Always Leave Them Laughing

Always Leave Them Laughing
original theatrical poster
Directed by	Roy Del Ruth
Screenplay by	Melville Shavelson Jack Rose "Fountain Pen Sketch" from Make Mine Manhattan: Arnold Horwit Sylvia Rosales
Story by	Max Shulman Richard Mealand
Produced by	Jerry Wald
Starring	Milton Berle Virginia Mayo
Cinematography	Ernest Haller
Edited by	Clarence Kolster
Production company	Warner Bros.
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date	November 26, 1949
Running time	116 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1.4 million

Always Leave Them Laughing is a 1949 musical comedy-drama film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Milton Berle and Virginia Mayo.

Plot

A nobody, comic Kip Cooper does his act on stage in Asbury Park, New Jersey to more snores than roars. He asks out one of the performing Washburn sisters for a date, and finds that Fay's parents once did a vaudeville act that Kip still knows by heart.

Kip convinces Fay to do the old act themselves. But when he's offered a solo engagement, Kip grabs it, only to flop and be cheated out of his pay. He takes a small part in a show, lying to the Washburns that he was hired to be the lead, and does an impromptu gag that gets him fired.

Fay needs a job, so she joins the chorus of old-time comedian Eddie Eagen's touring show. Kip takes a bit too much interest in Eddie's beautiful and much younger wife, Nancy, who co-stars in the revue.

Kip ends up going on for Eddie during an illness, and then becomes his replacement. Eddie attempts a comeback when the show gets to New York, but collapses on stage. Kip's career takes off after that, but what he wants most is for Fay to take him back.

Cast

• Milton Berle as Kipling Cooper
• Virginia Mayo as Nancy Eagen (singing voice was dubbed by Bonnie Lou Williams)
• Ruth Roman as Fay Washburn (singing voice was dubbed by Trudy Erwin)
• Bert Lahr as Eddie Eagen
• Alan Hale, Sr. as Sam Washburn
• Iris Adrian as Julie Adams

External links

• Always Leave Them Laughing at IMDb