In Old Chicago (1937)

Director:

Henry King

Writers:

Lamar Trotti (screenplay) and
Sonya Levien (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 April 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | History | Musical | Romance | Western

Tagline:

The great American motion picture!

Plot:

The O'Leary brothers -- honest Jack and roguish Dion -- become powerful figures, and eventually rivals, in Chicago on the eve of its Great Fire.

Plot Keywords:

Animal Attack | Brawl | Death | Reformer | Beer

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Tyrone Power	...	Dion O'Leary
Alice Faye	...	Belle Fawcett
Don Ameche	...	Jack O'Leary
Alice Brady	...	Molly O'Leary
Andy Devine	...	Pickle Bixby
Brian Donlevy	...	Gil Warren
Phyllis Brooks	...	Ann Colby
Tom Brown	...	Bob O'Leary
Sidney Blackmer	...	General Phil Sheridan
Berton Churchill	...	Senator Colby
June Storey	...	Gretchen
Paul Hurst	...	Mitch
Tyler Brooke	...	Specialty Singer
J. Anthony Hughes	...	Patrick O'Leary
Gene Reynolds	...	Dion O'Leary as a Boy
Bobs Watson	...	Bob O'Leary as a Boy
Billy Watson	...	Jack O'Leary as a Boy
Madame Sul-Te-Wan	...	Hattie (as Madame Sultewan)
Spencer Charters	...	Beavers
Rondo Hatton	...	Body Guard
Thelma Manning	...	Carrie Donahue
Ruth Gillette	...	Miss Lou
Eddie Collins	...	Drunk
Scotty Mattraw	...	Beef King
Joe Twerp	...	Stuttering Clerk
Charles Lane	...	Booking Agent (scenes deleted)
Clarence Wilson	...	Lawyer (as Clarence Hummel Wilson)
Frank Dae	...	Judge
Harry Stubbs	...	Fire Commissioner
Joe King	...	Ship's Captain
Francis Ford	...	Driver
Bob Murphy	...	Police Officer (as Robert Murphy)
Wade Boteler	...	Polilce Officer
Gustav von Seyffertitz	...	Man in Jack's Office
Russell Hicks	...	Man in Jack's Office
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carol Adams	...	Bit (uncredited)
Kathryn Barnes	...	Bit (uncredited)
Sue Barstead	...	Bit (uncredited)
Jeanette Bates	...	Bit (uncredited)
Doris Becker	...	Bit (uncredited)
Patsy Bedell	...	Bit (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Barbara Booth	...	Bit (uncredited)
Ed Brady	...	Wagon Driver (uncredited)
Horace G. Brown	...	Fireman (uncredited)
Julie Cabanne	...	Bit (uncredited)
George Chandler	...	Onlooker (uncredited)
Jack Cheatham	...	Bit (uncredited)
Davison Clark	...	Police Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Table Extra at The Hub (uncredited)
Jeanne Criswell	...	Horsewoman (uncredited)
Dale Dee	...	Bit (uncredited)
Natalie Finley	...	Horsewoman (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Woman with Senator Colby (uncredited)
Norah Gale	...	Bit (uncredited)
Kirby Grant	...	Moustached Quartette Member in 'Old Virginny' Number (uncredited)
Harrison Greene	...	Man with Senator Colby (uncredited)
Harriette Haddon	...	Bit (uncredited)
Sherry Hall	...	Court Clerk (uncredited)
Harry Hayden	...	Johnson - Jack's Secretary (uncredited)
Harry Hollingsworth	...	First 'Hub' Bidder (uncredited)
Sheldon Jett	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Edna Mae Jones	...	Bit (uncredited)
Jean Joyce	...	Bit (uncredited)
Adelaide Kaye	...	Bit (uncredited)
Edward Keane	...	Politician in Jack's Office (uncredited)
Crystal Keate	...	Bit (uncredited)
Fred Kelsey	...	Cop (uncredited)
Billie Lee	...	Bit (uncredited)
Patricia Lee	...	Bit (uncredited)
Patsy Lee	...	Bit (uncredited)
Vera Lewis	...	Witness at Wedding (uncredited)
Mary Lorraine	...	Bit (uncredited)
Corine McAlister	...	Horsewoman (uncredited)
J.P. McGowan	...	Saloon Manager (uncredited)
Pat McKee	...	Man Who Gets Beer in Face (uncredited)
Lydia McKim	...	Child (uncredited)
Florence McPherson	...	Horsewoman (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	Opening Night Guest (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Waiter at The Senate (uncredited)
George Offerman Jr.	...	Youth in New Suit (uncredited)
Pat Parrish	...	Bit (uncredited)
Gil Perkins	...	Arrested 'Hub' Patron (uncredited)
Patsy Perrin	...	Bit (uncredited)
Eleanore Prentiss	...	Bit (uncredited)
Jane Ray	...	Bit (uncredited)
Rice and Cady	...	Dutch Comedians (uncredited)
Dorothy Rodgers	...	Horsewoman (uncredited)
John Roy	...	Bit (uncredited)
Muriel Scheck	...	Bit (uncredited)
Audrey Scott	...	Horsewoman (uncredited)
Louise Seidel	...	Bit (uncredited)
Larry Steers	...	One of Belle's Admirers (uncredited)
Hope Taylor	...	Bit (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	Arrested 'Hub' Patron (uncredited)
June Terry	...	Bit (uncredited)
Valerie Traxler	...	Bit (uncredited)
Minerva Urecal	...	Frantic Screaming Mother (uncredited)
John Wallace	...	Man Who Yells "Mrs. O'Leary, Your House is On Fire!" (uncredited)
Marion Weldon	...	Bit (uncredited)
Dorothy White	...	Bit (uncredited)
Charles Williams	...	Secretary / Witness at Wedding (uncredited)

