IMDb > A Day at the Races (1937)
A Day at the Races
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A Day at the Races (1937) More at IMDbPro »

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A Day at the Races -- Trailer for this comedy follow up from the Marx Brothers

Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   8,010 votes »
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Up 30% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Sam Wood
Writers:
Robert Pirosh (screen play) &
George Seaton (screen play) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for A Day at the Races on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
11 June 1937 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Comedy | Sport See more »
Tagline:
Three Great Laff Stars ! . . . more gags and gals . . . more songs and dances ! See more »
Plot:
A vet posing as a doctor, a race horse owner and his friends struggle to help keep a sanitarium open with the help of a misfit racehorse. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. See more »
NewsDesk:
(13 articles)
What was my Aunt Martha trying to ask me?
 (From Roger Ebert's Blog. 8 April 2013, 2:47 PM, PDT)
What was my Aunt Martha trying to ask me?
 (From Roger Ebert's Blog. 11 March 2013, 9:55 AM, PDT)
Luck : The Complete First Season DVD Review
 (From The Hollywood News. 2 December 2012, 12:00 AM, PST)
User Reviews:
Supporting actors in their own movies See more (61 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

The Marx Brothers (as Marx Brothers)

Groucho Marx ... Dr. Hackenbush (as Groucho)

Chico Marx ... Tony (as Chico)

Harpo Marx ... Stuffy (as Harpo)

Allan Jones ... Gil

Maureen O'Sullivan ... Judy
Margaret Dumont ... Mrs. Upjohn
Leonard Ceeley ... Whitmore

Douglass Dumbrille ... Morgan
Esther Muir ... 'Flo'
Sig Ruman ... Dr. Steinberg (as Sig Rumann)
Robert Middlemass ... Sheriff
Vivien Fay ... Specialty Dancer
Ivie Anderson ... Specialty Singer
The Crinoline Choir ... Musical Ensemble
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hooper Atchley ... Race Judge (uncredited)
King Baggot ... Race Track Official Starter (uncredited)
Kenny Baker ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Vivian Barry ... Telephone Girl (uncredited)
Barbara Bedford ... Secretary (uncredited)
Vangie Beilby ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Edna Bennett ... Nurse (uncredited)
Edward Biby ... Racetrack Spectator with Wrong Hat (uncredited)
Lennie Bluett ... Black Singer (uncredited)
The Plantation Boys ... Performers (uncredited)
Troy Brown Sr. ... Black Singer (uncredited)
Jean Burt ... Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Ben Carter ... Black Singer (uncredited)
Ruth Cherrington ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Jacqueline Clancy ... Child (uncredited)

Gino Corrado ... Man Boarding Bus (uncredited)
DeForest Covan ... Black Singer (uncredited)
George Cowl ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Jack Daley ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)

Dorothy Dandridge ... Black Singer (uncredited)
Vivian Dandridge ... Black Singer (uncredited)

Frankie Darro ... Morgan's Jockey (uncredited)
Frank Dawson ... Doctor (uncredited)
Dudley Dickerson ... Wheelchair Attendant (uncredited)
Helen Dickson ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Billy Dooley ... Race Track Bugler (uncredited)
Edward Earle ... Race Judge (uncredited)
Aaron Edwards ... Plainclothesman (uncredited)

Richard Farnsworth ... Jockey (uncredited)

Pat Flaherty ... Detective with Sheriff (uncredited)
Bess Flowers ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Ray Flynn ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Byron Foulger ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
J.C. Fowler ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Jack George ... Musician (uncredited)
John Hiestand ... Radio Announcer (uncredited)
Leyland Hodgson ... Policeman at Racetrack (uncredited)
Arthur Stuart Hull ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
John Hyams ... Judge (uncredited)
William Irving ... Man for Horn Business (uncredited)
Si Jenks ... Messenger (uncredited)
Jack W. Johnston ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Darby Jones ... Black Singer (uncredited)
Etta Jones ... Black Singer (uncredited)
Jack Kenny ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Edith Kingdon ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)

Carole Landis ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Harry Lash ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Alexander Leftwich ... Musician (uncredited)
Edward LeSaint ... Doctor (uncredited)
Carl M. Leviness ... Party Guest Who Calls the Sheriff (uncredited)
Max Lucke ... Doctor (uncredited)
Wilbur Mack ... Race Judge (uncredited)
Mary MacLaren ... Nurse (uncredited)
Charles McAvoy ... Policeman Pursuing Hugo (uncredited)
Alex Melesh ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Etta Moten ... Black Singer (uncredited)
Henry Mowbray ... Man for Hat Business (uncredited)
Lee Murray ... Judge (uncredited)
Field Norton ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Jack Norton ... Drunk (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor ... Racetrack Guard (uncredited)
Cullen and Pauline ... Performers (uncredited)
Victor Potel ... Horn Blower (uncredited)
Russ Powell ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
James Quinn ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Bob Reeves ... Policeman Pursuing Hugo (uncredited)
Cyril Ring ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Gus Robinson ... Black Singer (uncredited)
Allen D. Sewall ... Policeman Pursuing Hugo (uncredited)
Four Hot Shots ... Black Performers (uncredited)
Phillips Smalley ... Racing Spectator with Wrong Hat (uncredited)
Arthur Thalasso ... Policeman Pursuing Hugo (uncredited)
The Three Chocolateers ... Black Performers (uncredited)
Charles Trowbridge ... Dr. Wilmerding (uncredited)
Elizabeth Williams ... Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Harry Wilson ... Detective with Sheriff (uncredited)
Florence Wix ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Buck Woods ... Black Singer (uncredited)
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Directed by
Sam Wood 
 
