''The Early Bird'' is a 1936 British

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

Donovan Pedelty Donovan Pedelty (1903–1989) was a British journalist, screenwriter and film director. During the 1930s, Pedelty specialised in making quota quickies with Irish themes. These were generally not well received by critics.Chibnall p.31 Filmograph ...

and starring Richard Hayward, Jimmy Mageean and Charlotte Tedlie.

Production

The film was made at

Highbury Studios The Highbury Studios were a British film studio located in Highbury, North London which operated from 1937 until 1956. The studios were constructed by the producer Maurice J. Wilson. During its early years, the studio was hired out to independent ...

and in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

.Chibnall p.289 It was a

quota quickie The Cinematograph Films Act of 1927 ('' 17 & 18 Geo. V'') was an act of the United Kingdom Parliament designed to stimulate the declining British film industry. It received Royal Assent on 20 December 1927 and came into force on 1 April 1928. D ...

produced for distribution by the American studio

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

. The film's sets were designed by

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

George Provis George Provis (1901–1989) was a British art director who worked on over a hundred films during a lengthy career. He began his career working on quota quickies during the 1930s. After the Second World War, Provis was appointed by Sydney Box to h ...

Cast

* Richard Hayward as Daniel Duff * Jimmy Mageean as Charlie Simpson * Charlotte Tedlie as Mrs. Gordon * Myrtle Adams as Lizzie * Nan Cullen as Mrs. Madill * Elma Hayward as Susan Duff * Terence Grainger as Archie Macready * Charles Fagan as Harold Gordon

References

Bibliography

* Chibnall, Steve. ''Quota Quickies: The British of the British 'B' Film''. British Film Institute, 2007. * Low, Rachael. ''Filmmaking in 1930s Britain''. George Allen & Unwin, 1985. * Wood, Linda. ''British Films, 1927-1939''. British Film Institute, 1986.

External links

* 1936 films British comedy films British black-and-white films 1936 comedy films Films directed by Donovan Pedelty Films set in Ireland Films shot at Highbury Studios 1930s English-language films 1930s British films English-language comedy films {{1930s-UK-comedy-film-stub