Blondie's Big Moment
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Abby Berlin
Penny Singleton
Arthur Lake
Larry Simms
Marjorie Kent
Daisy
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Immediately upon returning home from vacation, Dagwood Bumstead hurries to work, his briefcase stuffed with the freshly caught trout as a gift for his boss, J. P. Dithers. On the bus to work, Dagwood accidentally smears jelly from his doughnut on an irate passenger. When Dagwood arrives at the office, he discovers that Dithers has sold his construction firm to George M. Radcliffe, his hapless victim from the bus. Soon after, Mr. Greenleaf, a representative from a drug company, agrees to hire the Radcliffe firm to build a new factory if Radcliffe can find a suitable location for the plant. Anxious to show Greenleaf some maps of the area, Dagwood grabs his briefcase, spilling a load of fish on Greenleaf, who then storms out of the office. In retribution, Radcliffe demotes Dagwood and gives his private office to Ollie Merton, a rival employee. That night, when Dagwood returns home from work, he is greeted by his wife Blondie, who eagerly introduces him to his son Alexander's new teacher, Miss Harriet Gary, and Alexander's new classmate, a quiet boy named Slugger. When Miss Gary asks Dagwood's permission to visit his office with her class, Dagwood reluctantly agrees in order to please Alexander. After Miss Gary leaves, Dagwood tells Blondie of his woes at work and she proposes inviting Radcliffe to dinner the next evening in hopes of appeasing him. The next day, Radcliffe, charmed by Blondie, accepts her invitation. That afternoon, Radcliffe and Dagwood take Greenleaf on a tour of vacant properties. Greenleaf pronounces all the sites unsuitable until he spots Slugger and a group of boys playing ball in an open field. After Greenleaf declares the property acceptable, Slugger accidentally hits Radliffe in the head with a stray baseball. Although Dagwood discovers that the owner of the lot is Clarence Oliver Mayberry, he is unable to contact him. Blondie has also invited Miss Gary and Slugger to dinner that night, and at the table, Radcliffe drones on about his business deals and insults Miss Gary's profession. The evening culminates in disaster when Mayberry's attorney, Theodore Payson, refuses to sell the property and Radcliffe threatens Slugger for hitting him with a ball. On the day of the class visit to the office, Greenleaf gives Radcliffe until 5 p.m. to secure the land. To save face with his son, Dagwood decoys Ollie and Radcliffe out of the office by pretending to be Payson and making an appointment to meet them at the lot that afternoon. Just before the children arrive, Dagwood tapes his name across Ollie's office door. Dagwood's plans go awry, however, when Ollie and Radcliffe return early and, finding the office filled with children, Radcliffe fires Dagwood. As the deadline nears, Payson calls with the news that Mayberry has agreed to sell the land to Dagwood. Radcliffe hurries to the Bumstead home to consummate the sale, and soon after, Alexander and Slugger arrive. After Radcliffe threatens Slugger, Payson introduces the boy as Clarence Oliver Mayberry, his ward, who inherited the land from his wealthy parents. When Slugger refuses to sell the lot without Dagwood's consent, Blondie shrewdly maneuvers Radcliffe into giving Dagwood back his old job and private office in return for the sale of the property.
Director
Abby Berlin
Cast
Penny Singleton
Arthur Lake
Larry Simms
Marjorie Kent
Daisy
Anita Louise
Danny Mummert
Jack Rice
Jack Davis
Johnny Granath
Jerome Cowan
Hal K. Dawson
Eddie Acuff
Alyn Lockwood
Robert Dehaven
Robert Stevens
Douglas Wood
Sam Finn
Myron Healey
Bill Wallace
Kernan Cripps
Garry Owen
Rose Plumer
Jerry Jarrette
Wanda Perry
Dick Wessel
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The above-listed onscreen credits May have been altered for re-release by King Features Syndicate. Blondie's Big Moment was the first film in which Jerome Cowan played Dagwood's new boss, George M. Radcliffe. Dagwood's previous boss, J. C. Dithers, was portrayed by Jonathan Hale. For additional information about the "Blondie" series, please consult the Series Index and see entry for Blondie! in AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931-40; F3.0391.
