IMDb > Sullivan's Travels (1941)
Sullivan's Travels
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Sullivan's Travels (1941) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
8.2/10   8,191 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer:
Preston Sturges (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Sullivan's Travels on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
December 1941 (USA) more
Tagline:
A Happy-Go Lucky Hitch-Hiker on the Highway to happiness! He wanted to see the world . . . but wound up in Lover's Lane! more
Plot:
A director of escapist films goes on the road as a hobo to learn about Life...which gives him a rude awakening. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
1 win more
User Comments:
There's a lot to be said for making people laugh more (91 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
Joel McCrea ... John L. Lloyd 'Sully' Sullivan

Veronica Lake ... The Girl
Robert Warwick ... Mr. Lebrand
William Demarest ... Mr. Jones
Franklin Pangborn ... Mr. Casalsis
Porter Hall ... Mr. Hadrian
Byron Foulger ... Mr. Johnny Valdelle
Margaret Hayes ... Secretary
Robert Greig ... Burroughs (Sullivan's butler)
Eric Blore ... Sullivan's valet
Torben Meyer ... The doctor
Victor Potel ... Cameraman
Richard Webb ... Radio man
Charles R. Moore ... Colored chef (as Charles Moore)
Almira Sessions ... Ursula Kornheiser
Esther Howard ... Miz Zeffie Kornheiser
Frank Moran ... Tough chauffeur
Georges Renavent ... Old tramp
Harry Rosenthal ... The Trombenick
Al Bridge ... Jake, 'The Mister' (as Alan Bridge)
Jimmy Conlin ... Trusty
Jan Buckingham ... Mrs. Sullivan aka The Panther Woman
Robert Winkler ... Bud
Chick Collins ... Tramp on Train - Capital
Jimmie Dundee ... Tramp on Train - Labor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Anderson ... Sullivan's ex-manager (uncredited)
Myrtle Anderson ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Elizabeth Ashley ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Roscoe Ates ... Counterman at Hollywood diner (uncredited)
Ruth Bias ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Ted Billings ... Tramp in Soup Kitchen (uncredited)
Billy Bletcher ... Entertainer in hospital (uncredited)
Monte Blue ... Policeman in slums (uncredited)
Grace Boone ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Ed Brady ... Hobo Hopping Train (uncredited)
Arie Lee Branche ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
William Broadus ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Jess Lee Brooks ... Preacher at church showing movies (uncredited)
Anita Brown ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Ruth Byers ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Matilda Caldwell ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Mark Carnahan ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Chester Conklin ... Old bum (uncredited)
Laurence Criner ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Gladys Davis ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
James Davis ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Edgar Dearing ... Motorcycle cop in mud gag (uncredited)
Joan Douglas ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
A. Downs ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Frances Driver ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Robert Dudley ... One-legged hobo (uncredited)
LeRoy Edwards ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Fay Fifer ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Elizabeth Gray ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Kit Guard ... Convict (uncredited)
Jester Hairston ... Charlie - Church Projectionist (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton ... Reporter (uncredited)
Inez Hatchett ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Edward Hearn ... Policeman at Beverly Hills station (uncredited)
Arthur Hoyt ... Preacher at revival mission (uncredited)
Sheldon Jett ... Man in Bathhouse / Studio Executive (uncredited)
Paul Jones ... Photographs of Dear Joseph (uncredited)
Bob Kortman ... Convict Watching Movie in Church (uncredited)
Pearl Lancaster ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Cora Lang ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Perc Launders ... Railyard bull (uncredited)
J. Farrell MacDonald ... Desk sergeant (uncredited)
Pat McKee ... Tramp at Revival Meeting (uncredited)
Esther Michelson ... Woman on 'Poor Street' (uncredited)
Frank Mills ... Drunk eating in theater (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell ... Railroad clerk (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse ... Reporter (uncredited)
Paul Newlan ... Truck driver (uncredited)
Artie Overstreet ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Emory Parnell ... Railroad yard bull (uncredited)
War Perkins ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Lon Poff ... Chain Gang Convict Watching Movie in Church (uncredited)
Gus Reed ... Mission cook (uncredited)
Mary Reed ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Cyril Ring ... Reporter (uncredited)
Willard Robertson ... Judge (uncredited)
Dewey Robinson ... Charlie (sheriff at work camp) (uncredited)
Sheila Sheldon ... Child on 'Poor Street' (uncredited)
Irving Smith ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Preston Sturges ... Studio director (uncredited)
Madame Sul-Te-Wan ... Church harmonium payer (uncredited)
Julius Tannen ... Public Defender (uncredited)
Lillian Taylor ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Henry 'Hot Shot' Thomas ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Maggie Thomas ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Harry Tyler ... Railroad information clerk (uncredited)
Notable Vines ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Cheryl Walker ... Veronica Lake's Double (uncredited)
Pat West ... Counterman at Las Vegas diner (uncredited)
Jack Winslow ... Churchgoer (uncredited)
Bill Wolfe ... Toothless man at revival meeting (uncredited)
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Directed by
Preston Sturges 
 
Writing credits
Preston Sturges (written by)

Produced by
Paul Jones .... associate producer
Buddy G. DeSylva .... executive producer (uncredited)
Preston Sturges .... producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
Charles Bradshaw 
Leo Shuken 
 
Cinematography by
John F. Seitz  (as John Seitz)
 
Film Editing by
Stuart Gilmore 
 
Casting by
Robert Mayo (uncredited)
 
