Charlie McCarthy, Detective

1939 comedy film

December 22, 1939 (1939-12-22)

Running time

75 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudgetover $363,000.^[1]

Charlie McCarthy, Detective is a 1939 American comedy film starring Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy and Robert Cummings.^[2]

Plot

Scotty Hamilton is a reporter who works for a crooked editor. Bill Banning is another reporter who is about to expose the editor's ties to the mob. When the editor is killed, both reporter Banning and mobster Tony Garcia are suspected. However, Hamilton's friend Edgar Bergen solves the case (without much help from Charlie McCarthy).

Cast

Edgar Bergen - Himself, Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd
Robert Cummings
Constance Moore
Louis Calhern - Arthur Aldrich
Edgar Kennedy - Inspector Dailey
Samuel S. Hinds - Court Aldrich
Harold Huber - Tony Garcia
Warren Hymer - Dutch
Ray Turner - Harrison 'Gravy' Randolph
John Sutton

Uncredited

Stanley Andrews - Freight Captain
Granville Bates - Judge Black
G. Pat Collins - McNeil
Alec Craig - Bounds
Eddie Dunn - Officer Walsh
Bess Flowers - Mrs. Aldrich & Party Guest
Robert Greig - 2nd Buther
Anne Gwynne - Miss Larkin, Charlie's Nurse
John Harmon - Harry
Grace Hayle - Fat Woman
Al Hill - Detective
Charles Irwin - Drunk
Charles Lane - Charlie's Doctor
Frances Morris - Miss Nelson
Frances Robinson - Court Stenographer
William Ruhl - Doctor
Dick Rush - Detective
Konstantin Shayne - Headwaiter
Milburn Stone - Joe Felton
Charles Sullivan - Policeman
Anthony Warde - Photographer
Claire Whitney - Maid
Charles Williams - Peters

Production

The film was announced in June 1938. It was the second movie Bergen made for Universal following Letter of Introduction.^[3]^[4] Bob Cummings was assigned in October 1939.^[5]

Filming took place from November to December 1939.^[6]

Reception

The New York Times called it "a nondescript omlette".^[7]

References

^ "United States Court of Appeals For the Ninth Circuit - Universal vs Cummings". Internet Archive. p. 93.
^ Charlie McCarthy, Detective Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 8, Iss. 85, (Jan 1, 1941): 83.
^ NEWS OF THE SCREEN New York Times (2 Aug 1939: 24.
^ NEWS OF THE SCREEN: New York Times (3 June 1938: 16.
^ DRAMA: Los Angeles Times 30 Oct 1939: 13.
^ "United States Court of Appeals For the Ninth Circuit - Cummings vs Universal 1944". Internet Archive. p. 565.
^ THE SCREEN IN REVIEWB y FRANK S. NUGENT. New York Times 25 Dec 1939: 29.

External links

Charlie McCarthy, Detective at IMDb
Charlie McCarthy, Detective is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive
Charlie McCarthy, Detective at the British Film Institute^{[better source needed]}