IMDb > Tell Your Children (1936)
Tell Your Children
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Tell Your Children (1936) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 8)
Tell Your Children -- Now that marijuana (aka "reefer", "bud", ) has been eliminated as a scourge, it's interesting to go back and look at the film that was almost singlehandedly responsible for its demise. Yes, Reefer Madness let the world know...
Tell Your Children -- Something must be done to wipe out this ghastly menace.
Tell Your Children -- In RiffTrax Live: Reefer Madness, Mike, Kevin and Bill deliver their trademark form of rapid fire comedy in front of a live audience! The performance not only includes the classic anti-marijuana propaganda film Reefer Madness, but also three shorts...
Tell Your Children -- Young people go from marijuana to wild piano playing, hysteria and death.
Tell Your Children -- Cautionary tale features a fictionalized and highly exaggerated take on the use of marijuana. A trio of drug dealers lead innocent teenagers to become addicted to "reefer" cigarettes by holding wild parties with jazz music.

Overview

User Rating:
3.5/10   4,086 votes »
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Director:
Louis J. Gasnier
Writers:
Lawrence Meade (original story)
Arthur Hoerl (screenplay)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Tell Your Children on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1938 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Drama See more »
Tagline:
SEE youthful marijuana victims - what actually happens! See more »
Plot:
Cautionary tale features a fictionalized and highly exaggerated take on the use of marijuana. A trio of drug dealers lead innocent teenagers to become addicted to "reefer" cigarettes by holding wild parties with jazz music. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
NewsDesk:
(86 articles)
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User Reviews:
1930's potheads become hopelessly and incurably insane? See more (94 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
Dorothy Short ... Mary
Kenneth Craig ... Bill
Lillian Miles ... Blanche
Dave O'Brien ... Ralph
Thelma White ... Mae
Carleton Young ... Jack
Warren McCollum ... Jimmy (as Warren McCullom)
Patricia Royale ... Agnes (as Pat Royale)
Joseph Forte ... Dr. Carroll (as Josef Forte)
Harry Harvey Jr. ... Junior
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Alexander ... Pete Daley - Dope Pusher (uncredited)
Bobby Burns ... Juror (uncredited)
Lester Dorr ... Joe - Bartender (uncredited)
Phil Dunham ... Juror (uncredited)
Edward Earle ... Mr. Wayne - Federal Bureau Investigator (uncredited)
Frank LaRue ... Bill's Lawyer (uncredited)
Edward LeSaint ... Judge (uncredited)
Mary MacLaren ... Mrs. Lane (uncredited)
Walter McGrail ... The Boss (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer ... Henry Harper (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor ... Jury Foreman (uncredited)
William Royle ... Prosecuting Attorney (uncredited)
Marin Sais ... Mrs. Harper (uncredited)
Forrest Taylor ... Blanche's Lawyer (uncredited)
Dan Wolheim ... Pete Daley (uncredited)
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Directed by
Louis J. Gasnier  (as Louis Gasnier)
 
Writing credits
Lawrence Meade (original story)

Arthur Hoerl (screenplay)

Paul Franklin (additional dialogue)

Produced by
Samuel Diege .... associate producer (as Sam Diege)
George A. Hirliman .... producer
Dwain Esper .... producer (reissue) (uncredited)
 
Cinematography by
Jack Greenhalgh (uncredited)
 
Film Editing by
Carl Pierson 
 
Art Direction by
Robert Priestley 
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ray Nazarro .... assistant director (as Ray Nazzaro)
 
Art Department
Louis Diage .... properties (as Louis Diege)
 
Sound Department
Hans Weeren .... sound recordist
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Greenhalgh .... chief camera operator
 
Music Department
Abe Meyer .... musical director
Hugo Riesenfeld .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
Heinz Roemheld .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
"Dope Addict" - USA (reissue title)
"Doped Youth" - USA (reissue title)
"Love Madness" - USA (reissue title)
"Reefer Madness" - USA (reissue title)
"The Burning Question" - USA (reissue title)
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
66 min | France:63 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | USA:PG (1973) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | UK:15 (video rating)
Filming Locations:
Grand National Studios - 7250 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
Company:
George A. Hirliman ProductionsSee more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Dwain Esper unsuccessfully sued a distribution company in the 1960s over the film rights, claiming that he had produced the film for the U.S. Army, and that he was the legal copyright owner. However, he was unable to support his claims, and lost the case.See more »
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: The car that is "stopped" at the school crossing in the opening street scene is clearly not running at all, let alone just stopped by the policeman.See more »
Quotes:
Jimmy:How about driving over to the... Joe's place with me? I'll buy you a soda!
Bill:I never drink the stuff!
See more »
Movie Connections:
Featured in American Grindhouse (2010)See more »

FAQ

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User Reviews

   (Review this title)
19 out of 27 people found the following review useful.
1930's potheads become hopelessly and incurably insane?, 10 March 1999
Author: Doug Galecawitz (dougg@evilnet.net) from Lisle, IL

This movie is funny. Not just regular funny but inexplicably funny. I wish public schools all over the country would show this movie in classes. This cult classic gives what is supposed to be a serious warning of the dangers of marijuana. Instead the over exaggeration of the side effects of weed become un-intentionally and absurdly funny. I smoked grass in my day but I sure haven't killed anyone yet. This movie is legendary. Anyone who has ever smoked should view this. Just if only to see how this whole silly "war on drugs" thing got started. Is pot ever to be legalized? Probably not so long as there are people who take this movie seriously. As for the rest of us laugh yourself into hopeless and incurible insanity for 67 minutes.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Tell Your Children (1936)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Funniest Moment of the Movie! preming1
Watch and Download Reefer Madness (1936) here speakerstick
Dr. Carroll's Lecture To The PTA [Spoilers!] Chesterfield_Invincible
Courtroom judge igotcha
Rifftrax Live pete32782
'Dick Tracy' article during spinning headlines jrpelt
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