The Egg and I (film)
Encyclopedia
The Egg and I is a 1947 film directed by Chester Erskine
, who co-wrote screenplay with Fred F. Finklehoffe
, based on the book
by Betty MacDonald
.
This comedy was such a hit with audiences, it spawned the Ma and Pa Kettle
film series. On May 5, 1947 Claudette Colbert
and Fred MacMurray
starred in radio version of this film that was broadcast on the Lux Radio Theatre.
Marjorie Main was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
As noted above, the Hesketts were on the chicken ranch from 1927 to 1931. The movie takes place in the (then) present day - 1947.
Chester Erskine
Chester Erskine was a Hollywood and Broadway director, writer, and producer.He was born in Hudson, New York and studied for a short time at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. His first directing job was Harlem an 1929 all-black revue. He also directed Spencer Tracy in the play The Last Mile in...
, who co-wrote screenplay with Fred F. Finklehoffe
Fred F. Finklehoffe
Fred Franklin Finklehoffe was an American film writer and producer. He was educated at Virginia Military Institute where he met his writing partner John Cherry Monks, Jr...
, based on the book
The Egg and I
The Egg and I, first published in 1945, is a humorous memoir by American author Betty MacDonald about her adventures and travels as a young wife on a chicken farm on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state...
by Betty MacDonald
Betty MacDonald
Betty MacDonald was an American author who specialized in humorous autobiographical tales, and is best known for her book The Egg and I. She also wrote the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series of children's books...
.
This comedy was such a hit with audiences, it spawned the Ma and Pa Kettle
Ma and Pa Kettle
Ma and Pa Kettle are comic film characters of the successful film series of the same name, produced by Universal Studios, in the late '40s and '50s. They are a hillbilly couple with fifteen children whose lives turn upside-down when they win a model-home-of-the-future in a slogan-writing contest...
film series. On May 5, 1947 Claudette Colbert
Claudette Colbert
Claudette Colbert was a French-born American-based actress of stage and film.Born in Paris, France and raised in New York City, Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the 1920s, progressing to film with the advent of talking pictures...
and Fred MacMurray
Fred MacMurray
Frederick Martin "Fred" MacMurray was an American actor who appeared in more than 100 movies and a successful television series during a career that spanned nearly a half-century, from 1930 to the 1970s....
starred in radio version of this film that was broadcast on the Lux Radio Theatre.
Marjorie Main was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
Synopsis
It tells the story of young married couple who become chicken farmers. Betty has been raised to follow her husband's dreams with him, and Bob's dream is to be a successful chicken farmer. The problem is their home is old and needs to be repaired and the baby chicks need constant care. When a rich single woman with a new house and new farm equipment flirts with Bob, Betty questions their decision to move to the farm in the first place.Deviations from the book
While the book is anecdotal, liberties were taken with the stories that MacDonald wrote about. During her years on the chicken ranch, MacDonald was married to Robert Heskett, whom she divorced in 1931. In the book, MacDonald's husband was simply referred to as "Bob". For the movie, studio executives decided that the character would be named "Bob MacDonald" to avoid the specter of Betty MacDonald's divorce, and tie better into the public's perception of the author.As noted above, the Hesketts were on the chicken ranch from 1927 to 1931. The movie takes place in the (then) present day - 1947.
Cast
- Claudette ColbertClaudette ColbertClaudette Colbert was a French-born American-based actress of stage and film.Born in Paris, France and raised in New York City, Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the 1920s, progressing to film with the advent of talking pictures...
as Betty MacDonaldBetty MacDonaldBetty MacDonald was an American author who specialized in humorous autobiographical tales, and is best known for her book The Egg and I. She also wrote the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series of children's books... - Fred MacMurrayFred MacMurrayFrederick Martin "Fred" MacMurray was an American actor who appeared in more than 100 movies and a successful television series during a career that spanned nearly a half-century, from 1930 to the 1970s....
as Bob MacDonald - Marjorie MainMarjorie MainMarjorie Main was an American character actress, mainly at MGM, perhaps best known for her role as Ma Kettle in a series of ten Ma and Pa Kettle movies.-Early life and career:...
as Ma Kettle - Louise Allbritton as Harriet Putnam
- Percy KilbridePercy KilbridePercy W. Kilbride was an American character actor. The son of Irish immigrants, he made a career of playing country hicks, most memorably as Pa Kettle in the Ma and Pa Kettle series of feature films.-Career:...
as Pa Kettle - Richard LongRichard Long (actor)Richard Long was an American actor better known for his leading roles in several ABC television series, including The Big Valley, Nanny and the Professor and Bourbon Street Beat.-Early life:...
as Tom Kettle - Billy HouseBilly HouseBilly House was an US vaudevillian, Broadway performer and feature film actor. After devoting most of his career to live performance, he moved to Hollywood where he became a supporting actor during the 1940s and 1950s...
as Billy Reed - Ida Moore as Emily (the old lady)
- Donald MacBrideDonald MacBrideDonald MacBride was an American character actor on stage, in films and on TV who launched his career as a teenage singer in vaudeville and went on to be an actor on Broadway. He appeared in nearly 140 films between 1914 and 1955...
as Mr. Henty - Samuel S. HindsSamuel S. HindsSamuel Southey Hinds was an American actor who is perhaps best remembered for playing Peter Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life and for his part in You Can't Take It With You , both films by Frank Capra...
as Sheriff - Esther DaleEsther DaleEsther Dale was an American actress, best known perhaps for her role as Aunt Genevieve in the 1935 Shirley Temple vehicle, Curly Top....
as Birdie Hicks - Elisabeth RisdonElisabeth RisdonElisabeth Risdon was an English film actress. She appeared in over 140 films between 1913 and 1952. An attractive beauty in her youth she usually played in society parts...
as Betty's Mother - John Berkes as Geoduck
- Victor PotelVictor PotelVictor Potel was an American film character actor who began in the silent era and appeared in over 430 films in his 38 year career.-Career:...
as Crowbar - Fuzzy KnightFuzzy KnightJohn Forrest "Fuzzy" Knight was an American film and television actor. He appeared in over 180 films between 1929 and 1967, usually as a cowboy hero's sidekick.-Biography:...
as Cab Driver - Isabel O'Madigan as Mrs. Hicks' Mother
- Dorothy Vaughan as Maid
- Banjo the Dog as Sport
Production crew
- Production Design .... Bernard Herzbrun
- Set Decoration .... Oliver Emert / Russell A. Gausman
- Hair Stylist .... Carmen Dirigo
- Makeup Artist .... Jack P. Pierce
- Assistant Director .... Frank Shaw
- Second Unit Director .... Jack Hively (uncredited)
- Sound Technician .... Glenn E. Anderson
- Sound .... Charles Felstead
- Orchestrator .... David TamkinDavid TamkinDavid Tamkin was an American composer of Jewish descent. He devoted much of his professional career as an arranger, composer [uncredited] and orchestrator of film scores for Hollywood movies. He worked on more than 50 films between 1939 and 1970.-Biography:Tamkin was born in Chernihiv, Ukraine...
- Composer: Stock Music .... Sam Perry (uncredited)