Broadway Bill (1934)

Director:

Frank Capra

Writers:

Robert Riskin (screenplay)
Mark Hellinger (based upon a story by)
(more)

Release Date:

27 December 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

The comedy successor to "It Happened One Night"

Plot:

A runaway heiress and her sister's husband join forces to race the latter's fast horse, Broadway Bill.

Plot Keywords:

Horse | Heiress | Animal In Cast Credits | Family Business | Colonel

Cast

Warner Baxter	...	Dan Brooks
Myrna Loy	...	Princess
Walter Connolly	...	J.L. Higgins
Helen Vinson	...	Margaret
Douglass Dumbrille	...	Eddie Morgan (as Douglas Dumbrille)
Raymond Walburn	...	Colonel Pettigrew
Lynne Overman	...	Happy McGuire
Clarence Muse	...	Whitey
Broadway Bill	...	Broadway Bill - a Horse
Margaret Hamilton	...	Edna
Frankie Darro	...	Ted Williams
George Cooper	...	Joe
George Meeker	...	Henry Early
Jason Robards Sr.	...	Arthur Winslow (as Jason Robards)
Ed Tucker	...	Jimmy Baker
Edmund Breese	...	Presiding Judge
Clara Blandick	...	Mrs. Peterson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ernie Adams	...	Patient in Wheelchair (uncredited)
Robert Allen	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Herbert Ashley	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Irving Bacon	...	Hamburger Stand Owner (uncredited)
Lucille Ball	...	Blonde Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Henry A. Barrows	...	Governor (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict	...	(uncredited)
Herman Bing	...	Waiter (uncredited)
James Blakeley	...	Interne (uncredited)
Sammy Blum	...	Racing Fan (uncredited)
Stanley Blystone	...	Jailer (uncredited)
Ward Bond	...	Morgan's Henchman (uncredited)
Symona Boniface	...	(uncredited)
Joe Bordeaux	...	(uncredited)
Sidney Bracey	...	Higgins' 2nd Butler (uncredited)
James Bradbury Jr.	...	Bettor on Broadway Bill (uncredited)
Harry C. Bradley	...	Morgan's Bookkeeper (uncredited)
Charles Brinley	...	Racing Fan (uncredited)
Ethel Bryant	...	(uncredited)
Edmund Burns	...	(uncredited)
Patricia Caron	...	(uncredited)
Helene Caverly	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Anna Chandler	...	(uncredited)
Eddy Chandler	...	Racetrack Onlooker (uncredited)
Irene Coleman	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Heinie Conklin	...	Bettor on Broadway Bill (uncredited)
Gino Corrado	...	(uncredited)
Tom Costello	...	(uncredited)
Inez Courtney	...	Nurse Mae (uncredited)
Edith Craig	...	(uncredited)
Phyllis Crane	...	(uncredited)
Kernan Cripps	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Beatrice Curtis	...	(uncredited)
J. Gunnis Davis	...	(uncredited)
Sidney De Gray	...	(uncredited)
John Webb Dillon	...	(uncredited)
Harry Dunkinson	...	(uncredited)
Bobby Dunn	...	(uncredited)
Janet Eastman	...	(uncredited)
Elinor Fair	...	(uncredited)
Helen Flint	...	Mrs. Henry Early (uncredited)
Sam Flint	...	Racetrack Official (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Christian J. Frank	...	Sheriff (uncredited)
Otto Fries	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Bruce Gailbraith	...	Jockey (uncredited)
Gladys Gale	...	Head Nurse (uncredited)
Claude Gillingwater	...	J.P. Chase (uncredited)
Dick Gordon	...	(uncredited)
Maurine Gray	...	(uncredited)
Harrison Greene	...	(uncredited)
Kit Guard	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Alan Hale	...	Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Adalyn Hall	...	(uncredited)
