Crazy House
Cast & Crew
Edward F. Cline
Ole Olsen
Chic Johnson
Cass Daley
Patric Knowles
Martha O'driscoll
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Vaudevillians Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson stage a parade down Hollywood and Vine to announce their return to Hollywood after three years on Broadway in Sons of Fun . At their studio, Universal, hysteria breaks out at the mere thought of their return. In spite of the studio's tight security, Ole and Chic manage to get onto the lot and into the offices of executive producer N. G. Wagstaff. Although they have a two-picture deal with Universal, Wagstaff informs Ole and Chic that the studio will not make their second picture, as most of the staff, who dread the vaudevillians's antics, has threatened to quit if they return to the lot. As they are leaving the studio, the duo run into Edmund "Mac" MacLean, an assistant director on their first film, who tells them that he, too, has been fired by the studio. Ole and Chic then decide to make their next picture independently, with Mac as the director, by stealing stars off the Universal lot and using financing from an as-yet-found "angel." They mistakenly think they have signed Cass Daley to star in their film, but instead have signed her double, Sadie Silverfish. The new filmmakers then go to the Studio Rental Corp. for film and equipment, and the owners agree to rent them everything they want, in the hopes of fleecing them. Later, at the Ambassador Hotel, Ole and Chic meet Colonel Cornelius Merriweather, who claims to be a multi-millionaire and offers to finance completely their picture, but who is actually a penniless kook. Ole and Chic then decide to cast the film with unknown performers, instead of expensive stars. They discover a waitress named Margie Nelson and decide to cast her in the female lead, but when they have her perform on a radio show, the show's star, Johnny, offers her a radio contract. With a $750,000 promissory note from Merriweather, however, they are able to sign Margie, as well as singers, dancers and a band. As filming begins, Sadie shows up on the set with her lawyer, who insists that the stand-in has a valid contract and must be used in the film. The filmmakers then decide to torture Sadie with inhuman rehearsals until she quits. Their plan succeeds, but when the real Cass Daley arrives on the set in support of her cousin, they mistakenly torture the star. In the midst of filming, Hanley and the other owners of Studio Rental come to Ole and Chic, demanding their money, at which time the two vaudevillians discover the truth about Merriweather. Hanley, however, allows them to finish the film, as he plans to assume ownership on the picture upon its completion. After fifty-four days of shooting, the film is completed, and Hanley arrives with his lawyers and legally attaches the film. The filmmakers are then forced to go to court, where Ole, Chic and Mac argue that they can sell the film for $1,000,000. The judge agrees to give them one week in which to come up with Hanley's money, so the three plan a special preview of the film for various studio executives. On the night of the preview, however, only the first reel arrives, as the film has been held up in processing by Hanley. Ole, Chic and the other performers then put on an old-fashioned vaudeville show, while Mac acquires the remainder of the film. After the movie is over, Ole and Chic trick Wagstaff into buying the film, and Hanley and his partners are defeated. When Mac and Margie attempt to reconcile, Chic opens fire with a machine gun, stating that this is "one movie without a happy ending."
Director
Edward F. Cline
Cast
Ole Olsen
Chic Johnson
Cass Daley
Patric Knowles
Martha O'driscoll
Leighton Noble
Thomas Gomez
Percy Kilbride
Hans Conried
Richard Lane
Andrew Tombes
Billy Gilbert
Chester Clute
Edgar Kennedy
Franklin Pangborn
Shemp Howard
Fred Sanborn
Tony De Marco
Sally De Marco
Marion Hutton
The Glenn Miller Singers
Chandra Kaly
The Delta Rhythm Boys
Count Basie
Nick Cochrane's Musical Cowhands
Ramsay Ames
Allan Jones
Johnny Mack Brown
Leo Carrillo
Nigel Bruce
Alan Curtis
Andy Devine
Robert Paige
Basil Rathbone
Edgar Barrier
Grace Mcdonald
Lon Chaney [jr.]
Gale Sondergaard
Turhan Bey
Louise Allbritton
Evelyn Ankers
Five Hertzogs
Ward And Van
Layson Brothers
Dorothy Jarnac
Sol Haines
Bud Lawler
Bob Locke Lorraine
Jack Barnett
Jim Rushing
Ray Blatherwick
Joe Mole
Douglas Wood
Paul Mcvey
Fred Niblo
Joseph Crehan
Robert E. Keane
John Hamilton
Ray Walker
Jack Norton
Charles Middleton
George Beatty
Andrew Mayo
Florence Mayo
Jacqueline Dalya
Emmett Vogan
Fred Towne
Ezelle Poule
Ben Frommer
Jack Rice
Eddie Kane
Bobby Barber
Eddie Ennis
Frank Penny
Jerry Mandy
Billy Bletcher
Frank Hagney
Lane Chandler
Lew Kelly
Jon Gilbreath
Earle Hodgins
Virgil Summers
Robert Barron
Tiny Newlan
Sammy Stein
Duke York
Gene Stutenroth
James Dime
Tiny Ward
Jimmy Aubrey
Jimmy Lucas
Eddie Polo
Francis Sayles
Joseph Bernard
Stanley Lawson
Harry Powers
Dippy Diers
Harold Degarro
Red Smith
Charles Dorety
George Gray
Heinie Conklin
Hank Mann
Spec O'donnell
Emmett Smith
Charles Morton
William Healy
Patsy Mace
Mary Gail
Virginia Gardner
Pierre Watkin
Crew
Irving Bibo
Bernard B. Brown
Sammy Cahn
Ted Cain
Saul Chaplin
Eddie Cherkose
Howard Christie
Milton Feld
Dick Finch
Chet Forrest
Rudolf Friml
John P. Fulton
R. A. Gausman
A. J. Gilmore
John B. Goodman
George Hale
Arthur Hilton
Isham Jones
Stanley Joseloff
Gus Kahn
Erle C. Kenton
Lester Lee
Robert Lees
Jack Little
Harold H. Macarthur
Tommie Malie
Matt Malneck
Glenn Miller
Jim Mundy
Paul Neal
Mitchell Parish
Gene De Paul
Al Piantadosi
Charles Previn
Don Raye
Frederic I. Rinaldo
Milton Rosen
Larry Russell
Jerry Seelen
Dan Shapiro
Frank Signorelli
Frank Skinner
Franz Steininger
Herbert Stothart
Martha Tilton
Charles Van Enger
Giuseppe Verdi
Charles Warfield
Vera West
Clarence Williams
Bob Wright
Allie Wrubel
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was They're All Crazy. Early Hollywood Reporter news items state that Universal producer Alex Gottlieb was not only set to produce this film, but also was going to write the screenplay based on a treatment by Robert Lees and Fred Rinaldo, which had been approved by Universal and performers Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson. It has not been determined if Gottlieb contributed in any way to the released film. According to Hollywood Reporter, the film's finale was shot with the use of two film crews, one directed by Edward F. Cline, the other directed by associate producer Erle C. Kenton. Hollywood Reporter also reported that actress Cass Daley was borrowed by Universal from Paramount for this film.
Hollywood Reporter production charts include Moroni Olsen and Bobby Brooks in the cast, but their appearance in the released film has not been confirmed. Actors Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce appear in this film as the characters "Sherlock Holmes" and "Dr. Watson," whom they had portrayed in numerous Universal pictures. According to modern sources, their scene in this film was filmed on the set of their 1944 film Sherlock Holmes and the Spider Woman .
