''Cowboy in Manhattan'' is a 1943 American

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Frank Woodruff Frank Woodruff (1906–1983) was an American film director of the 1940s. He also produced and directed a number of episodes of the television show ''The Bigelow Theatre'' in the early 1950s. Filmography * ''Curtain Call (1940 film), Curtain Call ...

and written by Warren Wilson. The film stars

Robert Paige Robert Paige (born John Arthur Paige, December 2, 1911 – December 21, 1987) was an American actor and a TV newscaster and political correspondent and Universal Pictures leading man who made 65 films in his lifetime. Early life Born in Ind ...

Frances Langford Julia Frances Newbern-Langford (April 4, 1913 – July 11, 2005) was an American singer and actress who was popular during the Golden Age of Radio and made film and television appearances for over two decades. She was known as the "GI Nightinga ...

Leon Errol Leon Errol (born Leonce Errol Sims, July 3, 1881 – October 12, 1951) was an Australian-American comedian and actor in the United States, popular in the first half of the 20th century for his appearances in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in film ...

Walter Catlett Walter Leland Catlett (February 4, 1889 – November 14, 1960) was an American actor and comedian. He made a career of playing excitable, meddlesome, temperamental, and officious blowhards. Career Catlett was born on February 4, 1889, in S ...

Joe Sawyer Joe Sawyer (born Joseph Sauers; August 29, 1906 – April 21, 1982) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1927 and 1962, and was sometimes billed under his birth name. Early life Sawyer was born August 29, 1 ...

and

Jennifer Holt Jennifer Holt (born Elizabeth Randolph Holt; November 10, 1920 – September 21, 1997) was an American actress. Early years She was born in Hollywood, California to actor Jack Holt and his wife, Margaret Woods. She was the sister of Wes ...

. The film was released on May 21, 1943, by

Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...

Plot

Producer Ace Robbins (Walter Catlett) induces a group of rich Texans to finance his new play, but they demand that it open by December 29 (the day Texas was admitted as a state). To generate free publicity, Robbins plants a fake story about star Barbara Lee (Frances Langford) having an affair. She is furious, and threatens to quit if he does it again. Texan and songwriter Bob Allen (Robert Paige) shows up the week before the show is to open, and tries to get Robbins to use his songs in the play. Robbins refuses his offer. With ticket sales faltering, Allen comes up with a scheme: He'll impersonate a Texas cattle baron who is in love with Barbare Lee and pretend to buy up all the tickets for the show. This will dupe the public into thinking the show is a hit, and subsequently create demand for the show. On opening night, Allen (in his cattle baron disguise) interrupts the musical and demands that the cast sing songs he himself has written. Robbins is furious, but Allen says he'll reveal the love-affair scheme if he's stopped. Barbara and the cast like the songs, and the show is rewritten. When Barbara learns that "the cattle baron" is a fake, she goes into hiding with the help of nightclub owner Louie Moran (Joe Sawyer). When Robbins presses Moran about Barbara's whereabout, Moran says she'd been kidnapped by a vicious criminal. Bob Allen, who by now has fallen in love with Barbara, raises $25,000 to free her. Moran pockets the money, and tells Robbins and Allen where their star is hiding out. Moran has surrounded Barbara by a bunch of thugs to prevent Robbins and Allen from recapturing her, but Allen fights his way through to her. Allen confesses that he loves Barbara, and she returns his affections. Barbara arrives back at the theater just in time for the opening curtain. Allen's uncle, having discovered that Bob has punched out some criminals, decides to give Bob a $2 million inheritance now that he's proven he is a "real Texan". The show is a huge hit.

Cast

as Bob Allen *

as Barbara "Babs" Lee *

as Hank *

as Ace Robbins *

as Louie Moran *

as Mitzi *

George Cleveland Grover "George" Alan Cleveland (September 17, 1885 – July 15, 1957) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1930 and 1954. Career Cleveland was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. His first appearance on ...

as Wild Bill * Will Wright as Higgins *

Dorothy Granger Dorothy Karolyn Granger (November 21, 1911 – January 4, 1995) was an American actress best known for her roles in short subject comedy, comedies in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood. Career Granger, with her parents, two brothers, ...

as Tommy *Lorin Raker as Potter *Marek Windheim as Count Kardos *

Jack Mulhall John Joseph Francis Mulhall (October 7, 1887 – June 1, 1979) was an American film actor beginning in the silent film era who successfully transitioned to sound films, appearing in over 430 films in a career spanning 50 years. Early years Mu ...

as Headwaiter *

Matt McHugh Matthew O. McHugh (January 22, 1894 – February 22, 1971 ) was an American film actor who appeared in more than 200 films between 1931 and 1955, primarily in small parts. Career McHugh came from a theatrical family. His parents ran a stock t ...

as Cab Driver *Tommy Mack as Mac * Billy Nelson as Bill

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0035761, Cowboy in Manhattan 1943 films 1940s English-language films American comedy films 1943 comedy films Universal Pictures films American black-and-white films Films directed by Frank Woodruff 1940s American films English-language comedy films