He appeared in more than 280 films between 1921 and 1955. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and died in Los Angeles, California from a heart attack, while sitting in his car ...

as Wellington *Robert Light as Bill *

Isabelle Keith Isabelle Keith (born Isobel Keep; May 27, 1898 – July 20, 1979) was an American actress. Keith was born Isobel Keep on May 27, 1898, in Nebraska. She initially was billed under her birth name, but she changed her professional name to Isabell ...

as Miss Bradley *

Smiley Burnette Lester Alvin Burnett (March 18, 1911 – February 16, 1967), better known as Smiley Burnette, was an American country music performer and a comedic actor in Western films and on radio and TV, playing sidekick to Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and ...

as Mover #2

References

External links

* * 1936 films 1930s English-language films American comedy films 1936 comedy films Republic Pictures films Films directed by Lewis D. Collins American black-and-white films Films produced by Nat Levine 1930s American films English-language comedy films {{1930s-comedy-film-stub