''Only Saps Work'' is a 1930 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 ...
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
Cyril Gardner
Cyril Gardner (30 May 1898 - 30 December 1942) was a French-born American actor, film director, editor and screenwriter.
Gardner was born Cyril Gottlieb in Paris, France in 1898 and emigrated to the United States at an early age, where he change ...
and
Edwin H. Knopf and written by
Owen Davis
Owen Gould Davis (January 29, 1874 – October 14, 1956) was an American dramatist known for writing more than 200 plays and having most produced. In 1919, he became the first elected president of the Dramatists Guild of America. He received th ...
,
Percy Heath
Percy Heath (April 30, 1923 – April 28, 2005) was an American jazz bassist, brother of saxophonist Jimmy Heath and drummer Albert Heath, with whom he formed the Heath Brothers in 1975. Heath played with the Modern Jazz Quartet througho ...
,
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Joseph Leo Mankiewicz (; February 11, 1909 – February 5, 1993) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. A four-time Academy Award winner, he is best known for his witty and literate dialogue and his preference for voice-over ...
and
Sam Mintz
Sam Mintz (; July 12, 1897 – September 13, 1957) was an American screenwriter from Russia during the Russian Empire period, who was nominated in the category of Best Adapted Screenplay at the 4th Academy Awards. He was nominated alongside Jos ...
. The film stars
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 ...
,
Richard Arlen
Richard Arlen (born Sylvanus Richard Mattimore, September 1, 1899 – March 28, 1976) was an American actor of film and television.
Early days
Arlen served in Canada as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I.
He later taught as ...
,
Mary Brian
Mary Brian (born Louise Byrdie Dantzler, February 17, 1906 – December 30, 2002) was an American actress who made the transition from silent films to sound films.
Early life
Brian was born in Corsicana, Texas, the daughter of Taurrence J. ...
,
Stuart Erwin
Stuart Erwin (February 14, 1903 – December 21, 1967) was an American actor of stage, film, and television.
Early years
Erwin was born in Squaw Valley, Fresno County, California. He attended Porterville High School and the University of Ca ...
,
Anderson Lawler,
Charley Grapewin
Charles Ellsworth Grapewin (December 20, 1869 – February 2, 1956) was an American vaudeville and circus performer, writer, and stage and film actor. He worked in over 100 motion pictures during the silent and sound eras, most notably portrayin ...
and
George Irving. The film was released on December 6, 1930, by
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
.
Plot
Cast
*
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 ...
as James Wilson
*
Richard Arlen
Richard Arlen (born Sylvanus Richard Mattimore, September 1, 1899 – March 28, 1976) was an American actor of film and television.
Early days
Arlen served in Canada as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I.
He later taught as ...
as Lawrence Payne
*
Mary Brian
Mary Brian (born Louise Byrdie Dantzler, February 17, 1906 – December 30, 2002) was an American actress who made the transition from silent films to sound films.
Early life
Brian was born in Corsicana, Texas, the daughter of Taurrence J. ...
as Barbara Tanner
*
Stuart Erwin
Stuart Erwin (February 14, 1903 – December 21, 1967) was an American actor of stage, film, and television.
Early years
Erwin was born in Squaw Valley, Fresno County, California. He attended Porterville High School and the University of Ca ...
as Oscar
*
Anderson Lawler as Horace Baldwin
*
Charley Grapewin
Charles Ellsworth Grapewin (December 20, 1869 – February 2, 1956) was an American vaudeville and circus performer, writer, and stage and film actor. He worked in over 100 motion pictures during the silent and sound eras, most notably portrayin ...
as Simeon Tanner
*
George Irving as Dr. White
*
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 Mrs. Partridge
*
Charles Giblyn
Charles Giblyn (September 6, 1871 – March 14, 1934) was an American film director and actor of the silent film, silent era. He directed nearly 100 films between 1912 and 1927. He also appeared in 23 films between 1914 and 1934. He was one ...
as Dr. Jasper
*
Fred Kelsey
Frederick Alvin Kelsey (August 20, 1884 – September 2, 1961) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter.
Kelsey directed one- and two-reel films for Universal Film Manufacturing Company. He appeared in more than 400 films betw ...
as Murphy
*
G. Pat Collins as Rafferty
*
George Chandler
George Chandler (June 30, 1898 – June 10, 1985) was an American actor who starred in over 140 feature films, usually in smaller supporting roles, and he is perhaps best known for playing the character of Uncle Petrie Martin on the television ...
as Elevator Boy
*
Jack Richardson as Chef
*
Clarence Burton
Clarence Forrest Burton (May 10, 1882 – December 2, 1933) was an American silent film actor.
Biography
Burton was born in Fort Lyon, in Benton County, Missouri and started in show business at the age of 5, playing stock and musical comedy ...
as Sergeant Burns
*Clifford Dempsey as Detective Smith
References
External links
*
1930 films
1930s English-language films
American comedy films
1930 comedy films
Paramount Pictures films
Films directed by Cyril Gardner
Films directed by Edwin H. Knopf
American black-and-white films
1930s American films
English-language comedy films
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