Never a Dull Moment | |
---|---|
Directed by | Edward C. Lilley |
Screenplay by | Mel Ronson Stanley Roberts |
Story by | Stanley Roberts |
Produced by | Howard Benedict |
Starring | Ritz Brothers Frances Langford Mary Beth Hughes Franklin Pangborn Stuart Crawford George Zucco Elisabeth Risdon Jack La Rue |
Cinematography | Charles Van Enger |
Edited by | Paul Landres |
Music by | H. J. Salter |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 60 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Never a Dull Moment is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Edward C. Lilley and written by Mel Ronson and Stanley Roberts. The film stars Ritz Brothers, Frances Langford, Mary Beth Hughes, Franklin Pangborn, Stuart Crawford, George Zucco, Elisabeth Risdon and Jack La Rue. The film was released on November 19, 1943, by Universal Pictures. [1] [2] [3]
Harry, Jimmy, and Al Ritz portray three vaudevillians ("The Three Funny Bunnies! The only act in show business that lays Easter eggs!"). Mobster Tony Rocco (George Zucco) mistakes them for gangsters and hires them for his nightclub. The Ritzes are unaware that they are expected to steal a valuable necklace from a society matron. When a pickpocket (Mary Beth Hughes) plants the jewelry on Harry, the Funny Bunnies escape, and are hunted both by the police and Rocco's gang.
Never a Dull Moment received some of the best notices of the Ritz Brothers' careers. Film Daily: "Ritz Brothers prove a riot in their best picture in a long time. It's never any less than extremely funny. In fact, at times it's positively uproarious... Put this down as a fast-moving musical that hits the bull's eye. Considering that the Ritzes are at their best, nothing less could have been expected." [4] Showmen's Trade Review: "Although the plot is as old as the hills, the Ritz Brothers bring it up to date with some very funny comedy material... The weight of the film is carried by the Ritz Brothers' antics with the accent on hokum, but as usual the speed with which they work keeps the show rolling at a lively clip." [5] Variety: "Geared for twin bills, Never a Dull Moment is first-rate light, musical entertainment, strong as supporting picture on most dualers [double-feature programs], with Ritz Brothers and Frances Langford providing the marquee lustre. Ritzes work better and with brighter material than they've had for some time." [6]
The Ritz Brothers had been signed by Universal Pictures in 1940 for a single picture. Two years later they were approached to make three hourlong musical comedies for the studio's B-picture unit. Never a Dull Moment was the last of the three and, despite its excellent reviews, did not result in any further pictures. The Ritzes left Hollywood for good, concentrating on their live nightclub act and personal appearances. They continued as a headline attraction until Al Ritz's death in 1965.
The Ritz Brothers were an American family comedy act consisting of brothers Al (1901-1965), Jimmy (1904-1985), and Harry Ritz (1907-1986) who performed extensively on stage, in nightclubs and in films from 1925 to the late 1970s. A fourth brother, George, acted as their manager.
Producers Releasing Corporation was one of the smallest and least prestigious Hollywood film studios of the 1940s. It was considered a prime example of what was called "Poverty Row": a low-rent stretch of Gower Street in Hollywood where shoestring film producers based their operations. However, PRC was more substantial than the usual independent companies that made only a few low-budget movies and then disappeared. PRC was an actual Hollywood studio – albeit the smallest – with its own production facilities and distribution network, and it even accepted imports from the UK. PRC lasted from 1939 to 1947, churning out low-budget B movies for the lower half of a double bill or the upper half of a neighborhood theater showing second-run films. The studio was originally located at 1440 N. Gower St. from 1936 to 1943. PRC then occupied the former Grand National Pictures physical plant at 7324 Santa Monica Blvd., from 1943 to 1946. This address is now an apartment complex.
The Gorilla is a 1939 American comedy horror film starring the Ritz Brothers, Anita Louise, Art Miles, Lionel Atwill, Bela Lugosi, and Patsy Kelly. It was based on the 1925 play of the same name by Ralph Spence.
Julia Frances Newbern-Langford was an American singer and actress who was popular during the Golden Age of Radio and made film and television appearances for over two decades.
