''The Merry Frinks'' is a 1934 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 Alfred E. Green and starring Aline MacMahon,

Guy Kibbee Guy Bridges Kibbee (March 6, 1882 – May 24, 1956) was an American stage and film actor. Early years Kibbee was born in El Paso, Texas. His father was editor of the ''El Paso Herald-Post'' newspaper, and Kibbee learned how to set type at age ...

and

Hugh Herbert Hugh Herbert (August 10, 1885 – March 12, 1952) was an American motion picture comedian. He began his career in vaudeville and wrote more than 150 plays and sketches. Career Born in Binghamton, New York, Herbert attended Cornell Univers ...

. It is also known by the

alternative title An alternative title is a media sales device most prominently used in film distribution. Books and films are commonly released under a different title when they are screened or sold in a different country. This can vary from small change to the ...

of ''Happy Family''.

Synopsis

A put-upon mother inherits a fortune, on the condition that she abandon her deadbeat family. This spurs her family members to attempt to reform themselves in an effort to win her back.Hanson p.215

Cast

* Aline MacMahon as Hattie 'Mom' Frink *

as Uncle Newt Frink *

as Joe 'Poppa' Frink * Allen Jenkins as Emmett Frink *

Helen Lowell Helen Lowell born Helen Lowell Robb (1866–1937) was an American stage and film actress. Life Lowell was born in New York on June 2, 1866, to William and Mary Robb. In 1884 she debuted in the title role of Iolanthe at the Academy of Music in N ...

as Amelia 'Grandma' Frink *

Joan Wheeler Joan Wheeler Ankrum (January 8, 1913 – December 20, 2001) was an American film actress and founder of the Ankrum Gallery on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles. Life and career Ankrum was born Joan Natalia Wheeler on January 8, 1913, in P ...

as Lucille Frink *

Frankie Darro Frankie Darro (born Frank Johnson, Jr.; December 22, 1917 – December 25, 1976) was an American actor and later in his career a stuntman. He began his career as a child actor in silent films, progressed to lead roles and co-starring roles ...

as Norman Frink *

Ivan Lebedeff Ivan Lebedeff (born Ivan Vasilyevich Lebedev ( rus, Иван Васильевич Лебедев), 18 June 1894 – 31 March 1953) was a Russian film actor, lecturer and writer. He appeared in 66 films between 1926 and 1953. In 1940, his no ...

as Ramon Alvarez *

Harold Huber Harold Huber (born Harold Joseph Huberman, December 5, 1909September 29, 1959) was an American actor who appeared on film, radio and television. Early life Huber was born in the Bronx to Jewish immigrants from Imperial Russia, who had arrived in ...

as Benny Lopez *

Louise Beavers Louise Beavers (March 8, 1902 – October 26, 1962) was an American film and television actress. From the 1920s until 1960, she appeared in dozens of films and two hit television shows. She was most often cast in the roles of a maid, servant ...

as Camille, Hattie's Maid *

Maidel Turner Maidel Turner (May 12, 1888 – April 12, 1953) was an American movie actress featured in almost 60 films between 1913 and 1951, beginning as the leading lady of ''The Angel of the Slums'' (1913) and becoming a comical character actress as she a ...

as Mrs. Shinliver *

Harry Beresford Harry J. Beresford (4 November 1863 – 4 October 1944) was an English-born actor on the American stage and in motion pictures. He used the professional name Harry J. Morgan early in his career. Career Harry Beresford began his acting career i ...

as Mr. J. Harold Brumby * Harry C. Bradley as Dr. Shinliver * James Bush as Oliver Gilfin * Charles Coleman as Witherspoon, Hattie's Butler * Joan Sheldon as Frieda Shinliver * Ethel Wales as United Charities Worker * Edward Keane as Truant Officer *

Ivan Linow Ivan Linow (born Jānis Linaus; November 21, 1888 – November 11, 1940), also known as Jack Linow, was a Latvian-born American wrestler, who became a character actor in American films during the silent and early sound film eras. Biography Born ...

as Barkefky, the First Russian *

Michael Visaroff Michael Simeon Visaroff (December 18, 1889 – February 27, 1951) was a Russian American film character actor. Biography Visaroff was born Mikhail Semenonovich Vizarov ( Russian: Михаил Семёнович Визаров) in Moscow, ...

as Katzelmalov, the Second Russian

References

Bibliography

* Hanson, Philip. ''This Side of Despair: How the Movies and American Life Intersected During the Great Depression''. Associated University Presse, 2008.

External links

* * * * 1934 films 1934 comedy films American comedy films Films directed by Alfred E. Green American black-and-white films Warner Bros. films Films with screenplays by Kathryn Scola 1930s English-language films 1930s American films Films scored by Bernhard Kaun Films about inheritances {{1930s-comedy-film-stub