IMDb > Meet John Doe (1941)
Meet John Doe
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Meet John Doe (1941) More at IMDbPro »

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Meet John Doe (1941) -- A man needing money agrees to impersonate a nonexistent person who said he'd be committing suicide as a protest, and a political movement begins.
Meet John Doe (1941) -- MyMovieScripts.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   4,404 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Up 12% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Frank Capra

Writers:

Richard Connell (story) and
Robert Presnell Sr. (story) ...
(more)

Contact:

View company contact information for Meet John Doe on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

3 May 1941 (USA) more

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance more

Tagline:

ALL AMERICA WANTS TO MEET THE "MR. DEEDS" OF 1941! (original print media ad - all caps)

Plot:

A man needing money agrees to impersonate a nonexistent person who said he'd be committing suicide as a protest, and a political movement begins. full summary | full synopsis

Plot Keywords:

more

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. more

NewsDesk:

Red, White and Blues: Ten Bittersweet Patriotic Films
 (From IFC. 3 July 2008, 9:11 AM, PDT)

User Comments:

The Forgotten And Anonymous Get A Voice more (71 total)

US TV Schedule:

Tue. Nov. 175:45 PMTCM   


Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Gary Cooper ... Long John Willoughby - 'John Doe'

Barbara Stanwyck ... Ann Mitchell
Edward Arnold ... D. B. Norton

Walter Brennan ... The Colonel
Spring Byington ... Mrs. Mitchell
James Gleason ... Henry Connell

Gene Lockhart ... Mayor Lovett
Rod La Rocque ... Ted Sheldon - Norton's Nephew
Irving Bacon ... Beany
Regis Toomey ... Bert Hansen - Soda Jerk
J. Farrell MacDonald ... Sourpuss Smithers
Warren Hymer ... Angelface - Bodyguard
Harry Holman ... Mayor Hawkins
Andrew Tombes ... Spencer of 'Daily Chronicle'
Pierre Watkin ... Hammett - Political Boss
Stanley Andrews ... Weston - Political Boss
Mitchell Lewis ... Bennett - Labor Leader
Charles C. Wilson ... Charlie Dawson - D.B. Promoter (as Charles Wilson)
Vaughan Glaser ... Governor Jackson
Sterling Holloway ... Dan - Counterman at Diner
M.J. Frankovich ... Radio Announcer (as Mike Frankovich)
Knox Manning ... Radio Announcer at Convention
John B. Hughes ... Radio Announcer at Convention
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Austin ... Grubbel - John Doe Applicant (uncredited)
Evelyn Barlow ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Benny Bartlett ... Red - Office Boy (uncredited)
Mary Benoit ... Secretary (uncredited)
Max Blum ... Bit Part (uncredited)

Aldrich Bowker ... Pop Dwyer - Connell's Aide (uncredited)
Sidney Bracey ... Club Member (uncredited)
Fritzi Brunette ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Earle D. Bunn ... Policeman (uncredited)
Lucia Carroll ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Glen Cavender ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Howard Chase ... Electrician (uncredited)
Jack Cheatham ... Policeman with Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Edmund Cobb ... Policeman Guarding Ann (uncredited)
Mildred Coles ... Secretary (uncredited)
Alan Copeland ... Choirboy (uncredited)
Mrs. Gardner Crane ... Mrs. Brewster (uncredited)
Floyd Criswell ... Electrician (uncredited)
Billy Curtis ... Midget (uncredited)
Lew Davis ... Electrician (uncredited)
Vernon Dent ... Man (uncredited)
Evelyn Dockson ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Ann Doran ... Mrs. Hansen (uncredited)
Edward Earle ... Radio MC (uncredited)
Sarah Edwards ... Mrs. Hawkins (uncredited)
Carl Ekberg ... Reporter (uncredited)
Paul Everton ... GOP Man (uncredited)
Frank Fanning ... Reporter (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum ... Bit Role (uncredited)
Eddie Fetherston ... Reporter (uncredited)

Pat Flaherty ... Mike - Daily Chronicle Agent (uncredited)
Bess Flowers ... Mattie - Newspaper Secretary (uncredited)
Fern Formica ... Lady Midget (uncredited)
William Forrest ... Governor's Associate (uncredited)
Charles K. French ... Fired Reporter (uncredited)
Jack Gardner ... Photographer (uncredited)
Inez Gay ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Ethel Gilstrom ... Bit Part (uncredited)
William Gould ... Sergeant (uncredited)
Eddie Graham ... Tall Autograph Hound (uncredited)

