The Errand Boy (1961)

Director:

Jerry Lewis

Writers:

Jerry Lewis (written by) and
Bill Richmond (written by)

Release Date:

28 November 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Tagline:

Fractures Hollywood with a Million Howls!

Plot:

Paramutual Pictures wants to know where all the money is going so they hire Morty to be their spy. Morty works for Mr...

Plot Keywords:

Dual Role | Singing | Western Filmmaking | Jazz Music | Secretary

Cast

Jerry Lewis	...	Morty S. Tashman
Brian Donlevy	...	Tom 'T.P.' Paramutual
Howard McNear	...	Dexter Sneak
Dick Wesson	...	The A.D.
Robert Ivers	...	Young NY Director Who Argues with T.P.
Pat Dahl	...	Miss Carson
Renée Taylor	...	Miss Giles
Rita Hayes	...	Singer Who Dubs Davitt
Stanley Adams	...	Grumpy
Kathleen Freeman	...	Mrs. Helen Paramutual / Mrs. T.P.
Isobel Elsom	...	Irma Paramutual
Sig Ruman	...	Baron Elston Carteblanche
Felicia Atkins	...	Serina
Doodles Weaver	...	Weaver
Fritz Feld	...	Roaring 20's Director
Kenneth MacDonald	...	Mr. Fumble
Joey Forman	...	Jedson
Iris Adrian	...	Anastasia Anastasia, Actress
Paul Ritts	...	Paul Ritts
Mary Ritts	...	Mary Ritts
David Landfield	...	Lance (as Dave Landfield)
Del Moore	...	M.C. at Premiere
Bellfontevro	...	Puppeteer
Richard Bakalyan	...	Jason, Anastasia's Director
Joe Besser	...	Man Watching Rushes
Theodora Davitt	...	Minor Role
Milton Frome	...	Mr. Greenbag
Hank Ladd	...	Minor Role
Mary LeBow	...	Minor Role
Mike Mahoney	...	Carl - Prop Man's Assistant
Mickey Manners	...	Minor Role
Sally Mansfield	...	Minor Role
Mike Mazurki	...	Blonde 'Movie Siren'
Richard Morrow	...	Minor Role
Bill Richmond	...	Bespectacled Man in Elevator
Caroline Richter	...	Minor Role
Michael Ross	...	Big Man in Elevator (as Mike Ross)
Benny Rubin	...	Mr. Wabenlotnee
Regis Toomey	...	Studio Exec with the Baron
Mary Treen	...	Commissary Cashier
Herb Vigran	...	Cigar Smoker in Elevator
Jerry Wayne	...	Minor Role
William Wellman Jr.	...	Actor / Lover in Film
The Dover Basketeers	...	Themselves
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Phil Arnold	...	Babe Rosenwald (uncredited)
Roscoe Ates	...	Ralph - Prop Man (uncredited)
Jim Backus	...	Mr. Arbutt (uncredited) (voice)
Nicky Blair	...	Man in Screening Room (uncredited)
Dan Blocker	...	Himself - Cameo Appearance as Hoss Cartwright (uncredited)
Harry Cheshire	...	Ulysses Paramutual (uncredited)
Leo Durocher	...	Himself - Cameo Appearance (uncredited)
Douglas Evans	...	Serina's Escort at Premiere (uncredited)
Paul Frees	...	Narrator (uncredited) (voice)
Joe Gray	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Lorne Greene	...	Himself - Cameo Appearance as Ben Cartwright (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	Albert Paramutual (uncredited)
Michael Landon	...	Himself - Cameo Appearance as Little Joe Cartwright (uncredited)
Barry Livingston	...	Little Boy Wanting Jelly Beans (uncredited)
Quinn O'Hara	...	Model (uncredited)
'Snub' Pollard	...	'Snub' (uncredited)
Pernell Roberts	...	Himself - Cameo Appearance as Adam Cartwright (uncredited)
Cosmo Sardo	...	Premiere Attendee (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Premiere Attendee (uncredited)
Hal Taggart	...	Premiere Attendee (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Premiere Attendee (uncredited)
Dick Whittinghill	...	Man in Screening Room (uncredited)

Directed by
Jerry Lewis

Writing credits
Jerry Lewis		(written by) and
Bill Richmond		(written by)

Produced by
Ernest D. Glucksman	....	producer
Arthur P. Schmidt	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Walter Scharf

Cinematography by
W. Wallace Kelley		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Stanley E. Johnson

Art Direction by
Arthur Lonergan
Hal Pereira

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
James W. Payne

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Nellie Manley	....	hair style supervisor
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
William Davidson	....	production manager (as Bill Davidson)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ralph Axness	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Charles Grenzbach	....	sound recordist
Hugo Grenzbach	....	sound recordist

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sy Devore	....	wardrobe: men
Nat Wise	....	wardrobe: men

Music Department
Phil Boutelje	....	music coordinator
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Walter Scharf	....	conductor
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator
Jimmie Haskell	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Nick Castle	....	choreographer
Eleanor H. Donahoe	....	script supervisor
Marshall Katz	....	assistant to producer
Frank Somper	....	furrier
Marvin Weldon	....	dialogue coach

Production Companies

• Jerry Lewis Productions
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1961) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1963) (France) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• GoodTimes Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Videocast (198?) (Brazil) (VHS) (dubbed in Portuguese)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Jerry Lewis Productions

Trivia:

A scene of note with Jerry Lewis chewing out an imaginary board room, all done in mime with music background - the music is "Blues in Hoss' Flat" popularised by the Count Basie Orchestra. A recording of it can be heard in Basie's March 1960 Paris concert and there may be other recordings of it as well.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Jerry Lewis - König der Komödianten (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Blues in Hoss' Flat

The king of all comedies

I usually don't laugh out loud at jerry lewis movies, tho i almost always am entertained by him and appreciate his genius. The errand boy makes me repeatedly laugh out loud and has for almost 45 years. i never tire of the hilarious routines and i think its a shame that jerry was never nominated for his work. as far as I'm concerned, the Jim Carey's and Eddie Murphy's of the world should send jerry a cut of every check they get since they have stolen from him enormously. i usually don't agree with the french, but jerry is a genius and he did his great works with only the special effect of being jerry.The underwater diver scene and the Leo Durocher scene are classics as is the musical boardroom scene which never tires as many times as i have scene Jerry do it on the telathons