''Too Many Cooks'' is a 1931 American
pre-Code
Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...
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
William A. Seiter
William Alfred Seiter (June 10, 1890 – July 26, 1964) was an American film director.
Life and career
Seiter was born in New York City. After attending Hudson River Military Academy, Seiter broke into films in 1915 as a bit player at Mack Senne ...
, written by
Jane Murfin
Jane Murfin (October 27, 1884 – August 10, 1955) was an American playwright and screenwriter. The author of several successful plays, she wrote some of them with actress Jane Cowl—most notably '' Smilin' Through'' (1919), which was adapted ...
and starring
Bert Wheeler
Albert Jerome Wheeler (April 7, 1895 – January 18, 1968) was an American comedian who performed in Broadway theatre, American comedy feature films, and vaudeville acts. He was the comedy partner of Robert Woolsey, and together they formed ...
,
Dorothy Lee,
Roscoe Ates
Roscoe Blevel Ates (January 20, 1895 – March 1, 1962) was an American vaudeville performer, actor of stage and screen, comedian and musician who primarily featured in western films and television. He was best known as western character So ...
and
Robert McWade
Robert McWade (January 25, 1872 – January 19, 1938), was an American stage and film actor.
McWade was born in Buffalo, New York. He was the third actor named Robert McWade, after his father and grandfather.
In 1902, McWade debuted on stag ...
. It was released on July 18, 1931 by
RKO Pictures
RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orphe ...
.
Plot
Engaged couple Albert Bennett and Alice Cook plan to leave the city to build their dream house in the country. They argue about the floorplan, particularly an upstairs room that Albert wishes to use as a den and Alice wants as a sewing room. The problem is worsened when Alice’s family members come to help, each offering opinions about the room.
Albert’s bachelor uncle and employer George inspects the house. He is enthusiastic about the recent return of his friend's young daughter Minnie from Europe, where she completed her cultural education. George hopes that Albert might cancel the upcoming wedding and court the virtuous Minnie. Albert refuses, describing Alice's virtues in a similarly positive light.
George offers to pay for the room if he may inhabit it when the house is built. Alice’s family vehemently opposes the idea, prompting George to mention Minnie as someone whom Albert could pursue. Alice cancels the engagement, returning her ring to Albert and tearfully suggesting that it might fit Minnie's finger. George fires Albert.
Albert, unemployed and single, completes the house himself but then decides to sell it. Alice returns to see the now completed house and reconciles with Albert. George, now married to Minnie, returns and rehires Albert. George purchases the house but then returns it to Albert and Alice as a wedding gift.
Cast
*
Bert Wheeler
Albert Jerome Wheeler (April 7, 1895 – January 18, 1968) was an American comedian who performed in Broadway theatre, American comedy feature films, and vaudeville acts. He was the comedy partner of Robert Woolsey, and together they formed ...
as Albert 'Al' Bennett
*
Dorothy Lee as Alice Cook
*
Roscoe Ates
Roscoe Blevel Ates (January 20, 1895 – March 1, 1962) was an American vaudeville performer, actor of stage and screen, comedian and musician who primarily featured in western films and television. He was best known as western character So ...
as Mr. Wilson
*
Robert McWade
Robert McWade (January 25, 1872 – January 19, 1938), was an American stage and film actor.
McWade was born in Buffalo, New York. He was the third actor named Robert McWade, after his father and grandfather.
In 1902, McWade debuted on stag ...
as Uncle George Bennett
*
Sharon Lynn
Sharon Lynn (born D'Auvergne Sharon Lindsay, April 9, 1901 – May 26, 1963) was an American actress and singer. She began playing in silent films but enjoyed her biggest success in the early sound years of motion pictures before fading away i ...
as Ella Mayer
*
Hallam Cooley
Hallam Cooley (February 8, 1895 – March 20, 1971) was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1913 and 1936. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and died in Tiburon, California.
Cooley attended Nor ...
as Frank Andrews
*
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 Mrs. Cook
*
George Chandler
George Chandler (June 30, 1898 – June 10, 1985) was an American actor who starred in over 140 feature films, usually in smaller supporting roles, and he is perhaps best known for playing the character of Uncle Petrie Martin on the televi ...
as Cousin Ned
* Clifford Dempsey as Mr. Michael J. Cook
* Ruth Weston as Minnie Spring
Preservation status
* A copy is preserved in the Library of Congress collection as with many RKO features.
[''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress'', (<-book title) p.186 c.1978 by The American Film Institute]
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{William A. Seiter
1931 films
American comedy films
1931 comedy films
American black-and-white films
1930s English-language films
RKO Pictures films
Films directed by William A. Seiter
Films with screenplays by Jane Murfin
1930s American films