''It Ain't Hay'' is a 1943 film starring the comedy team of

Abbott and Costello Abbott may refer to: People *Abbott (surname) *Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849–1921), American painter and naturalist * Abbott and Costello, famous American vaudeville act Places Argentina * Abbott, Buenos Aires United States * Abbott, Arkansas ...

Plot

Cab driver Wilbur Hoolihan accidentally kills a hack horse owned by King O'Hara and his daughter, Princess O’Hara, by feeding it candy. In hopes of raising enough money to replace it, he and his friend Grover Mockridge visit a crooked gambling parlor. They win enough money, but before they can purchase a new horse, a con man swindles Wilbur out of the cash. Some touts inform Wilbur and Grover that an old horse is available for free at one of the upstate tracks. They visit the track but mistakenly take the wrong horse, a champion by the name of Tea Biscuit, and present the horse to O'Hara. Tea Biscuit's owner, Col. Brainard, offers a reward for the return of the horse. By this time, O'Hara has taken a fare up to Saratoga. Wilbur and Grover, realizing their error, drive to Saratoga to find O'Hara. The three touts also realize that Wilbur and Grover took Tea Biscuit, and trail them hoping to recover the horse and collect the reward. Wilbur and Grover manage to find O'Hara and hide Tea Biscuit in their hotel room, but they are hounded by the house detective, Warner, who was tipped off by the touts. Fleeing Warner, Wilbur rides the horse but ends up at the track in time for a big race. The three touts and Warner converge on the track and confront Grover, who makes a deal with them to turn over the horse Wilbur riding for $100. Grover then uses that money to bet on Tea Biscuit. Before the race, Wilbur is thrown off Tea Biscuit and lands on Rhubarb, and Rhubarb's jockey saddles up Tea Biscuit. With a real jockey aboard, Tea Biscuit wins the race while Wilbur and Rhubarb come in last. Warner and the touts take Wilbur's horse, which they believe is Tea Biscuit, to Col. Brainard for the reward, but it is the wrong horse. Grover holds the only winning ticket on Tea Biscuit, and uses the windfall to buy O'Hara a replacement horse.

Cast

* Bud Abbott as Grover Mockridge * Lou Costello as Wilbur Hoolihan *

Grace McDonald Grace McDonald Green (June 15, 1918 – October 30, 1999) was an American actress who appeared in films in the early 1940s, mostly B movies. Born in New York City, she and her brother Ray McDonald had their Broadway debut in 1937 in ''Babes in ...

as Kitty McGloin * Cecil Kellaway as King O'Hara * Eugene Pallette as Gregory Warner * Patsy O'Connor as Peggy / Princess O'Hara *

Leighton Noble Leighton Noble, born Faye Leighton Jepson (December 25, 1912 – March 5, 1994) was an American vocalist and bandleader active during the swing era. He was also an actor and television presenter. Noble's parents divorced when he was young, and h ...

as Pvt. Joe Collins * Shemp Howard as Umbrella Sam * Samuel S. Hinds as Col. Brainard * Eddie Quillan as Harry the Horse * Richard Lane as Slicker * Andrew Tombes as Big-Hearted Charlie * Wade Boteler as Reilly *

Selmer Jackson Selmer Adolf Jackson (May 7, 1888 – March 30, 1971) was an American stage film and television actor. He appeared in nearly 400 films between 1921 and 1963. His name was sometimes spelled Selmar Jackson. Jackson was born in Lake Mills, Iowa an ...

as Grant * Mike Mazurki as Bouncer (Uncredited) * Herb Vigran as Man in the Back Room (Uncredited) *

Pierre Watkin Pierre Frank Watkin (December 29, 1887 – February 3, 1960) was an American character actor best known for playing distinguished authority figures throughout the Golden Age of Hollywood. He is best remembered for his roles of Mr. Skinner the b ...

as Major Harper (Uncredited)

Production

''It Ain't Hay'' is based upon the Damon Runyon story, ''Princess O'Hara'', which Universal first made into a film in 1935 with Chester Morris. Filming of this picture began on September 28, 1942, and lasted until November 11. Lou's brother

Pat Costello Bernard Patrick "Pat" Costello Jr. (March 12, 1929 – July 12, 2014) was an American rower who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics and in the 1956 Summer Olympics. He was born in Detroit, Michigan. In 1952 he and his partner Walter Ho ...

was used as his stunt-double in the "headless horseman" sequence. It was during production, on November 6, that Lou's wife Anne gave birth to their son, Lou "Butch" Costello, Jr.Furmanek, Bob and Ron Palumbo (1991). ''Abbott and Costello in Hollywood''. New York: Perigee Books.

Fourth wall

There is a scene that breaks the fourth wall: Wilbur and Grover are in their apartment when someone knocks at the door. Grover says, "Go answer the door, it might be Warner." Wilbur answers, "It won't do no good, we're signed up with Universal." Abbott and Costello had a long-term contract with Universal Pictures at the time. Also, in the beginning of the movie, someone asks Shemp Howard's character why he's carrying an umbrella when it isn't raining. He answers, "Who knows? I'm a Damon Runyan character."

Home media

''It Ain't Hay'' was released on DVD on October 28, 2008 as part of ''Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection''. The film's studio-authorized DVD release had been delayed for many years due to legal issues with the estate of Damon Runyon.

References

External links

* * * {{Erle C. Kenton 1943 films 1943 comedy films Abbott and Costello films American black-and-white films Films directed by Erle C. Kenton American horse racing films Universal Pictures films Films based on short fiction American comedy films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films