The Good Fellows
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Jo Graham
Cecil Kellaway
Mabel Paige
Helen Walker
James Brown
Diana Hale
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Jim Helton, Grand Caesar of his local lodge, the Ancient Order of the Noblest Romans, which promotes good fellowship, neighborliness and brotherly love, devotes more time to his lodge activities than to his family or his real estate business. Jim attends a national lodge meeting and leaves his inexperienced daughter Ethel to close a deal with executive Blake on some expensive riverfront property owned by the Draytons, the town's banking family. Ethel has always assumed that the Draytons are snobs but starts to change her mind after meeting their son Tom, who invites her family to dinner. Jim, meanwhile, is disappointed when he is passed up for the job of lodge auditor after his bid to hold the national convention at his town, which will then have to foot the bill, is accepted. Jim, who bid only to help a friend by raising the bidding, is accepted because his friend unexpectedly drops out. Jim's family is equally disappointed to learn he lost the job and, while dining at the Draytons, they are embarrassed by his fervent arguments with host William over the merits of lodge membership. William reluctantly agrees to become a lodge member after Jim threatens to strike a deal with another lodge member for the riverfront property. Jim then cashes in his insurance policy, gets an early deposit on his commission from William, and bets the money in a pool game to earn enough money to pay for the convention. When he finally meets Blake, he is able to secure the deal because Blake is a fellow Roman. William is initiated into the lodge, but when Blake publicly praises Jim for advising him against purchasing William's property because of flooding, everyone is shocked by Jim's deceit and William is outraged that he took a $2,000 commission against a non-existent sale. The Helton family, who are continually frustrated by Jim's lodge-related schemes, finally falls apart, and Jim disappears with his youngest daughter Spratt to go fishing. William plans to sue Jim but refrains when he learns that an orphanage Jim owns will soon become profitable, because the government wants to lease it as a convalescent hospital for war veterans. Jim returns to town and learns that William wishes to purchase the orphanage from him, but also learns of the government's interest. Jim then negotiates a lease with the government representative, who turns out to be a lodge brother. Jim still plans to leave the family until Spratt pretends to hurt herself, and thereby tricks him into returning home. After the family reunites, Jim pretends to decline the invitation of a new lodge, but cleverly plans their vacation, and Tom and Ethel's honeymoon, in the new lodge's town.
Director
Jo Graham
Cast
Cecil Kellaway
Mabel Paige
Helen Walker
James Brown
Diana Hale
Kathleen Lockhart
Douglas Wood
Norma Varden
Olin Howlin
Tom Fadden
William B. Davidson
Chester Clute
Wade Boteler
Robert Emmett Keane
Norman Ainsley
Kernan Cripps
Oscar Smith
Victor Potel
Frank Faylen
Franklin Parker
Ralph Littlefield
Milt Kibbee
Edward Clark
Oscar O'shea
Richard Elliott
Robert Homans
Howard Mitchell
Will Wright
Edward Keane
Irving Bacon
Edgar Dearing
Maurice Cass
Edward Earle
Murray Alper
Robert Winkler
Dick Baron
Sid D'albrook
Tom Mcguire
Leo Sulky
Billy Engle
Francis Sayles
Ed Peil Sr.
Crew
Muriel Roy Bolton
Lester Cole
John Coonan
Haldane Douglas
Hans Dreier
Alvin Ganzer
Jo Graham
Harry Hamilton
Walter Macewen
Walter Oberst
Robert Quick
George Sawley
Arthur Schmidt
Leo Shuken
Howard Snyder
Theodor Sparkuhl
Hugh Wedlock Jr.
Wally Westmore
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The film was known as The Good Fellow in pre-production. According to the SAB, Paramount stipulated that no producer be credited, but Walter MacEwen was credited in reviews. Hollywood Reporter news items announced the following: Ralph Murphy was slated to direct; Bob Burns was cast; and Jack Moffitt and Harry Hamilton were assigned to work on the screenplay, but their contribution to the final film has not been determined. According to a news item in Variety, Susan Hayward was offered the role of "Ethel Helton," but turned it down. The CBCS calls Douglas Wood's character "John Drayton," but he was called "William" in the film.
