By Frank Miller
O'Shaughnessy's Boy
Brief Synopsis
A circus performer searches for the son his wife stole from him.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Richard Boleslawski
Director
Wallace Beery
[Capt. Michael] "Windy" [O'Shaughnessy]
Jackie Cooper
"Stubby" [O'Shaughnessy]
Spanky Mcfarland
"Stubby" as a child
Henry Stephenson
Major Winslow
Sarah Haden
Martha [Sheilds]
Film Details
Genre
Drama
Release Date
Sep
27,
1935
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.
Distribution Company
Loew's Inc.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 27m
Sound
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
9 reels
Synopsis
Captain Michael "Windy" O'Shaughnessy, the ace animal trainer in the Hastings Bros. Circus, loves his son "Stubby," but his sister-in-law, Martha Sheilds, convinces his wife Cora, a trapeze artist, that he is not fit to be her husband or the father of her child. Determined to separate Windy from Cora and Stubby, the cruel and prudish Martha arranges to have Cora steal Stubby away from his free-wheeling father and raise him in what she believes will be a more proper environment. When Windy realizes that his son is missing and that all his money has been taken, he single-mindedly devotes himself to finding Stubby. Desperate for extra money to pay for a private investigator to find his son, Windy agrees to perform a dangerous fire trick with a tiger. While in the cage with the tiger, however, Windy is distracted by thoughts of his son, and when the tiger attacks him, he loses his arm. After quitting the circus to search for his son, Windy becomes depressed and spends his days wandering through the streets in a daze. Years later, while riding in a parade, circus owner Hastings spots Windy and tells him that Cora had died in trapeze accident some time ago, and that Stubby has been placed in the care of an orphan's school. Stubby, now a grown boy, has been brainwashed by his aunt to hate his father, so when Windy arrives to take his son for a three-month visit, the boy resists him and cries. Although Windy showers his son with affection, Stubby acts coldly to him and blames him for his mother's death. The sulking Stubby attempts to escape from his father while traveling on a train, but Windy catches up with him and insists on knowing why he is so upset. In their discussion, Windy discovers that Martha has told Stubby many lies about him. Windy sets the boy straight and gradually gains the boy's acceptance and love. Time passes, and while Windy finds work doing odd jobs at the circus, Martha busily seeks legal recourse to get Stubby out of his father's custody. Major Winslow, Stubby's school principal, agrees with Martha's efforts to regain custody of the boy, and tells her that she is sure to succeed because of Windy's inability to hold down a steady job. Windy, meanwhile, pleads with Hastings to be allowed to return to his tiger act. With Stubby at his side, Windy gains enough confidence to make a successful comeback. Just prior to the animal trainer's big act, however, Martha arrives and forces Stubby to pack his bags for the journey home with her. Windy argues with Martha, but fails to resolve the situation before he is called to perform. However, when Stubby hears the roar of the crowd under the big top, he tears away from Martha and rushes to check on his father's safety. Stubby's presence gives Windy the confidence he needs to complete his fire trick, and following a superb performance, Stubby proudly insists on staying with his father.
Director
Richard Boleslawski
Director
Cast
Wallace Beery
[Capt. Michael] "Windy" [O'Shaughnessy]
Jackie Cooper
"Stubby" [O'Shaughnessy]
Spanky Mcfarland
"Stubby" as a child
Henry Stephenson
Major Winslow
Sarah Haden
Martha [Sheilds]
Leona Maricle
Cora [O'Shaugnessy]
Willard Robertson
[Dan] Hastings
Clarence Muse
Jeff
Ben Hendricks
Franz
Wade Boteler
Callahan
Jack Daley
Mack
Oscar Apfel
Lawyer
Granville Bates
Doctor
Wally Albright Jr.
Child
Hooper Atchley
Secretary
Alf James
Farmer
Al Williams
Acrobat
Ernie Alexander
Acrobat
Mable Waldman
Fat lady
Charles Ludwig
Midget
Frank Lamont
Human skeleton
James Morton
Dog man
Jack Baxley
Barker
Nick Copeland
Barker
Mary Mclaren
Matron
Lee Shumway
Detective
Crew
Dr. William Axt
Music Score
Robert Barnes
Assistant Director
Malcolm Stuart Boylan
Story
Otis Garrett
Screenwriter
Harvey Gates
Story
Cedric Gibbons
Art Director
Philip Goldstone
Producer
James Wong Howe
Photography
Leonard Praskins
Screenwriter
Stan Rogers
Art Director Associate
Douglas Shearer
Recording Director
Frank Sullivan
Film Editor
Wanda Tuchock
Screenwriter
Edwin B. Willis
Art Director Associate
Film Details
Genre
Drama
Release Date
Sep
27,
1935
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.
