''The Life of the Party'' is a 1937 American

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement ...

film produced by RKO. It was directed by William A. Seiter and starred Joe Penner, Gene Raymond,

Parkyakarkus Harry Einstein (May 6, 1904 – November 24, 1958), known professionally as Harry Parke and other pseudonyms, most commonly Parkyakarkus, was an American comedian, writer, and character actor. A specialist in Greek dialect comedy, he became famo ...

and

Harriet Hilliard Harriet Nelson (formerly Hilliard; born Peggy Lou Snyder; July 18, 1909 – October 2, 1994) was an American actress and singer. Nelson is best known for her role on the sitcom ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet''. Early life and career Ne ...

. It recorded a loss of $111,000.

Plot

Aspiring singer Mitzi Mantos and her agent Pauline are on their way to

Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara ( es, Santa Bárbara, meaning " Saint Barbara") is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West ...

by train. Also on the train are society scion Barry Saunders accompanied by Oliver. Barry will lose an inheritance of 3 million dollars if he marries before the age of 30 and Oliver was hired by Barry's mother to assure this. Mitzi and Barry meet when her slipper is caught between two railroad cars and he falls for her. Unfortunately she disappears without him getting her name but leaving the shoe behind. All four check into the same hotel where Barry hires hotel detective Parky to find the mysterious girl. Pauline tries to get an audition for Mitzi with Dr. Molnac for his traveling musical revue. Mitzi's mother, Countess Mantos, arrives also at the hotel, together with her friend Mrs. Penner and son Joe Penner. Both women have intentions to marry Mitzi to Joe. Barry meets Mitzi finally and proposes marriage to her three years in the future. Misunderstandings lead to a situation that Mitzi and Barry must pretend that they are married. Hearing that, Countess Mantos orders at once the bridal suite of the hotel for the young couple. Pauline and Oliver organize a wedding party with Dr. Molnac's troupe performing. In addition Pauline schemes to get Mitzi the audition. She hires Parky and Joe to prevent Dr. Molnac's singer, Susan, to perform. Mitzi, taking her place, is a hit. Barry's mother arrives, informed by Oliver. She admits having lied about her and Barry's age for years. Barry is indeed thirty since his last birthday four months ago.

Cast

* Joe Penner as Penner * Gene Raymond as Barry *

as Parky *

as Mitzi *

Victor Moore Victor Fred Moore (February 24, 1876 – July 23, 1962) was an American actor of stage and screen, a major Broadway star from the late 1920s through the 1930s. He was also a writer and director, but is best remembered today as a comedian, play ...

as Oliver *

Helen Broderick Helen Broderick (August 11, 1891 – September 25, 1959) was an American actress known for her comic roles, especially as a wisecracking sidekick. Career Broderick began on Broadway as a chorus girl in the ''Follies of 1907'', the first ...

as Pauline *

Billy Gilbert William Gilbert Barron (September 12, 1894 – September 23, 1971), known professionally as Billy Gilbert, was an American actor and comedian. He was known for his comic sneeze routines. He appeared in over 200 feature films, short subjects ...

as Dr. Molnac *

Ann Miller Ann Miller (born Johnnie Lucille Collier; April 12, 1923 – January 22, 2004) was an American retired actress and former dancer. She is best remembered for her work in the Classical Hollywood cinema musicals of the 1940s and 1950s. Her early ...

as Betty * Richard Lane as Hotel Manager *

Franklin Pangborn Franklin Pangborn (January 23, 1889 – July 20, 1958) was an American comedic character actor famous for playing small but memorable roles with comic flair. He appeared in many Preston Sturges movies as well as the W. C. Fields films '' Interna ...

as Beggs *

Margaret Dumont Margaret Dumont (born Daisy Juliette Baker; October 20, 1882 – March 6, 1965) was an American stage and film actress. She is best remembered as the comic foil to the Marx Brothers in seven of their films; Groucho Marx called her "practically ...

as Mrs. Penner *

Ann Shoemaker Ann Shoemaker (born Anne Dorothea Shoemaker; January 10, 1891 – September 18, 1978) was an American actress who appeared in 70 films and TV movies between 1928 and 1976. She portrayed Sara Roosevelt, mother of Franklin D. Roosevelt, in b ...

as Countess Martos *

Betty Jane Rhodes Betty Jane Rhodes (April 21, 1921 – December 27, 2011) was an American actress and singer, most active in film during the late 1930s and the World War II era. She was also known as Jane Rhodes. Early years Rhodes was born in Rockford, Illin ...

as Susan * George Irving as Mr. Van Tuyl *

Winifred Harris Winifred Vera Emily Harris (17 March 1880 – 18 April 1972) was a British actress with a substantial career in America. She appeared in New York plays beginning in 1914 and acted in numerous plays up to 1934. She left Broadway plays for films tho ...

as Mrs. Van Tuyl *

Charles Judels Charles Judels (August 17, 1882 - February 14, 1969) was a Dutch-born American actor. Early years Judels was born on August 17, 1882, in Amsterdam as a third generation in a family of actors. His grandfather owned several theatres throughout t ...

as Maitre d'Hotel

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Life of the Party 1937 films 1937 musical comedy films American musical comedy films American black-and-white films Films directed by William A. Seiter 1930s American films