The Lemon Drop Kid (1951)

Director:

Sidney Lanfield
(more)

Writers:

Edmund Beloin (story)
Irving Elinson (additional dialogue)
(more)

Release Date:

2 April 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music | Romance

Tagline:

Damon Runyan's zaniest Broadway characters come alive with fun...especially the Lemon Drop Kid (Bob, natch!)

Plot:

When the Lemon Drop Kid accidentally steers Moose Moran's girl away from a winning bet, he is forced...

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Horse | Safecracker | New York City | Horse Racing

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Bob Hope	...	Sidney Milburn aka The Lemon Drop Kid
Marilyn Maxwell	...	'Brainey' Baxter
Lloyd Nolan	...	Oxford Charlie
Jane Darwell	...	Nellie Thursday
Andrea King	...	Stella
Fred Clark	...	Moose Moran
Jay C. Flippen	...	Straight Flush Tony
William Frawley	...	Gloomy Willie
Harry Bellaver	...	Sam the Surgeon
Sid Melton	...	Little Louie
Ben Welden	...	Singing Solly
Ida Moore	...	Mrs. Feeney - The Bird Lady
Francis Pierlot	...	Henry Regan
Charles Cooley	...	Goomba
Salvatore De Lorenzo	...	Street-corner Santa Claus (as Society Kid Hogan)
Harry Shannon	...	John (policeman)
Bernard Szold	...	Honest Harry
Tor Johnson	...	Super Swedish Angel (wrestler)
Tom Dugan	...	No Thumbs Charlie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sid Tomack	...	Groom (scenes deleted)
Harry Wilson	...	Courtroom Spectator (unconfirmed)
Eric Alden	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Stanley Andrews	...	Judge (uncredited)
Richard Barron	...	Young Doctor (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict	...	Man Leaving Men's Room (uncredited)
Billie Bird	...	Racetrack Bettor on Iron Bar (uncredited)
Oliver Blake	...	Racetrack Bettor on Iron Bar (uncredited)
Hazel Boyne	...	Larue Sister (uncredited)
Helen Brown	...	Ellen (uncredited)
John Brown	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Benny Burt	...	Prisoner (uncredited)
Rosalee Calvert	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Sue Carlton	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Bill Cartledge	...	Jerry - Jockey (uncredited)
Anna Chandler	...	Gambler (uncredited)
Ray Cooke	...	Willie (uncredited)
Lorraine Crawford	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Roger Creed	...	Mug (uncredited)
Wade Crosby	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Isabel Cushin	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Jim Davies	...	Gym Attendant (uncredited)
Sayre Dearing	...	Gambler (uncredited)
Mike Donovan	...	Bartender (uncredited)
John Doucette	...	Muscleman (uncredited)
Jimmie Dundee	...	Hoodlum (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	Racetrack Policeman (uncredited)
Don Dunning	...	Mug (uncredited)
Sarah Edwards	...	Woman in Home (uncredited)
Al Ferguson	...	Bailiff (uncredited)
Charles Ferguson	...	Passerby on Street (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty	...	Police Captain Swain (uncredited)
Robert Foulk	...	Victim (uncredited)
Barbara Freking	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Slim Gaut	...	Prof. Murdock (uncredited)
Roy Gordon	...	Judge (uncredited)
Fred Graff	...	Pimlico Pete (uncredited)
John Grant	...	Mug (uncredited)
Charmienne Harker	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Jim Hayward	...	George (uncredited)
Hallene Hill	...	Woman in Home (uncredited)
Henry Hope	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Bee Humphries	...	Woman in Home (uncredited)
John Indrisano	...	Oxford Charlie's Henchman (uncredited)
Tommy Ivo	...	Dick Daniels - Boy Scout on Bicycle (uncredited)
Jerry James	...	Waiter / Gambler (uncredited)
Richard Karlan	...	Maxie (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Man at Racetrack (uncredited)
Lola Kendrick	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Victor Kilian	...	Mr. Egan - Landlord (uncredited)
Geraldine Knapp	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Jack Kruschen	...	Muscleman (uncredited)
Nolan Leary	...	Accountant (uncredited)
Ralph Littlefield	...	Professor (uncredited)
Kate MacKenna	...	Larue Sister (uncredited)
Mike Mahoney	...	Prisoner (uncredited)
Vivian Mason	...	Singer-Dancer (uncredited)
Allen Mathews	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Joe McTurk	...	Santa Shooting Craps (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Race Track Patron (uncredited)
John 'Skins' Miller	...	The Drunk (uncredited)
Mary Moder	...	Holly Seller (uncredited)
Ralph Montgomery	...	Jailer (uncredited)
Pat Moran	...	Mug (uncredited)
Patsy Moran	...	Mrs. Baumgarten (uncredited)
Jerry Mullins	...	Little Boy (uncredited)
Diana Mumby	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Mary Murphy	...	Girl (uncredited)
Paul Newlan	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Patsy O'Byrne	...	Woman in Home (uncredited)
Bob O'Connor	...	Houlihan Bartender (uncredited)
Joey Ray	...	Mug (uncredited)
Joe Recht	...	Pageboy (uncredited)
Bruce Riley	...	Clerk (uncredited)
John Roberts	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Michael Ross	...	Oxford Charlie's Henchman (uncredited)
Gene Roth	...	Oxford Charlie's Butler (uncredited)
Wally Russell	...	Mug (uncredited)
Almira Sessions	...	Mrs. Santoro (uncredited)
Jack Shea	...	Hoodlum (uncredited)
Bill Sheehan	...	Dance Director (uncredited)
Douglas Spencer	...	Skinny Santa Claus (uncredited)
Jack Stoney	...	Hoodlum (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan	...	Courtroom Spectator / Policeman (uncredited)
Harry Tyler	...	Santa Claus (uncredited)
Bill Varga	...	Wrestler (uncredited)
Emmett Vogan	...	Rupert - Pawnbroker (uncredited)
Ralph Volkie	...	Mug (uncredited)
Anthony Warde	...	Thoughtful Man (uncredited)
Gil Warren	...	Police Clerk (uncredited)
Jean Whitney	...	Friend of Brainy (uncredited)
Patricia Wright	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Guy Zanette	...	Prisoner (uncredited)
Fred Zendar	...	South Street Benny (uncredited)