Distribution Company
Loew's Inc.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 27m
Sound
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
9 reels
Articles
O'Shaughnessy's Boy -
MGM tried to re-capture the magic of The Champ (1932) by moving the story and stars Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper from the boxing ring to a circus. It was a formula they would return to repeatedly over the years, but in 1935, they had yet to go to the well too often. The result is a touching tale of a wild-animal trainer (Beery) trying to get his adoring son (first Spanky McFarland, then Cooper) back after his wife deserts him. Complicating matters is Beery's loss of an arm when, distraught over losing wife and child, he gets too close to one of the circus lions. Despite the formulaic plot, this low-budget MGM film has a lot to recommend it, including strong acting from the stars, Lenore Maricle as Berry's straying wife, Sara Haden as his hateful sister-in-law and African-American actor Clarence Muse (who almost won the role of Sam in 1942's Casablanca) as his assistant. Chief among the film's delights is the cinematography of James Wong Howe, who had worked with Beery a year earlier on Viva Villa! (1934). Here he has the double challenge of making Beery appear to have lost an arm and creating the illusion that he's in the same cage as his lion and tiger co-stars.
By Frank Miller
By Frank Miller
O'Shaughnessy's Boy -
MGM tried to re-capture the magic of The Champ (1932) by moving the story and stars Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper from the boxing ring to a circus. It was a formula they would return to repeatedly over the years, but in 1935, they had yet to go to the well too often. The result is a touching tale of a wild-animal trainer (Beery) trying to get his adoring son (first Spanky McFarland, then Cooper) back after his wife deserts him. Complicating matters is Beery's loss of an arm when, distraught over losing wife and child, he gets too close to one of the circus lions. Despite the formulaic plot, this low-budget MGM film has a lot to recommend it, including strong acting from the stars, Lenore Maricle as Berry's straying wife, Sara Haden as his hateful sister-in-law and African-American actor Clarence Muse (who almost won the role of Sam in 1942's Casablanca) as his assistant. Chief among the film's delights is the cinematography of James Wong Howe, who had worked with Beery a year earlier on Viva Villa! (1934). Here he has the double challenge of making Beery appear to have lost an arm and creating the illusion that he's in the same cage as his lion and tiger co-stars.
By Frank Miller
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
According to a Daily Variety pre-production news item, this story was purchased by M-G-M three years prior the start of production as a Jackie Cooper and Wallace Beery vehicle. In April 1935, when it was thought that Beery and Cooper would be unavailable for the film, Metro cast Mickey Rooney in the title role. An early Hollywood Reporter pre-production news item named Frank Borzage as the intended director of this film. Modern sources state that Jack Warner of Warner Bros. refused to loan Borzage. Other Hollywood Reporter pre-production news items note that Jo Graham worked on the script of this film, that Horace Hough was to assist Boleslawski with direction, that Phoebe Foster and Garry Owen were cast, and that writer William Hurlbut assisted Leonard Praskins with the adaptation of the story. The participation of these collaborators in the final film has not been determined. Although one Hollywood Reporter pre-production news item indicated that Donald Ogden Stewart reported for work on the film with Praskins, his specific writing assignment has not been determined. According to a contemporary Hollywood Reporter article, just prior to the start of production, M-G-M laid off star Wallace Beery because he failed to show up for work. Beery allegedly stayed away from the set in order to protest his dissatisfaction with the studio over a contract dispute. The article goes on to explain that, after the cast and crew waited for two days for him to show up, M-G-M decided to suspend the star and considered seeking damages. One week later, Hollywood Reporter noted Beery's return and indicated that the studio promised him a vacation between contracts. A Hollywood Reporter pre-release news item indicated that Sam Mintz was assigned to "special script changes." A contemporary New York Times article noted that some 150 youngsters were used for the picture, and that one private teacher was assigned to every ten children while the film was in production.
