Sister Kenny (1946)

Director:

Dudley Nichols

Writers:

Dudley Nichols (screen play) &
Alexander Knox (screen play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

10 October 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

A woman made for love . . . but whose service to humanity became her destiny!

Plot:

Elizabeth Kenny, as a young nurse out in the Australian bush discovers an effective treatment for polio...

Plot Keywords:

Polio | Nurse | Opposition | Dancing | Paralysis

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win

Cast

Rosalind Russell	...	Elizabeth Kenny
Alexander Knox	...	Dr. McDonnell
Dean Jagger	...	Kevin Connors
Philip Merivale	...	Dr. Brack
Beulah Bondi	...	Mary Kenny
Charles Dingle	...	Michael Kenny
John Litel	...	Medical Director
Doreen McCann	...	Dorrie
Fay Helm	...	Mrs. McIntyre
Charles Kemper	...	Mr. McIntyre
Dorothy Peterson	...	Agnes
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Burke	...	Undetermined Minor Role (scenes deleted)
Karolyn Grimes	...	Carolyn (scenes deleted)
Teddy Infuhr	...	Boy (scenes deleted)
Jane Allen	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Gertrude Astor	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Walter Baldwin	...	Mr. Ferguson (uncredited)
Richard Bartell	...	Doctor (uncredited)
George Barton	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Mary Bayless	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Joseph E. Bernard	...	Ticket Taker (uncredited)
Patricia Berry	...	Small Role (uncredited)
Bonnie Blair	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Lee Bonnell	...	San Francisco Reporter (uncredited)
Egon Brecher	...	Frenchman (uncredited)
Bruce Brewster	...	Small Role (uncredited)
Virginia Brissac	...	Mrs. Johnson (uncredited)
Bobby Burns	...	Parent at Clinic (uncredited)
Al Choals	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Sally Cleaves	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Connie Conrad	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Edith Conrad	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Jennifer Cook	...	Baby (uncredited)
Judy Cook	...	Baby (uncredited)
Ellen Corby	...	Hospital Scrub Woman (uncredited)
Jeanne Criswell	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Jackie Curry	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Sheryl Deauville	...	Singing Child with Polio (uncredited)
Earl Dobbins	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Gloria Donovan	...	Girl (uncredited)
Charles Dorety	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	Brisbane Policeman (uncredited)
Melinda Erickson	...	Girl (uncredited)
Betty Fairfax	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Doctor at Medical Conference (uncredited)
Harry Flannery	...	Commentator (uncredited)
Monica Folts	...	Girl (uncredited)
Francis Ford	...	Patrick O'Shea (uncredited)
Jack Gargan	...	Reporter at Dock (uncredited)
Nancy George	...	Small Role (uncredited)
Wilda George	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Betty Gillette	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Mary Gordon	...	Mrs. Gordon (uncredited)
Vincent Graeff	...	Boy (uncredited)
Clara Griggs	...	Small Role (uncredited)
Mischa Gutterson	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Bobby Hale	...	Cabby (uncredited)
Charlie Hall	...	Airport Attendant (uncredited)
Charles Halton	...	Mr. Smith (uncredited)
Carl Hanson	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Lumsden Hare	...	Dr. Shadrack (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Doctor at Medical Conference (uncredited)
Eddie Hart	...	Doctor at Medical Symposium (uncredited)
Alf Haugan	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Mame Henderson	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Len Hendry	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Sue Ann Hockett	...	Girl (uncredited)
Gloria Holden	...	Mrs. McDonnell (uncredited)
Beulah Hubbard	...	Doctor (uncredited)
David Hughes	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Brandon Hurst	...	Mr. Todd - Landlord (uncredited)
Lloyd Ingraham	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Warren Jackson	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Eddie Kane	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Edward Keane	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Tom Kingston	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Connie Lamont	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Ivy Lane	...	Small Role (uncredited)
Buddy Langeston	...	Boy (uncredited)
Bertha Ledbetter	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Alan Lee	...	Alan - the Farm Hand (uncredited)
Ruth Lee	...	Mother (uncredited)
Nan Leslie	...	Nurse (uncredited)
David Levitt	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Orley Lindgren	...	Boy (uncredited)
Doris Lloyd	...	Matron (uncredited)
Leota Lorraine	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
James Loucke	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Sam Lufkin	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Irene Mack	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Thomas Martin	...	Doctor at Medical Conference (uncredited)
David Martinson	...	Cobbler (uncredited)
Janet Sue Marx	...	Girl (uncredited)
Eric Mayne	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Frank McClure	...	Doctor at Medical Symposium (uncredited)
Larry McGrath	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Harry McKim	...	Boy (uncredited)
Ruth Miles	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Daphne Moore	...	Waitress (uncredited)
John Moss	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Diane Nance	...	Girl (uncredited)
Myra Nelson	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Georgie Nokes	...	Gordy (uncredited)
B.G. Norman	...	Boy (uncredited)
Noralee Norman	...	Girl (uncredited)
Bob O'Connor	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Anne O'Neal	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Vivien Oakland	...	Secretary to Dr. Gideon (uncredited)
Charles Pawley	...	Orderly (uncredited)
Bob Pepper	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Jackie Pfender	...	Boy (uncredited)
Hilda Plowright	...	Saleslady (uncredited)
'Snub' Pollard	...	Man at Barn Dance (uncredited)
Allan Ray	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Frank Reicher	...	Dr. Chuter (uncredited)
Donna Lynne Rodgers	...	Small Role (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Elizabeth's Dance Partner (uncredited)
Eli Schmudkler	...	Newsboy (uncredited)
Dick Scott	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Barbara Smith	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Warren Smith	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Paul Stanton	...	Dr. Gideon (uncredited)
Larry Steers	...	Doctor at Medical Conference (uncredited)
Robert Strong	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Tex Swan	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Bob Templeton	...	Intern (uncredited)
David Thursby	...	Angus Frazier (uncredited)
Regis Toomey	...	New York Reporter (uncredited)
Ray Toone	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Doctor at Medical Conference (uncredited)
Clare Verdera	...	Mother of Boy (uncredited)
John P. Wade	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Nellie Walker	...	Farmer's Wife (uncredited)
Ray Walker	...	Doctor at Minneapolis Lecture (uncredited)
Elena Warren	...	Nurse (uncredited)

