Make 'Em Laugh (The Funny Business of America)
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Released February 22, 1950
Featuring Joe Besser (Solo)
Featuring Joe Besser (Solo)
Universal
92 min. (Feature Film)
92 min. (Feature Film)
Selden Clark, lone descendant of Clarksville N.C.'s founders, is an ambitious and cruel man who longs to marry Deborah Chandler (Ida Lupino), the daughter of the town's wealthy factory owner. Deborah's father dies under suspicious circumstances, and several months later she agrees to marry Selden. On their honeymoon, she learns that it was Clark that killed her father and he also has a mistress. Escaping in their car on a country road, the brakes have been tampered with, and she crashes off a bridge into the river. She survives the accident, and it's ruled a probable suicide when her body isn't found. Deborah hides in Raleigh under an assumed name, meets handsome drifter Keith Ramsey (Howard Duff), and the two fall in love. Selden isn't convinced that she died in the car crash, and takes out a newspaper ad with a reward for information. Keith contacts Selden thinking that he is helping Deborah, not knowing that Selden wants to kill her and ensure his inheritance of the Chandler estate.
Joe Besser appears in several scenes, as a carousing conventioneer salesman.
One of Tony Curtis' first film roles, but he doesn't appear onscreen... he provided voice-over dubbing for the actor who plays the bus driver.
Also appearing in an early role is Jerry Paris, costar of THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW, and a television director (THE ODD COUPLE, HAPPY DAYS).
Avg. Rating: 
[8.00/10]
[8.00/10]
Ida Lupino
Deborah Chandler Clark
Stephen McNally
Selden Clark
John Litel
John Chandler
Howard Duff
Keith Ramsey
Peggy Dow
Patricia Monahan
Taylor Holmes
Lucius Maury
Irving Bacon
Pops Link
Harry Harvey
Mr. Tullis
Joe Besser
Salesman with drum
Don Beddoe
Fat salesman
Russ Conway
Russell, reporter
David Clarke
Moyer, photographer
Angela Clark
Clara May's mother
Tim Graham
Hotel clerk
Heinie Conklin
Hotel waiter
Harold Goodwin
State trooper
Nolan Leary
Station master
William Gould
Train conductor
Donald Kerr
Conventioneer on bicycle
Jerry Hausner
Conventioneer
I. Stanford Jolley
Conventioneer
Ferris Taylor
Cannoneer
Francis McDonald
Cannoneer
Charles Hamilton
Bus depot clerk
Mike Lally
Man in bus depot
James Conaty
Man at bus station
Pierce Lyden
Cop at bus station
Brick Sullivan
Cop at bus station
William Val
Dave Shaw, bus driver
Tony Curtis
Bus driver's voice
John Harmon
Man arrested on bus
Sam Finn
Bus passenger
Fred Aldrich
Bus passenger
Adolph Faylauer
Bus passenger
Michael Kraike
Man reading newspaper
Bill Walker
Train porter
Peggie Castle
Waitress
Michael Gordon
Man at locker
Jerry Paris
Newsstand customer
Guy Wilkerson
Searcher in rowboat
George Magrill
Stagehand
Charles McAvoy
Electrician
Michael Gordon
Director
Michael Kraike
Producer
James Webb
Original Story
Roy Huggins
Adaptation
Oscar Saul
Screenplay
William H. Daniels
Director of Photography
Milton Carruth
Film Editor
Bernard Herzbrun
Art Director
Robert Clatworthy
Art Director
Russell A. Gausman
Set Decoration
Ruby R. Levitt
Set Decoration
Leslie I. Carey
Sound Director
Robert Pritchard
Sound Technician
Milton Schwarzwald
Musical Director
Frank Skinner
Original Music
Orry-Kelly
Gowns
Del Armstrong
Makeup
Bud Westmore
Makeup
John G. Holden
Makeup
Helen Turpin
Hair Stylist
Joan St. Oegger
Hair Stylist
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Frank Shaw
Assistant Director
Lew Leary
Production Manager
William Dodds
Camera Operator
Ben Hawkins
Grip
Lloyd Hill
Gaffer
David S. Horsley
Special Photography
Mildred Valle
Script Supervisor
Richard Walling
Still Photography
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