Father Is a Bachelor
Encyclopedia
Father Is a Bachelor is a 1950
romantic comedy film
starring William Holden and Coleen Gray
.
employer and friend Professor Mordecai Ford (Charles Winninger
) is put in jail. He befriends a young girl named May Chalotte (Mary Jane Saunders). She, her brothers January (Gary Gray) and February (Billy Gray
), and her twin brothers March (Warren Farlow) and April (Wayne A. Farlow) are orphans. However, fearful of being separated, they haven't told anybody. Johnny finds himself being "adopted" as their uncle. Johnny starts working hard to support his new family, working on a farm during the week and singing and waiting tables on Sunday in a restaurant owned by Jericho Schlosser (Sig Ruman
).
Johnny makes the acquaintance of lovely heiress Prudence Millett (Coleen Gray) when she comes to inquire why the children are not in school. A romance begins to blossom, despite Johnny's determination to remain free of entanglements.
When wealthy, unloved Jeffrey Gilland Sr. (Frederic Tozere) orders Johnny to keep his disreputable children away from his son Jeffrey Jr. (Tommy Ivo
), Johnny scuffles with him and gets thrown in jail. He is bailed out by Prudence, but his troubles are not over. Plato Cassin (Clinton Sundberg
) finds out about the children's parents and blackmails Johnny into agreeing to marry one of his older, spinster sisters, Genevieve (Peggy Converse) or Adelaide (Lillian Bronson), in order to keep the kids. (Adelaide wins a ring toss game for the privilege.) Plato also convinces Prudence that Johnny was using the children to romance her.
After thinking it over, Johnny decides to run away with Professor Ford. May overhears and invites people to her birthday party, intending it to be a going-away party for Johnny. Prudence shows up, having seen how far Johnny is willing to go for the children, and suggests he marry her instead. Adelaide proves to be a sport; they toss a coin for Johnny. Prudence wins, and Professor Ford leaves town alone.
1950 in film
The year 1950 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 15 - Walt Disney Studios' animated film Cinderella debuts.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:*Ambush...
romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
starring William Holden and Coleen Gray
Coleen Gray
Coleen Gray is an American movie and television actress born in Staplehurst, Nebraska. She is known for her roles in the films Nightmare Alley , Red River , in which she played John Wayne's fiancée, and Stanley Kubrick's The Killing .-Early career:Born Doris Jensen, Gray was a farmer's daughter...
.
Plot
Carefree vagabond Johnny Rutledge (William Holden) is stuck in a small town when his medicine showMedicine show
Medicine shows were traveling horse and wagon teams which peddled "miracle cure" medications and other products between various entertainment acts. Their precise origins unknown, medicine shows were common in the 19th century United States...
employer and friend Professor Mordecai Ford (Charles Winninger
Charles Winninger
Charles Winninger was an American stage and film actor, most often cast in comedies or musicals, but equally at home in drama.-Biography:He began as a vaudeville actor...
) is put in jail. He befriends a young girl named May Chalotte (Mary Jane Saunders). She, her brothers January (Gary Gray) and February (Billy Gray
Billy Gray (actor)
William Thomas "Billy" Gray , is a former American actor known primarily for his role as James "Bud" Anderson, Jr., in 193 episodes of the NBC and CBS situation comedy, Father Knows Best, which aired between 1954 and 1960. Gray's fellow cast members were Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Elinor Donahue,...
), and her twin brothers March (Warren Farlow) and April (Wayne A. Farlow) are orphans. However, fearful of being separated, they haven't told anybody. Johnny finds himself being "adopted" as their uncle. Johnny starts working hard to support his new family, working on a farm during the week and singing and waiting tables on Sunday in a restaurant owned by Jericho Schlosser (Sig Ruman
Sig Ruman
Sig Ruman was a German-American actor known for his comic portrayals of pompous villains.-Life and career:...
).
Johnny makes the acquaintance of lovely heiress Prudence Millett (Coleen Gray) when she comes to inquire why the children are not in school. A romance begins to blossom, despite Johnny's determination to remain free of entanglements.