Directed by
Sidney Lanfield
Frank Tashlin		(uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Edmund Beloin		story
Irving Elinson		additional dialogue
Edmund L. Hartmann
Robert O'Brien
Damon Runyon		story
Frank Tashlin

Produced by
Robert L. Welch	....	producer

Original Music by
Victor Young

Cinematography by
Daniel L. Fapp

Film Editing by
Archie Marshek

Art Direction by
Franz Bachelin
Hal Pereira

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Ross Dowd

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Charles Berner	....	makeup artist
Ted Larsen	....	makeup artist
Gertrude Reade	....	hair stylist
Lenore Weaver	....	hair stylist
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Frank Caffey	....	production manager
Richard Johnston	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward Salven	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Don McKay	....	sound recordist
Walter Oberst	....	sound recordist
William Sosteleo	....	sound
Howard Beals	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Paul K. Lerpae	....	special effects (as Paul Lerpae)

Visual Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	process photography

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sam Levine	....	costumer
Ruth Stella	....	costumer

Music Department
Joseph J. Lilley	....	vocal arranger
Troy Sanders	....	music advisor
Sidney Cutner	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Van Cleave	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Claire Behnke	....	script supervisor
Len Hendry	....	dance director

Production Companies

• Hope Enterprises
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1951) (USA) (theatrical)
• Allied Artists (1963) (USA) (TV)
• BCI Eclipse (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Brentwood Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Shout! Factory (2010) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Hope Enterprises

Trivia:

William Frawley also appeared as William Dunhill in the 1934 version of The Lemon Drop Kid (1934).

Goofs:

Continuity: When there is a lots of snow, objects in the distance look hazy. On the street just before Bob Hope gets pulled back, it is clear in the distance, plus no vehicles parked or driving by have snow on them.

Quotes:

Gloomy Willie:You're sweet too, pickle-nose... bring the chair.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Dude, Where's My Ranch? (#14.18)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

Silver Bells

Great Hope Classic

Hope's films always spun on his zany sense of humor. In this, a redo of a Damon Runyon story (see Little Miss Marker), Hope is at his best. I noted with interest the comments of one reviewer who bristling with politically correct indignation, accuses Hope of everything from Sexism to nearly murder. True, they were not as tuned into the careful not to offend anyone scene we are now but most of this stuff is pretty mild. Besides, being a senior citizen myself, I was hardly offended. The list of wonderful studio character actors in this film is delightful. Fred Clarke who was at his best as a villain or sleeze ball gives a delightful show as a gangster. And, then there's Marilyn Maxwell: her singing of "Silver Bells," gave us a new Christmas carol that is sung every holiday season. I'm sorry that some of our other reviewers were piqued by this film. I think it has held up well and I still delight at Hope's antics. I guess that dates me. I was in junior high when I saw this film. I loved it then and love it now.