The Good Old Soak
Encyclopedia
The Good Old Soak is a 1937
drama film
directed by J. Walter Ruben
, with a screenplay by A. E. Thomas based upon the stage play of the same name by Don Marquis
. The film stars Wallace Beery
with a supporting cast of Una Merkel
, Eric Linden
, Betty Furness
, and Ted Healy
.
According to E.J. Fleming's book The Fixers about MGM's legendary "fixers" Eddie Mannix
and Howard Strickling, Wallace Beery
, gangster Pasquale "Pat" DiCicco, and Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli
allegedly beat comedian Ted Healy
, organizer and original leader of the Three Stooges
(originally known as "Ted Healy and His Stooges") to death in a brawl the year after the film's release. Beery was sent to Europe for four months by the studio, while a story accusing three college students of Healy's death was concocted to appease the public. A superb pencil drawing of Beery, drawn on a film set by Healy, survives.
1937 in film
The year 1937 in film involved some significant events, including the Walt Disney production of the first full-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.- Events :*April 16 - Way Out West premieres in the US....
drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by J. Walter Ruben
J. Walter Ruben
Jacob Walter Ruben was an American screenwriter, film director and producer. He wrote for 35 films between 1926 and 1942...
, with a screenplay by A. E. Thomas based upon the stage play of the same name by Don Marquis
Don Marquis
Donald Robert Perry Marquis was a humorist, journalist, and author. He was variously a novelist, poet, newspaper columnist, and playwright. He is remembered best for creating the characters "Archy" and "Mehitabel", supposed authors of humorous verse.-Life:...
. The film stars Wallace Beery
Wallace Beery
Wallace Fitzgerald Beery was an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in Min and Bill opposite Marie Dressler, as Long John Silver in Treasure Island, as Pancho Villa in Viva Villa!, and his titular role in The Champ, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
with a supporting cast of Una Merkel
Una Merkel
Una Merkel was an American Tony Award-winning stage and film actress.-Life and career:Una Merkel was born in Covington, Kentucky, and grew up in Philadelphia and New York City. She bore a resemblance to actress Lillian Gish and began her career as a stand-in for Gish, most notably in the 1928...
, Eric Linden
Eric Linden
Eric Linden was an American actor. He began his film career in 1931, appearing in over 30 movies, including a minor role in Gone with the Wind.-Biography:...
, Betty Furness
Betty Furness
Elizabeth Mary Furness was an American actress, consumer advocate and current affairs commentator.-Early years:...
, and Ted Healy
Ted Healy
Ted Healy was an American vaudeville performer, comedian, and actor. He is chiefly remembered today as the original creator of the Three Stooges, but had a successful stage and film career of his own.- Early life :...
.
According to E.J. Fleming's book The Fixers about MGM's legendary "fixers" Eddie Mannix
Eddie Mannix
Edgar Joseph "Eddie" Mannix was an American film studio executive....
and Howard Strickling, Wallace Beery
Wallace Beery
Wallace Fitzgerald Beery was an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in Min and Bill opposite Marie Dressler, as Long John Silver in Treasure Island, as Pancho Villa in Viva Villa!, and his titular role in The Champ, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
, gangster Pasquale "Pat" DiCicco, and Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli
Albert R. Broccoli
Albert Romolo Broccoli, CBE , nicknamed "Cubby", was an American film producer, who made more than 40 motion pictures throughout his career, most of them in the United Kingdom, and often filmed at Pinewood Studios. Co-founder of Danjaq, LLC and EON Productions, Broccoli is most notable as the...
allegedly beat comedian Ted Healy
Ted Healy
Ted Healy was an American vaudeville performer, comedian, and actor. He is chiefly remembered today as the original creator of the Three Stooges, but had a successful stage and film career of his own.- Early life :...
, organizer and original leader of the Three Stooges
Three Stooges
The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe,...
(originally known as "Ted Healy and His Stooges") to death in a brawl the year after the film's release. Beery was sent to Europe for four months by the studio, while a story accusing three college students of Healy's death was concocted to appease the public. A superb pencil drawing of Beery, drawn on a film set by Healy, survives.
Cast
- Wallace BeeryWallace BeeryWallace Fitzgerald Beery was an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in Min and Bill opposite Marie Dressler, as Long John Silver in Treasure Island, as Pancho Villa in Viva Villa!, and his titular role in The Champ, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
as Clem Hawley - Una MerkelUna MerkelUna Merkel was an American Tony Award-winning stage and film actress.-Life and career:Una Merkel was born in Covington, Kentucky, and grew up in Philadelphia and New York City. She bore a resemblance to actress Lillian Gish and began her career as a stand-in for Gish, most notably in the 1928...
as Nellie - Eric LindenEric LindenEric Linden was an American actor. He began his film career in 1931, appearing in over 30 movies, including a minor role in Gone with the Wind.-Biography:...
as Clemmie Hawley - Judith BarrettJudith BarrettJudith Barrett , also known as Nancy Dover, was an American film actress of the late 1920s and through the 1930s, up until 1940....
as Ina Heath - Betty FurnessBetty FurnessElizabeth Mary Furness was an American actress, consumer advocate and current affairs commentator.-Early years:...
as Lucy Hawley - Ted HealyTed HealyTed Healy was an American vaudeville performer, comedian, and actor. He is chiefly remembered today as the original creator of the Three Stooges, but had a successful stage and film career of his own.- Early life :...
as Al Simmons - Janet BeecherJanet BeecherJanet Beecher born Janet Meyersburg was a stage and screen actress. Was a supporting player and lead on the Broadway stage. A near beauty, she later moved into motion pictures in the 1930s as a character actress. Her sister was actress Olive Wyndham. She was married twice first to Harry R....
as Matilda Hawley - George SidneyGeorge SidneyGeorge Sidney was an American film director and film producer who worked primarily at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.-Career:...
as Kennedy - Robert McWadeRobert McWadeRobert McWade , was an American stage and film actor. From 1903-1927, he appeared in at least 38 Broadway productions, his last being The Devil In The Cheese, with Bela Lugosi and Fredric March...
as Webster Parsons - James Bush as Tom Ogden
- Margaret HamiltonMargaret HamiltonMargaret Hamilton was an American film actress known for her portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz...
as Minnie