''Road Show'' is a 1941 American film directed by

Hal Roach Harry Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr.Randy Skretvedt, Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director, a ...

Plot

Business millionaire Drogo Gaines ( John Hubbard) is about to marry his fiancé Helen Newton (

Polly Ann Young Polly Ann Young (October 25, 1908 – January 21, 1997) was an American actress. Biography Young was born in Denver, Colorado. Actresses Loretta Young and Sally Blane were her sisters. From 1917 to 1941, she was featured in over 40 movies, ...

), but fakes a nervous breakdown before his own wedding because he has cold feet. He overhears Helen talk to her brother (

Edward Norris Septimus Edward Norris (March 10, 1911 – December 18, 2002) was an American film actor. Early years Norris was born in 1911, the son of a prominent Philadelphia gynecologist, who was described in a newspaper article as "a famous surgeon and ...

) and mother (

Florence Bates Florence Bates ( Rabe; April 15, 1888 - January 31, 1954), was an American film and stage character actress who often played grande dame characters in supporting roles. Life and career Bates was the second child born to Jewish immigrant pare ...

) about them losing Drogo's fortune if the wedding doesn't go through. This makes Drogo decide to call the wedding off entirely. Helen is furious and refuses to be dumped at the altar like this, attacking Drogo and trying to make it look like he is the one attacking her. Her brother Ed comes to her aid and knocks Drogo out. When Drogo wakes up again he is in a mental institution, and is considered insane and dangerous to others. At the institution, Drogo meets wealthy eccentric Colonel Carleton Carraway (

Adolphe Menjou Adolphe Jean Menjou (February 18, 1890 – October 29, 1963) was an American actor. His career spanned both silent films and talkies. He appeared in such films as Charlie Chaplin's ''A Woman of Paris'', where he played the lead role; Stanley K ...

). Carraway has admitted himself to the institution. In the dark of the night, Carraway helps Drogo escape, using a row boat, and they are picked up by carnival operator Penguin Moore (

Carole Landis Carole Landis (born Frances Lillian Mary Ridste; January 1, 1919 – July 5, 1948) was an American actress and singer. She worked as a contract player for Twentieth Century-Fox in the 1940s. Her breakout role was as the female lead in the 1940 ...

). Drogo helps Penguin in return, by paying her fees to the sheriff (

James C. Morton James Carmody Lankton (August 25, 1884 – October 24, 1942), known professionally as James C. Morton, was an American character actor. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1922 and 1942. Career Born in Helena, Montana, Morton is be ...

). Penguin doesn't want to accept the money, so Drogo suggests she takes a concession on a camera Carraway has invented in return. When the land owner wants money from Penguin too, Drogo and Carraway help out by raising the money with illegal gambling. They are arrested but manage to escape with the help of Penguin. Drogo and Carraway has to hide from the police searching for them on the road, and they are nearly discovered by Helen, who has joined the search party. They are spotted however, by Stanhope (Ted Stanhope), Drogo's personal secretary. Stanhope stays and hangs around the carnival to see what happens. Drogo falls in love with Penguin, who is the first girl he has met who doesn't want him for the money. Penguin makes both Drogo and Carraway work for their living with her. Still, the carnival doesn't turn a profit. Drogo secretly sends Stanhope to buy new equipment for the carnival to improve the chances of profit. Penguin tries to market Drogo as her new acrobatic artist, but he is too incompetent to perform adequately. He gets support from Carraway, who tries to restore Drogo's reputation and convinces Penguin he was once a promising lion tamer. Penguin acquires two lions to improve their act. Drogo praises his luck when a storm ruins his chances of showing off as a lion tamer the first night. The carnival takes refuge at the estate of Harry Whitman's ( Charles Butterworth), who happens to be Carraway's nephew. Harry's friends are the audience, but a commotion arises when the lions come out of the cage. Eventually, Drogo manages to lure them back into the cage, but a fight starts when an outside party accuses the carnival of unfairness because of the higher prices charged at the private show. The fighting destroys the entire carnival. Harry pledges to reimburse Penguin for the damage. Unaware to most of the present persons, Harry has stored the remains of the carnival in a barn on his estate, planning to set it on fire later in the night. He has a habit of doing this to have a reason to use his fire trucks to extinguish the fire. Watching the carnival go up in flames, Penguin believes that her days as a carnival operator is over. But then Drogo shows her the new carnival equipment he has bought her. He has painted the names Moore & Gaines on it. Penguin thanks him by kissing him.

Cast

as Colonel Carleton Carroway *

as Penguin Moore * John Hubbard as Drogo Gaines * Charles Butterworth as Harry Whitman *

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 Ro ...

as Jinx *

Shemp Howard Samuel Horwitz (March 11, 1895 – November 22, 1955), known professionally as Shemp Howard, was an American actor and comedian. He was called "Shemp" because "Sam" came out that way in his mother's thick Lithuanian Yiddish, Litvak accent. He is ...

as Moe *

George E. Stone George E. Stone (born Gerschon Lichtenstein; May 18, 1903 – May 26, 1967) was a Polish-born American character actor in films, radio, and television. Life and career Stone was born Gerschon Lichtenstein in Łódź, Congress Poland, into ...

as Indian *

Margaret Roach Margaret Mae Roach (March 15, 1921 – November 22, 1964) was an American actress active in the 1930s and 1940s. She was born on March 15, 1921 in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Hal Roach and Marguerite Nichols, and her brother was Hal ...

as Priscilla *

as Helen Newton *

as Ed Newton *

Marjorie Woodworth Marjorie Woodworth (June 5, 1919 – August 23, 2000) was an American actress. Born in Inglewood, California, she was a drum majorette at the University of Southern California. Woodworth appeared in the films ''Dance, Girl, Dance'', '' Road Sh ...

as Alice *

as Mrs. Newton *

Willie Best William Best (May 27, 1913 – February 27, 1962), known professionally as Willie Best or Sleep n' Eat, was an American television and film actor. Best was one of the first African American film actors and comedians to become well kn ...

as Willie *

The Charioteers The Charioteers were an American gospel and pop vocal group from 1930 to 1957. History The Charioteers were put together in 1930 by Professor Howard Daniel at Wilberforce University, in Wilberforce, Ohio. They originally called themselves the H ...

Soundtrack

*The Charioteers - "I Should Have Known You Years Ago" (Written by

Hoagy Carmichael Hoagland Howard Carmichael (November 22, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American musician, composer, songwriter, actor and lawyer. Carmichael was one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the 1930s, and was among the first ...

, lyrics by Harris Robison) *Carole Landis (dubbed by Martha Mears) - "I Should Have Known You Years Ago" (Written by Hoagy Carmichael, lyrics by Harris Robison) *The Charioteers - "Calliope Jane" (Written by Hoagy Carmichael) *The Charioteers - "Yum Yum" (Written by Hoagy Carmichael)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Road Show 1941 films 1941 comedy films American comedy films American black-and-white films Circus films United Artists films Films with screenplays by Harry Langdon Films directed by Hal Roach 1940s English-language films 1940s American films