Blondie (1938 film)
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| Blondie | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Frank R. Strayer |
| Written by | Richard Flournoy (screenplay) Chic Young (characters) |
| Produced by | Robert Sparks |
| Starring | (See article) |
| Cinematography | Henry Freulich |
| Edited by | Gene Havlick |
| Music by | Leigh Harline Ben Oakland |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date | November 30, 1938 |
Running time | 70 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Blondie is a 1938 movie directed by Frank Strayer, based on the comic strip of the same name, created by Chic Young. The screenplay was written by Richard Flournoy.
This was the first of 28 films based on the comic strip; Columbia Pictures produced them from 1938 to 1943, and popular demand brought them back in 1945. When the Blondie film series came to an end with Beware of Blondie in 1950, it was announced that it would be replaced with a series of Gasoline Alley movies. However, only two such films were made, Gasoline Alley (1951) and Corky of Gasoline Alley (1951). Columbia then reissued the Blondie features, beginning with the very first film in the series.
Columbia used the series to showcase many of its talented contract players. Rita Hayworth was featured in Blondie on a Budget; Glenn Ford in Blondie Plays Cupid, Larry Parks and Janet Blair in Blondie Goes to College, Shemp Howard in Blondie Knows Best and Adele Jergens in Blondie's Anniversary. Other roles were taken by Columbia contractees Bruce Bennett, Lloyd Bridges, Ann Doran, Stanley Brown, Richard Fiske, Bud Jamison, Eddie Laughton, John Tyrrell, Alyn Lockwood, Jimmy Lloyd, Gay Nelson and Ross Ford.
Cast
- Penny Singleton as Blondie Bumstead
- Arthur Lake as Dagwood Bumstead
- Larry Simms as Alexander "Baby Dumpling" Bumstead
- Gene Lockhart as Clarence Percival "C.P." Hazlip
- Jonathan Hale as J.C. Dithers
- Jerome Cowan as Mr. Radcliffe
- Gordon Oliver as Chester Franey
- Danny Mummert as Alvin Fuddle
- Kathleen Lockhart as Mrs. Miller (Blondie's mother)
- Ann Doran as Elsie Hazlip
- Dorothy Moore as Dorothy "Dot" Miller (Blondie's sister)
- Fay Helm as Mrs. Fuddle
Further reading
Blondie Goes to Hollywood, by Carol Lynn Scherling. Albany, 2010. BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1-59393-401-9.