''Laugh It Off'' is a 1939 American

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), 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 serv ...

directed by

Albert S. Rogell Albert S. Rogell (August 21, 1901 – April 7, 1988) was an American film director who was born in Oklahoma City and died in Los Angeles. Rogell directed more than a hundred movies between 1921 and 1958. He was known for an aggressive directing ...

and starring

Johnny Downs John Morey Downs (October 10, 1913 – June 6, 1994) was an American actor, singer and dancer. He began his career as a child actor, most notably as Johnny in the ''Our Gang'' short comedy film series from 1923 to 1926. He remained active ...

, Constance Moore,

Marjorie Rambeau Marjorie Burnet Rambeau (July 15, 1889 – July 6, 1970) was an American film and stage actress. She began her stage career at age 12, and appeared in several silent films before debuting in her first sound film, '' Her Man'' (1930). She was t ...

and

Cecil Cunningham Edna Cecil Cunningham (August 2, 1888 – April 17, 1959) was an American film and stage actress, singer, and comedienne. Early years A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Cunningham was one of at least six children born to Sarah Hunter and Patric ...

. It was shot at Universal City in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

Jack Otterson.BFI.org
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Plot

Four veteran actresses are turned out of an retirement home for entertainers when the Spencer Trust that owns it goes bust. One of them gets her lawyer nephew to seek out the only remaining member of the Spencer family, a young woman named Ruth, who proves sympathetic but has no money to help. They next turn to the idea of reopening a failed gambling club as a popular nightclub in which they will all appear and sing. However this threatens to embarrass their respectable relations who try and prevent it.

Cast

as Stephen 'Steve' Hannis * Constance Moore as Ruth Spencer *

as Sylvia Swan *

as Tess Gibson *

Hedda Hopper Elda Furry (May 2, 1885February 1, 1966), known professionally as Hedda Hopper, was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, more than 35 million people read her columns. A strong supporter of the Hous ...

as Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Rockingham * Janet Beecher as Mary Carter *

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 Judge John J. McGuinnis * Tom Dugan as Rod Bates *

William Demarest Carl William Demarest (February 27, 1892 – December 28, 1983) was an American actor, known especially for his supporting roles in screwball comedies by Preston Sturges and as Uncle Charley in the sitcom ''My Three Sons'' from 1965-72. Demares ...

as Barney 'Gimpy' Cole * Horace McMahon as Phil Ferrranti * Paula Stone as Linda Lane * Chester Clute as Eliot Rigby *

Louise Bates Louise Emerald Bates (December 28, 1886 - June 11, 1972) was an American actress whose photo was covered in the 1915 issue of ''Motion Picture Classic''. Born in Massachusetts, U.S, she left the stage and theater productions, where she starred in ...

as Ellen *

John Dilson John Henry Dilson"United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4DH-2CG : Sat Feb 24 02:28:50 UTC 2024), Entry for John Henry Dilson, 1942.Library of Congress (1929). Catal ...

as Dr. Swan * Gertrude Hoffman as Carrie * Claire Whitney as Miss Martin *

Lillian West Lillian West (March 15, 1886 – April 23, 1970) was an American film actress. She appeared in more than 100 films between 1916 and 1958. Biography Mildred West was born in New York, New York. She was raised by relatives in Hoboken, New ...

as Sarah * Alan Edwards as Harvey Carter * Jack Norton as Thomas J. Carter, the Drunk *

Brooks Benedict Brooks Benedict (born Harold J. Mann, February 6, 1896 – January 1, 1968) was an American actor of the silent and sound film eras, when he played supporting and utility roles in over 300 films, mostly uncredited. Life He was born to Alice Ju ...

as Casino Croupier *

Dale Van Sickel Dale Harris Van Sickel (November 29, 1907 – January 25, 1977) was an American college football, basketball and baseball player during the 1920s, who later became a Hollywood motion picture actor and stunt performer for over forty years. Van ...

as Policeman *

Fay McKenzie Eunice Fay McKenzie (February 19, 1918 – April 16, 2019) was an American actress and singer. She starred in silent films as a child, and then sound films as an adult, but perhaps she is best known for her leading roles opposite Gene Autry in ...

as Chorus Girl

References

Bibliography

* Hischack, Thomas S.. ''1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year''. Rowman & Littlefield, 2017.

External links

* 1939 films 1939 musical films 1930s English-language films American black-and-white films American musical films Universal Pictures films Films directed by Albert S. Rogell 1930s American films English-language musical films {{Musical-film-stub