And there are lovely guest stars galore such as lupe velez, betty grable, thelma todd anddorothy lee. A new ninedvd set features the comedy team wheeler and woolsey. Wheeler was born in paterson, new jersey on april 7, 1895 he worked with robert woolsey on broadway until their film debut in 1929, rio rita, established them in the hollywood film industry. He goes to new york city to propose to his girlfriend, but gets mixed up with a crooked attorney and two. Over the course of the next three years, wheeler and woolsey made an astounding ten pictures for rko, including hook, line and sinker, cracked nuts which features an early performance by boris karloff, an adaptation of the george and ira gershwin play girl crazy. The movie has wheeler playing wendell graham, a millionaire who has squandered an inheritance. Rko was considering splitting up wheeler and woolsey for solo projects.
Bettys aunt minnie edna may oliver considers wendell to be an irresponsible jerk, so our hero decides to prove his worth by. The jokes start right from the beginning, even during the opening credits. Today we delve deeper into comedys film vault with their 1930 effort the cuckoos, based on the hit broadway musical by guy bolton, bert kalmar, and harry ruby. This 9 film collection is sure to quench your comedy thirst. Hes only in the beginning of it for about 2 minutes, but those interested in seeing a. To impress his fiancees aunt, a young man tries to become king in a small kingdom, but the people there have already crowned one, who has won this honor by gambling. In the early 1940s, after robert woolsey had died, bert wheeler struggled to restart his career. It also features boris karloff in a small suppo rting role. Boys cinema 06 cracked nuts bert wheeler robert woolsey.
This is a list of all of the movies starring bert wheeler and robert woolsey, who were a vaudeville team that made movies together from 1930 to 1937, unitl bert wheelers death. Cline e estrelado por bert wheeler e robert woolsey. Woolsey became terminally ill in 1936 and struggled to finish his last picture, high flyers, which was released in 1937. Hes only in the beginning of it for about 2 minutes, but those interested in seeing a really young boris are urged to check it out. Wheeler and woolsey are an acquired taste, for sure, but ive liked all their films so far. He tries to achieve this with a bomb, but then something goes wrong. Although woolseys reactions were predictable and a bit tiresome by this stage in the series, little wheeler is as charming and cute as ever. Cracked nuts is not one of wheeler and woolsey s best movies. Cracked nuts seemed to be a test of sorts to see if each could carry a part of the film alone. Cracked nuts is a wheeler and woolsey vaudevilletype comedy made during the downward spiral of the depression.
He was then confined to bed for almost a full year, before dying of kidney failure in 1938. Abbott and costello, another great comedy team, remade the movie in 1942. Cracked nuts was wheeler and woolsey s sixth film together all for rko. To impress his fiancees aunt, a young man tries to become.
Bert wheeler had one child with actress bernice wheeler. Woolsey was teamed with comedy star bert wheeler in 1928, for the broadway musical rio rita. I never felt the material took a noholdsbar approach to the fullest extent. Bert wheeler and robert woolsey in cracked nuts 1931 stanley fields and ben. Cline, from an original screenplay written by al boasberg and ralph spence. If you have come to this site to find pirated or illegal material, you will be disappointed. Photoplay was a bit more kind, complaining that the comedy duo of wheelerwoolsey was being rushed into too many films. Comedians wheeler and woolsey wheeler being dumb but cute, woolsey being sly and leering are on their best behavior, even if the films formula mixes things up their usual dynamics a bit.
The first scenes belong to wheeler, cast as spendthrift millionaire wendell graham, who is in love with betty harrington dorothy lee. In a verbal gag typical of the relentless focus on rear ends in the films, woolsey leeringly checks her out and remarks, yeah, well, yours isnt so bad either. While not their best, this harmless 65 minute feature puts wheeler and woolsey dead center, rather than using them in supporting roles. Bert wheeler and robert woolsey made 21 feature films together. Cline, released in the usa on april 18 of 1931, starring bert wheeler, robert woolsey, dorothy lee, edna may oliver, leni stengel and stanley fields. Cracked nuts was the teams seventh movie and by this time they were already established rko stars. Building on their successes as a comedy team in vaudeville and on broadway, bert wheeler and robert woolsey launched their movie careers in 1929 with an adaptation of rio rita, a musical comedy for which they had enjoyed a great run on the stage 494 performances. Ostensibly a team vehicle for bert wheeler and robert woolsey, cracked nuts is half over before bert and bob even get together. Half shot at sunrise 1930, hook, line and sinker 1930, cracked nuts 1931. This film has been in demand for years and while this may be infringement, i honestly could care less, sony if you want to protect this film, release it yourselves. Their daughter, patricia anne wheeler, was born in 1936 and died of cancer in. This 4disc, 9film collection is sure to quench your comedy thirst. Its no great comedy, but is quite pleasant and passes the time. There is no musical number, which is a shame, as the film drags somewhat without the distraction of some song n dance.