When wealthy, unloved Jeffrey Gilland Sr. (Frederic Tozere) orders Johnny to keep his disreputable children away from his son Jeffrey Jr. (Tommy Ivo
Tommy Ivo
Tommy Ivo , also known as "TV Tommy", is an actor and drag racer, who was active in the 1960s racing community. In the late 1950s, Ivo raced a twin Nailhead Buick engined dragster which was the first Gasoline Powered dragster to break the nine-second barrier. The car held the Drag News Standard...
), Johnny scuffles with him and gets thrown in jail. He is bailed out by Prudence, but his troubles are not over. Plato Cassin (Clinton Sundberg
Clinton Sundberg
Clinton Sundberg was a stage and film character actor.Sundberg was born in Appleton, Minnesota on December 7, with sources differing on his year of birth...
) finds out about the children's parents and blackmails Johnny into agreeing to marry one of his older, spinster sisters, Genevieve (Peggy Converse) or Adelaide (Lillian Bronson), in order to keep the kids. (Adelaide wins a ring toss game for the privilege.) Plato also convinces Prudence that Johnny was using the children to romance her.
After thinking it over, Johnny decides to run away with Professor Ford. May overhears and invites people to her birthday party, intending it to be a going-away party for Johnny. Prudence shows up, having seen how far Johnny is willing to go for the children, and suggests he marry her instead. Adelaide proves to be a sport; they toss a coin for Johnny. Prudence wins, and Professor Ford leaves town alone.
Cast
- William HoldenWilliam HoldenWilliam Holden was an American actor. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1954 and the Emmy Award for Best Actor in 1974...
as Johnny Rutledge - Coleen GrayColeen GrayColeen Gray is an American movie and television actress born in Staplehurst, Nebraska. She is known for her roles in the films Nightmare Alley , Red River , in which she played John Wayne's fiancée, and Stanley Kubrick's The Killing .-Early career:Born Doris Jensen, Gray was a farmer's daughter...
as Prudence Millett - Mary Jane Saunders as May Chalotte
- Charles WinningerCharles WinningerCharles Winninger was an American stage and film actor, most often cast in comedies or musicals, but equally at home in drama.-Biography:He began as a vaudeville actor...
as Professor Mordecai Ford - Stuart ErwinStuart ErwinStuart Erwin was an American actor. Erwin began acting in college in the 1920s, first appearing on the stage, then breaking into films in 1928 in Mother Knows Best...
as Pudge Barnham - Clinton SundbergClinton SundbergClinton Sundberg was a stage and film character actor.Sundberg was born in Appleton, Minnesota on December 7, with sources differing on his year of birth...
as Plato Cassin - Gary Gray as January Chalotte
- Sig RumanSig RumanSig Ruman was a German-American actor known for his comic portrayals of pompous villains.-Life and career:...
as Jericho Schlosser - Billy GrayBilly Gray (actor)William Thomas "Billy" Gray , is a former American actor known primarily for his role as James "Bud" Anderson, Jr., in 193 episodes of the NBC and CBS situation comedy, Father Knows Best, which aired between 1954 and 1960. Gray's fellow cast members were Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Elinor Donahue,...
as February Chalotte - Lloyd CorriganLloyd CorriganLloyd Corrigan was an American film actor, producer, screenwriter and director who began working in films in the 1920s...
as Judge Millett - Frederic Tozere as Jeffrey Gilland Sr.
- Peggy Converse as Genevieve Cassin
- Arthur Space as Lucius Staley
- Warren Farlow as March Chalotte
- Wayne A. Farlow as April Chalotte
- Lillian Bronson as Adelaide Cassin
- Buddy ClarkBuddy ClarkBuddy Clark was a popular American singer in the 1930s and 1940s.-Life and career:Clark was born Samuel Goldberg to Jewish parents in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He made his Big Band singing debut in 1934 with Benny Goodman on the Let's Dance radio program. In 1936 he started to perform on the...
– Uncredited singing voice for William Holden