Sherry Hall	...	Morgan's Henchman (uncredited)
Forrester Harvey	...	Bradshaw (uncredited)
Paul Harvey	...	James Whitehall (uncredited)
Ara Haswell	...	Nurse (uncredited)
A.R. Haysel	...	Mike (uncredited)
Richard Heming	...	(uncredited)
Oscar 'Dutch' Hendrian	...	(uncredited)
Ruth Hiatt	...	Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Frank Holliday	...	Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
Harry Holman	...	Racetrack Rube (uncredited)
Harry Hume	...	(uncredited)
John Ince	...	Mayor (uncredited)
Paul Irving	...	(uncredited)
William Irving	...	(uncredited)
John Irwin	...	(uncredited)
Alfred P. James	...	Mel (uncredited)
Eddie Kane	...	Racetrack Official (uncredited)
Edward Keane	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
Harry Keaton	...	(uncredited)
Jack Kenny	...	(uncredited)
Charles King	...	Betting Parlor Window Man (uncredited)
Richard Kipling	...	(uncredited)
Myrtland La Varre	...	(uncredited)
Alice Lake	...	(uncredited)
Charles Lane	...	Morgan's Henchman (uncredited)
W.E. Lawrence	...	(uncredited)
Ila Lee	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Peggy Leon	...	(uncredited)
P.H. Levy	...	Bearded Man (uncredited)
Marvin Loback	...	(uncredited)
Stanley Mack	...	Racetrack Tout (uncredited)
Herman Marks	...	(uncredited)
Tony Martelli	...	(uncredited)
Betty May	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Kay McCoy	...	(uncredited)
Philo McCullough	...	(uncredited)
Larry McGrath	...	(uncredited)
Gene McKay	...	(uncredited)
Robert McKenzie	...	Man in Barbershop (uncredited)
Tony Merlo	...	Barber (uncredited)
John Merton	...	Morgan's Henchman (uncredited)
Charles Middleton	...	Veterinarian (uncredited)
Helene Millard	...	Mrs. Arthur Winslow (uncredited)
Frank Mills	...	(uncredited)
Ruth Milo	...	(uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	(uncredited)
Pat Moriarity	...	Mike (uncredited)
George Morrell	...	(uncredited)
Jack Mulhall	...	(uncredited)
Louis Natheaux	...	Morgan's Henchman (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Spec O'Donnell	...	Higgins Flunkey (uncredited)
Dennis O'Keefe	...	(uncredited)
Pat O'Malley	...	(uncredited)
Evelyn Pierce	...	(uncredited)
Dick Prichard	...	(uncredited)
Arthur Rankin	...	(uncredited)
Tom Ricketts	...	Johnson (uncredited)
Don Roberts	...	(uncredited)
Ky Robinson	...	Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
Rita Ross	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Matty Roubert	...	(uncredited)
Dixie Russell	...	(uncredited)
Robert Ryan	...	(uncredited)
Harry Semels	...	Conductor Bettor on Broadway Bill (uncredited)
Kay Sherris	...	(uncredited)
Reginald Simpson	...	(uncredited)
Joan Standing	...	Brooks' Phone Operator (uncredited)
Sue Stevens	...	(uncredited)
William H. Strauss	...	Pawnbroker (uncredited)
Eddie Sturgis	...	(uncredited)
Richard Sumner	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ethel Sykes	...	(uncredited)
Bob Tansill	...	Whitehall's Jockey (uncredited)
Harry Todd	...	Pop Jones (uncredited)
Billie Van Every	...	(uncredited)
Emmett Vogan	...	Betting Parlor Operator (uncredited)
Catherine Wallace	...	(uncredited)
Fred Walton	...	Butler (uncredited)
Lillian West	...	(uncredited)
Robert Whitney	...	Race Track Tout (uncredited)
Lee Willard	...	(uncredited)
Charles C. Wilson	...	Collins (uncredited)
Frank Yaconelli	...	Spaniard (uncredited)

