''Father Steps Out'' is a 1941 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

Jean Yarbrough Jean Yarbrough (August 22, 1901 – August 2, 1975) was an American film director. Biography Jean Yarbrough was born in Marianna, Arkansas on August 22, 1901. He attended the University of the South located in Sewanee, Tennessee. In 1922 ...

and starring Frank Albertson,

Jed Prouty Jed Prouty (born Clarence Gordon Prouty; April 6, 1879 – May 10, 1956) was an American film actor. Biography Born as Clarence Gordon Prouty in Boston, Massachusetts, Prouty was a vaudeville performer before becoming a film actor. Mostly app ...

, Lorna Gray and

Frank Faylen Frank Faylen (born Charles Francis Ruf, December 8, 1905 – August 2, 1985) was an American film and television actor. Largely a bit player and character actor, he occasionally played more fleshed-out supporting roles during his forty-two ...

. It is a remake of the 1934 film ''

City Limits City limits or city boundaries refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limit can be called the city proper. Town limit/boundary and village limit/boundary apply to towns and villages. Similarly, corporate limi ...

''.

Plot

Jimmy Dugan ( Frank Albertson) is a shotgun newspaper journalist who would kill to get a scoop. He finds a lead to a great business story and manages to get an interview with the subject in question, J.B. Matthews (

), who is the CEO of Bay Shore Railroad. Matthews company owns the Midland Central Railroad, where Tom Oliver (

John Dilson John Dilson (February 18, 1891 – June 1, 1944) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 250 films between 1934 and 1944. Selected filmography * ''A Man's Game'' (1934) * '' The Westerner'' (1934) * '' The Girl Who Came Back'' ...

) is in charge. Jimmy pretends to be Matthews physician and gains access to his mansion to perform a physical examination. He orders Matthews to relieve stress by taking a weeks vacation. While he performs the physical, Matthews’ daughter Helen ( Lorna Gray) discovers that Jimmy isn't a real doctor, but intrigued by the reason for the charade, she keeps quiet and doesn't tell her father. Jimmy comes back to the mansion the day after when the family has left on their vacation, to search the house for leads to his story. He finds out that the family is on a train vacation, and takes a car to follow the train by road. Jimmy goes through a great ordeal to catch up with the train; he crashes his car and steals a police motorcycle. Eventually he manages to board the train, but at the same time, Matthews jumps off the train to escape his nagging sister. Matthews became acquainted with two hoboes living near the railroad tracks, and his wife Martha panics when she finds out he isn't aboard the train anymore. Matthews is soon reported missing and his rival Tom Oliver start scheming to take control of the enterprise on his own. Jimmy reports back to his editor that the railroad tycoon is missing. There is a reward set to the person who can leave information leading to finding Matthews, but he is quite comfortable where he is with his new friends. Before the Bay Shore is sold to Midland, someone who has met Matthews in his new environment reveals his whereabouts. Jimmy helps find the tycoon and get him back before his assets are sold off by the bank. Jimmy wins the respect and heart of Helen, and the hoboes come and visit Matthews at the mansion.

Cast

* Frank Albertson as Jimmy Dugan *

as John B. Matthews * Lorna Gray as Helen Matthews *

as Tall Hobo 'King' *

as Tom Oliver * Charlie Hall as Short Hobo 'Nap', aka Napoleon *

Kathryn Sheldon Kathryn Sheldon (September 22, 1879December 25, 1975) was an American film actress who appeared in over 100 films between 1916 and 1956. Modern viewers will recognize Sheldon as the domineering Nell in The Three Stooges' 1940 short film ''Rock ...

as Aunt Martha Matthews * John Maxwell as City Editor Macy * Mary Field as Mrs. Benton, Farm Woman * Tristram Coffin as Dr. R. G. Stafford * Paul Maxey as Jenks, the Butler * J. Arthur Young as Banker *

Gene O'Donnell In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...

as Jones *

I. Stanford Jolley Isaac Stanford Jolley (October 24, 1900 – December 7, 1978) was an American film and television actor. He starred in the 1946 film serial ''The Crimson Ghost'', in which he played the role of Doctor Blackton and also voiced the title cha ...

as Oliver's Secretary

References

External links

* 1941 films 1940s English-language films Films directed by Jean Yarbrough 1941 comedy films American comedy films Remakes of American films Films based on American novels Monogram Pictures films Rail transport films American black-and-white films 1940s American films {{1940s-comedy-film-stub