''The Nut Farm'' is a 1935 American film directed by

Melville W. Brown Melville W. Brown (March 10, 1887 – January 31, 1938) was an American film director, screenwriter and occasional actor. He began his career on the local stage in Oregon, in stock companies and vaudeville, before moving to California and wor ...

, adapted from the John Charles Brownell Broadway play of the same name, which ran for 40 performances from 14 Oct.-Nov. 1929 at the Biltmore Theater (now the

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, formerly the Biltmore Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 261 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1925, it was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in the neo-Renai ...

Wallace Ford Wallace Ford (born Samuel Grundy Jones; 12 February 1898 – 11 June 1966) was an English-born naturalized American vaudevillian, stage performer and screen actor. Usually playing wise-cracking characters, he combined a tough but friendly-fac ...

is the titled star and the only cast-member common to the play and film. According to the ''New York Times'' film review, other than Ford, "There is not much else for it to boast about."

Plot summary

Bob (

Oscar Apfel Oscar C. Apfel (January 17, 1878 – March 21, 1938) was an American film actor, director, screenwriter and producer. He appeared in more than 160 films between 1913 and 1939, and also directed 94 films between 1911 and 1927. Biography Apf ...

) and Helen (Betty Alden) decide to move to California and make a fresh start. Bob wants to buy a nut farm, but Helen and her brother Willie Barton (

) dream of being in the movies: Helen as a star, Willie as a director. Film-producing con-artists descend on the family, and comedy ensues.

Differences from play

The play's original, copyrighted title was ''It's the Climate'' (1928).

Cast

as Willie Barton * Betty Alden as Helen Barton Brent *

Florence Roberts Florence Roberts (March 16, 1861/1864 – June 6, 1940(photo included) was an American actress of the stage and in motion pictures. Stock company actress Born in New York City, she began acting onstage there. Her career began at the Brooklyn ...

as Ma Barton, Willie's Mother *

Spencer Charters Spencer Charters (March 25, 1875 – January 25, 1943) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 220 films between 1920 and 1943, mostly in small supporting roles. Biography Charters was born in Duncannon, Pennsylvania. Until ...

as Sliscomb, the Landlord *

as Bob Bent, Helen's Husband * Bradley Page as Hamilton T. Holland, Acting School *Lorin Raker as Biddleford, Holland's Writer *Arnold Gray as Eustace Van Norton, Holland's Actor * Joan Gale as Agatha Sliscomb

Soundtrack

References

External links

* * 1935 films 1935 comedy films American black-and-white films American comedy films Films directed by Melville W. Brown 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{1930s-comedy-film-stub