''Super-Sleuth'' is a 1937

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by Ben Stoloff. It was an early lead role for Jack Oakie. ''Super Sleuth'' was a remade in 1946 as '' Genius at Work'', with comedy team of

Wally Brown Wallace Edgar Brown (October 8, 1904 – November 13, 1961) was an American actor and comedian. In the 1940s, he performed as the comic partner of Alan Carney. Early years Wallace Edgar Brown was born in Malden, Massachusetts, the son of Her ...

and Alan Carney.

Plot

A film detective believes he actually has the skills to solve a real life case. Bill Martin's (

Jack Oakie Jack Oakie (born Lewis Delaney Offield; November 12, 1903 – January 23, 1978) was an American actor, starring mostly in films, but also working on stage, radio and television. He portrayed Napaloni in Chaplin's ''The Great Dictator'' (194 ...

) boasts irritate the real detectives of the Los Angeles police, as well as studio publicist Mary Strand (

Ann Sothern Ann Sothern (born Harriette Arlene Lake; January 22, 1909 – March 15, 2001) was an American actress who worked on stage, radio, film, and television, in a career that spanned nearly six decades. Sothern began her career in the late 1920 ...

), who loves Bill but doesn't appreciate the actor's arrogance. A mysterious killer known as the "Poison Pen" decides to murder Bill, annoyed with his last movie. Bill and Mary go to amateur sleuth Professor Herman (

Eduardo Ciannelli Eduardo Ciannelli (30 August 1888 – 8 October 1969), was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals. He was sometimes credited as Edward Ciannelli. Early life Ciannelli ...

) for advice, unaware that the professor and the murderer are one and the same. By mistake, film co-star Ralph Waring ( Bradley Page) is killed by the Poison Pen, and stand-in Larry Frank ( Alan Bruce) is suspected of the crime. To save Bill from the killer and from himself, Mary arranges for him to be locked up, but the gullible Bill gets Professor Herman to bail him out of jail. Mary and the cops come to his rescue just in time.

Cast

as Willard "Bill" Martin *

as Mary Strand *

as Professor Herman * Alan Bruce as Larry Frank *

Edgar Kennedy Edgar Livingston Kennedy (April 26, 1890 – November 9, 1948) was an American comedic character actor who appeared in at least 500 films during the silent and sound eras. Professionally, he was known as "Slow Burn", owing to his ability to por ...

as Lieutenant Garrison *

Joan Woodbury Joan Elmer Woodbury (December 17, 1915 – February 22, 1989) was an American actress beginning in the 1930s and continuing well into the 1960s. Early life Woodbury was born in Los Angeles, California on December 17, 1915. Her father was Elmer ...

as Doris Dunne * Bradley Page as Ralph Waring *

Paul Guilfoyle Paul Vincent Guilfoyle () (born April 28, 1949) is an American television and film actor. He was a regular cast member of the CBS crime drama ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', on which he played Captain Jim Brass from 2000 to 2014. He retu ...

as Gibbons *

Willie Best William Best (May 27, 1913 – February 27, 1962), known professionally as Willie Best or Sleep n' Eat, was an American television and film actor. Best was one of the first African American film actors and comedians to become well kn ...

as Warts *

William Corson William Corson (December 23, 1909 – January 28, 1981) was an American film actor. Partial filmography *'' Sea Devils'' (1937) - Coast Guard Seaman (uncredited) *''China Passage'' (1937) - Ship's Officer (uncredited) *'' The Woman I Lo ...

as Beckett *

Alec Craig Alexander Younger Craig (30 March 1884 – 25 June 1945) was a Scottish-born American character actor, particularly known for his roles in ''Mutiny on the Bounty'' (1935) and ''National Velvet'' (1944). He was particularly known for portraying ...

as Eddie, doorman

References

External links

* * * * 1937 films 1930s comedy mystery films American comedy mystery films American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films Films directed by Benjamin Stoloff Films produced by Edward Small 1937 comedy films 1930s American films {{mystery-film-stub