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IMDbPro

Don't Tell the Wife

  • 19371937
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 2m
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
230
YOUR RATING
William Demarest, Thurston Hall, Guy Kibbee, Una Merkel, Lynne Overman, and Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams in Don't Tell the Wife (1937)
Comedy
A seasoned con artist and his associates discover that their scheme to get rich by selling stock in a worthless gold mine is fraught with obstacles.A seasoned con artist and his associates discover that their scheme to get rich by selling stock in a worthless gold mine is fraught with obstacles.A seasoned con artist and his associates discover that their scheme to get rich by selling stock in a worthless gold mine is fraught with obstacles.
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
230
YOUR RATING
    • Christy Cabanne
    • George Holland(play "Once Over Lightly")
    • Nat Perrin
  • Stars
    • Guy Kibbee
    • Una Merkel
    • Lynne Overman
    • Christy Cabanne
    • George Holland(play "Once Over Lightly")
    • Nat Perrin
  • Stars
    • Guy Kibbee
    • Una Merkel
    • Lynne Overman
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 7User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Lucille Ball, Lynne Overman, Harry Tyler, and Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams in Don't Tell the Wife (1937)
    Una Merkel and Lynne Overman in Don't Tell the Wife (1937)
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    Top cast

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    Guy Kibbee
    Guy Kibbee
    • Malcom J. 'Dinky' Winthrop
    Una Merkel
    Una Merkel
    • Nancy Dorsey
    Lynne Overman
    Lynne Overman
    • Steven A. 'Steve' Dorsey
    Thurston Hall
    Thurston Hall
    • Maj. Manning
    Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams
    Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams
    • Lazarus Hubert Gregory 'Cupid' Dougal
    • (as Guinn Williams)
    Frank M. Thomas
    Frank M. Thomas
    • Insp. Mallory
    William Demarest
    William Demarest
    • Larry 'Horace' Tucker
    Lucille Ball
    Lucille Ball
    • Ann 'Annie' Howell
    Harry Tyler
    Harry Tyler
    • Mike Callahan
    George Irving
    George Irving
    • Warden
    Bradley Page
    Bradley Page
    • Hagar - Salesman
    Si Jenks
    Si Jenks
    • Sam Taylor
    • (as Cy Jenks)
    Diane Barrington
    • Girl
    • (uncredited)
    Alan Curtis
    Alan Curtis
    • Second Stockbroker at Shaw & Allen
    • (uncredited)
    Barney Furey
    Barney Furey
    • Tom - Sign Painter
    • (uncredited)
    Jack Gardner
    • Taxi Driver
    • (uncredited)
    Aggie Herring
    Aggie Herring
    • Charwoman
    • (uncredited)
    William Jackie
    • Rooney - Salesman
    • (uncredited)
      • Christy Cabanne
      • George Holland(play "Once Over Lightly")
      • Nat Perrin
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      RKO borrowed Guy Kibbee from Warner Bros., Una Merkel from MGM, and Lynne Overman from Paramount for this film.
    • Goofs
      When the Major is being driven away from prison, the rear screen projection as seen through the back window of the car has many continuity issues between shots, and even shows the same curve and distinctive guardrail twice.
    • Quotes

      Maj. Manning: Those gentlemen are the new salesmen.

      Steven A. 'Steve' Dorsey: Fine mess of humanity.

      Larry 'Horace' Tucker: The boys will just work in the back on the telephones.

      Steven A. 'Steve' Dorsey: Good thing they haven't perfected television.

    User reviews7

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    An hour well-spent.
    This on was a lot of fun. A reformed con man (Lynne Overman as "Steve Dorsey") gets lured back into the fraud business, having to lie to his beloved wife to do so. They're selling fake stock, and they hire a patsy, "Malcom Winthrop" to front it. He has the right name to make the deal sound sweet.

    Guy Kibbee is brilliant as Winthrop, but you feel bad for the character as he is made to feel important when he is really a pawn. He tries to be helpful, but everything collapses on him. Meanwhile, the racket continues with the feds closing in.

    It's interesting to note that a young Lucille Ball is in this film, but she's not yet given laughs. I wondered what if Ball had played the leading lady, "Ann Dosey"? No. It's not a funny role and Una Merkel plays it perhaps better than it merits.

    It's a short movie and a few pretty good laughs.
    helpful•7
    1
    • mkilmer
    • Nov 28, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 5, 1937 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
      • RKO Studios - 780 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • RKO Radio Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 2 minutes
      • Black and White

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    William Demarest, Thurston Hall, Guy Kibbee, Una Merkel, Lynne Overman, and Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams in Don't Tell the Wife (1937)
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    By what name was Don't Tell the Wife (1937) officially released in Canada in English?
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