Pardon My Sarong
Encyclopedia
Plot
Tommy Layton a wealthy bachelor, rents a city bus and rides it from Chicago to Los Angeles. Once there he intends to participate in a yacht race to Hawaii. The drivers of the bus, Algy (Bud AbbottBud Abbott
William Alexander "Bud" Abbott was an American actor, producer and comedian. He is best remembered as the straight man of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Lou Costello.-Early life:...
) and Wellington (Lou Costello
Lou Costello
Louis Francis "Lou" Costello was an American actor and comedian best known as half of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Bud Abbott...
), are then chased by a detective (William Demarest
William Demarest
Carl William Demarest was an American character actor. He frequently played crusty but good-hearted roles.-Early life and career:...
) who was hired by the bus company. They escape capture by driving the bus off a fishing pier. Layton, who is on his yacht already, rescues them and hires them as his crew for the race. A competitor of his in the race, Joan Marshall (Virginia Bruce
Virginia Bruce
Virginia Bruce was an American actress and singer.-Career:Born Helen Virginia Briggs in Minneapolis, Minnesota, she went with her family to Los Angeles intending to enroll in the University of California when a friendly wager sent her seeking film work. She got it as an extra in Why Bring That...
) has fired his original crew without his knowledge. He enacts revenge by kidnapping her and taking her along on the race.
While on course to Hawaii, they encounter a hurricane and land on an uncharted island, which is also the home of Dr. Varnoff (Lionel Atwill
Lionel Atwill
Lionel Atwill was an English stage and film actor born in Croydon, London, England.He studied architecture before his stage debut at the Garrick Theatre, London in 1904. He become a star in Broadway theatre by 1918, and made his screen debut in 1919. He acted on the stage in Australia but was most...
), a mysterious scientist. The island natives mistake Wellington as a legendary hero and inform him that he must marry Princess Luana (Nan Wynn
Nan Wynn
Nan Wynn was an American big-band singer and actress from Wheeling, West Virginia.She recorded with well-known orchestras, including those of Teddy Wilson, Freddie Rich, Raymond Scott and Hal Kemp.-Films:...
). Meanwhile, Varnoff's plan is to cause the volcano to erupt in order to trick the tribe into giving them their sacred jewel. The natives send Wellington (and the jewel) to the volcano to defeat the evil spirit of the volcano. Varnoff chases him to the volcano, where they are defeated by Wellington and Algy.
Production
Pardon My Sarong was filmed at Mayfair Productions from March 2 through April 28, 1942. The film's original draft, dated July 19, 1941, was titled Road to Montezuma.The Ink Spots
The Ink Spots
The Ink Spots were a popular vocal group in the 1930s and 1940s that helped define the musical genre that led to rhythm and blues and rock and roll, and the subgenre doo-wop...
performed in this movie with tenor Deek Watson playing trumpet on the song Shout Brother Shout. The famous dance group "Tip, Tap, and Toe" danced during the night club scene. However, Maria Montez
María Montez
María Montez was a Dominican-born motion picture actress who gained fame and popularity in the 1940s as an exotic beauty starring in a series of filmed-in-Technicolor costume adventure films. Her screen image was that of a hot-blooded Latin seductress, dressed in fanciful costumes and sparkling...
's scenes were eventually cut from the film.
World premiere
The film premiered in Costello's hometown of Paterson, New JerseyPaterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
at a benefit for St. Anthony's Church.