Directed by
Dudley Nichols

Writing credits
Dudley Nichols		(screen play) &
Alexander Knox		(screen play) and
Mary McCarthy		(screen play)
Sister Kenny		based on "And They Shall Walk" by (as Elizabeth Kenny) &
Martha Ostenso		in collaboration with

Produced by
Edward Donahue	....	associate producer (as Edward Donahoe)
Dudley Nichols	....	producer

Original Music by
Alexander Tansman		(as Alexandre Tansman)

Cinematography by
George Barnes		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Roland Gross

Art Direction by
Albert S. D'Agostino
William Flannery		(as William E. Flannery)

Set Decoration by
Harley Miller		(set decorations)
Darrell Silvera		(set decorations)

Production Management
John Burch	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Harry D'Arcy	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Clem Portman	....	sound
Earl A. Wolcott	....	sound

Special Effects by
Vernon L. Walker	....	special effects
Linwood G. Dunn	....	optical effects (uncredited)
Paul Eagler	....	transparency projection shots (uncredited)
Albert Simpson	....	matte paintings (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Eddie Pyle	....	second camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Travis Banton	....	costumes: Rosalind Russell

Music Department
C. Bakaleinikoff	....	musical director
Earl B. Mounce	....	music mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Jack Gage	....	dialogue director
C.J. Davis	....	research director (uncredited)
Valerie Harvey	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures (presents) (as RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.)

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1946) (USA) (theatrical) (as An RKO Radio Picture)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• Nostalgia Merchant, The (1987) (USA) (VHS) (For Fox Hills Video)
• Turner Home Entertainment (199?) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:Approved (certificate #11315) | UK:A (original rating) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

RKO Studios - 780 Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Goofs:

Factual errors: Whilst addressing a forum of doctors, Sister Kenny is asked whether she remembers the final paragraph of the oath she took to become a registered nurse, and she recounts that paragraph. The real Sister Kenny received no formal nursing training and was not a registered nurse. She enlisted as a nurse in the army in WW1 backed by a letter from a doctor stating she had experience working in a bush hospital and was given the title Sister by the army.

Soundtrack:

Happy Birthday to You

And intriguing, if quirky film

I like this film, but it's hard to believe that it's set in Australia.

It has a strange idea of what Australia was like in the early 20th century. A bush dance is filled with Scots and Irish folk, and the music is bagpipes?! The accents are mostly British with the exception of the title role, which is played by Rosalind Russell, who has a distinctly American accent. Place names are mispronounced (like "Bris-bane" instead of "Bris-ban" for Brisbane).

And yet, there's a charm to this film. The real Elizabeth Kenny was an outsider who used unorthodox techniques and terminology to treat polio. It didn't cure the condition, but alleviated the symptoms. In the film she resolutely persists in practicing this and opposing the medical establishment, at a cost of her personal life.

Well worth watching.