A family reacts to the return of the patriarch who abandoned them seven years prior.
Look ahead to the TV shows still set to premiere in the rest of 2020, including "Selena: The Series" and "The Stand."
Share this Rating
Title: Happy Birthday, Wanda June (1971)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
Edit
Cast
| Cast overview: | |||
| Rod Steiger | ... | Harold Ryan | |
| Susannah York | ... | Penelope Ryan | |
| George Grizzard | ... | Dr. Norbert Woodley | |
| Don Murray | ... | Herb Shuttle | |
| William Hickey | ... | Looseleaf Harper | |
| Steven Paul | ... | Paul Ryan | |
| Pamelyn Ferdin | ... | Wanda June | |
 |
Pamela Saunders | ... | Mildred Ryan |
|
|
Louis Turenne | ... | Major von Koningswald |
|
|
C.C. Whitney | ... | Mrs. Kestenbaum |
|
|
Lester Goldsmith | ... | Mr. Kestenbaum (as Lester M. Goldsmith) |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
A family reacts to the return of the patriarch who abandoned them seven years prior.
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
Edit
[kisses Harold]
Penelope Ryan: goodnight dear
[kisses Dr Woodley]
Penelope Ryan: . Stay or go; talk or sulk; laugh or cry - as you wish. Do whatever seems called for. My mind is gone. Good night.
[she closes and locks door]
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The original Broadway production of "Happy Birthday, Wanda June" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. opened at the Edison Theater on December 22, 1970, ran for 96 performances and closed on March 14, 1971. See more »Quotes
Penelope Ryan: Doctor Woodley, I would like you to meet Harold, my husband. Harold, I would like you to meet Doctor Woodley, my fiancé. Goodnight dear[kisses Harold]
Penelope Ryan: goodnight dear
[kisses Dr Woodley]
Penelope Ryan: . Stay or go; talk or sulk; laugh or cry - as you wish. Do whatever seems called for. My mind is gone. Good night.
[she closes and locks door]
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
9 December 1971 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.'s Happy Birthday, Wanda June See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1Looking for something to watch? Choose an adventure below and discover your next favorite movie or TV show.
This is one of my favourites, so I admit to being terrible biased about its merit. As a movie it's a bit clunky in places, but the cast is wonderful. For me the best of these is William Hickey. He often has the best lines in the fashion of the fool in Shakepeare. A drunken broken man whose one defining moment (in his friend's eyes anyway) he regrets totally. The movie is worth a look just for him. If you don't understand or enjoy Kurt Vonnegut's cynicism you won't enjoy this film. All of the "living" characters leave something to be desired, and there is little to inspire here. But it is funny in an ironic kind of way, and so indicative of humanity. The deceased characters (who all play shuffleboard in heaven on Jesus' team) are a hoot as well.