He was half of the wheeler and woolsey double act from the early sound era who i read about at the excellent booze movies blog. Half shot at sunrise 1930 hook, line and sinker 1930 cracked nuts 1931 caught plastered 1931 hold em jail 1932 hips, hips, hooray 1934 the nitwits 1935 mummys boys. With bert wheeler, robert woolsey, dorothy lee, edna may oliver. Alhough both wheeler and woolsey were veteran vaudevillians wheeler was sometimes referred to as the funniest man in america, they were not a vaudeville team. Cracked nutsstuart erwin, una merkel, mischa auer, shremp.
The film was one of rkos only financial successes of the year. Like abbott and costello, the wheeler and woolsey team. Wheeler and woolsey filmography show list info this is a list of all of the movies starring bert wheeler and robert woolsey, who were a vaudeville team that made movies together from 1930 to 1937, unitl bert wheeler s death. His condition forced him to sever his working relationship with wheeler. This magical combination brought great laughter to the 1930s screen with this 9film collection of comedy classics from rko. In cracked nuts 1931, the seductive leni stengel vamps woolsey by saying, your royal highness is so cute.
I ran the 1931 film cracked nuts, a wheeler and woolsey vehicle from rko that is essentially their version of the marx brothers duck soup, made two years before the marxes had their crack at the same premise a comedian ends up as the absolute ruler of a small country and fends off a revolution whose similarity was acknowledged enough at. Wheeler and woolsey play two unemployed vaudevillians who get involved in helping an old lady save her moribund drug store. Although woolsey s reactions were predictable and a bit tiresome by this stage in the series, little wheeler is as charming and cute as ever. Problems and laughs begin when the villain spikes the lemon sodas they are selling. The film was a smash and solidified wheeler and woolsey as screen favorites. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. See more ideas about thelma todd, silent comedy and comedy films. The comedy world of wheeler and woolsey forces of geek. Mar 05, 2017 this film has been in demand for years and while this may be infringement, i honestly could care less, sony if you want to protect this film, release it yourselves. Nuts is different than most of the teams other collaborations as the two dont run into each other until about a half an hour into the picture. Their appeal is hardly timeless in the first two of nine films. Cracked nuts was wheeler and woolseys sixth film together all for rko. Cracked nuts is a 1931 american precode comedy film directed by edward f.
Like abbott and costello, the wheeler and woolsey team generated quite a volume of movies. Cline, from an original screenplay written by al boasberg and ralph spenc e. Comedians wheeler and woolsey wheeler being dumb but cute, woolsey being sly and leering are on their best behavior, even if the film s formula mixes things up their usual dynamics a bit. Mar 24, 20 ribaldry before the code from left, robert woolsey, bert wheeler and dorothy lee in mark sandrichs hips, hips, hooray.
Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Rko comedy classics collection dvd, 20, 4disc set at the best online prices at ebay. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Vaudevillians and ziegfield stars of the 20s, bert wheeler and robert woolsey, carried over their stage routines and became a popular rko comedy team in the. A fair enough comment, given that this was only their third film appearance, and they played in support of noncomedic stars in this very stiff and bloated early sound musical. You wish bert wheeler and woolsey had made 10 more movies. Boys cinema 06 cracked nuts bert wheeler robert woolsey of 1 next disclaimer. They always negotiated and signed separate contracts, never as a team. Twentyone of the twentytwo films woolsey made would be with his comedy partner, wheeler. Cracked nuts 1931 has accurately been described as an antecedent to the marx bros.
Robert woolsey was interred in the forest lawn memorial park cemetery in glendale, california. Looking at the comedies of will hay, the crazy gang, george formby, etc. He worked with robert woolsey on broadway until their film debut in 1929, rio rita, established them in the hollywood film industry. The downright peculiar pleasures of precode wheeler and woolsey. Cracked nu ts is a 1931 american precode com edy f ilm directed by edwa rd f. And there are lovely guest stars galore such as lupe velez, betty grable, thelma todd and dorothy lee. From peach oreno late 1931 onwards their films are smoother and you dont have the long stage waits for laughs to follow. In fact, the early 30s seemed to be a ripe period for political comedy.
Cracked nuts 1931, caught plastered 1931, hold em jail 1932, hips, hips. He is in love with betty harrington dorothy lee niece to aunt minnie edna may oliver, who, to put nicely doesnt like wendell. Ribaldry before the code from left, robert woolsey, bert wheeler and dorothy lee in mark sandrichs hips, hips, hooray. Purchase the wheeler and woolsey comedy classics collection. The patter, jokes, and nonstop puns come out quickly, with pauses for audience laughter in the first half of the film. Jun 18, 20 comedians wheeler and woolsey wheeler being dumb but cute, woolsey being sly and leering are on their best behavior, even if the films formula mixes things up their usual dynamics a bit. Cracked nuts is not one of wheeler and woolseys best movies. Wheeler and woolsey queered bright lights film journal. But oddly, the team doesnt meet up until cracked nuts is halfway over. Fields, jack oakie, and many veterans of screen comedy, which focused around the mythical country of klopstokia and their efforts to win the 1932. The misinformation i read, moviewise, on fb would curdle any intelligent brain within seconds.