''Goin' to Town'' is a 1944 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

Leslie Goodwins Leslie Goodwins (17 September 1899 – 8 January 1969) was an English film director and screenwriter. He directed nearly 100 films between 1926 and 1967, notably 27 features and shorts with Leon Errol, including the Mexican Spitfire series. ...

from an original screenplay by

Charles E. Roberts Charles E. Roberts (March 13, 1843 – March 1934) was an American engineer, inventor and an important early client and patron of Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1896, Wright remodeled Robert's house in Oak Park. Personal life Charles E Roberts was b ...

and

Charles R. Marion Charles R. Marion was a screenwriter. He worked on dozens of films. He married actress Elena Verdugo. They had one son, Richard Marion (1949–1999), who became an actor and director. After their divorce she remarried. Filmography *''Spooks Run Wil ...

, based upon the successful radio program

Lum and Abner ''Lum and Abner'' was an American network radio comedy program created by Chester Lauck and Norris Goff that was aired from 1931 to 1954. Modeled on life in the small town of Waters, Arkansas, near where Lauck and Goff grew up, the show proved i ...

created by

Chester Lauck Chester "Chet" Lauck (February 9, 1902 – February 21, 1980) was a comic actor who played the character of Lum Edwards on the classic American radio comedy ''Lum and Abner''. Early life and career Chester Lauck was born in Alleene, Arkansas ...

and

Norris Goff Norris Goff (May 30, 1906 – June 7, 1978) was an American comedian in radio and film best known for his portrayal of Abner Peabody on the rural comedy ''Lum and Abner''. Biography Nicknamed "Tuffy," Goff was born in Cove, Arkansas, but s ...

. It was the fifth of seven films in the Lum and Abner series, and was released by RKO Radio Pictures on September 28, 1944. The film stars Lauck and Goff, along with

Florence Lake Florence Lake (born Florence Silverlake, November 27, 1904 – April 11, 1980) was an American actress best known as the leading lady in most of the Edgar Kennedy comedy shorts. Early life Lake was born in Charleston, South Carolina. In t ...

and

Andrew Tombes Andrew Tombes (29 June 1885 – 17 March 1976) was an American comedian and character actor. Biography The son of a grocer, originally from Ashtabula, Ohio, Tombes was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy. Early in his career, he worked as a v ...

Plot

Lum Edwards and Abner Peabody own a general store in Pine Ridge. When oil tycoon M. A. Parker is stranded in the town awaiting his car being repaired, he decides to play a practical joke on the two small-town rubes, and feigns interest in purchasing their store, alleging that there is an oil deposit below the premises. He offers Lum and Abner $20,000 for their property, but the two believe he is trying to steal their property by offering them far less than the property is truly worth. Rather than take Parker's money, the pair convince their friends and neighbors to donate money to drill for oil. As the days go by and they do not strike oil, Lum and Abner get their fellow citizens to invest more and more funds. Eventually, however, there comes a day when their oil speculation company runs out of money. Desperate to get their investors' money back, the pair head to Chicago to sell their property to Parker. While waiting to see him, the duo is overheard discussing their oil property by Jimmy Benton, who works for Parker's chief rival. He approaches Lum and Abner and offers them a large sum of money for their property, enough to pay back all their investors. Parker's partner, Clarke, overhears Benton's offer, and not wanting to lose out on such a lucrative prospect, offers the pair even more money. Lum and Abner agree to sell to Clarke, and return to Pine Ridge, able to pay back all their investors with interest, as well as making a tidy profit for themselves. Parker and Clarke, meanwhile, are left with a worthless piece of property.

