Daddy Long Legs (1931 film)
Encyclopedia
Daddy Long Legs is a film about an orphan who is taken under the wing of a wealthy benefactor. The original story, written in 1912 by Jean Webster
, took in the social aspects of the wealthy compared with the upbringing optained in an orphanage. Though suffering under a tough matron, Judy Abbott (Janet Gaynor
) manages to adapt to her environment through intelligence and hard work. Wealthy Jervis Pendleton (Warner Baxter
), who is the benefactor, finds that he can't help admiring his young charge, even though he can't let her know who he really is. A relationship develops between the two through Jervis' niece, who is Judy's room mate.
Jean Webster
Jean Webster was an American writer and author of many books including Daddy-Long-Legs and Dear Enemy...
, took in the social aspects of the wealthy compared with the upbringing optained in an orphanage. Though suffering under a tough matron, Judy Abbott (Janet Gaynor
Janet Gaynor
Janet Gaynor was an American actress and painter.One of the most popular actresses of the silent film era, in 1928 Gaynor became the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performances in three films: Seventh Heaven , Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans and Street Angel...
) manages to adapt to her environment through intelligence and hard work. Wealthy Jervis Pendleton (Warner Baxter
Warner Baxter
Warner Leroy Baxter was an American actor, known for his role as The Cisco Kid in In Old Arizona , for which he won the second Academy Award for Best Actor in the 1928–1929 Academy Awards. Warner Baxter started his movie career in silent movies...
), who is the benefactor, finds that he can't help admiring his young charge, even though he can't let her know who he really is. A relationship develops between the two through Jervis' niece, who is Judy's room mate.
Cast
- Janet GaynorJanet GaynorJanet Gaynor was an American actress and painter.One of the most popular actresses of the silent film era, in 1928 Gaynor became the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performances in three films: Seventh Heaven , Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans and Street Angel...
... Judy Abbott - Warner BaxterWarner BaxterWarner Leroy Baxter was an American actor, known for his role as The Cisco Kid in In Old Arizona , for which he won the second Academy Award for Best Actor in the 1928–1929 Academy Awards. Warner Baxter started his movie career in silent movies...
... Jervis Pendleton - 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...
... Sally McBride - John ArledgeJohn ArledgeJohn Arledge was an American film and stage actor. He played dozens of supporting roles in the Hollywood movies of the 1930s–1940s, including The Grapes of Wrath.-Filmography:...
... Jimmy McBride - Claude GillingwaterClaude GillingwaterClaude Benton Gillingwater was an American stage and screen actor. He first appeared on the stage then in 92 films between 1918 and 1939....
... Riggs (as Claude Gillingwater Sr.) - Effie Ellsler ... Mrs. Semple
- Kendall McComas ... Freddie Perkins
- Kathlyn WilliamsKathlyn WilliamsKathlyn Williams was an American actress, known for her blonde beauty and daring antics, who performed on stage as well as in early silent film.-Early life and career:...
... Mrs. Pendleton - Elizabeth PattersonElizabeth PattersonElizabeth Patterson is the name of:* Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte , sister-in-law of Emperor Napoleon I of France* Liz J. Patterson , U.S...
... Mrs. Lippett (matron) - Louise Closser HaleLouise Closser HaleLouise Closser Hale was an American actress, playwright and novelist.Louise Closser was born either in Springfield, Massachusetts or Chicago, Illinois . Her father was Joseph A. Closser, a wealthy grain dealer and her mother was Louise M. Closser...
... Miss Pritchard - Sheila BromleySheila BromleySheila Bromley, sometimes billed as Sheila LeGay, Sheila Manners, Sheila Mannors or Sheila Manors was an American television and film actress...
... Gloria (as Sheila Mannors) - Billy BartyBilly BartyBilly Barty was an American film actor.-Biography:Barty, an Italian American, was born William John Bertanzetti in Millsboro, Pennsylvania...
... Orphan (uncredited) - Edith FellowsEdith FellowsEdith Marilyn Fellows was an American actress who began her professional career at age 6.-Personal life:When she was a year old, she and her father and grandmother moved to Charlotte, North Carolina...
... Orphan (uncredited) - Clarence GeldartClarence GeldartClarence Geldart , was an American film actor. He appeared in 127 films between 1915 and 1936.He was born in New Brunswick, Canada and died in Calabasas, California.-Selected filmography:* The Squaw Man...
... Minister at Commencement (uncredited) - Edwin MaxwellEdwin MaxwellEdwin Maxwell was an Irish character actor in Hollywood movies of the 1930s and 1940s, frequently cast as shady businessmen and shysters, though often ones with a dignified bearing....
... Wykoff (uncredited) - Steve PendletonSteve PendletonSteve Pendleton was an American film actor. He appeared in over 150 films between 1923 and 1960. He died in Pasadena, California, aged 76.-Selected filmography:* Manslaughter * Seas Beneath...
... Sally's Beau (uncredited) - Martha Lee Sparks ... Katie (uncredited)
See also
Other versions of the Jean Webster novel:- Daddy-Long-Legs (1919 film)Daddy-Long-Legs (1919 film)Daddy-Long-Legs is a 1919 silent comedy-drama film directed by Marshall Neilan, and based on Jean Webster's novel of the same name. The film stars Mary Pickford.-Plot:A police officer finds a baby in a trash can, and Mrs...
, with Mary PickfordMary PickfordMary Pickford was a Canadian-born motion picture actress, co-founder of the film studio United Artists and one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences... - Curly Top (film), 1935 film with Shirley TempleShirley TempleShirley Temple Black , born Shirley Jane Temple, is an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia...
based on the novel - Daddy Long Legs (1938 film)Daddy Long Legs (1938 film)Daddy Long Legs or Vadertje Langbeen is a 1938 Dutch romantic comedy film directed by Frederic Zelnik, based on Jean Webster's novel of the same name - one of several adaptations of that book .-Cast:...
, Dutch film - Daddy Long Legs (1955 film), with Leslie CaronLeslie CaronLeslie Claire Margaret Caron is a French film actress and dancer, who appeared in 45 films between 1951 and 2003. In 2006, her performance in Law and Order: Special Victims Unit won her an Emmy for guest actress in a drama series...
- My Daddy Long LegsMy Daddy Long Legsis a 1990 Japanese anime television series based on the novel Daddy-Long-Legs written by Jean Webster. The show was part of the container World Masterpiece Theater produced by Nippon Animation studios and was awarded the Excellent Movie Award for Television by the Japanese Agency of Cultural...
(1990) Japanese animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
TV series - Daddy-Long-Legs (2005 film), Korean film