''On Again-Off Again'' is a 1937
musical comedy film
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks ...
, released by
RKO Radio Pictures
RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orphe ...
starring the comedy team
Wheeler & Woolsey
Wheeler & Woolsey were an American vaudeville comedy double act who performed together in comedy films from the late 1920s. The team comprised Bert Wheeler (1895–1968) of New Jersey and Robert Woolsey (1888–1938) of Illinois.
Collaboration a ...
.
Plot
William Hobbs and Claude Horton are the owners of the drug manufacturing company "Horton and Hobbs' Pink Pills". Although the two couldn't have possibly started the business without each other, they continuously bicker over everything. Eventually, the duo talk their lawyer, George Dilwig, into coming up with a way to split the team up. Annoyed by Horton and Hobbs constantly bothering him, Dilwig sarcastically suggests the two get into a wrestling match. The winner gains full ownership of the company, while the loser becomes the winner's butler for one year.
Production
* Based on the 1914 play "A Pair of Sixes" by Edward Peple.
*
Robert Woolsey
Robert Rollie Woolsey (August 14, 1888 – October 31, 1938) was an American stage and screen comedian and half of the 1930s comedy team Wheeler & Woolsey.
Early life
Robert Rollie (sometimes spelled Rolla or even Raleigh) was born on Augu ...
was suffering from kidney disease throughout production of this film, and was in constant pain.
Cast
*
Bert Wheeler
Albert Jerome Wheeler (April 7, 1895 – January 18, 1968) was an American comedian who performed in Broadway theatre, American comedy feature films, and vaudeville acts. He was the comedy partner of Robert Woolsey, and together they formed ...
as William Hobbs
*
Robert Woolsey
Robert Rollie Woolsey (August 14, 1888 – October 31, 1938) was an American stage and screen comedian and half of the 1930s comedy team Wheeler & Woolsey.
Early life
Robert Rollie (sometimes spelled Rolla or even Raleigh) was born on Augu ...
as Claude Horton
*
Marjorie Lord
Marjorie Lord (née Wollenberg; July 26, 1918 – November 28, 2015) was an American television and film actress. She played Kathy "Clancy" O'Hara Williams, opposite Danny Thomas's character on ''The Danny Thomas Show'' (also known as ''Make ...
as Florence Cole
*
Patricia Wilder
Patricia is a female given name of Latin origin. Derived from the Latin word ''patrician'', meaning "noble"; it is the feminine form of the masculine given name Patrick. The name Patricia was the second most common female name in the United State ...
as Gertie Green
*
Esther Muir as Nettie Horton
*
Paul Harvey
Paul Harvey Aurandt (September 4, 1918 – February 28, 2009) was an American radio broadcaster for ABC News Radio. He broadcast ''News and Comment'' on mornings and mid-days on weekdays and at noon on Saturdays and also his famous ''The Rest o ...
as Mr. Applegate
*
Russell Hicks
Edward Russell Hicks (June 4, 1895 – June 1, 1957) was an American film character actor. Hicks was born in 1895 in Baltimore, Maryland. During World War I, he served in the U.S. Army in France. He later became a lieutenant Colonel in the Cali ...
as George Dilwig
*
George Meeker
George Meeker (March 5, 1904 – August 19, 1984) was an American character film and Broadway actor.
A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Meeker made several films such as ''Crime, Inc.'' (1945) and ''A Thief in the Dark'' (1 ...
as Tony
*
Maxine Jennings
Maxine Bliss Jennings (March 8, 1909 – January 11, 1991) was an American actress.
Early years
Jennings was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Phillip Bliss Jennings. During her time as a student at the University ...
as Miss Meeker
*
Kitty McHugh
Kitty McHugh (born Katherine McHugh; October 3, 1902 – September 3, 1954) was an American actress. She appeared in more than 50 films between 1934 and 1953.
Early years
McHugh was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ed McHugh. She had three brother ...
as Miss Parker
*
Hal K. Dawson as Sanford
*Alec Harford as Slip Grogan
*
Pat Flaherty as Mr. Green
External links
*
1937 films
American musical comedy films
Films directed by Edward F. Cline
American black-and-white films
RKO Pictures films
1937 musical comedy films
1930s American films
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