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Li'l Abner (1940 film)

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Li'l Abner
Still with Billie Seward and Jeff York
Directed byAlbert S. Rogell
Screenplay byCharles Kerr
Tyler Johnson
Based onLi'l Abner
by Al Capp
Produced byLou L. Ostrow
StarringJeff York
Martha O'Driscoll
Mona Ray
Johnnie Morris
Buster Keaton
CinematographyHarry Jackson
Edited byOtto Ludwig
Donn Hayes
Music byLud Gluskin
Production
companies
Vogue Pictures, Ltd.
Distributed byRKO Radio Pictures reissued by Astor Pictures
Release date
  • November 1, 1940 (1940-11-01)
Running time
78 minutes
LanguageEnglish

Li'l Abner is a 1940 film based on the comic strip Li'l Abner created by Al Capp. The three most recognizable names associated with the film are Buster Keaton as Lonesome Polecat, Jeff York as Li'l Abner, and Milton Berle, who co-wrote the title song.

This was the first of two films based on the popular Al Capp strip, the second being Paramount's 1959 musical, Li'l Abner, which was also based on the hit 1956 Broadway musical Li'l Abner.

The film was poorly received, with the rubber "facial appliances" worn by some of the characters to simulate Capp's character designs being especially deficient.[1]

Plot

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Li'l Abner becomes convinced that he is going to die within twenty-four hours, so he agrees to marry two different girls: Daisy Mae (who has chased him for years) and Wendy Wilecat (who rescued him from an angry mob). It is all settled at the Sadie Hawkins Day race.

Cast

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Role Actor
Li'l Abner Yokum Jeff York (as Granville Owen)
Daisy Mae Scraggs Martha O'Driscoll
Pansy "Mammy" Yokum Mona Ray
Lucifer "Pappy" Yokum Johnnie Morris
Lonesome Polecat Buster Keaton
Cousin Delightful Billie Seward
Wendy Wilecat Kay Sutton
Granny Scraggs Maude Eburne
Hairless Jo' Bud Jamison
Cornelius Cornpone Edgar Kennedy
Montague Johnny Arthur
Barber Walter Catlett
The Sheriff / Mr. Oldtimer Lucien Littlefield
Earthquake McGoon Charles A. Post
Hairless Joe Bud Jamison
Mayor Gurgle Chester Conklin
Marryin' Sam Dick Elliott
Cicero Grunts Mickey Daniels
Hannibal Hoops Doodles Weaver
Miss Lulubell Marie Blake
Sarah Jones Rene Riano
Joe Smithpan Al St. John
Barney Bargrease Eddie Gribbon
Bachelor, Sadie Hawkins Day Race Hank Mann
Bachelor Eddie Borden
Fantastic Brown Victor Potel
Undetermined Role Louise Keaton

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Davis, Blair (2017). Movie Comics: Page to Screen/Screen to Page. Rutgers University Press. p. 177. ISBN 9780813572284.
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