Directed by
Frank Capra

Writing credits
Robert Riskin		(screenplay)
Mark Hellinger		(based upon a story by)
Sidney Buchman		(contributor to screenplay construction) uncredited

Produced by
Samuel J. Briskin	....	associate producer (uncredited)
Frank Capra	....	producer (uncredited)
Harry Cohn	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Howard Jackson		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Joseph Walker		(photography)

Film Editing by
Gene Havlick

Art Direction by
Jerome Pycha Jr.		(uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles C. Coleman	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Roy Davidson	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
George Rhein	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Edward Bernds	....	sound engineer (uncredited)
Edward Bernds	....	sound (uncredited)
Irving 'Buster' Libbott	....	microphone operator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Anderson	....	camera crew (uncredited)
Bob Charlesworth	....	electrician (uncredited)
James Goss	....	camera crew (uncredited)
George Hager	....	gaffer (uncredited)
George F. Kelley	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Walter Lackey	....	camera crew member (uncredited)
Al Layter	....	best boy (uncredited)
Irving Lippman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
James Lloyd	....	head grip (uncredited)
Victor Scheurich	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Music Department
Mischa Bakaleinikoff	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Louis Silvers	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Harry Cohn	....	president: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Marty Crail	....	laboratory technician (uncredited)
Melrose Hooper	....	stand-in: Myrna Loy (uncredited)
Joe Lynch	....	stand-in: Walter Connolly (uncredited)
Frank McGrath	....	stand-in: Warner Baxter (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents) (A Frank Capra Production)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1934) (USA) (theatrical) (as a Columbia production)
• Les Films Osso (1935) (France) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (????) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• International Entertainment Enterprises (non-USA)
• Paramount Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #390)

Filming Locations:

Tanforan Race Track, San Bruno, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Raymond Walburn (Pettigrew) and Clarence Muse (Whitey) played the same roles in Frank Capra's 1950 remake titled Riding High (1950).

Quotes:

Dan Brooks:Doesn't anything ever change in this mausoleum?
Alice Higgins:Yes. Bedspreads and underwear.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Riding High (1950)

Soundtrack:

Split-Pea Soup and Succotash

A Man A Horse And A Dream

Extremely heart-warming depression era movie by director Frank Capra about a big-hearted race-horse who ran his heart out to the point that it burst leaving those who believed and loved him, in the audience as well as those in the movie, in tears: Broadway Bill.

Marrying into money Dan Brooks, Warren Baxter, just couldn't take being big business tycoon J.L Higgins' son-in-law anymore and left him as well as his wife Margaret, Helen Vinson, to go back to his life on the racetrack with his horse Broadway Bill and his horses groom Whitey, Clarence Muse. Dan got Broadway Bill into a number of low purse money races at the local Imperial Racetrack to get the horse, if he won them, into the big race at the track The Imperial Derby against Kentucky Derby favorite Gallant Lady.

With that wonderful Frank Capra spirit the movie is about the little man standing up to the powerful establishment and with both his hopes and dreams prevail against the establishments money and power in the end. Warren Baxter and Myrna Loy were both wonderful as Broadway Bill's owner trainer and Dan's sister-in-law Alice who, unlike her older sister Margaret, saw the good that Dan had inside of him. A goodness that was reflected on Dan's caring and feeling for the horse and for the people who, unlike Alice's father, had to live day by day with no hope for the future but for their next meal and a place with a roof over their heads to sleep overnight.

Everything was stacked against Broadway Bill in the movie but like the champ that he was he overcame all of them and ended the film with a heart-stopping as well as heart-breaking finish on the racetrack. Re-made 16 years later in 1950 with Bing Crosby in the movie "Riding High" which even has a number of scenes from the movie " Broadway Bill" inserted into it but the original is still by far the best of the two and the one to watch.

Noble and uplifting with Frank Capra using the betting at the racetrack to make a point about the conditions in the country at that time, 1934. With most of those betting on Broadway Bill being down on their luck and looking for the gallant and courageous equine to give them back the hopes and dreams that they lost because of the Great depression that hit America as well as the world after the stock market crashed on October 29, 1929. Tremendous final race sequence with a both heart-lifting as well as heart-breaking stretch run that will leave you totally speechless as well as reaching for your handkerchief.

Incredibly up-lifting ending that only Frank Capra could have dreamed up with Dan's hopes and dreams as well as Broadway Bill's courage and determination making even Dan's father-in-law the greedy and unfeeling J.L Higgins finally see the light in that being a kind and giving human being was worth more that all the wealth that he had."Broadway Bill" has everything going for it: a great story with great acting and directing and last but not least a great star Broadway Bill.