''Children Galore'' is a 1955 British

comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...

film directed by

Terence Fisher Terence Fisher (23 February 1904 – 18 June 1980) was a British film director best known for his work for Hammer Film Productions, Hammer Films. He was the first to bring gothic horror alive in full colour, and the sexual overtones and explic ...

and starring

Eddie Byrne Eddie Byrne (31 January 1911 – 21 August 1981) was an Irish actor. Career His stage work included many appearances with Dublin's Abbey Theatre, and also work with the National Theatre in London. Outside of Ireland, he is probably best k ...

and

June Thorburn Patricia June Thorburn-Smith (8 June 1931 – 4 November 1967) was a popular English actress whose career was cut short by her death in an air crash. Early life Thorburn was born in Karachi, then part of British India. She was the eldest ...

. It was written by John Bonnet, Emery Bonnet and Peter Plaskett.

Plot

A village squire offers to give away a cottage to a deserving family with the most grandchildren.

Cast

as Zacky Jones *

as Milly Ark *

Betty Ann Davies Betty Ann Davies (24 December 1910 – 14 May 1955) was a British stage and film actress active from the 1920s to the 1950s. Davies made her first stage appearance at the Palladium in a revue in 1924. The following year she joined Cochran's Yo ...

as Mrs. Ark *

Richard Leech Richard Leeper McClelland (24 November 1922 – 24 March 2004), known professionally as Richard Leech, was an Irish actor. Richard Leeper McClelland was born in Dublin, Ireland, the son of Isabella Frances (Leeper) and Herbert Saunderson McCl ...

as Harry Bunnion *

Marjorie Rhodes Marjorie Rhodes (9 April 1897 – 4 July 1979) was a British actress. She was born Millicent Wise in Kingston upon Hull, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire. Career One of her better-known roles was as Lucy Fitton, the mother in Bill Naughton's pl ...

as Ada Jones *

Jack McNaughton Jack McNaughton (22 December 190522 February 1990) was a British stage and film actor. As a character actor he mostly played supporting roles, but occasionally featured in major roles such as playing the male lead in the 1951 comedy '' Cheer the ...

as Pat Ark * Violet Gould as Mrs. Bunnion * Henry Caine as Bert Bunnion *

Evan Thomas Evan Welling Thomas III (born April 25, 1951) is an American journalist, historian, lawyer, and author. He is the author of 11 books, including two ''New York Times'' bestsellers. Early life and career Thomas was born in Huntington, New York, ...

as Lord Redscarfe *

Marjorie Hume Marjorie Hume (27 January 1893 – 13 March 1976) was an English stage and film actress. She appeared in 36 films between 1917 and 1955. Selected filmography * '' Doing His Bit'' (1917) * '' Red Pottage'' (1918) * '' The Swindler'' (1918) * '' ...

as Lady Redscarfe * Lucy Griffiths as Miss Prescott * Olive Milbourne as Miss Finch *

Grace Arnold Grace Arnold (19 September 1894 – 26 February 1979) was an England, English actress. Selected filmography * ''Guilt (1931 film), Guilt'' (1931) * ''Men Without Honour'' (1939) - Mrs. Hardy * ''Crimes at the Dark House'' (1940) - Maid (uncred ...

as Mrs. Gedge * Anna Turner as Louise * John Peters as plumber * John Lothar as postman * Jack Hartman as mate * David Ludlow as boy

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...

'' wrote: "The simple rustic humours exploited here prove alogether too simple, and the result is a cheerless and rather tasteless little comedy. A number of character players, affecting a number of rural accents, go down fighting." In ''British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959'' David Quinlan rated the film as "mediocre", writing: "Group-3 style comedy has neither depth nor taste; the cast works hard." In the ''

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...

'', David Parkinson rated the film two out of five stars, calling it "Fun in a very English sort of way, this programme filler has the advantage of being short and to the point."

References

External links

* 1955 films Films directed by Terence Fisher British comedy films 1955 comedy films Films set in England Films shot in East Sussex 1950s English-language films 1950s British films British black-and-white films English-language comedy films {{1950s-UK-comedy-film-stub