Andy Hardy Comes Home

Last updated
Andy Hardy Comes Home
Andy Hardy Comes Home.jpg
Directed by Howard W. Koch
Written byEdward Everett Hutshing
Robert Morris Donley
additional dialogue
Harry Ruskin
Based oncharacters created by Aurania Rouverol
Produced byRed Doff
Starring Mickey Rooney
Patricia Breslin
Fay Holden
CinematographyWilliam W. Spencer
Harold E. Wellman
Edited byJohn Baxter Rogers
Music by Van Alexander
Production
company
Fryman Enterprises
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • 22 December 1958 (1958-12-22)
Running time
80 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$313,000 [1]
Box office$610,000 [1]

Andy Hardy Comes Home is a 1958 American comedy film directed by Howard W. Koch. It is the 16th and final film in the Andy Hardy series, with Mickey Rooney reprising his signature role. It was produced 12 years after the previous Hardy film, and was an attempt to revive what had once been an enormously popular film series. Because the film fell short of box office projections, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer did not continue the Andy Hardy series.

Contents

Plot

Returning to his hometown of Carvel after several years' absence, Andrew "Andy" Hardy, now a high-flying West Coast lawyer, reminiscences (in flashbacks to earlier films) about his past. He also reconnects with his mother, aunt, sister, and nephew Jimmy as he attempts to convince the skeptical townsfolk to let his company build a factory there.

When his plan to buy land from his old friend Beezy runs into difficulty, Andy brings his wife, Jane, and two children, Andy Jr. and Cricket, to bolster his resolve, and to help him live up to the lessons instilled in him by his late father.

While all seems lost, the closing moments reposition the resurrected series for a new set of Andy Hardy films, but these never materialized. [2]

Cast

Production

Songwriter Robert Donley and journalist Edward Hushting wrote an original Andy Hardy synopsis on speculation and brought it to Rooney's agent, Red Doff. He showed it to Rooney, who was enthusiastic, and they pitched the project to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a co-production with Rooney's own company, Fryman Enterprises. [3] [4] The studio, then under the control of Joseph Vogel, agreed to make the film. [5] [6]

"We feel it's time for another Hardy picture", said Doff. "Time for a good, warm, wholesome family comedy – no violence, no monsters, no sex! There are millions who have seen and loved the Hardys – and who would like to see them again. And there are millions who never saw them on the big screen, but who are being presold by seeing them on TV. People like things nostalgic. We believe they'll be curious to see a re-creation of what they loved 15 and 20 years ago." [3]

Lewis Stone, who had played the beloved Judge James Hardy in the previous films, had died in 1953 and his character's passing was portrayed in the film. Fay Holden, Sara Haden, and Cecilia Parker all reprised their roles of Emily Hardy, Aunt Milly and Marian, respectively. (Parker had mostly retired from acting since the previous film in 1947, devoting herself to raising her children). [7]

Mickey Rooney tried to persuade Ann Rutherford to return as Polly Benedict, Andy's on-and-off sweetheart in most of the original movies, so the two characters could be a married couple, but Rutherford's salary demands were too high, and the character was written out. [8] [9] Andy's wife in the film, Jane (played by Patricia Breslin), had no prior connection to the town of Carvel.

In line with MGM's practice of introducing studio contract players in the series, contractee Pat Cawley was given a role. [3]

The role of Andy Hardy Jr. was played by Rooney's real-life son, Teddy.

Filming began on 7 May 1958. [3] The film premiered on 22 December 1958 in New York City. [10]

Reception

According to MGM records, the movie earned $400,000 in the US and Canada and $210,000 elsewhere, making a loss to the studio of $5,000. [1]

Before the film was released, Hutshing and Donley worked on a sequel about Andy Hardy as a judge called Andy Hardy Carries On. [11] There was also some talk of an Andy Hardy TV series. [12] In the early 1960s, a pilot was shot for a prospective Andy Hardy sitcom for NBC, with a totally different cast and with the character of Judge Hardy returning, but NBC did not pick it up as a series.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Love Finds Andy Hardy</i> 1938 film by George B. Seitz

