The Flies Crawled Up the Window

Last updated
"The Flies Crawled Up the Window"
Song by Jack Hulbert
Released1932 (1932)
Songwriter(s) Vivian Ellis

"'The Flies Crawled Up the Window" is a British song originally sung by the actor Jack Hulbert in the 1932 comedy film Jack's the Boy . [1] The lyrics describe the antics of various flies as they crawl up windows. In the film it is sung by Hulbert's character, Jack Brown, to his disapproving father (Peter Gawthorne) after he has returned drunk from an evening out. [2]

The film proved to be a major success, and the song was equally popular. Hulbert was pursued to the South of France by HMV who persuaded him to release it as a record. [3] The song was later covered by other singers such as Pat O'Malley - sometimes with additional verses added. [4]

Related Research Articles

Robert Stevenson (filmmaker) British film director

Robert Edward Stevenson was an English film screenwriter, director and actor.

Cicely Courtneidge British actor (1893 - 1980)

Dame Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge, was an Australian-born British actress, comedian and singer. The daughter of the producer and playwright Robert Courtneidge, she was appearing in his productions in the West End by the age of 16, and was quickly promoted from minor to major roles in his Edwardian musical comedies.

Jack Hulbert British actor, director, screenwriter and singer(1892–1978)

John Norman Hulbert was a British actor, director, screenwriter and singer, specializing primarily in comedy productions, and often working alongside his wife (Dame) Cicely Courtneidge.

Claude Hulbert English actor (1900–1964)

Claude Noel Hulbert was a mid-20th century English stage, radio and cinema comic actor.

<i>Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy</i>

Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy was a radio adventure series which maintained its popularity from 1933 to 1951. The program originated at WBBM in Chicago on July 31, 1933, and was later carried on CBS, then NBC and finally ABC.

<i>The Arcadians</i> (musical)

The Arcadians is an Edwardian musical comedy styled a "Fantastic Musical Play" in three acts with a book by Mark Ambient and Alexander M. Thompson, lyrics by Arthur Wimperis, and music by Lionel Monckton and Howard Talbot. The story concerns some idyllic Arcadians who wish to transform wicked London to a land of truth and simplicity.

<i>Under Your Hat</i> 1940 British film

Under Your Hat is a 1940 British musical comedy spy film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Jack Hulbert, Cicely Courtneidge and Austin Trevor.

<i>Jacks the Boy</i> 1932 film

Jack's the Boy is a 1932 British comedy film directed by Walter Forde and starring Jack Hulbert, Cicely Courtneidge, Francis Lister and Peter Gawthorne. It became well known for its song "The Flies Crawled Up the Window", sung by Hulbert, which was released as a record and proved a major hit. The film was released in the U.S. as Night and Day.

<i>Jack Ahoy</i> 1934 British film

Jack Ahoy is a 1934 British comedy film directed by Walter Forde and starring Jack Hulbert, Nancy O'Neil, Alfred Drayton and Sam Wilkinson. Its plot follows a humble seaman falls in love with an Admiral's daughter, whilst trying to battle Chinese pirates. The film was loosely remade in 1954 as Up to His Neck.

<i>Tommy the Toreador</i> 1959 British film

Tommy the Toreador is a 1959 British musical comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Tommy Steele, Janet Munro, Sid James, Bernard Cribbins, Noel Purcell and Kenneth Williams.

<i>Falling for You</i> (film) 1933 film

Falling for You is a 1933 British comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and Jack Hulbert, and starring Jack Hulbert and Cicely Courtneidge.

<i>The Camels are Coming</i> (film) 1934 British film

The Camels are Coming is a 1934 British comedy adventure film directed by Tim Whelan and starring Jack Hulbert, Anna Lee, Hartley Power and Harold Huth. A British officer in the Royal Egyptian Air Force combats drug smugglers.

<i>Love on Wheels</i> 1932 film

Love on Wheels is a 1932 British musical comedy film directed by Victor Saville and starring Jack Hulbert, Gordon Harker, Edmund Gwenn and Leonora Corbett.

<i>Take My Tip</i> 1937 British film

Take My Tip is a 1937 British musical comedy film directed by Herbert Mason, produced by Michael Balcon and starring Jack Hulbert, Cicely Courtneidge, Harold Huth and Frank Cellier.

<i>Kate Plus Ten</i> (film) 1938 British film

Kate Plus Ten is a 1938 British thriller film directed by Reginald Denham and starring Jack Hulbert, Genevieve Tobin and Noel Madison. It was adapted from the Edgar Wallace novel Kate Plus Ten. It was also released as Queen of Crime.

<i>When Knights Were Bold</i> (1936 film) 1936 British film

When Knights Were Bold is a 1936 British musical comedy film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Jack Buchanan, Fay Wray and Garry Marsh. Songs include "Let's Put the People To Work" sung by Jack Buchanan, "Onward We Go" sung by Buchanan & soldiers' chorus, and "I'm Still Dreaming" sung by Buchanan.

A Fire Has Been Arranged is a 1935 British comedy film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring Chesney Allen, Bud Flanagan and Alastair Sim.

<i>Paradise for Two</i> 1937 British film

Paradise for Two is a 1937 British musical comedy film directed by Thornton Freeland and starring Jack Hulbert, Patricia Ellis and Arthur Riscoe. It was released in the U.S. with the alternative title Gaiety Girls. A chorus girl is mistaken for a millionaire's girlfriend.

<i>Sunshine Susie</i> 1931 film

Sunshine Susie is a 1931 British musical comedy film directed by Victor Saville and starring Renate Müller, Jack Hulbert, and Owen Nares. The film was shot at Islington Studios with sets designed by Alex Vetchinsky. It was based on a novel by István Szomaházy. An alternate German-language version The Private Secretary was made, also starring Renate Müller.

<i>Soldiers of the King</i> (film) 1933 British film

Soldiers of the King is a 1933 British historical comedy film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Cicely Courtneidge, Edward Everett Horton and Anthony Bushell. It was Courtneidge's fourth film, and the first she appeared in without her husband Jack Hulbert. Courtneidge plays the matriarch of a music hall family, in a plot that switches between the Victorian era and the 1930s present.

References

  1. ↑ "Jack's the Boy the Flies Crawled up the Window - the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum".
  2. ↑ Sutton p.176
  3. ↑ Mundy p.45
  4. ↑ "MP3 Downloads".

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.