Art Direction by
Hans Dreier 
A. Earl Hedrick  (as Earl Hedrick)
 
Costume Design by
Edith Head 
 
Makeup Department
Wally Westmore .... makeup artist
Hal Lierley .... makeup artist (uncredited)
Merle Reeves .... hair stylist (uncredited)
Leonora Sabine .... hair stylist supervisor (uncredited)
 
Production Management
Joseph C. Youngerman .... unit manager (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Barton Adams .... second assistant director (uncredited)
Anthony Mann .... assistant director (uncredited)
Hollingsworth Morse .... first assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Robert Goodstein .... second props (uncredited)
Oscar Law .... first props (uncredited)
Ray Moyer .... set dresser (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Harry D. Mills .... sound recordist (as Harry Mills)
Walter Oberst .... sound recordist
Wallace Nogle .... stage engineer (uncredited)
Grant Rymal .... sound recordist (uncredited)
George Ziegler .... boom operator (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Wesley Hopper .... stunt double: Joel McCrea (uncredited)
Allen Pomeroy .... stunt double (uncredited)
John Sinclair .... stunt double (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Farciot Edouart .... process photographer
Francis Burgess .... assistant camera (uncredited)
Earl Crowell .... gaffer (uncredited)
Walter McCloud .... company grip (uncredited)
Talmadge Morrison .... still photographer (uncredited)
Otto Pierce .... second camera operator (uncredited)
James Tait .... electrician (uncredited)
George Ziegler .... mike grip (uncredited)
 
Animation Department
Norman Ferguson .... animator: "Playful Pluto" (uncredited)
Dick Lundy .... animator: "Playful Pluto" (uncredited)
 
Casting Department
Bill Greenwald .... casting assistant (uncredited)
Bert McKay .... casting assistant (uncredited)
Alice Thomas .... casting assistant (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Clayton Brackett .... wardrobe: men (uncredited)
Hazel Hegarty .... wardrobe: women (uncredited)
 
Editorial Department
Chandler House .... assistant cutter (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Sigmund Krumgold .... musical director
Gerard Carbonara .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
John Leipold .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
Joseph J. Lilley .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
Albert Hay Malotte .... composer: cartoon music (uncredited)
Ernst Toch .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
Victor Young .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Ernst Laemmle .... assistant writer
Teet Carle .... publicist (uncredited)
Nesta Charles .... script clerk (uncredited)
Walt Disney .... producer: "Playful Pluto" (uncredited)
Burt Gillett .... director: "Playful Pluto" (uncredited)
Edwin Gillette .... secretary: Mr. Sturges (uncredited)
Norman Lacey .... location manager (uncredited)
Marie Morris .... secretary (uncredited)
Isabelle Sullivan .... script assistant (uncredited)
Cheryl Walker .... double: Veronica Lake (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Runtime:
90 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)
Certification:
Australia:PG | South Korea:12 (2004) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:11 (re-release) | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (2000) | USA:Approved (PCA #7382)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In the airplane scene, the author of the book "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" is shown to be "Sinclair Beckstein", an amalgamation of the names of authors Upton Sinclair, Sinclair Lewis, and John Steinbeck. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: When the supposedly unconscious Sullivan is being pulled by a bum who hit him into an empty boxcar, you can see the actor (Joel McRae) push himself along with his foot, apparently because the other man is not strong enough to drag him. more
Quotes:
John L. Sullivan: I want this picture to be a commentary on modern conditions. Stark realism. The problems that confront the average man!
LeBrand: But with a little sex in it.
John L. Sullivan: A little, but I don't want to stress it. I want this picture to be a document. I want to hold a mirror up to life. I want this to be a picture of dignity! A true canvas of the suffering of humanity!
LeBrand: But with a little sex in it.
John L. Sullivan: [reluctantly] With a little sex in it.
Hadrian: How 'bout a nice musical?
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Ladykillers (2004) more
Soundtrack:
Let My People Go more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
15 out of 20 people found the following comment useful.
There's a lot to be said for making people laugh, 26 December 2004
10/10

This movie is, simply, one of the best Hollywood ever made.

From the marvelous collection of great actors, with one of the greatest of motion picture directors, to an intelligent script by the director, Preston Sturges, everything comes together to produce a wonderful story wonderfully told.

Veronica Lake has probably never been more charming.

Joel McCrea is and always has been one of my favorite actors and he is great in this, for him, somewhat unusual role.

All the supporting players, including William Demarest, Eric Blore, Jimmy Conlin, Al Bridge, and Richard Webb, are ... well, perfect.

I hope this is no spoiler, but the scene at the church is one of the most touching and moving I have ever viewed. I'm amazed that Hollywood could capture the pathos so well. It made Sullivan's eventual point and should make that same point to movie producers and audiences alike.

As a film school student, I was taught that when people make lists of "greatest movies," seldom are comedies included.

"Sullivan's Travels" helps dispel the notion a comedy can't be great. It is both significant and thoroughgoing entertainment.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (91 total)

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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Sullivan's Travels (1941)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
A wonderful film. The only two things I didn't like... SPOILERS phantom_tollbooth
wait... isn't this movie terrible? hjones-10
Easily the best movie that most people have never heard of DigitalMarathon
Did people really laugh that hard at Disney cartoons back then? WHakan
Why didn't Sullivan cover his mouth when sneezing? WEND0921
Remarkable plwblj
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