Love Finds Andy Hardy is a 1938 American romantic comedy film that tells the story of a teenage boy who becomes entangled with three different girls all at the same time. It stars Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Fay Holden, Cecilia Parker, Judy Garland, Lana Turner, Ann Rutherford, Mary Howard and Gene Reynolds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mickey Rooney</span> American actor (1920–2014)

Mickey Rooney was an American actor. In a career spanning nearly nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last surviving stars of the silent-film era. He was the top box-office attraction from 1939 to 1941, and one of the best-paid actors of that era. At the height of a career marked by declines and comebacks, Rooney performed the role of Andy Hardy in a series of 16 films in the 1930s and 1940s that epitomized the mainstream United States self-image.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Hardy</span> Fictional character played by Mickey Rooney

Andrew "Andy" Hardy is a fictional character best known for the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer series of 16 films in which he was played by Mickey Rooney. The main film series was released from 1937 to 1946, with a final film made in 1958 in an unsuccessful attempt to continue the series. Hardy and other characters initially appeared in the 1928 play Skidding by Aurania Rouverol. Early films in the series were about the Hardy family as a whole, but later entries focused on the character of Andy Hardy. Rooney was the only member of the ensemble to appear in all 16 films. The Hardy films, which were enormously popular in their heyday, were sentimental comedies, celebrating ordinary American life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Rutherford</span> Canadian-born American actress

Therese Ann Rutherford was a Canadian-born American actress in film, radio, and television. She had a long career starring and co-starring in films, playing Polly Benedict during the 1930s and 1940s in the Andy Hardy series, and appearing as one of Scarlett O'Hara's sisters, Careen O'Hara in the film Gone with the Wind (1939).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cecilia Parker</span> Canadian-American actress (1914–1993)

Cecilia Parker was a Canadian-born American film actress. She was best known for portraying Marian Hardy, the sister of Andy Hardy in eleven of the Andy Hardy film series.

<i>Andy Hardy Meets Debutante</i> 1940 film by George B. Seitz

Andy Hardy Meets Debutante is a 1940 American romantic comedy film directed by George B. Seitz. The film stars Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Cecilia Parker, Fay Holden and Judy Garland. It is the ninth of the Andy Hardy full-length film series.

<i>Youre Only Young Once</i> 1937 film by George B. Seitz

You're Only Young Once is a 1937 American comedy film directed by George B. Seitz. Following A Family Affair, it is the second film of the Andy Hardy series. Lewis Stone replaces Lionel Barrymore as Judge Hardy while Fay Holden replaced Spring Byington as his wife since both Barrymore and Byington were too expensive for the sequel's modest budget. Mickey Rooney would repeat his role as Andy while Cecilia Parker, as his sister, and Sara Haden, as Aunt Milly, would also reprise their roles from the original film. They were the only original actors transferred to the series.

<i>Andy Hardys Private Secretary</i> 1941 film by George B. Seitz

Andy Hardy's Private Secretary is a 1941 American comedy film directed by George B. Seitz and starring Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Kathryn Grayson, Ann Rutherford and Fay Holden. It was the tenth of the 16-film Andy Hardy series. Marian Hardy does not appear in this film.

<i>A Family Affair</i> (1937 film) 1937 film by George B. Seitz

A Family Affair is a 1937 American comedy film directed by George B. Seitz. It was the first of 16 movies now known as the Andy Hardy series, though Andy Hardy, played by Mickey Rooney, did not become the main character in the series until a few more installments had been made. The movie features Lionel Barrymore as Judge Hardy and Spring Byington as his wife, who are Andy's parents. Barrymore and Byington were replaced in their roles by Lewis Stone and Fay Holden in the subsequent films.

<i>Love Laughs at Andy Hardy</i> 1946 film by Willis Goldbeck

Love Laughs at Andy Hardy is a 1946 American comedy film directed by Willis Goldbeck and starring Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone and Bonita Granville. It was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film is also known under its American promotional title Uncle Andy Hardy. This was the fifteenth and penultimate film in the Andy Hardy series. The final installment, Andy Hardy Comes Home (1958), would be released 12 years later.

<i>The Private Lives of Adam and Eve</i> 1960 film by Albert Zugsmith, Mickey Rooney

The Private Lives of Adam and Eve is a 1960 Spectacolor comedy film starring Mickey Rooney, and Mamie Van Doren. It is an American B-movie in which the plot revolves around a modern couple who dream that they are Adam and Eve. Others of their acquaintance assume the roles of various characters from the Book of Genesis during the fantasy sequences.