Mack Gray ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Jay Guedillio ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Alfred Hall ... Chamber of Commerce Member (uncredited)
Donald Hall ... Bit Part (uncredited)
John Hamilton ... Jim - Governor's Associate (uncredited)
Kenneth Harlan ... Publicity Man (uncredited)
James Harrison ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Forrester Harvey ... Bum (uncredited)
Edward Hearn ... Mayor's Secretary (uncredited)
Oscar 'Dutch' Hendrian ... Radio Station Audience (uncredited)
Max Hoffman Jr. ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes ... Bit Part (uncredited)
John Ince ... Doctor (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson ... Radio Announcer at Convention (uncredited)
Frank Jaquet ... Police Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Carlotta Jelm ... Ann's Sister (uncredited)
Eddie Kane ... Wall Street Tycoon (uncredited)
Edward Keane ... Relief Administrator (uncredited)
Richard Kipling ... Police Commissioner (uncredited)
Isabel La Mal ... Chamber of Commerce Member (uncredited)
Melvin Lang ... Foreign Dignitary (uncredited)
Florence Lawler ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Walter Linden ... Photographer (uncredited)
Al Lloyd ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Hank Mann ... Eddie - Photographer at Hotel (uncredited)
Alphonse Martell ... Foreign Dignitary (uncredited)
Frank Mayo ... Attendant (uncredited)
Charles McAvoy ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Larry McGrath ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Joe McGuinn ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Tom McGuire ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Lafe McKee ... Mr. Delaney (uncredited)
James McNamara ... Sheriff (uncredited)
Edward McWade ... Joe - Elderly Typesetter (uncredited)
Claire Meade ... Bit Part (uncredited)
George Melford ... Chamber of Commerce Member (uncredited)
Frank Meredith ... Guard (uncredited)
James Millican ... Photographer (uncredited)
Charles R. Moore ... City Hall Janitor (uncredited)
Frank Moran ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Clark Morgan ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Gene Morgan ... Mug (uncredited)
Jack Mower ... Guard (uncredited)
Forbes Murray ... Legislator (uncredited)
Gail Newbray ... Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Mrs. Wilfrid North ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Wedgwood Nowell ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Garry Owen ... Sign Painter (uncredited)
Paul Panzer ... Bit Part (uncredited)
George Pembroke ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Bob Perry ... Delegate (uncredited)
Elsa Peterson ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Susan Peters ... Autograph Hound (uncredited)
Hal Price ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Stanley Price ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Jack Richardson ... Man in Diner (uncredited)
Cyril Ring ... Radio Technician (uncredited)
Don Roberts ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Henry Roquemore ... Chamber of Commerce Member (uncredited)
Thomas W. Ross ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Sally Sage ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Cliff Saum ... Guard (uncredited)
Sada Simmons ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Russell Simpson ... (uncredited)
Walter Soderling ... Barrington - Political Boss (uncredited)
Wyndham Standing ... Democrat (uncredited)
Edwin Stanley ... Democrat (uncredited)
Vera Steadman ... Bit Role (uncredited)
Bert Stevens ... Radio Station Audience (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan ... Policeman (uncredited)
Emma Tansey ... Mrs. Delaney (uncredited)
Tina Thayer ... Ann's Sister (uncredited)
Cyril Thornton ... D.B.'s Butler (uncredited)
Jim Thorpe ... John Doe Applicant (uncredited)
Charles Trowbridge ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Don Turner ... Guard (uncredited)
Guy Usher ... Bixler (uncredited)
Frederick Vogeding ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Bess Wade ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Lillian West ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Bernard Wheeler ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Leo White ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Ed Williams ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Lottie Williams ... Bit Part (uncredited)
Tom Wilson ... Man in Diner / Man in Radio Station Audience (uncredited)
Jack Wise ... Delegate (uncredited)
Maris Wrixon ... Autograph Hound (uncredited)
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Directed by
Frank Capra 
 
Writing credits
Richard Connell (story) and
Robert Presnell Sr. (story) (as Robert Presnell)

Robert Riskin (screenplay)

Produced by
Frank Capra .... producer
 
Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin 
 
Cinematography by
George Barnes 
 
Film Editing by
Daniel Mandell 
 
Art Direction by
Stephen Goosson 
 
Costume Design by
Natalie Visart (gowns)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arthur S. Black Jr. .... assistant director (as Arthur S. Black)
 
Sound Department
C.A. Riggs .... sound
 
Special Effects by
Jack Cosgrove .... special effects
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Irving Lippman .... still photographer (uncredited)
 
