''Enter Laughing'' is a 1967 comedy film, directed by

Carl Reiner Carl Reiner (March 20, 1922 – June 29, 2020) was an American actor, stand-up comedian, director, screenwriter, and author whose career spanned seven decades. He was the recipient of many awards and honors, including 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, ...

, based on his autobiographical novel and the 1963 stage play of the same name. It was Reiner's directorial debut. The film stars

Jose Ferrer Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. * Jose ben Abin * Jose ben Akabya *Jose the Galile ...

Shelley Winters Shelley Winters (born Shirley Schrift; August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006) was an American actress whose career spanned seven decades. She appeared in numerous films. She won Academy Awards for ''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) and ''A Patch o ...

Elaine May Elaine Iva May (née Berlin; born April 21, 1932) is an American comedian, filmmaker, playwright, and actress. She has received numerous awards including an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Grammy, and a Tony. She made her initial impact in the 1950s with her ...

, Jack Gilford,

Janet Margolin Janet Natalie Margolin (July 25, 1943 – December 17, 1993) was an American theater, television and film actress. Early life Margolin was born in New York City, the daughter of Benjamin and Annette (née Lief) Margolin. Her father was a Russi ...

and newcomer

Reni Santoni Reni may refer to: Places * Reni, Alwar, Alwar district, Rajasthan, India * Reni, Chamoli (also ''Raini''), Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India, devastated by the 2021 Uttarakhand flood * Reni, Churu, Churu district, Rajasthan, India * Reni, U ...

. It tells the story of a young Jewish man from the Bronx trying to break into the theater and launch a career in acting. The film has never been released on DVD or Blu-Ray.

Plot summary

David Kolowitz (

) works as a delivery boy and assistant for a machine shop in New York City in 1938, and is fascinated with the movies. Despite the misgivings of his girlfriend Wanda (

), his parents (

and David Opatoshu) and his employer ( Jack Gilford), David follows the suggestion of a friend (

Michael J. Pollard Michael J. Pollard (born Michael John Pollack Jr.; May 30, 1939 – November 20, 2019) was an American actor. He is best known for his role as C.W. Moss in the film ''Bonnie and Clyde'' (1967), which earned him critical acclaim along with nomi ...

) and becomes involved with an off-Broadway theater company run by Harrison B. Marlowe (

). He admires

Ronald Colman Ronald Charles Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958) was an English-born actor, starting his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then immigrating to the United States and having a successful Hollywood film career. He wa ...

so he uses the stage name "Donald Colman". It is a margin operation that requires him to pay $5 a week for "tuition". Marlowe's daughter Angela (

) takes a romantic interest in David, who perseveres despite a lack of acting talent and the hostility of Marlowe. Overcoming all the difficulties, he makes his acting debut and his parents and girlfriend accept his new interest. In the end Angela waives David's tuition fee, allowing him to "act for nothing".

Cast

as Harrison B. Marlowe *

as Emma Kolowitz *

as Angela Marlowe * Jack Gilford as Mr. Foreman *

as Wanda *

as David Kolowitz * David Opatoshu as Morris Kolowitz *

Don Rickles Donald Jay Rickles (May 8, 1926 – April 6, 2017) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He became known primarily for his insult comedy. His film roles include ''Run Silent, Run Deep'' (1958) with Clark Gable, Carl Reiner's '' Enter La ...

as Harry Hamburger *

as Marvin * Richard Deacon as Pike *

Nancy Kovack Nancy Kovack (born March 11, 1935) is a retired American film and television actress. Early years Kovack is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Kovack of Flint, Michigan. Her father was the manager of a General Motors plant. She enrolled a ...

as Miss B *

Herbie Faye Herbie Faye (February 2, 1899 – June 28, 1980) was an American actor and vaudeville comedian who appeared in both of Phil Silvers' CBS television series, ''The Phil Silvers Show'' (1955–1959) and ''The New Phil Silvers Show'' (1963–1964 ...

as Mr. Schoenbaum *

Rob Reiner Robert Norman Reiner (born March 6, 1947) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence with the role of Michael "Meathead" Stivic on the CBS sitcom ''All in the Family'' (1971–1979), a performanc ...

as Clark Baxter * Danny Stein as Spencer Reynolds *

Milton Frome Milton Frome (February 24, 1909 – March 21, 1989) was an American character actor. Career Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Frome landed his first acting job in the short subject ''Daredevil O'Dare'' in 1934. He did not act again until 1939 ...

as Policeman *

Lillian Adams Lillian Adams (May 13, 1922 – May 25, 2011) was an American actress who appeared in over 100 film and television roles. Born in Chicago, Adams appeared in movies such as '' Private Benjamin'' and '' Bruce Almighty'' as well as televisio ...

as Theatergoer *

Mantan Moreland Mantan Moreland (September 3, 1902 – September 28, 1973) was an American actor and comedian most popular in the 1930s and 1940s. He starred in numerous films. His daughter Marcella Moreland appeared as a child actress in several films. E ...

as Subway Rider * Patrick Campbell as Butler *

Peter Brocco Carl Peter Brocco (January 16, 1903 – December 20, 1992) was an American screen and stage actor. He appeared in over 300 credits, notably ''Spartacus'' (1960) and '' One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (1975), during his career spanning over 60 ...

as Lawyer Peabody

Musical score and soundtrack

The film score was composed, arranged and conducted by

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...

, and the soundtrack album was released on the

Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...

label in 1967.Edwards, D & Callahan, M
Liberty Records Discography, Part 3: Misc. Series
accessed January 17, 2018

Track listing

All compositions by Quincy Jones except where noted # "Enter Laughing" (Lyrics by

Mack David Mack David (July 5, 1912 – December 30, 1993) was an American lyricist and songwriter, best known for his work in film and television, with a career spanning the period between the early 1940s and the early 1970s. David was credited with writing ...

) − 2:30 # "Exit Crying" 2:27 # " Pennies from Heaven" ( Arthur Johnston, Johnny Burke) − 2:27 # "David Dooze It" − 2:19 # "Main Title (Enter Laughing)" − 2:34 # "Enter Laughing" − 4:05 # "Ha-Cha-Cha" (

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...

Otto Harbach Otto Abels Harbach, born Otto Abels Hauerbach (August 18, 1873 – January 24, 1963) was an American lyricist and librettist of nearly 50 musical comedies and operettas. Harbach collaborated as lyricist or librettist with many of the leading Broa ...

) − 2:17 # "Vienna Wails" − 2:15 # "I Hear You Calling" − 1:55 # "Enter Laughing (End Title) (Lyrics by Mack David) − 1:42

Personnel

*Unidentified orchestra arranged and conducted by Quincy Jones including **

Mel Carter Mel Carter (born April 22, 1939, Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American singer and actor. He is best known for his 1965 million-selling recording, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me". Biography At age 16 Carter studied singing with vocalist Little Jimmy Sc ...

(tracks 1 & 10),

(tracks 3 & 7) − vocals

References

External links

* * * {{Carl Reiner 1967 films 1967 comedy films American comedy films Columbia Pictures films 1960s English-language films Films scored by Quincy Jones Films about actors Films about Jews and Judaism American films based on plays Films directed by Carl Reiner Films set in 1938 Films set in New York City Films with screenplays by Carl Reiner 1967 directorial debut films Films based on autobiographical novels 1960s American films