Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935)
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- Passed
- 1h 6min
- Comedy, Crime
- 03 Aug 1935 (USA)
- Movie
Hard-working, henpecked Ambrose Wolfinger takes off from work to go to a wrestling match with catastrophic consequences.
Directors:
Writers:
Stars:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| W.C. Fields | ... |
Ambrose Wolfinger
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| Mary Brian | ... |
Hope Wolfinger
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| Kathleen Howard | ... |
Leona Wolfinger
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| Grady Sutton | ... |
Claude Neselrode
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| Vera Lewis | ... |
Mrs. Neselrode
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| Lucien Littlefield | ... |
Mr. Peabody
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| Oscar Apfel | ... |
President Malloy
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| Lew Kelly | ... |
Adolph Berg
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| Tammany Young | ... |
'Willie' the Weasel
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| Walter Brennan | ... |
'Legs' Garnett
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| Edward Gargan | ... |
Patrolman No.1
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| James Burke | ... |
Patrolman No.2
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| Carlotta Monti | ... |
Ambrose's Secretary
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Arthur Aylesworth | ... |
Night Court Judge (uncredited)
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Jack Baxley | ... |
Court Officer (uncredited)
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| Mickey Bennett | ... |
Office Employee (uncredited)
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| Billy Bletcher | ... |
Timekeeper (uncredited)
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| Harry C. Bradley | ... |
Passing Motorist (uncredited)
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| Eddy Chandler | ... |
Motorcycle Policeman (uncredited)
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| David Clyde | ... |
J. Farnsworth Wallaby (uncredited)
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| Heinie Conklin | ... |
Street Cleaner (uncredited)
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Keith Daniels | ... |
Ticket Seller (uncredited)
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| Helen Dickson | ... |
Miss Dickson (uncredited)
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| Sarah Edwards | ... |
Motorcar Owner (uncredited)
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Harry Ekezian | ... |
Hookalakah Meshobbab (uncredited)
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| James Flavin | ... |
Henry - Chauffeur (uncredited)
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| George B. French | ... |
Clerk (uncredited)
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| Tor Johnson | ... |
Tosoff - Wrestler (uncredited)
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| Florence Lawrence | ... |
(uncredited)
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Robert Littlefield | ... |
Neighbor with Correct Time (uncredited)
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| Sam Lufkin | ... |
Ticket Taker (uncredited)
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Mickey McMasters | ... |
Referee (uncredited)
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Charles Morris | ... |
Turnkey (uncredited)
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| Pat O'Malley | ... |
Officer (uncredited)
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Lorin Raker | ... |
Ring Announcer (uncredited)
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| Joe Sawyer | ... |
Ambulance Driver (uncredited)
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Eddie Sturgis | ... |
Bystander at Arena Gate (uncredited)
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Albert Taylor | ... |
Clerk (uncredited)
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| Rosemary Theby | ... |
Helpful Passerby (uncredited)
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| Minerva Urecal | ... |
Italian Woman in Ambulance (uncredited)
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Michael Visaroff | ... |
Homicidal Maniac in Cell (uncredited)
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Dorothy Ward | ... |
Information Girl (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Clyde Bruckman | ||
| W.C. Fields | ... | (uncredited) |
Written by
| Ray Harris | ... | (screen play) and |
| Sam Hardy | ... | (screen play) |
| W.C. Fields | ... | (from a story by) (as Charles Bogle) and |
| Sam Hardy | ... | (from a story by) |
| Jack Cunningham | ... | (contributor to treatment) (uncredited) |
| Frank Griffin | ... | (contributor to dialogue) (uncredited) |
| John Sinclair | ... | (contributor to special sequences) (uncredited) |
| Bobby Vernon | ... | (contributor to special sequences) (uncredited) |
Produced by
| Henry Herzbrun | ... | executive producer (uncredited) |
| William LeBaron | ... | producer |
| Adolph Zukor | ... | executive producer (uncredited) |
Cinematography by
| Alfred Gilks | ... | (photographed by) |
Editing by
| Richard C. Currier | ... | (uncredited) |
Art Direction by
| Hans Dreier | ... | (uncredited) |
| A. Earl Hedrick | ... | (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Tom Satterfield | ... | composer: incidental music (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Adolph Zukor | ... | presenter |
| Dorothy White | ... | production secretary (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Paramount Pictures (presents)
Distributors
- Paramount Pictures (1935) (United States) (theatrical) (as Paramount Productions, Inc.)
- Paramount Film Service (1935) (Canada) (theatrical)
- Paramount British Pictures (1935) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Paramount Film Service (1935) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Filmaktieselskapet Paramount (1935) (Norway) (theatrical)
- MCA/Universal Pictures (1958) (United States) (tv)
- Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) (2007) (United States) (DVD)
- Kino Lorber Studio Classics (2022) (United States) (Blu-ray)
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Ambrose Wolfinger wants the afternoon off (his first in twenty-five years) to go to a wrestling match. He tells his boss that he must attend his mother-in-law's funeral. The afternoon is no joy. He tries to please a policeman, assist a chauffeur, chase a tire, and ends up getting hit by the body of a wrestler thrown from the ring. A series of mishaps leads his boss to send floral tributes to the house and notify the papers of the death (due to poisoned liquor). His shrewish wife, judgmental mother-in-law, and good-for-nothing brother-in-law add to his burdens. In the end he enjoys their fawning loyalty, a raise in pay, and his first vacation.
Written by Ed Stephan |
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| Taglines | Come to the crowning of America's comedy King! (Print Ad- Daily Times, ((Rochester Penna.)) 5 October 1935) See more » |
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| Parents Guide | Add content advisory for parents » |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | This was the last film directed by Clyde Bruckman. Although Bruckman's name appears on the credit, this film was actually directed by W.C. Fields, who took over after Bruckman had to quit early in the shoot due to the effects of his alcoholism. This is the only film on which Fields technically worked as his own director. See more » |
| Goofs | Mother-in-law Cordelia says "Well he's a fiend, a wool in sheep's clothing" ... Leona Wolfinger immediately catching the error says "What?" and immediately Cordelia corrects herself "A wolf in sheep's clothing ..." and the scene continues as if no error occurs; a great recovery. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in W.C. Fields: Straight Up (1986). See more » |
| Soundtracks | On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away See more » |
| Quotes |
Ambrose Wolfinger:
My poor mother-in-law died three days ago. I'm attending her funeral this afternoon. Ambrose's Secretary: Isn't that terrible, Mr. Wolfinger! Ambrose Wolfinger: Yes, it's terrible. It's awful. Horrible tragedy. Ambrose's Secretary: It must be hard to lose your mother-in-law. Ambrose Wolfinger: Yes it is, very hard. It's almost impossible. See more » |