Editorial Department
Slavko Vorkapich .... montage
 
Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein .... musical director
Hall Johnson .... music arranger: choral arrangements
George Bassman .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Simon Bucharoff .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Lucien Cailliet .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Hugo Friedhofer .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Leigh Harline .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Charles Maxwell .... orchestrator (uncredited)
George Parrish .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Leonid Raab .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Max Reese .... orchestrator (uncredited)
David Tamkin .... orchestrator (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Also Known As:

Frank Capra's 'Meet John Doe' (USA) (complete title)
John Doe, Dynamite (UK)
more

Runtime:

USA:122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

Regarding the 'sweet potatoes' that Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan play, in addition to "Hi Diddle Dee Dee (An Actor's Life For Me)", from "Pinocchio": Brennan alone plays this on an ocarina (sweet potato), but Cooper plays a small harmonica. The tune they play as a duet, while Barbara Stanwyck is interviewing them, is The "William Tell Overture, Finale" by Rossini (The Lone Ranger Theme). Cooper explains the reason Brennan likes him is that they both play 'Doohickeys'. more

Goofs:

Continuity: The collar of John Doe's coat is alternately up and down between shots when Ann is persuading him not to jump off the roof. more

Quotes:

The Colonel: I've seen guys like you before. Guys that never had to worry. Then they get a hold of some dough and go goofy. more

Movie Connections:

Featured in A Hollywood Christmas (1996) (V) more

Soundtrack:

Beer Barrel Polka more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
11 out of 14 people found the following comment useful.
The Forgotten And Anonymous Get A Voice, 23 August 2006
10/10
Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York

Meet John Doe was rudely jerked back into relevance in the Nineties by the emergence of a third party presidential candidate, wealthy enough to finance his own campaign, who ran in two presidential elections.

H.Ross Perot and Edward Arnold's D.B. Norton have some definite similarities. Both men of wealth, both ego maniacal enough to try and eschew the normal political route to the White House. Both firmly convinced they are what the USA needs.

Perot for all those graphs and charts didn't have much going for him in his candidacy other than a grudge against the Bush family. Although his platform isn't spelled out in Meet John Doe, Arnold says quite bluntly there's a new order of things coming and America needs a firm hand in the leadership. 'New Order' in 1941 meant fascism.

There's a marvelous bit of imagery that Frank Capra give us right at the beginning, it's one of my favorite moments in his films. The image of the old Daily Bulletin sign being sandblasted away about a free press guaranteeing a free people and vice versa. Replacing it is something about the new Daily Bulletin being a streamlined paper for the modern era.

Streamlining involves layoffs and the new editor James Gleason is giving out pink slips a plenty. One goes to Barbara Stanwyck who writes an innocuous chatty column. Gleason won't listen to her pleas so she fakes an anonymous letter from a man who signs it John Doe who threatens to jump off the City Hall Tower on Christmas Eve.

Stanwyck gets more than she bargained for and she and Gleason have to come up with a real John Doe. A sore armed former baseball pitcher, Gary Cooper, fills the bill.

This gets bigger and bigger and soon Arnold sees possibilities in it. Cooper goes on radio and delivers some homilies about love thy neighbor and being kind to others. He puts it over and a John Doe movement on these principles commences.

Homilies and bromides they may be. But love thy neighbor is a concept that should never go out of style. As is proved it's quite a bit bigger than the political aspirations of a snake.

This was the first teaming of Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. They followed it up with Ball of Fire another classic. Said to say that their third film, Blowing Wild, from the fifties hardly lived up to the first two.

Capra used a whole lot of familiar faces from his previous films in Meet John Doe. Also one new face who made his one and only Capra film, Cooper's good friend on screen and in life, Walter Brennan. He's Coop's cynical traveling companion on the open road, the Colonel.

Edward Arnold is one cold and sinister force in this film. I'm not sure but that this may be his penultimate role as a screen villain. His ambitions here would warrant that appraisal.

One performance I like is that of Regis Toomey. He plays a soda jerk who starts a John Doe Club in his small town. He has some great lines that he delivers simply and eloquently about how Cooper's first radio speech inspired him to really get to know some of the neighbors he had not bothered with before.

The lessons of Meet John Doe are simple and profound. Love Thy Neighbor and be kind to others are taught in all major religions and philosophies and the power is there when its focused. The other lesson I like is that the ordinary common people have a lot more in common than the things that divide them, be it race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, you name it.

Meet John Doe is a profound and moving film, but I be it's not one of H. Ross Perot's favorites.

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