Li'l Abner (1940 film)
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.
Li'l Abner | |
---|---|
Still with Billie Seward and Jeff York | |
Directed by | Albert S. Rogell |
Produced by | Lou L. Ostrow |
Screenplay by | Charles Kerr Tyler Johnson |
Based on | Li'l Abner by Al Capp |
Starring | Jeff York Martha O'Driscoll Mona Ray Johnnie Morris Buster Keaton |
Music by | Lud Gluskin |
Cinematography | Harry Jackson |
Edited by | Otto Ludwig Donn Hayes |
Production company | Vogue Pictures, Ltd. |
Distributed by | RKO Radio Pictures reissued by Astor Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 78 minutes |
Language | English |
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
Li'l Abner becomes convinced that he is going to die within twenty-four hours, so 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
- Li'l Abner Yokum played by Jeff York (as Granville Owen)
- Daisy Mae Scraggs played by Martha O'Driscoll
- Pansy "Mammy" Yokum played by Mona Ray
- Lucifer "Pappy" Yokum played by Johnnie Morris
- Lonesome Polecat played by Buster Keaton
- Cousin Delightful played by Billie Seward
- Wendy Wilecat played by Kay Sutton
- Granny Scraggs played by Maude Eburne
- Hairless Jo' played by Bud Jamison
- Cornelius Cornpone played by Edgar Kennedy
- Montague played by Johnny Arthur
- Barber played by Walter Catlett
- The Sheriff / Mr. Oldtimer played by Lucien Littlefield
- Earthquake McGoon played by Charles A. Post
- Hairless Joe played by Bud Jamison
- Mayor Gurgle played by Chester Conklin
- Marryin' Sam played by Dick Elliott
- Cicero Grunts played by Mickey Daniels
- Hannibal Hoops played by Doodles Weaver
- Miss Lulubell played by Marie Blake
- Sarah Jones played by Rene Riano
- Joe Smithpan played by Al St. John
- Barney Bargrease played by Eddie Gribbon
- Bachelor, Sadies Hawkins Day Race played by Hank Mann
- Bachelor played by Eddie Borden
- Fantastic Brown played by Victor Potel
- Undetermined Role played by Louise Keaton
See also
References
- Davis, Blair (2017). Movie Comics: Page to Screen/Screen to Page. Rutgers University Press. p. 177. ISBN 9780813572284.
External links
- Li'l Abner at IMDb
- Li'l Abner at the American Film Institute Catalog
- Li'l Abner is available for free download at the Internet Archive
- Li'l Abner Web site by Capp Enterprises