Mary Elizabeth Hughes was an American film, television, and stage actress best known for her roles in B movies.
Franklin Pangborn was an American comedic character actor famous for playing small but memorable roles with comic flair. He appeared in many Preston Sturges movies as well as the W. C. Fields films International House, The Bank Dick, and Never Give a Sucker an Even Break. For his contributions to motion pictures, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1500 Vine Street posthumously on February 8, 1960.
The Barkleys of Broadway is a 1949 American Technicolor musical comedy film from the Arthur Freed unit at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that reunited Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers after ten years apart. Directed by Charles Walters, the screenplay is by Betty Comden, Adolph Green, and Sidney Sheldon, the songs are by Harry Warren (music) and Ira Gershwin (lyrics) with the addition of "They Can't Take That Away from Me" by George and Ira Gershwin, and the choreography was created by Robert Alton and Hermes Pan. Also featured in the cast were Oscar Levant, Billie Burke, Jacques François and Gale Robbins. It is the last film that Astaire and Rogers made together, and their only film together in color. Rogers came in as a last-minute replacement for Judy Garland, whose frequent absences due to a dependence on prescription medication cost her the role.
George Zucco was a British character actor who appeared in plays and 96 films, mostly American-made, during a career spanning over two decades, from the 1920s to 1951. In his films, he often played a suave villain, a member of nobility, or a mad doctor.
Holy Matrimony is a 1943 comedy film directed by John M. Stahl and released by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay was based on the 1908 novel Buried Alive by Arnold Bennett. It stars Monty Woolley and Gracie Fields, with Laird Cregar, Una O'Connor, Alan Mowbray, Franklin Pangborn, Eric Blore, and George Zucco in supporting roles.
Every Night at Eight is a 1935 American comedy musical film starring George Raft and Alice Faye and made by Walter Wanger Productions Inc. and Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Raoul Walsh and produced by Walter Wanger from a screenplay by C. Graham Baker, Bert Hanlon and Gene Towne based on the story Three On a Mike by Stanley Garvey.
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock is a 1947 American comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, starring the silent film comic icon Harold Lloyd, and featuring a supporting cast including female protagonist Frances Ramsden, Jimmy Conlin, Raymond Walburn, Rudy Vallee, Arline Judge, Edgar Kennedy, Franklin Pangborn, J. Farrell MacDonald, Robert Dudley, Robert Greig, Lionel Stander and Jackie the Lion. The film's story is a continuation of The Freshman (1925), one of Lloyd's most successful movies.
Never a Dull Moment is a 1950 American comedy western film from RKO Pictures, starring Irene Dunne and Fred MacMurray. The film is based on the 1943 book Who Could Ask For Anything More? by Kay Swift. The filming took place between December 5, 1949, and February 1, 1950, in Thousand Oaks, California. It has no relation to the 1968 Disney film of the same name starring Dick Van Dyke and Edward G. Robinson.
Never a Dull Moment may refer to:
People Are Funny is a 1946 American musical comedy film directed by Sam White and starring Jack Haley, Helen Walker and Rudy Vallee. It is based on the popular radio show of the same name and was produced by Pine-Thomas Productions for release by Paramount Pictures.
Life Begins in College is a 1937 American comedy film directed by William A. Seiter. It marked the Ritz Brothers' first starring role in a feature film.
Al Ritz, was an American comedian, actor and entertainer. Ritz was the oldest of the Ritz Brothers.
Harry Ritz, was an American comedian and actor. He was the youngest of the Ritz Brothers.
Argentine Nights is a 1940 musical film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring The Andrews Sisters. It was their first film.
Mississippi Gambler is a 1942 American crime film directed by John Rawlins and written by Al Martin and Roy Chanslor. The film stars Kent Taylor, Frances Langford, John Litel, Shemp Howard, Claire Dodd and Wade Boteler. The film was released on April 17, 1942, by Universal Pictures.
What's Buzzin', Cousin? is a 1943 American musical film directed by Charles Barton and written by Harry Sauber and John P. Medbury. The film stars Ann Miller, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, John Hubbard, Freddy Martin, Leslie Brooks and Jeff Donnell. The film was released on July 8, 1943, by Columbia Pictures.