Make 'Em Laugh (The Funny Business of America)
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Featuring Ted Healy (Solo)
97.2 min. (Feature Film)
Classic show business melodrama with a mix of comedy, and music and lyrics by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein. Actress/singer Mona Leslie (Jean Harlow) never takes seriously the romantic overtures of her hard-luck promoter Ned Riley (William Powell). Mona falls for playboy Bob Harrison, who jilts his society fiance Jo Mercer, and their marriage quickly horrifies society circles and Bob's family. Tragedy leaves Mona to raise a child alone, struggling to defend her personal and professional reputation.
MGM once again effectively teamed Ted Healy and Nat Pendleton for comic relief, as Ned Riley's assistants.
Jean Harlow
Mona Leslie
William Powell
Ned Riley
Franchot Tone
Robert Harrison Jr.
May Robson
Granny Leslie
Ted Healy
Smiley
Nat Pendleton
Blossom
Rosalind Russell
Jo Mercer
Mickey Rooney
Eddie
Dick Elliott
Man in orchestra pit
Paul Ellis
'Reckless' gigolo
Nina Mae McKinney
'Reckless' singer
Carl Randall
'Reckless' dancer
Rafael Storm
Mona's dance partner
Allan Jones
Singer
Wade Boteler
Policeman
David Thursby
Reporter
Franklin Parker
Reporter
Nick Copeland
Reporter
Don Brodie
Reporter
Louis Natheaux
Reporter
Allen 'Farina' Hoskins
Gold Dust
Joe Sawyer
Betting clerk
Henry Kolker
Mr. Gearhart
John Gallaudet
Doorman at poker game
Hooper Atchley
Poker player
Fred Santley
Hotel desk clerk
Libby Taylor
Mona's maid
Charles R. Moore
Porter
Henry Stephenson
Col. Harrison Sr.
James Ellison
Dave Every
Leon Ames
Ralph Watson
Robert Light
Paul Mercer
Jack Mulhall
Paul's restrainer
Larry Steers
Paul's restrainer
Man Mountain Dean
Himself
Ernie Haynes
Wrestler
Paul Fix
Man on mechanical horse
Louise Henry
Louise
Theresa Maxwell Conover
Woman with Smiley
Sam Flint
Jo Mercer's father
Albert Taylor
Wedding guest
Bert Moorhouse
Wedding guest
James Conaty
Wedding guest
William Worthington
Wedding guest
Lloyd Whitlock
Wedding guest
Akim Tamiroff
Wedding reception chef
Lee Phelps
Hotel desk clerk
Charles Middleton
District Attorney
Ted Lorch
Man on coroner jury
Edward LeSaint
Man on coroner jury
Charles C. Wilson
Newspaper editor
Robert Andrews
Mona's baby
Margaret Bert
Maternity nurse
John Davidson
Sid, lawyer
Jan Duggan
Chairwoman
Harold Huber
Nick Londos
Stuart Casey
John Gaylord
Jean Gunn
Little girl singer
Edward Peil, Sr.
Man raising curtain
Kay Sutton
Woman with Paul
Isabelle Keith
Woman in audience
Margaret Dumont
Woman in audience
Jim Toney
Man in hallway
Irene Thompson
Chorine
Alice Weaver
Chorine
Billie Lee
Chorine
Mae Madison
Chorine
Marion Ladd
Chorine
Rosina Lawrence
Chorine
Frances Robinson
Chorine
Barbara Worth
Chorine
Earlene Heath
Chorine
Edna Waldron
Chorine
Lorna Low
Chorine
Eadie Adams
Chorine
Donna Mae Roberts
Chorine
Mary Jo Mathews
Chorine
Virginia Verrill
Jean Harlow's singing voice dub
Betty Halsey
Jean Harlow's dance double
Victor Fleming
Director
David O. Selznick
Producer
David O. Selznick
Story
Norman Krasna
Screenplay
Ted Shane
Screenplay
P. J. Wolfson
Screenplay
Donald Ogden Stewart
Screenplay
Edward Ward
Original Music
George J. Folsey
Photography
Margaret Booth
Film Editor
Cedric Gibbons
Art Director
Merrill Pye
Associate Art Director
Douglas Shearer
Recording Director
Victor Baravalle
Orchestra Conductor
Herbert Stothart
Synchronizer
Jack Virgil
Orchestrator
Edward Ward
Orchestrator
Paul Marquardt
Orchestrator
Wayne Allen
Orchestrator
Jerome Kern
Music
Burton Lane
Music
Jack Virgil
Music
Con Conrad
Music
Herbert Stothart
Music
Jack King
Music
Oscar Hammerstein
Lyrics
Gus Kahn
Lyrics
Harold Adamson
Lyrics
Edwin H. Knopf
Lyrics
Carl Randall
Dances
Chester Hale
Dances
Adrian
Gowns
Robert J. Bronner
Assistant Cameraman
Charles Lawton Jr.
Assistant Cameraman
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