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Life With Father (1947)
Cindy and Marty talk about the early family comedy about a arrogant but loving father, Life With Father.
From Broadway to the Screen The original play opened November 8, 1939, and ran 3,224 performances — the longest non-musical run in Broadway history, a record it still holds. Warner Bros. paid $500,000 plus 50% of profits for the film rights, a record sum for a stage property at the time. The playwright, his co-author, and Clarence Day's widow all had veto power over every aspect of the production — not a word of dialogue could be cut without their approval.
The Red Hair Problem Because all the Day men were redheads, the entire principal male cast had their hair dyed on a Sunday morning. Midway through the process, the water for the entire block was shut off for street repairs — leaving the actors at risk of losing their hair to the potent dyes of the era. A crew member saved the day by suggesting they dilute the dye with cold cream.
The Cast Irene Dunne hated the role of Vinnie, calling her too "rattle-brained." Director Curtiz had to plead repeatedly before she agreed. If she had refused, Mary Pickford — retired for 13 years — had already done screen tests and seen the part as her comeback vehicle. Both Shirley Temple and Ann E. Todd tested for the role that went to 15-year-old Elizabeth Taylor, on loan from MGM.
William Powell This was Powell's third and final Oscar nomination for Best Actor. He lost to Ronald Colman — his close friend in real life — for A Double Life, and by all accounts took the loss graciously.
Supporting Standouts Edmund Gwenn, playing the long-suffering Reverend Dr. Lloyd, had just won the Supporting Actor Oscar for Miracle on 34th Street — also released in 1947. Martin Milner, playing son John Day, was the only natural redhead in the cast; he later starred in Adam-12 and Route 66.
The Public Domain Misfortune Due to a clerical error, the film's copyright was never properly renewed, and it fell into the public domain in 1975. This led to decades of inferior releases from degraded prints — a poor fate for a beautifully photographed Technicolor film. Despite this, it holds a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
One Last Fact Clarence Day Jr., who died in 1935, never knew his family memoir would become the longest-running non-musical play in Broadway history, a major Hollywood film, and a network television series.
Email: [email protected]
Website: ThePorTalk.Net
YouTube.com/@FadeToChat
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By Marty JenciusCindy and Marty talk about the early family comedy about a arrogant but loving father, Life With Father.
From Broadway to the Screen The original play opened November 8, 1939, and ran 3,224 performances — the longest non-musical run in Broadway history, a record it still holds. Warner Bros. paid $500,000 plus 50% of profits for the film rights, a record sum for a stage property at the time. The playwright, his co-author, and Clarence Day's widow all had veto power over every aspect of the production — not a word of dialogue could be cut without their approval.
The Red Hair Problem Because all the Day men were redheads, the entire principal male cast had their hair dyed on a Sunday morning. Midway through the process, the water for the entire block was shut off for street repairs — leaving the actors at risk of losing their hair to the potent dyes of the era. A crew member saved the day by suggesting they dilute the dye with cold cream.
The Cast Irene Dunne hated the role of Vinnie, calling her too "rattle-brained." Director Curtiz had to plead repeatedly before she agreed. If she had refused, Mary Pickford — retired for 13 years — had already done screen tests and seen the part as her comeback vehicle. Both Shirley Temple and Ann E. Todd tested for the role that went to 15-year-old Elizabeth Taylor, on loan from MGM.
William Powell This was Powell's third and final Oscar nomination for Best Actor. He lost to Ronald Colman — his close friend in real life — for A Double Life, and by all accounts took the loss graciously.
Supporting Standouts Edmund Gwenn, playing the long-suffering Reverend Dr. Lloyd, had just won the Supporting Actor Oscar for Miracle on 34th Street — also released in 1947. Martin Milner, playing son John Day, was the only natural redhead in the cast; he later starred in Adam-12 and Route 66.
The Public Domain Misfortune Due to a clerical error, the film's copyright was never properly renewed, and it fell into the public domain in 1975. This led to decades of inferior releases from degraded prints — a poor fate for a beautifully photographed Technicolor film. Despite this, it holds a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
One Last Fact Clarence Day Jr., who died in 1935, never knew his family memoir would become the longest-running non-musical play in Broadway history, a major Hollywood film, and a network television series.
Email: [email protected]
Website: ThePorTalk.Net
YouTube.com/@FadeToChat