Father was a Fullback
Encyclopedia
Father was a Fullback is a 1949 black-and-white
Twentieth Century Fox film based on a comedy by Clifford Goldsmith. The film is about a college American football
coach and his woes. The film stars Fred MacMurray
, Maureen O'Hara
, Natalie Wood
, and Betty Lynn
.
) has more than enough problems on the job without his teenage daughter Connie (Betty Lynn
) complicating his life at home. She is convinced she's unattractive to the opposite sex and wallows in self pity. Resigning herself to a loveless existence, she decides to make literature her life. When a fictional article she pens about a teenage bubble dancer appears in a confessions magazine, the boys come calling. The young author dates a high school football star from across town who chooses to attend State College (rather than Notre Dame) to be near his new found sweetheart. George's gridiron and domestic problems are solved.
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
Twentieth Century Fox film based on a comedy by Clifford Goldsmith. The film is about a college American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and his woes. The film stars Fred MacMurray
Fred MacMurray
Frederick Martin "Fred" MacMurray was an American actor who appeared in more than 100 movies and a successful television series during a career that spanned nearly a half-century, from 1930 to the 1970s....
, Maureen O'Hara
Maureen O'Hara
Maureen O'Hara is an Irish film actress and singer. The famously red-headed O'Hara has been noted for playing fiercely passionate heroines with a highly sensible attitude. She often worked with director John Ford and longtime friend John Wayne...
, Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood, born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko was an American film and television actress. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old.Wood began acting in movies at the...
, and Betty Lynn
Betty Lynn
Betty Lynn is an American actress. She is best known for playing Thelma Lou in The Andy Griffith Show.-Career:...
.
Plot summary
State College football coach George Cooper (Fred MacMurrayFred MacMurray
Frederick Martin "Fred" MacMurray was an American actor who appeared in more than 100 movies and a successful television series during a career that spanned nearly a half-century, from 1930 to the 1970s....
) has more than enough problems on the job without his teenage daughter Connie (Betty Lynn
Betty Lynn
Betty Lynn is an American actress. She is best known for playing Thelma Lou in The Andy Griffith Show.-Career:...
) complicating his life at home. She is convinced she's unattractive to the opposite sex and wallows in self pity. Resigning herself to a loveless existence, she decides to make literature her life. When a fictional article she pens about a teenage bubble dancer appears in a confessions magazine, the boys come calling. The young author dates a high school football star from across town who chooses to attend State College (rather than Notre Dame) to be near his new found sweetheart. George's gridiron and domestic problems are solved.
Principals
- Fred MacMurrayFred MacMurrayFrederick Martin "Fred" MacMurray was an American actor who appeared in more than 100 movies and a successful television series during a career that spanned nearly a half-century, from 1930 to the 1970s....
as George 'Coop' Cooper, a college football coach - Maureen O'HaraMaureen O'HaraMaureen O'Hara is an Irish film actress and singer. The famously red-headed O'Hara has been noted for playing fiercely passionate heroines with a highly sensible attitude. She often worked with director John Ford and longtime friend John Wayne...
as Elizabeth Cooper, his wife - Betty LynnBetty LynnBetty Lynn is an American actress. She is best known for playing Thelma Lou in The Andy Griffith Show.-Career:...
as Constance 'Connie' Cooper, his oldest daughter - Natalie WoodNatalie WoodNatalie Wood, born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko was an American film and television actress. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old.Wood began acting in movies at the...
as Ellen Cooper, his youngest daughter - Thelma RitterThelma RitterThelma Ritter was an American supporting and character actress from the 1940s until her death in 1969.-Early life:...
as Geraldine, his housekeeper - Jim BackusJim BackusJames Gilmore "Jim" Backus was a radio, television, film, and voice actor. Among his most famous roles are the voice of Mr...
