Old Mother Riley's Circus
Encyclopedia
Old Mother Riley's Circus is a 1941 British
comedy film
directed by Thomas Bentley
and starring Arthur Lucan
, Kitty McShane
and John Longden
. Old Mother Riley
takes over a struggling circus
and makes a huge success of it.
Cinema of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has had a major influence on modern cinema. The first moving pictures developed on celluloid film were made in Hyde Park, London in 1889 by William Friese Greene, a British inventor, who patented the process in 1890. It is generally regarded that the British film industry...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Thomas Bentley
Thomas Bentley
Thomas Bentley was a British film director. He directed 68 films between 1912 and 1941. He directed three films in the early DeForest Phonofilm sound-on-film process, The Man in the Street , The Antidote , and Acci-Dental Treatment .Bentley was born in London and originally trained as an engineer,...
and starring Arthur Lucan
Arthur Lucan
Arthur Lucan was an English actor who gained fame as Old Mother Riley on stage, radio and also screen, with a series of comedy films between the late 1930s and early 1950s.-Biography:...
, Kitty McShane
Kitty McShane
Kathleen "Kitty" McShane is best known as the wife and acting partner of Arthur Lucan, with whom she appeared in a series of Old Mother Riley stage shows and films from the 1930s to the 1950s.-Early life:Catherine McShane was the fourth of seventeen children born to Daniel and Kate McShane, of...
and John Longden
John Longden
John Longden was a West Indian-born English film actor. He appeared in 84 films between 1926 and 1964, including five films directed by Alfred Hitchcock.-Biography:...
. Old Mother Riley
Old Mother Riley
Old Mother Riley was a music hall act which originally ran from about 1934 to 1954 played by Arthur Lucan, then from 1954 to 1977 by Roy Rolland....
takes over a struggling circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
and makes a huge success of it.
Cast
- Arthur LucanArthur LucanArthur Lucan was an English actor who gained fame as Old Mother Riley on stage, radio and also screen, with a series of comedy films between the late 1930s and early 1950s.-Biography:...
– Mrs. Riley - Kitty McShaneKitty McShaneKathleen "Kitty" McShane is best known as the wife and acting partner of Arthur Lucan, with whom she appeared in a series of Old Mother Riley stage shows and films from the 1930s to the 1950s.-Early life:Catherine McShane was the fourth of seventeen children born to Daniel and Kate McShane, of...
– Kitty Riley - John LongdenJohn LongdenJohn Longden was a West Indian-born English film actor. He appeared in 84 films between 1926 and 1964, including five films directed by Alfred Hitchcock.-Biography:...
– Bill - Edgar DriverEdgar Driver-Selected filmography:* Say It With Flowers * The Admiral's Secret * Designing Women * Stepping Toes * Sunset in Vienna * The Agitator * The Grand Escapade * Private's Progress...
– Bobo the Clown - Beckett BouldBeckett Bould-Selected filmography:* Holiday's End * South Riding * Old Mother Riley's Circus * The Day Will Dawn * Anna Karenina * Portrait of Clare * Pool of London * What Every Woman Wants...
– Davis - Roy EmertonRoy EmertonRoy Emerton was a British film actor.He was a sailor, cowboy, stoker, stevedore, railroader, miner, etc and served in World War I. He played in a great number of popular London stage shows, including Shakespeare as well as film work....
– Santley, circus owner - O. B. Clarence – Lawyer
- Syd CrossleySyd CrossleySyd Crossley was an English film actor. He appeared in 114 films between 1925 and 1942.He was born in London, England and died in Troon, Scotland...
– The Bailiff - Hector AbbasHector Abbas-Selected filmography:* A Prince of Lovers * The Wandering Jew * School for Scandal * Madame Guillotine * A Gentleman of Paris * Rembrandt * The Man Who Made Diamonds...
– Wizista, the hypnotist - W. T. Holland – Character
- John TurnbullJohn TurnbullJohn Turnbull is an English pop and rock guitarist and singer.He has played in bands such as Skip Bifferty, The Chosen Few, Arc, Loving Awareness, Glencoe, Nick Lowe, Dave Stewart and the Spiritual Cowboys, Eurythmics, Talk Talk, Londonbeat, Paul Young, Bob Geldof, World Party, Kaos Band and Ian...
– Cinema Manager - Iris Vandeleur – Landlady
- Nora GordonNora GordonNora Gordon was a British film and television actress.-Selected filmography:* Old Mother Riley's Circus * Danny Boy * Journey Ahead * Blackmailed...
– 1st Charwoman - Ben WilliamsBen WilliamsBenjamin Philip "Ben" Williams is an English Footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for Colchester United. He started his career as a Manchester United trainee, where he made a few pre-season appearances and was on the bench for a couple of games during Fabian Barthez injuries...
– Lucky - Jennie Gregson – 2nd Charwoman