Jeepers Creepers | |
---|---|
Directed by | Frank Mcdonald |
Written by | Dorrell McGowan Stuart E. McGowan |
Produced by | Armand Schaefer |
Starring | Roy Rogers |
Cinematography | Ernest Miller |
Edited by | Ernest J. Nims |
Music by | James Wessel |
Distributed by | Republic Pictures |
Release date | October 27, 1939 |
Running time | 69 Minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Jeepers Creepers is a 1939 American musical comedy starring Roy Rogers, with the popular hillbilly comedy troupe the Weaver Brothers and Elviry. Rogers plays a Sheriff in a town where a rich industrialist cheats a poor family out of their land when coal is discovered there. [1]
The unusual title refers to the 1938 song "Jeepers Creepers" by Harry Warren and Jerry Mercer, which Rogers and the cast sing during the film. [1] The film also features "Little Brown Jug", "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree", "Listen to the Mocking Bird", and "In the Good Old Summer Time". [2]
Wealthy industrialist M. K. Durant (Thurston Hall) discovers a rich vein of coal on the Pineville property owned by the Weavers. When the family refuses to sell their property to him, he discovers the Weavers owe back taxes. Durant pays them, takes possession of their land and begins mining. Sheriff Roy and the rest of Pineville's citizens come up with a plan to drive Durant and his miners away. The miners retaliate by starting a forest fire. Durant is trapped under his car when it overturns in the path of the fire. After he is saved by the sheriff and the townspeople, Durant relents; he stops his mining operations and returns the land to the Weavers. Durant's daughter, Connie (Maris Wrixon), and Sheriff Roy have also fallen in love to make this a very happy ending. [3] [4] [5] [6]
Showmen's Trade Review wrote, "For the great masses of American theatergoers, Jeepers Creepers should provide thoroughly enjoyable entertainment. It's loaded with hokum [...] making the film as a whole anything but a critic's delight; but as far as the average family is concerned, it's solid homespun comedy-drama right down their alley." [4] The Film Daily agreed, stating that "This picture will probably be all right for the backwoods nabes, but for city and suburban houses it does not measure up as interesting screenfare. The story is tried and true, but bewhiskered to its knees and without any unusual or novel twists." [3] Additionally, The New York Daily News found the film "too wobbly to stand alone, in this section of the country anyway [...] This Republic story about a rugged individualist taking advantage of the poor mountaineers has long gray whiskers down to here." [7]
Roy Rogers was an American singer, actor, and television host. Following early work under his given name, first as co-founder of the Sons of the Pioneers and then acting, the rebranded Rogers then became one of the most popular Western stars of his era. Known as the "King of the Cowboys", he appeared in over 100 films and numerous radio and television episodes of The Roy Rogers Show. In many of his films and television episodes, he appeared with his wife, Dale Evans; his Golden Palomino, Trigger; and his German Shepherd, Bullet. His show was broadcast on radio for nine years and then on television from 1951 through 1957. His early roles were uncredited parts in films by fellow cowboy singing star Gene Autry and his productions usually featured a sidekick, often Pat Brady, Andy Devine, George "Gabby" Hayes, or Smiley Burnette. In his later years, he lent his name to the franchise chain of Roy Rogers Restaurants.
Raoul Walsh was an American film director, actor, founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), and the brother of silent screen actor George Walsh. He was known for portraying John Wilkes Booth in the silent classic The Birth of a Nation (1915) and for directing such films as the widescreen epic The Big Trail (1930) starring John Wayne in his first leading role, The Roaring Twenties starring James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart, High Sierra (1941) starring Ida Lupino and Humphrey Bogart, and White Heat (1949) starring James Cagney and Edmond O'Brien. He directed his last film in 1964.
Robert Ellsworth Patrick Aloysius Brady was an American actor and musician best known as the "comical sidekick" of the popular cowboy film and television star Roy Rogers on his eponymous radio and television series.
Jeepers Creepers may refer to:
Gina Philips is an American actress. She had recurring roles on David E. Kelley's Ally McBeal, as Sandy Hingle, and Boston Public, as Jenna Miller. She is perhaps best known as Trish Jenner in the horror film Jeepers Creepers (2001). She reprised her role in a cameo in Jeepers Creepers 3 (2017).
Jeepers Creepers is a 1939 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes animated short directed by Robert Clampett. The short was released on September 23, 1939, and stars Porky Pig.
Dan White was an American actor, well known for appearing in Western films and TV shows.
Robert Joseph Wilke was an American film and television actor noted primarily for his roles as villains, mostly in Westerns.
Mary Alice "Maris" Wrixon was an American film and television actress. She appeared in over 50 films between 1939 and 1951.
Lucien Littlefield was an American actor who achieved a long career from silent films to the television era. He was noted for his versatility, playing a wide range of roles and already portraying old men before he was of voting age.
Patricia Belcher is an American film, stage and television actress, known for her roles as Ms. Dabney in the Disney Channel sitcom Good Luck Charlie, and as United States Attorney Caroline Julian in the FOX crime procedural comedy-drama series Bones.
Leonard Harrison Aleshire was a versatile American vaudeville and later country music performer from the 1920s into the 1960s. A singer, dancer and songwriter, he was also half of a musical comedy duo, Lennie and Goo Goo, with Floyd Rutledge. The pair appeared on local and national radio and television programs originating from Springfield, Missouri during the 1940s and 50s.
Jeepers Creepers 3 is a 2017 American horror film written and directed by Victor Salva and the third film in the Jeepers Creepers film series, taking place in between Jeepers Creepers and Jeepers Creepers 2. Jonathan Breck reprises his role as The Creeper. Gina Philips returns in a cameo as Trish Jenner, her first return to the series since the original film. The film was shown in theaters on September 26, 2017 in what was originally announced as a one-night-only showing and was then shown again on October 4, 2017.
Twilight in the Sierras is a 1950 American Trucolor Western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers and his horse Trigger, along with Dale Evans, Estelita Rodriguez, and Pat Brady.
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In Old Missouri (1940) is a film starring the hillbilly comedy troupe the Weaver Brothers and Elviry, and released by Republic Pictures.
John F. Kelly was an American actor whose career spanned the very end of the silent film era through the 1940s. While most of his parts were smaller, often-uncredited roles, he was occasionally given a more substantial supporting or even featured role.
The Weaver Brothers and Elviry were musical comedy vaudeville and film performers, in the "hillbilly" style. The group consisted of brothers Leon "Abner" Weaver and Frank "Cicero" Weaver, with June "Elviry" Weaver. The group headlined a traveling vaudeville show with Abner as the master of ceremonies, presenting songs, comedy, dancing, acrobatic acts and barnyard imitations.
Jeepers Creepers is an American horror film series originally created by Victor Salva. It consists of Jeepers Creepers (2001), Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003), Jeepers Creepers 3 (2017), and Jeepers Creepers: Reborn.