The Great Gildersleeve is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. Based on the popular NBC radio series The Great Gildersleeve created by Leonard L. Levinson, which ran from 1941 to 1950, this is the first of four films in the Gildersleeve series produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures. The screenplay was written by Jack Townley and Julien Josephson, and the film stars Harold Peary and Jane Darwell. Other films in the series are Gildersleeve's Bad Day (1943), Gildersleeve on Broadway (1943) and Gildersleeve's Ghost (1944).
Contents
Plot summary
Throckmorton P Gildersleeve is amorously pursued by the sister of his rival in town, Judge Horace Hooker. Also, Gildersleeve's niece and nephew concoct a campaign to make him the most popular man in town so the judge won't force the kids to become wards of the court if Gildersleeve doesn't get married and provide the children with a mother.
Cast
Harold Peary as Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve
Jane Darwell as Aunt Emma Forrester
Nancy Gates as Marjorie Forrester
Charles Arnt as Judge Horace Hooker
Freddie Mercer as Leroy Forrester
Thurston Hall as Governor John Stafford
Lillian Randolph as Birdie Lee Calkins
Mary Field as Amelia Hooker
George Carleton as Frank Powers
George Chandler as Messenger Boy