How to Sleep
How to Sleep | |
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Directed by | Nick Grinde |
Written by | Robert Benchley |
Starring | Robert Benchley |
Narrated by | Robert Benchley |
Distributed by | MGM |
Release date | September 14, 1935 |
Running time | 11 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
How to Sleep is a short comedy film written by and starring humorist Robert Benchley. Filmed and released by MGM in 1935 (as part of their "Miniatures" series), it features Benchley as a narrator as well as film subject, discussing four parts of sleep - causes, methods, avoiding sleep, and waking up.
The production was inspired by a Mellon Institute study on sleep commissioned by the Simmons Mattress Company. It was filmed in two days, and featured Benchley as both the narrator and sleeper, the latter a role Benchley claimed was "not much of a strain, as [he] was in bed most of the time."[1] The film was well received in preview screenings, and promotions took over, with a still from the film being used in Simmons advertisements. The only group not pleased was the Mellon Institute, who did not approve of the studio mocking their study.[2]
The early success of How to Sleep prompted MGM to rush two more short films featuring Benchley, How to Train a Dog, a spoof of dog-training techniques, and How to Behave, which lampooned etiquette norms. How to Sleep was named Best Short Subject at the 8th Academy Awards in 1935,[3] while the latter two shorts were not as well received.[4]
The film is included as an extra on the DVD of the feature film, A Night at the Opera, and is also available on the DVD set The Robert Benchley Miniatures Collection.[5]
See also
References
- ^ Altman, 302–303.
- ^ Altman, 305.
- ^ "The 8th Academy Awards (1936) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
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- ^ http://www.wbshop.com/product/robert+benchley+shorts+%28mod%29+1000179773.do?sortby=ourPicks
Notes
- Billy Altman, Laughter's Gentle Soul: The Life of Robert Benchley. (New York City: W. W. Norton, 1997. ISBN 0-393-03833-5).
- Nathaniel Benchley, Robert Benchley, a biography. (New York City, McGraw-Hill, 1955).
External links
- How to Sleep at IMDb