''Grand Ole Opry'' is a 1940 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 Frank McDonald and written by Dorrell McGowan and Stuart E. McGowan. The film stars the vaudeville comedy troupe

the Weaver Brothers and Elviry The Weaver Brothers and Elviry were musical comedy vaudeville and film performers, in the " hillbilly" style. The group consisted of brothers Leon "Abner" Weaver and Frank "Cicero" Weaver, with June "Elviry" Weaver. The group headlined a traveling v ...

, with Lois Ranson,

Allan Lane Allan "Rocky" Lane (born Harry Leonard Albershardt; September 22, 1909 – October 27, 1973) was an American studio leading man and the star of many cowboy B-movies in the 1940s and 1950s. He appeared in more than 125 films and TV shows in ...

and

Henry Kolker Joseph Henry Kolker (November 13, 1874 ome sources 1870– July 15, 1947) was an American stage and film actor and director. Early years Kolker was born in Quincy, Illinois. Career Kolker, like fellow actors Richard Bennett and Robert Wa ...

. The film was released on June 25, 1940, 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 ...

. The story embraces neither the

Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a divis ...

building nor is it mentioned in the film: the only connection is a number of Grand Ole Opry regulars appearing in the film.

Plot

The film starts with the governor wandering into a duck hunt and getting killed. The plot then revolves around a campaign to elect a new governor, candidates focussing upon a proposed Farmer's Bill. The campaign speeches (and songs) are broadcast on the XYZ radio channel. Candidates are disrupted by singing on a constant basis. Weaver proves the popular choice as he opts for Grand Ole Oprey as the music of his campaign.

Cast

* Leon Weaver as Abner Weaver * Frank Weaver as silent Cicero Weaver the local policeman * June Weaver as Elviry Weaver *

Lois Ranson Lois Ranson (November 7, 1921 – July 4, 2021) was an American film actress from 1939 to 1943 who appeared in Western films and serials. Ranson was born on November 7, 1921, in Los Angeles, California. She made 15 films, including '' Unde ...

as Susie Ann Weaver *

as Fred Barnes *

as William C. Scully *John Hartley as 'Hunch' Clifton *Loretta Weaver as Violey Weaver *

Purnell Pratt Purnell Pratt (October 20, 1885 – July 25, 1941) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1914 and 1941. He was born in Bethel, Illinois and died in Hollywood, California. Partial filmography * ''The Great D ...

as Attorney General *

Claire Carleton Claire Carleton (September 28, 1913 – December 11, 1979) was an American actress whose career spanned four decades from the 1930s through the 1960s. She appeared in over 100 films, the majority of them features, and on numerous television ...

as Ginger Gordon *

Ferris Taylor Robert Ferris Taylor (March 25, 1888 – March 7, 1961) was an American film actor and vaudeville performer. Biography Taylor owned a vaudeville company, the Taylor Players. Besides his acting, Taylor sometimes sang in vaudeville programs. ...

as Lt. Governor Edgar G. Thompson *

Uncle Dave Macon David Harrison Macon (October 7, 1870 – March 22, 1952), known professionally as Uncle Dave Macon, was an American old-time banjo player, singer, songwriter, and comedian. Known as "The Dixie Dewdrop", Macon was known for his chin whiskers, ...

as himself *Dorris Macon as himself *

Roy Acuff Roy Claxton Acuff (September 15, 1903 – November 23, 1992) was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the "King of Country Music", Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown ...

as himself *Rachel Veach as Acuff Singer *

George D. Hay George Dewey Hay (November 9, 1895 – May 8, 1968) was an American radio personality, announcer and newspaper reporter. He was the founder of the original ''Grand Ole Opry'' radio program on WSM-AM in Nashville, Tennessee, from which the cou ...

as himself

References

External links

* 1940 films American comedy films 1940 comedy films Republic Pictures films Films directed by Frank McDonald Films scored by William Lava American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films {{1940s-comedy-film-stub