By Frank Miller
Three Sons
Brief Synopsis
A shop owner tries to interest his heirs in the family business.
Cast & Crew
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Jack Hively
Director
Edward Ellis
Daniel Pardway
William Gargan
Thane Pardway
Kent Taylor
Gene Pardway
J. Edward Bromberg
Abe Ullman
Katharine Alexander
Abigail Pardway
Film Details
Genre
Drama
Release Date
Oct
13,
1939
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel Sweepings by Lester Cohen (New York, 1926).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 12m
Synopsis
After the great Chicago fire, Daniel Pardway moves to the windy city to be near his brother Thane and build a department store dynasty. Daniel selects a site where all the car lines will converge and sets about building his empire with the help of his faithful employee, Abe Ullman. Four children are born to Daniel and his wife Abigail, and with the advent of each child, a new department is opened in the store. Abigail dies before Daniel can realize his dream of building a family empire, and as the children grow to adulthood, they disappoint their father by pursuing their own dreams rather than joining the family business. Daughter Phoebe marries a phony prince, while her married brother Gene gets mixed up with Viola, a dance hall singer who inadvertently causes Thane's death. Yet another son, Bert, leaves the store to conduct music, while Daniel's final hope is shattered when his youngest son Freddie gets in trouble with Mamie, a greedy store employee, and leaves home. Despite his disappointment, Daniel divides eighty percent of the store stock among his children, only to have all but Freddie sell the stock to pursue their own ambitions. Abe, now general manager of the store, buys back all the stock from the bank, thus saving the Pardway empire, and Daniel finally sees his dream realized when Freddie returns to the store as an employee, thus ensuring the continuation of the Pardway legacy.
Director
Jack Hively
Director
Cast
Edward Ellis
Daniel Pardway
William Gargan
Thane Pardway
Kent Taylor
Gene Pardway
J. Edward Bromberg
Abe Ullman
Katharine Alexander
Abigail Pardway
Virginia Vale
Phoebe Pardway
Robert Stanton
Bert Pardway
Dick Hogan
Freddie Pardway
Grady Sutton
Grimson
Adele Pearce
Mamie Donaldson
Alexander D'arcy
Phoebe's husband
Barbara Pepper
Viola
Crew
James Anderson
Assistant Director
John L. Cass
Recording
Albert D'agostino
Art Director Associate
Lee Marcus
Prod Executive
Russell Metty
Director of Photography
Van Nest Polglase
Art Director
Darrell Silvera
Set Decoration
Robert Sisk
Producer
Edward Stevenson
Costumes
John Twist
Screenwriter
Theron Warth
Editing
Roy Webb
Music Director
Film Details
Genre
Drama
Release Date
Oct
13,
1939
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel Sweepings by Lester Cohen (New York, 1926).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 12m
Articles
Three Sons (1939) -
The move from A to B was not uncommon when the Hollywood studios re-made earlier films. This 1939 family drama, about a department store magnate (Edward Ellis) disappointed that none of his children are interested in taking over the family store, originated as a 1933 David O. Selznick production that marked John Cromwell's first time directing at RKO and featured Lionel Barrymore as the father and William Gargan, Eric Linden and Gloria Stuart among his children. When the story moved to B production in 1939, production chores shifted to Robert Sisk, on his way to A films and a move to MGM, while Jack Hively took over the direction. Character actor Ellis shines a rare leading role, after years in the background (most notably as the title character in 1934's The Thin Man), while Gargan moved into the role of his brother. Two of the children's roles were prizes taken by the winners of Jesse Lasky's second Gateway to Hollywood radio talent search. Virginia Vale plays Phoebe, the daughter mixed up with a fake prince, while Kirby Grant (billed as Robert Stanton) plays Bert, the aspiring musician. Neither would make it to big screen stardom, though Grant would become an early TV star in the syndicated series Sky King.
By Frank Miller
By Frank Miller
Three Sons (1939) -
The move from A to B was not uncommon when the Hollywood studios re-made earlier films. This 1939 family drama, about a department store magnate (Edward Ellis) disappointed that none of his children are interested in taking over the family store, originated as a 1933 David O. Selznick production that marked John Cromwell's first time directing at RKO and featured Lionel Barrymore as the father and William Gargan, Eric Linden and Gloria Stuart among his children. When the story moved to B production in 1939, production chores shifted to Robert Sisk, on his way to A films and a move to MGM, while Jack Hively took over the direction. Character actor Ellis shines a rare leading role, after years in the background (most notably as the title character in 1934's The Thin Man), while Gargan moved into the role of his brother. Two of the children's roles were prizes taken by the winners of Jesse Lasky's second Gateway to Hollywood radio talent search. Virginia Vale plays Phoebe, the daughter mixed up with a fake prince, while Kirby Grant (billed as Robert Stanton) plays Bert, the aspiring musician. Neither would make it to big screen stardom, though Grant would become an early TV star in the syndicated series Sky King. By Frank Miller
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The onscreen credits note that actors Virginia Vale and Robert Stanton won their roles through Jesse Lasky's "Gateway to Hollywood" talent search. Three Sons was the first film in which Stanton was billed under that name. He previously appeared in the 1938 film Red River Range under his real name, Kirby Grant. After appearing in at least two additional films under the name "Robert Stanton," the actor changed his name back to Kirby Grant. He later became a popular television star in the 1950s series Sky King. According to a news item in Hollywood Reporter, Tim Holt was originally slated to appear in this film. This picture was a remake of the 1933 RKO film Sweepings, in which William Gargan played one of the sons. Although the two films are similar, the earlier version ends with the death of the father, who is despondent over the failures of his children, and threatens to leave the store to his faithful aide if the family does not prove itself worthy within six months.
