Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysHispanic & Latino VoicesSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Happy Years

  • 19501950
  • GG
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
727
YOUR RATING
Leon Ames, Dean Stockwell, Claudia Barrett, and Margalo Gillmore in The Happy Years (1950)
Based on a collection of stories with the focus on young John Humperdink "Dink" Stover, a student at the Lawrenceville Prepatory School, in 1896, whose family, in Eastcester, New York, have just about given up on his education because he is an incorrigible student. He gets into one situation after another and incurs the dislike of his classmates, who think he is cowardly but he changes their opinion when he challenges several of them to a fight. When he returns home for the summer, he meets Miss Dolly Travers and increases his 'hatred of women' because she does not accept his schoolboy pranks. Back at school, in the fall, he is more difficult than ever until his philosophy is changed by a teacher.
Play trailer2:21
1 Video
30 Photos
ComedyFamilyRomance

Based on a collection of stories with the focus on young John Humperdink "Dink" Stover, a student at the Lawrenceville Prepatory School, in 1896, whose family, in Eastcester, New York, have ... Read allBased on a collection of stories with the focus on young John Humperdink "Dink" Stover, a student at the Lawrenceville Prepatory School, in 1896, whose family, in Eastcester, New York, have just about given up on his education because he is an incorrigible student. He gets into o... Read allBased on a collection of stories with the focus on young John Humperdink "Dink" Stover, a student at the Lawrenceville Prepatory School, in 1896, whose family, in Eastcester, New York, have just about given up on his education because he is an incorrigible student. He gets into one situation after another and incurs the dislike of his classmates, who think he is cowar... Read all

IMDb RATING
6.8/10
727
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • William A. Wellman
  • Writers
    • Owen Johnson(stories "The Lawrenceville School Stories")
    • Harry Ruskin(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Dean Stockwell
    • Darryl Hickman
    • Scotty Beckett
  • Director
    • William A. Wellman
  • Writers
    • Owen Johnson(stories "The Lawrenceville School Stories")
    • Harry Ruskin(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Dean Stockwell
    • Darryl Hickman
    • Scotty Beckett
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 25User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:21
    Trailer

    Photos30

    Dean Stockwell and Scotty Beckett in The Happy Years (1950)
    Scotty Beckett in The Happy Years (1950)
    Darryl Hickman in The Happy Years (1950)
    Dean Stockwell, Scotty Beckett, Donn Gift, and Darryl Hickman in The Happy Years (1950)
    Dean Stockwell, Leo G. Carroll, Mason Alan Dinehart, David Bair, Scotty Beckett, Danny Mummert, Donn Gift, Darryl Hickman, Eddie LeRoy, and Jerry Mickelsen in The Happy Years (1950)
    Dean Stockwell and Scotty Beckett in The Happy Years (1950)
    Dean Stockwell and Scotty Beckett in The Happy Years (1950)
    Dean Stockwell and Darryl Hickman in The Happy Years (1950)
    Dean Stockwell and Leo G. Carroll in The Happy Years (1950)
    Dean Stockwell and Claudia Barrett in The Happy Years (1950)
    Dean Stockwell and Claudia Barrett in The Happy Years (1950)
    Dean Stockwell and Donn Gift in The Happy Years (1950)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Dean Stockwell
    Dean Stockwell
    • John Humperdink 'Dink' Stover
    Darryl Hickman
    Darryl Hickman
    • 'Tough' McCarty
    Scotty Beckett
    Scotty Beckett
    • 'Tennessee' Shad
    Leon Ames
    Leon Ames
    • Samuel H. Stover - Sr.
    Margalo Gillmore
    Margalo Gillmore
    • Maude Stover
    Leo G. Carroll
    Leo G. Carroll
    • The Old Roman
    Donn Gift
    Donn Gift
    • 'Big Man…
    Peter M. Thompson
    • Samuel 'Sambo' H. Stover Jr.
    • (as Peter Thompson)
    Jerry Mickelsen
    • 'Cheyenne' Baxter
    Mason Alan Dinehart
    Mason Alan Dinehart
    • Coffee Colored Angel
    • (as Alan Dinehart III)
    David Bair
    • White Mountain Canary
    Danny Mummert
    Danny Mummert
    • 'Butsey' White
    Eddie LeRoy
    Eddie LeRoy
    • 'Polar' Beckstein
    George Chandler
    George Chandler
    • Johnny
    Claudia Barrett
    Claudia Barrett
    • Miss Dolly Travers
    Jeralyn Alton
    • Clara 'Tootsie' Stover
    • (uncredited)
    Irving Bacon
    Irving Bacon
    • Mr. Conover
    • (uncredited)
    Henry Blair
    Henry Blair
    • Harvey Crocker
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • William A. Wellman
    • Writers
      • Owen Johnson(stories "The Lawrenceville School Stories")
      • Harry Ruskin(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Filmed (at least in part) on location at the The Lawrenceville School, where the real story takes place. MGM dug up the paved paths around the school to make it look like it did during the time of the story. Most of the school looks the same still today with only a few building added over the last century.
    • Goofs
      Obvious stunt double for Dean Stockwell in the football tryout scene, and when he falls down the stairs near the end of the film.
    • Quotes

      The Old Roman: I have in the course of my experience as a teacher had to deal with imbeciles, had to deal with near idiots, but for sheer monumental asininity I have never met the equal of this aggregation.

    • Connections
      Edited into The Our Gang Story (1994)

    User reviews25

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Super cast and story - a classic slice of teen Americana
    Great Dean Stockwell coming of age, and this is one of his best roles.

    Stockwell plays a rebellious, wisecracking schoolboy at odds with the world. The film captures a slice of early 20th century Americana through precocious teens at prep school discovering sports, academia, and of course, girls. Funny and touching, with a great cast and story that even connects today. Leo G. Carroll as a nemesis teacher is excellent, and the antics of the "Tennessee Shad" are still being copied in similar themed films.
    helpful•18
    2
    • lorenzo212
    • Aug 26, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 7, 1950 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Dink Stover
    • Filming locations
      • Lawrenceville School, Route 206, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, USA
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,393,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 50 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Leon Ames, Dean Stockwell, Claudia Barrett, and Margalo Gillmore in The Happy Years (1950)
    Top Gap
    What is the English language plot outline for The Happy Years (1950)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View image
    Photos
    Trending: Stars to Watch
    See the gallery
    View image
    Photos
    Double Duty: Musicians-Turned-Actors
    See the full gallery
    View list
    List
    New & Upcoming Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-Offs
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more access
    Sign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.