''Mr. Washington Goes to Town'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by

William Beaudine William Washington Beaudine (January 15, 1892 – March 18, 1970) was an American film actor and director. He was one of Hollywood's most prolific directors, turning out films in remarkable numbers and in a wide variety of genres. Life and car ...

and

Jed Buell Jed Buell (May 21, 1897 - September 29, 1961) was an American film producer, director, and screenwriter who specialized in low-budget B pictures in a variety of subjects including singing cowboy films featuring midgets and black actors. Career ...

, and starring

F. E. Miller Flournoy Eakin Miller (14 April 1885 – 6 June 1971), sometimes credited as F. E. Miller, was an American entertainer, actor, lyricist, producer and playwright. Between about 1905 and 1932 he formed a popular comic duo, Miller and Lyles, with ...

Mantan Moreland Mantan Moreland (September 3, 1902 – September 28, 1973) was an American actor and comedian most popular in the 1930s and 1940s. He starred in numerous films. His daughter Marcella Moreland appeared as a child actress in several films. E ...

and

Maceo Bruce Sheffield Maceo Bruce Sheffield (September 8, 1897 – August 20, 1959) was a police detective and an actor in American films. He worked in Los Angeles as a policeman before acting and assisting in the production of films with African American casts. He was ...

. The film was marketed primarily to black audiences and written and filmed in six days. Later in 1942, the film's sequel ''

Lucky Ghost ''Lucky Ghost'' is a 1942 American film directed by William Beaudine. The film is a sequel to the 1941 film '' Mr. Washington Goes to Town''. The film is also known as ''Lady Luck'' (new American title). Plot Washington Delaware Jones has neve ...

'' was produced and released.

Plot

While serving time in county prison, Wallingford reads a story in the newspaper saying that his cellmate Schenectady has inherited a mansion from his recently deceased uncle. Hearing this, Schenectady dreams of luxury.

Cast

as Wallingford *

as Schenectady Jones *

as Brutus Blake * Marguerite Whitten as Lady Queenie * Edward Boyd as Lonesome Ranger *

DeForest Covan DeForest Covan (September 9, 1917 - September 8, 2007) was an American actor, dancer, and former black vaudeville performer. From his first film appearance in 1936, in ''The Singing Kid'', his acting career stretched to the 1990s. In early 1978, ...

as Short Man * Nathan Curry as Policeman * Cleo Desmond as Old Maid * Slick Garrison as Man in Barber Chair * Clarence Hargrave as Man with Gorilla * Henry Hastings as Uncle Utica * Charles Hawkins as Goldberg *

Monte Hawley Monte Hawley (? - November 30, 1950) was an American actor from Chicago, Illinois. Biography He began his entertainment career as one of the original Lafayette Players. He studied under Richard B. Harrison and, after moving to New York City, acte ...

as Stiletto *

John Lester Johnson John Lester Johnson (born John Leslie Johnson; August 13, 1893 – March 27, 1968) was an American professional boxer and actor. He is perhaps best known for his 1916 boxing match against Jack Dempsey, and his 1933 performance as Bumbo, the titul ...

as Tall Man * Walter Knox as Man on Crutches * Vernon McCalla as Invisible man * Clarence Moorehouse as Gorilla * Florence O'Brien as Chambermaid * Arthur Ray as Blackstone * Zerita Stepteau as Mrs. Brutus * Johnnie Taylor as Magician * Sam Warren as Barber * Geraldine Whitfield as Young Girl

References

Bibliography

* Marshall, Wendy L. ''William Beaudine: From Silents to Television''. Scarecrow Press, 2005.

External links

* * * * 1942 films 1942 comedy films American comedy films Films directed by William Beaudine American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films {{1940s-comedy-film-stub