''Playmates'' 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
David Butler and written by
James V. Kern
James V. Kern (September 22, 1909, New York City, New York – November 9, 1966, Encino, California) was an American singer, songwriter, screenwriter, actor, and director.
Educated at the Fordham Law School, Kern worked for a while as an attorn ...
. The film stars
Kay Kyser
James Kern Kyser (June 18, 1905 – July 23, 1985), known as Kay Kyser, was an American bandleader and radio personality of the 1930s and 1940s.
Early years
James Kern Kyser was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, the son of pharmacists Emily ...
,
John Barrymore
John Barrymore (born John Sidney Blyth; February 14 or 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942) was an American actor on stage, screen and radio. A member of the Drew and Barrymore theatrical families, he initially tried to avoid the stage, and briefly att ...
(in his final film),
Lupe Vélez
María Guadalupe Villalobos Vélez (July 18, 1908 – December 13, 1944), known professionally as Lupe Vélez, was a Mexican actress, singer and dancer during the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema.
Vélez began her career as a performer in Mexican ...
,
Ginny Simms
Virginia Ellen SimmsSleeve notes from ''Ginny Simms – I'd Like To Set You To Music'', Jasmine JASCD 118, 2001. (May 25, 1913 – April 4, 1994) was an American popular singer and film actress.
Simms sang with big bands and with Dinah Shore, ...
,
May Robson
Mary Jeanette Robison (19 April 1858 – 20 October 1942), known professionally as May Robson, was an Australian-born American-based actress whose career spanned 58 years, starting in 1883 when she was 25. A major stage actress of the late 19t ...
and
Patsy Kelly
Patsy Kelly (born Sarah Veronica Rose Kelly; January 12, 1910 – September 24, 1981) was an American actress. She is known for her role as the brash, wisecracking sidekick to Thelma Todd in a series of short comedy films produced by Hal R ...
. It was released on December 26, 1941 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-Orph ...
.
Plot
Lulu Monahan, press agent for John Barrymore, tries to attract a sponsor for Barrymore's radio program. Lulu and bandleader Kay Kyser's agent concoct a story that a great actor will teach Kyser how to play Shakespeare.
Cast
*
Kay Kyser
James Kern Kyser (June 18, 1905 – July 23, 1985), known as Kay Kyser, was an American bandleader and radio personality of the 1930s and 1940s.
Early years
James Kern Kyser was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, the son of pharmacists Emily ...
as Kay Kyser
*
John Barrymore
John Barrymore (born John Sidney Blyth; February 14 or 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942) was an American actor on stage, screen and radio. A member of the Drew and Barrymore theatrical families, he initially tried to avoid the stage, and briefly att ...
as John Barrymore
*
Lupe Vélez
María Guadalupe Villalobos Vélez (July 18, 1908 – December 13, 1944), known professionally as Lupe Vélez, was a Mexican actress, singer and dancer during the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema.
Vélez began her career as a performer in Mexican ...
as Carmen Del Toro
*
Ginny Simms
Virginia Ellen SimmsSleeve notes from ''Ginny Simms – I'd Like To Set You To Music'', Jasmine JASCD 118, 2001. (May 25, 1913 – April 4, 1994) was an American popular singer and film actress.
Simms sang with big bands and with Dinah Shore, ...
as Ginny Simms
*
May Robson
Mary Jeanette Robison (19 April 1858 – 20 October 1942), known professionally as May Robson, was an Australian-born American-based actress whose career spanned 58 years, starting in 1883 when she was 25. A major stage actress of the late 19t ...
as Grandma Kyser
*
Patsy Kelly
Patsy Kelly (born Sarah Veronica Rose Kelly; January 12, 1910 – September 24, 1981) was an American actress. She is known for her role as the brash, wisecracking sidekick to Thelma Todd in a series of short comedy films produced by Hal R ...
as Lulu Monahan
*
Peter Lind Hayes
Peter Lind Hayes (born Joseph Conrad Lind Jr.; June 25, 1915 – April 21, 1998) was an American vaudeville entertainer, songwriter, and film and television actor.
Early life
Hayes was born in San Francisco, the son of Joseph Conrad Lind Sr., a ...
as Peter Lindsay
*
Ish Kabibble
Ish Kabibble (January 19, 1908 – June 5, 1994) was an American comedian and cornet player.
Early life
Born Merwyn Bogue in North East, Pennsylvania, he moved to Erie, Pennsylvania, with his family a few months after his birth.
Career
Bogue st ...
as Ish Kabibble
* Sully Mason as Sully Mason
*
Harry Babbitt
Harry Babbitt (November 2, 1913 – April 9, 2004) was an American singer and star during the Big Band era.
Early career
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Babbitt organized his own band after high school, directing the group in addition to singing an ...
as Harry Babbitt
*
Leon Belasco
Leon Belasco (born Leonid Simeonovich Berladsky; 11 October 1902 – 1 June 1988) was a Russian-American actor and musician who had a 60-year career in film and television from the 1920s to the 1980s, appearing in more than 100 films.
Musi ...
as Prince Maharoohu
*
George Cleveland
George Alan Cleveland (September 17, 1885 – July 15, 1957) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1930 and 1954.
Career
Cleveland was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. His first appearance on the stage ...
as Mr. Pennypacker (uncredited)
*
Alice Fleming
Alice Fleming, (August 9, 1882 – December 6, 1952) was a character actress in many films who also enjoyed considerable success on Broadway. She is best remembered as the Duchess, Wild Bill Elliott’s aunt in the Republic Pictures' Red Ryder ...
as Mrs. Pennypacker (uncredited)
References
External links
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1941 films
1941 comedy films
American comedy films
American black-and-white films
Films scored by Roy Webb
Films directed by David Butler
RKO Pictures films
1940s English-language films
1940s American films
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