The Geisha Boy (1958)

Gilbert Wooley is a second-rate magician who is sent to entertain the troops in the pacific. During his time in Japan he becomes attached to a little orphan boy.

Director:

Frank Tashlin

Writers:

Frank Tashlin (screen story), Frank Tashlin (screenplay),

Stars:

Jerry Lewis, Marie McDonald, Sessue Hayakawa

1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Jerry Lewis	...	Gilbert Wooley
Marie McDonald	...	Lola Livingston
Sessue Hayakawa	...	Mr. Sikita
Barton MacLane	...	Maj. Ridgley
Suzanne Pleshette	...	Sgt. Pearson
Nobu McCarthy	...	Kimi Sikita (as Nobu Atsumi McCarthy)
Robert Hirano	...	Mitsuo Watanabe (as Robert Kazuyoshi Hirano)
Ryuzo Demura	...	Ichiyama
The Los Angeles Dodgers	...	Themselves
Carl Erskine	...	Himself (as The Los Angeles Dodgers)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Namigoro Rashomon	...	Baseball player

Storyline

Gilbert Wooley is a second-rate magician who is sent to entertain the troops in the pacific. During his time in Japan he becomes attached to a little orphan boy.

---

Plot Keywords:

japan | magician | orphan | hat | baseball | 

---

Taglines:

No. 1 FUN Boy Goes Oriental!

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

2 November 1958 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Geisha Boy

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, York Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Production number # 10326. PCA certificate # 19090, dating from 24 September 1958.

---

Crazy Credits

and introducing Harry Hare

---

Connections

Spoofs The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

User Reviews

Not a Lewis fan? This could change your mind!

This is one of the funniest films, not just in the Jerry Lewis catalog, but ever. Lewis is a clumsy magician, trying to entertain the troops overseas (even in fox holes and under fire). Frank Tashlin's shots of Lewis' white rabbit friend, associate, and confidant are hysterical simply by their brilliant framing (and it's really just a plain old white rabbit!). Of course, there's romance as Lewis befriends a Japanese family with a gorgeous young woman, as well as the kind of sensitive story line with a terribly cute Japanese boy which John Hughes and Steven Spielberg so often fail at. And while we're at it, there's baseball and a Bridge on the River Kwai site gag. Speaking of gags, Lewis being stalked in a Japanese bath and the payoff shot are fabulous. Fun for the whole family and a must see for both Lewis fans and those who've wondered what the fuss was all about.