Directed by
Henry King

Writing credits
Lamar Trotti		(screenplay) and
Sonya Levien		(screenplay)
Niven Busch		(story)

Produced by
Kenneth Macgowan	....	associate producer
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	producer

Cinematography by
J. Peverell Marley		(photography) (as Peverell Marley)

Film Editing by
Barbara McLean

Casting by
Walter Whaley		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
William S. Darling		(as William Darling)
Rudolph Sternad

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
Royer

Makeup Department
Gale McGarry	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Booth McCracken	....	unit manager
Ed Ebele	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert D. Webb	....	assistant director (as Robert Webb)
Bob Herndon	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Edward O'Fearna	....	assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

Art Department
M. Duke Abrahams	....	props (uncredited)
Charles Fremdling	....	assistant props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Eugene Grossman	....	sound
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)
Bob Bertrand	....	boom operator (uncredited)
H. Richards	....	cable person (uncredited)
W.R. Snyder	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Daniel B. Clark	....	special effects photographer
Ralph Hammeras	....	special effects stager
H. Bruce Humberstone	....	special effects director
Fred Sersen	....	special effects stager
Louis J. Witte	....	special effects stager

Stunts
Yakima Canutt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Cliff Lyons	....	stunt rider (uncredited)
Jack Montgomery	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Raye	....	stunts (uncredited)
Audrey Scott	....	riding double: Alice Brady (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
A.C. Bumpus	....	assistant grip (uncredited)
Clarence Collins	....	best boy (uncredited)
Kenneth Green	....	camera operator (uncredited)
N. Hanley	....	assistant grip (uncredited)
Jack Percy	....	grip (uncredited)
Edward Petzoldt	....	gaffer (uncredited)
John Van Wormer	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Frank Tresselt	....	music casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Albert Conti	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Ollie Hughes	....	wardrober: women (uncredited)
Bob Lee	....	wardrober: men (uncredited)
Arthur M. Levy	....	costume supervisor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Richard Billings	....	assistant cutter (uncredited)
Robert Fritch	....	assistant cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
Louis Silvers	....	musical director
Cyril J. Mockridge	....	composer: incidental music (uncredited)
Herbert W. Spencer	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Jule Styne	....	vocal supervisor (uncredited)

Other crew
Teresa Brachetto	....	script clerk (uncredited)
Harry Brand	....	publicity director (uncredited)
Nick Castle	....	dance director (uncredited)
Edwin H. Curtis	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Gene Fowler	....	researcher (uncredited)
Jack Haskell	....	dance director (uncredited)
Sid Jordan	....	horse supervisor (uncredited)
Max Larey	....	script clerk (uncredited)
Charles E. McCarthy	....	press representative (uncredited)
Geneva Sawyer	....	dance director (uncredited)
Rose Steinberg	....	script clerk: second unit (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (as Twentieth Century-Fox)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1937) (USA) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1943) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (edited)
• Fox Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Chicago Historical Society  acknowledged assistance
• United Costumers Inc.  costumes supplied by (uncredited)
• Western Costume Company  costumes supplied by (uncredited)

Runtime:

95 min | 111 min (roadshow version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #3639) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

This was Darryl F. Zanuck's riposte to the success of MGM's San Francisco (1936). He tried to borrow Clark Gable and Jean Harlow for his production, but MGM head Louis B. Mayer refused to loan them out.

Quotes:

Dion O'Leary: Nothing can lick Chicago!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Boom! Hollywood's Greatest Disaster Movies (2000) (V)

Soundtrack:

The Battle Cry of Freedom

This Fire Fizzles

It must have seemed like a no-brainer to make a film about the Great Chicago Fire. Unfortunately, no brains were used in developing the story that would climax with the fire. The story about sibling rivalry between the sons of Mrs. O'Leary, whose cow supposedly started the fire, is incredibly lame and dull. The melodramatic script is unbearably syrupy in handling the mother-son relationship on one hand while romanticizing sexual assault on the other hand. Power looks very handsome but is somewhat lackluster as the bad brother while Ameche has the thankless role of the good brother. Brady's thickly-accented performance is hardly Oscar-worthy. At least the fire is well filmed.