Kelly the Second

Kelly the Second
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Directed byGus Meins
Written byJack Jevne (adaptation)
Gordon Douglas (adaptation)
Tom Bell (dialogue)
Arthur V. Jones (dialogue)
Screenplay byJefferson Moffitt
William Terhune
Produced byHal Roach
StarringPatsy Kelly
Guinn Williams
Charley Chase
CinematographyArt Lloyd
Edited byJack Ogilvie
Music byMarvin Hatley
Production
company
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • August 21, 1936 (1936-08-21)
Running time
70 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Kelly the Second (1936)

Kelly the Second is a 1936 American romantic comedy film directed by Gus Meins and starring Patsy Kelly, Guinn Williams, and Charley Chase. This Hal Roach studio film was distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The title is a pun, "Second" referring not to lineage but a boxer's corner man (or woman in this case).

It was Chase's final feature as well as his last film for Roach after a 15-year run at the studio; Roach was phasing out short subjects and didn't feel Chase could carry a feature, so he was let go.

Plot

After a traffic incident culminating in a brawl, feisty Molly Kelly (Kelly) comes up with the idea of making truck driver Cecil Callahan (Williams) a professional boxer, aided by her boss Doc Klum (Chase). Complications arise when mobster Ike Arnold (Brophy), impressed by Cecil's punching, declares himself a partner, putting additional pressure on him to win. Further muddying the waters is Ike's girl friend Gloria (Kelton), who's set her sights on Cecil, much to Molly's dismay.

Note: The gag of Cecil becoming enraged when he hears The Irish Washerwoman was recycled from The Three Stooges' short Punch Drunks, though in that case the song was Pop Goes the Weasel.

Cast

Many of Roach's contract players appear in uncredited bits, including Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, Max Davidson, Charlie Hall, Harry Bernard and James C. Morton.

References