as Professor 'Sully' Sullivan, his neighbor (performing under the name, James G. Backus) - Rudy ValleeRudy ValléeRudy Vallée was an American singer, actor, bandleader, and entertainer.-Early life:Born Hubert Prior Vallée in Island Pond, Vermont, the son of Charles Alphonse and Catherine Lynch Vallée...
as Mr. Roger 'Jess' Jessup, a football supporter
Supporting players
- Robert Adler as Grandstand Bit Part (uncredited)
- Don Barclay as Grandstand 'Coach' (uncredited)
- Gilbert Barnett as Stinky Parker (uncredited)
- Rodney Bell as Grandstand 'Coach' (uncredited)
- Tom Bernard as Delivery Boy (uncredited)
- Harry Carter as Grandstand Bit Part (uncredited)
- Ruth Clifford as Neighbor (uncredited)
- Heinie Conklin as Ed (uncredited)
- Fred Dale as Cheerleader (uncredited)
- Gwenn Fields as Daphne Sullivan (uncredited)
- Bess Flowers as Football Fan (uncredited)
- Charles Flynn as Policeman (uncredited)
- Tom Hanlon as Radio Announcer (uncredited)
- Sam Harris as Alumnus at Dinner (uncredited)
- Joe Haworth as Skip, Reporter in Locker Room (uncredited)
- Don Hicks as Bill (uncredited)
- Pat Kane as Bellhop (uncredited)
- Kenner G. Kemp as Alumnus at Dinner (uncredited)
- Louise Lorimer as Mrs. Jones (uncredited)
- Lee MacGregor as Cheerleader (uncredited)
- Mike Mahoney as Pete, the Sailor (uncredited)
- Buddy Martin as Cheerleader (uncredited)
- Mickey McCardle as Jones (uncredited)
- John McKee as Cy (uncredited)
- Frank Mills as Assistant Football Coach (uncredited)
- Forbes Murray as Mr. Higgins, College President (uncredited)
- Robert Patten as Manager (uncredited)
- Bill Radovich as Football Player (uncredited)
- William Self as Willie Davis (uncredited)
- Richard Tyler as Hercules Smith aka Joe Birch (uncredited)
- Wilson Wood as Grandstand 'Coach' (uncredited)
Behind the scenes
- Father was a Fullback marked the second time child actorChild actorThe term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...
Natalie WoodNatalie WoodNatalie Wood, born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko was an American film and television actress. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old.Wood began acting in movies at the...
was cast as Maureen O'HaraMaureen O'HaraMaureen O'Hara is an Irish film actress and singer. The famously red-headed O'Hara has been noted for playing fiercely passionate heroines with a highly sensible attitude. She often worked with director John Ford and longtime friend John Wayne...
's daughter on film. The first time was in Miracle on 34th StreetMiracle on 34th StreetMiracle on 34th Street is a 1947 Christmas film written by George Seaton from a story by Valentine Davies, directed by George Seaton and starring Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood and Edmund Gwenn...
. A month after the film was released Wood received the Child of the Year Award in celebration of Children's DayChildren's Day"Children Day", as an event, is celebrated on various days in many places around the world, in particular to honor children. Major global variants include a Universal Children's Day on November 20, by United Nations recommendation...
.
- Actress Betty LynnBetty LynnBetty Lynn is an American actress. She is best known for playing Thelma Lou in The Andy Griffith Show.-Career:...
would achieve immortality almost ten years after making Father was a Fullback as Thelma Lou, Barney FifeBarney FifeBernard "Barney" Fife is a fictional character in the American television program The Andy Griffith Show, portrayed by comic actor Don Knotts. Barney Fife is a deputy sheriff in the slow paced, sleepy southern community of Mayberry, North Carolina...
's girlfriend in The Andy Griffith ShowThe Andy Griffith ShowThe Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised by CBS between October 3, 1960, and April 1, 1968. Andy Griffith portrays a widowed sheriff in the fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina...
(1960–1968). Lynn made 26 appearances on the series.