Whistling in the Dark (1941)

Director:

S. Sylvan Simon

Writers:

Robert MacGunigle (screenplay) &
Harry Clork (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

8 August 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Mystery

Tagline:

WE'VE ROLLED OUT THE WELCOME MAT FOR 1941'S KING OF FUN!

Plot:

Radio crime show host 'The Fox' along with his fiancée and ex-girlfriend are kidnapped by a larcenous cult who demand that he help them plan a perfect murder.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Radio | Fiance | Murder Plot | Heir

Cast

Red Skelton	...	Wally Benton
Conrad Veidt	...	Joseph Jones
Ann Rutherford	...	Carol Lambert
Virginia Grey	...	'Fran' Post
Rags Ragland	...	Sylvester (as 'Rags' Ragland)
Henry O'Neill	...	Philip Post
Eve Arden	...	'Buzz' Baker
Paul Stanton	...	Jennings
Donald Douglas	...	Gordon Thomas (as Don Douglas)
Don Costello	...	'Noose' Green
William Tannen	...	Robert Graves
Reed Hadley	...	Beau Smith
Mariska Aldrich	...	Hilda
Lloyd Corrigan	...	Harvey Upshaw
George M. Carleton	...	Deputy Commissioner O'Neill (as George Carleton)
Will Lee	...	Herman
Ruth Robinson	...	Mrs. Robinson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dorothy Adams	...	Mrs. Farrell (uncredited)
James Adamson	...	Airline Attendant (uncredited)
Barbara Bedford	...	Cult Member / Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Billy Bletcher	...	Radio Effects Man (uncredited)
Ken Christy	...	Inspector Rogers in Show (uncredited)
Dora Clement	...	Mrs. Upshaw (uncredited)
Inez Cooper	...	Stewardess (uncredited)
Mark Daniels	...	Co-Pilot (uncredited)
Joe Devlin	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
John Dilson	...	Hugo Vanderhoff in Show (uncredited)
Lester Dorr	...	Dispatcher (uncredited)
Paul Ellis	...	Captain of Waiters (uncredited)
Betty Farrington	...	Mrs. Moriarity (uncredited)
Al Hill	...	Flintwood Policeman (uncredited)
Robert Homans	...	Flintwood Policeman (uncredited)
Jennie Mac	...	Mrs. Kendall (uncredited)
Roger Moore	...	Extra as Airplane Passenger (uncredited)
Dorothy Morris	...	Telephone Operator (uncredited)
John Picorri	...	Gatekeeper (uncredited)
Bob Reeves	...	(uncredited)
Ronald R. Rondell	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Mel Ruick	...	Studio Engineer (uncredited)
Larry Steers	...	Harry - Studio Manager (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan	...	Flintwood Policeman (uncredited)
Leon Tyler	...	Gerry Farrell (uncredited)
Emmett Vogan	...	Show Producer (uncredited)
John Wald	...	Radio Announcer (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
S. Sylvan Simon

Writing credits
Robert MacGunigle		(screenplay) &
Harry Clork		(screenplay) and
Albert Mannheimer		(screenplay)
Laurence Gross		(play) and
Edward Childs Carpenter		(play)
Eddie Moran		contributing writer (uncredited)
Elliott Nugent		contributing writer (uncredited)

Produced by
George Haight	....	producer

Original Music by
Bronislau Kaper

Cinematography by
Sidney Wagner		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Frank E. Hull

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by
Robert Kalloch		(gowns) (as Kalloch)

Art Department
Gabriel Scognamillo	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director

Stunts
Gil Perkins	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Daniele Amfitheatrof	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Werner R. Heymann	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Alex Hyde	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Edward Ward	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Franz Waxman	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Alexander McKaig	....	stage presenter

Production Companies

• Loew's (as Loew's Incorporated)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1941) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R included in "Red Skelton Whistling Collection")

Other Companies

• MGM/UA Home Video  VHS package design
• Turner Entertainment  DVD package design
• Turner Entertainment  VHS package design
• Warner Bros. Entertainment  DVD package design

Also Known As:

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7550) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Italy:VM14

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

The play opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 19 January 1932 and had 265 performances. The opening night cast included Edward Arnold, Claire Trevor, Ernest Truex and Arthur Vinton.

Quotes:

Jones:I leave you now in radiant contentment.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 100 Years of Comedy (1997) (V)

MGM/WARNER DVD (??) ~ Might as well be "Whistling in the Wind!!"

If WARNER/MGM had their way (of which they DO!)....we will NOT LIKELY ever see these 3 Classic RED SKELTON "Whistling" series comedies on DVD! RED SKELTON stars as Wally Benton, THE FOX ("OOOOOOO!"), a Radio star detective in WHISTLING IN THE DARK, WHISTLING IN DIXIE and WHISTLING IN BRROKLYN. I purchased the VHS copies of these great films quite a few years back (before DVD's) ~ they are definitely 'keepers'! Again, I pass on the film commentaries, because the IMDb reviewers are on target with these flix. What always concerns me is the PUSH needed for someone to read these reviews (from the Production offices of WARNER/MGM)...."HELLO!"....and realize that Classic film fans and consumers WANT (and DEMAND) these films be made available for DVD! And this goes for you other clowns at FOX, COLUMBIA, UNIVERSAL, or whatever corporate names you have absorbed (MCA, SONY, RCA, etc). Pay attention to your fans and show us the respect we deserve by producing MORE quality Classic films!!!!!!! As to quote STAN LEE, "Nuff Said!"