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Released September 13, 1940
Featuring Shemp Howard (Solo)
Universal
64 min. (Feature Film)

Dick Roberts' (Richard Arlen) plan to manage his life-long friend Andy Adams (Andy Devine) as a professional wrestler goes awry in a gym brawl, when Robert's fisticuff skills prompts shady boxing promoter Slick Connolly to sign him as "Kid Roberts." Connolly sets up a series of fixed fights in Dick's favor, but in Slick's financial favor only. Sports reporter Pat Danbury runs a series of columns exposing Connolly, so Slick sets up one last promotional fight, with a raffle for Roberts' contract. Naturally, Pat holds the winning ticket.

Pat Danbury is the daughter of an ex-champ, and she hopes to realize her late father's dream of "Camp Danbury," a boxing retirement camp, for coaching and teaching the sport of boxing to youngsters. Her assistants are four ex-champs, lightweight Sailor McNeill (Shemp Howard), welterweight Slugger Mears (Horace McMahon), middleweight Joe Johnson (George Lloyd) and heavyweight Pete Manson (Eddie Gribbon), all down on their luck and living on handouts. The camp's time may have come due to Robert's skill, and an opportunity to box against the new champ, Tim Grogan. But Slick's latest scheme sets Danbury and Roberts up as patsies when a fixed exhibition bout results in their suspension from professional boxing. In bumbling fashion, Andy and the four ex-boxers go after Connolly to exonerate their friends.

Shemp's character of Sailor McNeill is a mute, communicating thru a series of hilarious pantomimes and Shemp's classic "fish face." Shemp recreated this portrayal, although as a different character, in Universal's SIX LESSONS FROM MADAME LA ZONGA (1941).

One of several Universal 'B' features teaming Richard Arlen and Andy Devine, including the earlier HOT STEEL (1940), which costarred Joe Besser. Andy Devine was very popular, coming off several years as the lead supporting cast member on Jack Benny's radio program, and Arlen was a popular leading man, particularly from his Oscar winning WINGS (1927). "Arlen & Devine" were a financially struggling Universal's attempt to create a comedy/drama team series. Their series (including the upcoming LUCKY DEVILS, also with Shemp) ended when Universal hit gold with Abbott & Costello later in 1940.

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Avg. Rating: [8.00/10]
 
LEATHERPUSHERS, THE on IMDb

Andy Devine
Andy Adams

Richard Arlen
Dick Roberts

Douglas Fowley
Slick Connolly

Astrid Allwyn
Pat Danbury

Shemp Howard
Sailor McNeill

George Lloyd
Joe Johnson

Eddie Gribbon
Pete Manson

Charles Lane
Henry Mitchell

Horace McMahon
Slugger Mears

Ben Alexander
Dan Brown

Charles D. Brown
J. R. Stevens

Billy McGowan
Tim Grogan

Wade Boteler
Commissioner Dunlap

Frank Mitchell
Grogan's manager

Jack Gardner
Pat's friend at gym

Cy Schindell
Wrestling referee

Frank O'Connor
Fight referee

Reid Kilpatrick
Ringside radio commentator

Cyril Ring
Ring spectator

Bobby Barber
Man at fight

Jack Raymond
Fight promoter

Jack Roper
Wrestler pictured in book


John Rawlins
Director

Ben Pivar
Producer

Ben Chapman
Screenplay

Maxwell Shane
Screenplay

Larry Rhine
Screenplay

Stanley Cortez
Director of Photography

Arthur Hilton
Film Editor

Jack Otterson
Art Director

Ralph M. DeLacy
Associate Art Director

Russell A. Gausman
Set Decoration

Bernard B. Brown
Sound Director

Hal Bumbaugh
Sound Technician

Hans J. Salter
Musical Director

Maurice E. Wright
Dialogue Director


















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