Cast

(cast list as per AFI database) *

as Lum Edwards *

as Abner Peabody *

Barbara Hale Barbara Hale (April 18, 1922 – January 26, 2017) was an American actress who portrayed legal secretary Della Street in the dramatic television series ''Perry Mason (1957 TV series), Perry Mason'' (1957–1966), earning her a 1959 Emmy Award f ...

as Sally *

as Abigail *

Grady Sutton Grady Harwell Sutton (April 5, 1906 – September 17, 1995) was an American film and television character actor from the 1920s to the 1970s. He appeared in more than 180 films. Early years Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sutton was raised ...

as Cedric *

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 p ...

as Squire *

Herbert Rawlinson Herbert Banemann Rawlinson (15 November 1885 – 12 July 1953) was an English-born stage, film, radio, and television actor. A leading man during Hollywood's silent film era, Rawlinson transitioned to character roles after the advent of sound f ...

as Wentworth *

Dick Baldwin Richard G. Baldwin (January 9, 1911 – October 28, 1996) was an American film actor. He was married to the actress Cecilia Parker Cecilia Parker (April 26, 1914 – July 25, 1993) was a Canadian-born American film actress. She was best ...

as Jimmy Benton * Ernie Adams as Zeke *

Jack Rice Jack Rice (May 14, 1893 – December 14, 1968) was an American actor best known for appearing as the scrounging, freeloading brother-in-law in Edgar Kennedy's series of short domestic comedy films at the RKO studio, and also as "Ollie" (aka "Ol ...

as Clarke *

Sam Flint Sam Flint (born Samuel A. Ethridge; October 19, 1882 – October 17, 1980) was an American actor. Flint appeared in more than 230 films, often as a "judge, lawyer, military officer, senator, sheriff, chief of police, or doctor." Flint was ...

as Dr. Crane *

as M. A. Parker *

George Chandler George Chandler (June 30, 1898 – June 10, 1985) was an American actor who starred in over 140 feature films, usually in smaller supporting roles, and he is perhaps best known for playing the character of Uncle Petrie Martin on the televi ...

as Jameson *

Ruth Lee Ruth Lee (September 14, 1895 – August 3, 1975) was an American stage and film actress. Early life and career Lee was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and she graduated from a dramatic school there. Lee acted in stock theater with the Natio ...

as Mrs. Wentworth * Danny Duncan as Grandpappy Spears *

Marietta Canty Marietta Canty (September 30, 1905 – July 9, 1986) was an American actress, community activist and recipient of numerous humanist awards. Personal life and social engagement Marietta Canty was born in Hartford, Connecticut, the daughter of ...

as Camelia

Production

In July 1944, RKO announced that ''Goin' to Town'' would be one of at least 50 films on their 1944–45 production schedule, although work had already begun on the picture in April. The film was slated to be one of five RKO productions to be screened at New York City tradeshows from September 18–22.

Reception

The Film Daily ''The Film Daily'' was a daily publication that existed from 1918 to 1970 in the United States. It was the first daily newspaper published solely for the film industry. It covered the latest trade news, film reviews, financial updates, informatio ...

'' found little merit with the film, feeling that it would only appeal to fans of the radio program. They called the production quality "routine", and the direction of Leslie Goodwins, "pedestrian". ''

Harrison's Reports ''Harrison's Reports'' was a New York City-based motion picture trade journal published weekly from 1919 to 1962. The typical issue was four letter-size pages sent to subscribers under a second-class mail permit. Its founder, editor and publisher ...

'' also gave the picture a lukewarm review, echoing the sentiment that it would only find an audience among the existing fans of the ''

'' radio show. ''

Motion Picture Daily ''Motion Picture Daily'' was an American daily magazine focusing on the film industry. It was published by Quigley Publishing Company, which also published the ''Motion Picture Herald''. The magazine was formed by the merging of three existing Qui ...

'' was more kind. While they agreed that the film's comedy would find the best reception among the radio show's audience, they felt that it would have a broader appeal, saying that the picture made "...no passes at subtlety or finesse and concentrates on characterization and the broad sweep of rustic humor. The trade name for this is corn, but it's Grade 'A' corn...."

References

External links