Fireman Save My Child
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Leslie Goodwins
Spike Jones
His City Slickers
Buddy Hackett
Hugh O'brian
Tom Brown
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In San Francisco in the 1910s, the clownish musical band that runs Firehouse 12 often drowns out alarms with their loud music. Smokey Hinkle, a bumbling inventor and scion of a renowned firefighting family, buys retired firehouse horse Emma to pull his buggy, but when Emma hears an alarm, she follows the fire trucks at top speed. Smokey arrives at the fire at the same time as his pal, fireman Smitty, who points out that the blaze is in Smokey's own house. Smokey uses his new invention, an ingenious fire extinguisher, to put out the flames, prompting Smitty to hire Smokey as a fireman in exchange for half of the profits from the sale of the extinguisher. Back at the firehouse, Smokey immediately starts a fire and struggles to convince Lt. McGinty, who is busy leading band rehearsal, that they must stop playing and put out the flames. Soon after, Capt. Bill Peters demonstrates his new mechanized fire-engine, and although it continually breaks down, he insists to Chief Rorty that his truck is the way of the future. Rorty agrees to let him motorize one firehouse, but frustrates Bill by assigning him to Firehouse 12. The squad immediately set to work on the new equipment, and although Smokey proves to be an inept fireman, he excels at Bill's tests because of his dedication to memorizing the manual. To slow Smokey's progress, the other firemen steal his pants, forcing him to repeatedly attend drills in his underwear. Meanwhile, Smokey sells Emma, and her new owner grows frustrated as she continues to chase fire trucks, and sells her for pennies. During the next weeks, everyone in the firehouse except for Smokey gains skills with the mechanized hoses and ladders. During one drill Smokey falls from the speeding truck into the apartment of Harry, a large and jealous husband who assumes Smokey is having an affair with his wife. When Smitty gets thrown from the truck into the same apartment days later, Harry promptly decides to move to New York. Commissioner Spencer then plans a party, for which McGinty's band practices night and day. When Harry later becomes trapped in his Murphy bed and his wife sounds an alarm, Firehouse 12 shows up wearing their silly band outfits, causing Spencer to suspend them all. Bill resigns in defeat, after which Smokey barges into Spencer's office to defend the men. Realizing Smokey is related to renowned firefighters Hose, Hook and Ladder Hinkle, Spencer reinstates the firehouse, then urges Smokey to demonstrate his fire extinguisher. The invention is a hit, but Smokey infuriates Smitty by donating it to the city for free. At Spencer's party, McGinty's band plays a number that includes a midget climbing out of the tuba and a grenade explosion. Just before Smokey displays his extinguisher to the crowd, jealous rivals replace the fluid with gasoline, which triggers a bonfire. Deducing the ruse, Smokey, Smitty and McGinty jump in the fire-engine and chase the hoodlums' car, followed closely by Emma and her bewildered new owner. When the hoodlums pull into a garage, Smokey flies off the firehose and through the garage window, and subdues the men by spraying them with his extinguisher. By the time Spencer arrives, the fire truck has combusted, but Smokey extinguishes it with ease, impressing the crowd. Smitty is thrilled until Smokey admits that he has forgotten the formula for the extinguisher. Soon after, Smokey, Smitty and McGinty are called to rescue Harry's wife, who thanks them all with kisses, causing Harry to knock out all three. He tosses their unconscious bodies onto Emma, whose owner watches gratefully as she walks away.
Director
Leslie Goodwins
Cast
Spike Jones
His City Slickers
Buddy Hackett
Hugh O'brian
Tom Brown
Adele Jergens
George Cleveland
Willis Bouchey
Henry Kulky
Harry Chesire
Madge Blake
Tristram Coffin
John Cliff
Billy Barty
Lee Erickson
William M. Griffith
Henry Rowland
Ned Davenport
Tim Graham
Stafford Repp
Robert Wehling
Charles Maxwell
Crew
John Austin
Bob Bratton
Leslie I. Carey
Howard Christie
Eddie Cline
Mack David
Bob Forrest
Russell A. Gausman
Joseph Gershenson
Alexander Golitzen
John Grant
Joseph Hayden
Carl Hoefle
Spike Jones And His Orchestra
Albert Ketelbey
Lew Leary
Lee Loeb
Lee Loeb
George Lollier
Ed Luckey
Theodore M. Metz
Eric Orbom
Del Porter
Robert Pritchard
Ronnie Rondell
Russell Schoengarth
Joan St. Oegger
Clifford Stine
Bud Westmore
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Originally slated to star Bud Abbott and Lou Costello (who shot some scenes and who can be distinguished in a few long shots), Costello's ill health forced the withdrawal of the duo from the picture. Universal replaced them with Spike Jones and Hugh O'Brien.
One of the main reason Spike Jones and His City Slickers were chosen for this film was that they had a popular network television shown on N.B.C. Universal also benefited when free plugs for the film would appear on the show.
Notes
The film begins with the following written statement: "NOTE: There May or May not be a plot to this story. If you can't find it don't worry about it." The film begins with a series of cartoons depicting a house on fire and the inept firemen sent to save it. Contemporary sources note that Freddie Morgan played "Sir Frederick Gast" and Earl Bennett played "Tyrone," musicians in Spike Jones's City Slickers band. According to a November 3, 1953 Hollywood Reporter news item, the film was originally conceived for Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and set to start on 4 Nov, but after Costello became ill, the start date was postponed and Hugh O'Brian and Buddy Hackett took over the lead roles.
A November 1, 1954 Los Angeles Daily News article noted that Eddie Cline, a gag writer for Spike Jones and former Keystone Kop, contributed written routines to the film, many of which were reminiscent of early silent comedies, including films featuring the "Kops." Fireman Save My Child marked the last feature-film appearance for Jones and His City Slickers. Although a 1927 Parmaount picture and a 1932 First National film bear the same title, they are unrelated to this film.
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Spring May 1954
Abbot and Costello were originally slated to star in this picture.
Released in United States Spring May 1954
