Gag Man, The (Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy)
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Featuring Shemp Howard (Solo)
80 min. (Feature Film)
Universal Studios panics when Olsen & Johnson return to Hollywood to produce the film version of CRAZY HOUSE, and bans them from the studio. "Universal's # 1 comedy team is here." "Oh, Abbott & Costello... send 'em in!" So Ole & Chic, with help of former Universal director 'Mac' MacLean (Patric Knowles), create their own production company, Miracle Pictures... "If you can watch our movie, it must be a Miracle!" The boys want Cass Daley to star, but accidentally sign her identical cousin Sadie Silverfish instead, and then cast former carhop waitress Marjorie Nelson, aka Marjorie Wyndingham, as their new romantic singing sensation. Their financing partner, millionaire Col. Merriwether (Percy Kilbride), is actually penniless and nuttier than a fruitcake. The businessmen providing studio and facilities (Richard Lane, Billy Gilbert, Chester Clute, Andrew Tombes) know the truth about Merriwether, plan an attachment on the film when Merriwether can't pay the bills, and then sell CRAZY HOUSE to the highest bidder. When Ole & Chic get wise, the fight goes to court, with Edgar Kennedy doing his patented slow burn as the Judge.
Shemp Howard costars as 'Mumbo', an O&J stooge who hilariously touts a deal in every reel... "Wanna buy a beehive? You won't get stung."... "Wanna buy an anchor? Fresh off the boat."
Rounding out the cast are cameos from virtually every actor on contract at Universal, musical entertainment from Allan Jones, Count Basie, the Glenn Miller Singers, and Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce appear as (who else?) Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
Ole Olsen
Himself
Chic Johnson
Himself
Patric Knowles
Edmund 'Mac' MacLean
Martha O'Driscoll
Marjorie Wyndingham
Cass Daley
Sadie Silverfish
Cass Daley
Herself
Thomas Gomez
N. G. Wagstaff
Percy Kilbride
Col. Cornelius Merriwether
Edgar Kennedy
Judge
Richard Lane
Hanley
Billy Gilbert
Sid Drake
Andrew Tombes
Horace L. Gregory
Shemp Howard
Mumbo
Freddie Sanborn
Jumbo
Hans Conried
Roco
Eddie Kane
Bixby
Chester Clute
Mr. Fud
Robert Emmett Keane
Attorney Scatterby
Pierre Watkin
Prosecuting attorney
Franklin Pangborn
Hotel clerk
Joseph A. Crehan
Mogey
Jacqueline Dalya
Baby Sandy
Basil Rathbone
Sherlock Holmes
Nigel Bruce
Dr. Watson
Thelma Carpenter
Herself
Alan Curtis
Himself
Allan Jones
Himself
Louise Allbritton
Herself
Andy Devine
Himself
Robert Paige
Himself
Lon Chaney Jr.
Himself
Turhan Bey
Himself
Gale Sondergaard
Herself
Johnny Mack Brown
Himself
Evelyn Ankers
Herself
Leighton Noble
Himself
Leo Carrillo
Himself
Marion Hutton
Herself
The Glenn Miller Singers
Themselves
The Modernaires
Themselves
Count Basie and His Orchestra
Themselves
Jimmy Rushing
Himself
The Delta Rhythm Boys
Themselves
Tony De Marco
Himself
Sally De Marco
Herself
Chandra Kaly and His Dancers
Themselves
Nick Cochrane's Musical Cowhands
Themselves
Ramsay Ames and Her Tropicanans
Themselves
John Hamilton
Cass Daley's Director
Lew Kelly
Policeman
Billy Bletcher
Policeman
Lane Chandler
Policeman
Hank Mann
Keystone Kop
Heinie Conklin
Keystone Kop
Charles Middleton
Sheriff
Frank Hagney
Studio cop
Frank Penny
Fireman
Jerry Mandy
Bank robber
Earle Hodgins
Barker
Paul McVey
Studio executive
Fred Niblo
Studio executive
Jack Rice
Dentist
Tiny Ward
Dead End character
Gene Roth
Dead End character
Duke York
Dead End character
Sammy Stein
Dead End character
Jack Norton
Drunk
Bess Flowers
Woman in nightclub
Emmett Vogan
Col. Merriwether's observer
Bobby Barber
Bald man
William H. O'Brien
Bald man
Brooks Benedict
Photographer
Spec O'Donnell
Bellhop
Paul Newlan
Strongman
Ray Walker
Radio host
Robert Barron
Beachcomber
Douglas Wood
Bidder
Jimmie Lucas
Stooge
Eddie Polo
Stooge
Francis Sayles
Stooge
Jimmy Aubrey
Stooge
Martha Tilton
Marjorie's singing voice
Harold DeGarro
Stilt walker
George Beatty
Theater manager
Ezelle Poule
Impersonator
Ben Frommer
Impersonator
Harry Powers
Waiter
Florence Mayo
Pansy the horse, 1/2
Andy Mayo
Pansy the horse, 1/2
Grace McDonald
War movie assistant
Edmund Mortimer
Man in hotel lobby
Ethelreda Leopold
Woman watching talent show
Charles Dorety
Man in row boat
Harry Ward
Comedy violinist
Joe Van
Comedy harpist
Jack Barnett
Dancer
Edgar Barrier
Studio actor
Edward F. Cline
Director
Howard Christie
Assistant Director
Erle C. Kenton
Producer
Frederic I. Rinaldo
Screenplay
Robert Lees
Screenplay
Charles Van Enger
Director of Photography
Arthur Hilton
Film Editor
Harold MacArthur
Art Director
John B. Goodman
Art Director
Bernard B. Brown
Sound Director
Paul Neal
Sound Technician
Russell A. Gausman
Set Decoration
A. J. Gilmore
Set Decoration
Charles Previn
Musical Director
Ted Cain
Music Supervisor
Larry Russell
Orchestrator
Frank Skinner
Orchestrator
Jim Mundy
Orchestrator
Mitchell Parish
Music and Lyrics
Gus Kahn
Music and Lyrics
Jerry Seelen
Music and Lyrics
Dan Shapiro
Music and Lyrics
Lester Lee
Music and Lyrics
Milton S. Rosen
Music
Don Raye
Lyrics
Gene de Paul
Lyrics
George Hale
Choreographer
Vera West
Gowns
John P. Fulton
Effects Photographer
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