<i>Life Begins for Andy Hardy</i> 1941 film by George B. Seitz

Life Begins for Andy Hardy is a 1941 American comedy film and the 11th installment of the 16 popular Andy Hardy movies. Directed by George B. Seitz, Life Begins for Andy Hardy was also the last Andy Hardy movie to feature Judy Garland.

<i>Andy Hardys Blonde Trouble</i> 1944 film by George B. Seitz

Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble is a 1944 romantic comedy film directed by George B. Seitz, the fourteenth in the series starring Mickey Rooney as Andy Hardy. In the film, Andy goes to college, but soon gets in trouble with some pretty female students.

<i>Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever</i> 1939 film by W. S. Van Dyke

Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever is a 1939 American romantic comedy film directed by W. S. Van Dyke. The plot is about Andy Hardy having a crush on his high school drama teacher, Miss Rose Meredith. It is the seventh of sixteen Andy Hardy films starring Mickey Rooney.

<i>Andy Hardys Double Life</i> 1942 film

Andy Hardy's Double Life is a 1942 comedy film directed by George B. Seitz. It was the thirteenth installment of MGM's enormously popular Andy Hardy film series starring Mickey Rooney as the title character.

<i>The Courtship of Andy Hardy</i> 1942 film by George B. Seitz

The Courtship of Andy Hardy is a 1942 film, part of the Andy Hardy series. It gave an early role to Donna Reed although Mickey Rooney had lobbied for his then-wife Ava Gardner to have her part. Within a few months of the film's release, she filed for divorce.

<i>Judge Hardys Children</i> 1938 film by George B. Seitz

Judge Hardy's Children is a 1938 film in the Andy Hardy series. The plot involves the Hardys visiting Washington, DC, in this third entry in MGM's "Hardy Family" series.

<i>Out West with the Hardys</i> 1938 film by George B. Seitz

Out West with the Hardys is a 1938 American comedy film directed by George B. Seitz and the fifth film in the Andy Hardy series of sixteen films.

<i>The Hardys Ride High</i> 1939 film by George B. Seitz

The Hardys Ride High (1939) is the sixth film of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Andy Hardy series.

Judge Hardy and Son (1939) is the 8th film, of 16, in the Andy Hardy series. It is the last MGM film in the 1930s.

References

  1. 1 2 3 The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. ↑ "Andy Hardy Comes Home (1958) - Howard W. Koch | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".
  3. 1 2 3 4 Scheuer, Philip K. (May 7, 1958). "Hardy Family at Old Stand: Mickey Rooney and Company Resume After 10-Year Hiatus". Los Angeles Times. p. B13.
  4. ↑ Schallert, Edwin (Oct 15, 1957). "Andy Hardy's Return Forecast; Diana Dors Will Rejoin Gassman". Los Angeles Times. p. A9.
  5. ↑ Scheuer, Philip K. (Jan 8, 1958). "Andy Hardy to Live Again: Lewis, Nugent on 'Owyhee'; Guinness Sets Three Films". Los Angeles Times. p. B7.
  6. ↑ "MGM to Make Huge Schedule of New Films". Los Angeles Times. Jan 22, 1958. p. B20.
  7. ↑ THOMAS M. PRYOR (May 2, 1958). "CECELIA PARKER IN 'HARDY' MOVIE: Kid Sister In Series Ending 12-Year Screen Absence -- James Garner in Film". New York Times. p. 30.
  8. ↑ Article on film at Turner Classic Movies accessed 11 Jan 2014
  9. ↑ "Ann Rutherford..." . The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-07.
  10. ↑ "Internet Movie Database"
  11. ↑ Scheuer, Philip K. (May 23, 1958). "Father Damien's Life Due for Carey: 'Daphnis and Chloe' Planned; Studios Vie for 'Size' Sets". Los Angeles Times. p. B7.
  12. ↑ Hopper, Hedda (July 15, 1958). "Looking at Hollywood: Hits for Mickey Rooney: Hardy Movie, and a Song". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. a6.
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.