Writing credits
Robert Pirosh (screen play) &
George Seaton (screen play) and
George Oppenheimer (screen play)

Robert Pirosh (original story) and
George Seaton (original story)

Al Boasberg  original story (uncredited)
Al Boasberg  screen play (uncredited)
Leon Gordon  original story (uncredited)
Leon Gordon  screen play (uncredited)
George S. Kaufman  screen play (uncredited)

Produced by
Max Siegel .... associate producer
Irving Thalberg .... producer (uncredited)
Lawrence Weingarten .... producer (uncredited)
Sam Wood .... producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
Franz Waxman (uncredited)
 
Cinematography by
Joseph Ruttenberg (photographed by)
Leonard Smith (photographed by) (uncredited)
 
Film Editing by
Frank E. Hull 
 
Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons 
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert A. Golden .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Stan Rogers .... associate art director
Edwin B. Willis .... associate art director
 
Sound Department
Douglas Shearer .... recording director
 
Stunts
Richard Farnsworth .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Ted Wurtenberg .... gaffer (uncredited)
 
Casting Department
Ben Carter .... casting: black sequence (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dolly Tree .... wardrobe
 
Music Department
Leo Arnaud .... choral arrangements
Leo Arnaud .... orchestral arrangements
George Bassman .... orchestrator
Roger Edens .... musical arrangements
Paul Marquardt .... orchestrator
Merrill Pye .... musical presentation
Franz Waxman .... musical director
Wayne Allen .... orchestrator (uncredited)
George Bassman .... composer: additional music (uncredited)
Roger Edens .... composer: additional music (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Dave Gould .... musical numbers staged by
Reginald Le Borg .... director: musical scenes
Carl 'Major' Roup .... script clerk (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
111 min | Germany:105 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | Italian
Color:
Black and White | Black and White (Sepiatone) | Black and White (blue tinted)
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Certification:
Portugal:M/6 | Sweden:Btl | West Germany:6 | Australia:G | USA:Approved (PCA #3231) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Argentina:Atp
Filming Locations:
Santa Anita Park & Racetrack - 285 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California, USA
Company:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)See more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
The then unknown British actress Greer Garson was offered the female role, but she declined, explaining she didn't settle for less than a leading role.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: When Stuffy gets on the horse with the wagon, he is wearing a coat and dark trousers. As jockey he wears white pants and jockey shirt. While he could have lost the coat easy enough, there was no opportunity for him to change pants.See more »
Quotes:
Mrs. Upjohn:Dr. Hackenbush tells me I'm the only case in history. I have high blood pressure on my right side and low blood pressure on my left side.
Dr. Leopold X. Steinberg:There is no such thing. She looks as healthy as any woman I ever met.
Dr. Hackenbush:You don't look as though you've ever met a healthy woman.
See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Village of the Giants (#6.23)" (1994)See more »
Soundtrack:
A Message from the Man in the MoonSee more »

FAQ

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User Reviews

   (Review this title)
3 out of 3 people found the following review useful.
Supporting actors in their own movies, 14 September 2008
Author: junkof9-1 from United States

I love movies from the 1930s and 1940s and TCM is my favorite channel, so I've seen most of the Marx Brothers movies over the years. My comments here about A Day at the Races could apply equally to any of the movies they made at MGM.

Something I was struck by is the stark differences between their early features - Animal Crackers and Duck Soup to name two - and later releases like A Day at the Races. The difference, I realized several years is in early releases done at Paramount the Marx Brothers are "best actors" - the focal point of the story. Once they moved to MGM the brothers became "supporting actors" and their gags were subordinated to romantic subplots and over-earnest sentimentality.

This change also affected my perception of the song and dance numbers. When the brothers were the leads the predictable formula - Chico comes across a piano and Harpo finds a harp - feels more integrated into the "plot". Whether in A Night at the Opera, The Big Store, or A Day at the Races the musical interludes feel self-consciously cute - an interlude that stops the storyline (opera singers or horse owners) while the music plays.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for A Day at the Races (1937)
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only Santa Anita? JackBluegrass
Blue Tinted Sequence rbradle2-1
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Racial Issues Dario_Uruguay
Anybody wanna join my new Marx Brothers Club? Calvero_
Exploding piano piece wheberling
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