''The Poor Rich'' is a 1934 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 old ...

directed by

Edward Sedgwick Edward Sedgwick (November 7, 1889 – March 7, 1953) was an American film director, writer, actor and producer. Early life He was born in Galveston, Texas, the son of Edward Sedgwick, Sr. and Josephine Walker, both stage actors. At the age ...

and written by Ebba Havez and

Dale Van Every Dale Van Every (July 23, 1896 in Van, Michigan – May 28, 1976 in Santa Barbara, California) was an American writer, film producer, and studio executive. Biography Van Every's parents were Wilbert and Estella (Palmer) Van Every from Petoskey, M ...

. The film stars

Edward Everett Horton Edward Everett Horton Jr. (March 18, 1886 – September 29, 1970) was an American character actor. He had a long career in film, theater, radio, television, and voice work for animated cartoons. Early life Horton was born in Kings County, ...

, Edna May Oliver,

Andy Devine Andrew Vabre Devine (October 7, 1905 – February 18, 1977) was an American character actor known for his distinctive raspy, crackly voice and roles in Western films, including his role as Cookie, the sidekick of Roy Rogers in 10 feature fil ...

, Leila Hyams, Grant Mitchell and

Thelma Todd Thelma Alice Todd (July 29, 1906 – December 16, 1935) was an American actress and businesswoman who carried the nicknames "The Ice Cream Blonde" and "Hot Toddy". Appearing in about 120 feature films and shorts between 1926 and 1935, sh ...

. The film was released on February 26, 1934, by

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

Plot

A once wealthy American dynasty, the Spottiswoods, envision their financial salvation in marrying into money via an upcoming visit from the British (and actually wealthy) Fetherstones. To play the part, the Spottiswoods must quickly rehabilitate their estate to have a veneer of class and enlist a cadre of quirky workers to act as their domestic servants. Hijinks ensue.

Cast

as Albert Stuyvesant Spottiswood * Edna May Oliver as Harriet Spottiswood *

as Andy * Leila Hyams as Grace Hunter * Grant Mitchell as Tom Hopkins *

as Gwendolyn Fetherstone * Una O'Connor as Lady Fetherstone * E. E. Clive as Lord Fetherstone *

John Miljan John Miljan (November 9, 1892 – January 24, 1960) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1924 and 1958. Biography Born in 1892, Miljan was the tall, smooth-talking villain in Hollywood films for almost four deca ...

as Prince Abdul Hamidshan *

Sidney Bracey Sidney Bracey (born Sidney Bracy; 18 December 1877 – 5 August 1942) was an Australian-born American actor. After a stage career in Australia, on Broadway and in Britain, he performed in more than 320 films between 1909 and 1942. Early lif ...

as Arbuthnot * Jack Rube Clifford as Station Agent *

Henry Armetta Henry Armetta (born Enrico Armetta; July 4, 1888 – October 21, 1945) was an American character actor who appeared in at least 150 American films, beginning in silent movies. His last film was released posthumously in 1946, the year after his d ...

as Tony *

Ward Bond Wardell Edwin Bond (April 9, 1903 – November 5, 1960) was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 200 films and starred in the NBC television series ''Wagon Train'' from 1957 to 1960. Among his best-remembered roles are Ber ...

as Motor Cop

References

External links

* 1934 films 1930s English-language films American comedy films 1934 comedy films Universal Pictures films Films directed by Edward Sedgwick American black-and-white films 1930s American films {{1930s-comedy-film-stub