''Caught Plastered'' is a 1931 American

Pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was an era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry that occurred between the widespread adoption of sound in film in the late 1920s and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship gui ...

musical comedy film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as break ...

, released by

RKO Radio Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, is an American film production and distribution company, historically one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Kei ...

and starring the comedy team

Wheeler & Woolsey Wheeler & Woolsey were an American vaudeville comedy double act who performed together in comedy films from the late 1920s. The team comprised Bert Wheeler (1895–1968) of New Jersey and Robert Woolsey (1888–1938) of Illinois. Collaboration T ...

Plot

Tommy Tanner (Wheeler) and Egbert G. Higginbotham (Woolsey) are two vaudevillians who were kicked out of the last town they performed in. After fleeing to the town of Lockville, the duo befriend elderly widow Mother Talley ( Lucy Beaumont). Mother is upset because she is unable to get customers into her drug store. In addition, Mother owes a payment on a bank note to Harry Watters (

Jason Robards Jason Nelson Robards Jr. (July 26, 1922 – December 26, 2000) was an American actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen, he gained a reputation as an interpreter of the works of playwright Eugene O'Neill. Robards received numerous accola ...

). Tommy and Egbert decide to turn Mother's drugstore into a money-making venture, even producing their own afternoon radio program right in the store. Harry, who wants to buy the store as part of a bootlegging operation, attempts to sell the duo an alcohol-laced drink, referring to it as "lemon-syrup". The "syrup" gains praise from everybody in town, until the police show up to close down the operation. Tommy and Egbert are suspicious of Harry, and it is up to them to find Harry, clear their name, and save Mother's store.

Cast

Bert Wheeler Bert Wheeler (April 7, 1895 – January 18, 1968) was an American comedian who performed in vaudeville acts, Broadway theatre, American comedy feature films, and television. He was teamed with Broadway comic Robert Woolsey, and they went on to ...

as Tommy Tanner *

Robert Woolsey Robert Rollie Woolsey (August 14, 1888 – October 31, 1938) was an American stage and screen comedian and half of the 1930s comedy team Wheeler & Woolsey. Early life Robert Rollie Woolsey (sometimes spelled Rolla or even Raleigh) was born o ...

as Egbert G. Higginbotham * Dorothy Lee as Peggy Morton * Lucy Beaumont as Mother Talley *

as Harry Watters * Charles B. Middleton as Sheriff Flint *

DeWitt Jennings DeWitt Clarke Jennings (June 21, 1871 – March 1, 1937) was an American film and stage actor. He appeared in 17 Broadway plays between 1906 and 1920, and in more than 150 films between 1915 and 1937. Biography He was born in Cameron, Miss ...

as Police Chief H.A. Morton *

Josephine Whittell Josephine Whittell (born Josephine Cunningham; November 30, 1883 – June 1, 1961) was an American character actress of silent film, silent and sound films. Early years Whittell was born on November 30, 1883, in San Francisco, California to ...

as Miss Newton *

Jim Farley James Farley (1888–1976) was an American politician in New York. James or Jim Farley may also refer to: * James A. Farley Jr. (1928–1986), American sports commissioner * James Farley (actor) (1882–1947), American actor * James B. Farley (19 ...

as Clancy, a policeman *

Nora Cecil Nora Cecil (September 26, 1878 – May 1, 1951) was an English-born American actress whose 30-year career spanned both the silent and sound film A sound film is a Film, motion picture with synchronization, synchronized sound, or soun ...

as Miss Loring (uncredited) * Tom Herbert as Streetcar conductor (uncredited) *

Arthur Housman Arthur Housman (October 10, 1889 – April 8, 1942) was an American actor in films during both the silent film era and the Golden Age of Hollywood. Career Arthur Housman was one of the first screen comedians known to the public by name, and on ...

as First Drunk Customer (uncredited) *

Lee Moran Lee Moran (June 23, 1888 – April 24, 1961) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. Moran was active in vaudeville before he began performing in films at Nestor Studios in 1909. He transcended the silent film era of motio ...

as Second Drunk Customer (uncredited) * William Scott as Clark (uncredited)

Reception

According to RKO the film made a profit of $90,000.

References

External links

* * 1931 films 1931 musical comedy films American musical comedy films RKO Pictures films American black-and-white films Films directed by William A. Seiter 1930s American films 1930s English-language films Films scored by Victor Schertzinger English-language musical comedy films {{1930s-US-film-stub