''Sleepy Lagoon'' is a 1943 American

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

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

Joseph Santley Joseph Mansfield Santley (born Joseph Ishmael Mansfield, January 10, 1890 – August 8, 1971) was an American actor, singer, dancer, writer, director, and producer of musical theatre, musical theatre, theatrical plays motion pictures and tele ...

and featuring comedian

Judy Canova Judy Canova (November 20, 1913 – August 5, 1983),Although one source gives her birth date as November 20, 1916, (DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland ...

and singer

Dennis Day Dennis Day (born Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty; May 21, 1916 – June 22, 1988) was an American actor, comedian, and singer. He was of Irish descent. Early life Day was born and raised in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx, New York City, the ...

. The film was written by Prescott Chaplin, and Frank Gill, Jr. and George Carleton Brown wrote the screenplay. It was Canova's final feature for Republic until 1951. While closely coincident in time, the movie was entirely unrelated to the

Sleepy Lagoon murder The "Sleepy Lagoon murder" was the name that Los Angeles newspapers used to describe the 1942 death of José Gallardo Díaz, who was discovered unconscious and dying near a swimming hole (known as the Sleepy Lagoon) with two stab wounds and a b ...

that led to the

Zoot Suit Riots The Zoot Suit Riots were a series of riots that took place from June 3–8, 1943 in Los Angeles, California, United States, involving American servicemen stationed in Southern California and young Latino and Mexican American city resident ...

, nor to the song that lent its name to that incident.

Plot

Newly elected mayor Judy Joyner takes charge of a growing but corrupt small town.

Cast

as Judy Joyner *

as Lancelot Hillie *

Ruth Donnelly Ruth Donnelly (May 17, 1896 – November 17, 1982) was an American film and stage actress. Early years and family Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Donnelly was the daughter of Harry Augustus and Bessie B. Donnelly. Her uncle, Freder ...

as Sarah Rogers *

Joe Sawyer Joe Sawyer (born Joseph Sauers, August 29, 1906 – April 21, 1982) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1927 and 1962, and was sometimes billed under his birth name. Early life Sawyer was born August 29, 1 ...

as Lumpy *

Ernest Truex Ernest Truex (September 19, 1889 – June 26, 1973) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. Career Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Truex learned acting at an early age after his father, a doctor, treated actor Edwin Melvin, who ...

as Dudley Joyner *

Douglas Fowley Douglas Fowley (born Daniel Vincent Fowley, May 30, 1911 – May 21, 1998) was an American movie and television actor in more than 240 films and dozens of television programs, He is probably best remembered for his role as the frustrated m ...

as J. "The Brain" Lucarno * Will Wright as Cyrus Coates *

Forrest Taylor Edwin Forrest Taylor (December 29, 1883 – February 19, 1965) was an American character actor whose artistic career spanned six different decades, from silents through talkies to the advent of color films. Early years Taylor was born in Bl ...

as Samuel *

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 Mrs. Small * Eddie Chandler as Ticket Seller *

Herbert Corthell Herbert Corthell (born Joseph Bertram Corthell, January 20, 1878 – January 23, 1947) was an American stage and film actor. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and died in Hollywood, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the c ...

as Sheriff Bates * Ellen Lowe as Mrs. Simms * Jack Raymond as Joe, the Clown * Margaret Reid as Mrs. Crumm * Mike Riley as Bandleader *

Rondo Hatton Rondo Hatton (April 22, 1894 – February 2, 1946) was an American journalist and actor. After writing for ''The Tampa Tribune'', Hatton found a career in film due to his unique facial features, which were the result of acromegaly. He headlin ...

as Hunchback (uncredited)

External links

* * * * 1943 films 1943 musical comedy films 1940s crime comedy films American crime comedy films American musical comedy films American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films American independent films Republic Pictures films Films directed by Joseph Santley 1940s independent films 1940s American films {{musical-comedy-film-stub