Private Snuffy Smith (1942)

Director:

Edward F. Cline

Writers:

Billy DeBeck (comic strip "Barney Google and Snuffy Smith")
John Grey (original screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 January 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | War

Tagline:

IT;S BODACIOUS! America's favorite comic strip leaps to hilarious life on the screen...with the peskiest, sassiest varmit ever to wear cacky britches! (original poster)

Plot:

Snuffy Smith, moonshining hillbilly, grows tired of dodging revenue agents, headed by Cooper, and decides...

Plot Keywords:

Revenue Agent | Hillbilly | Snuffy Smith | Discipline | Mountain

Cast

Bud Duncan	...	Snuffy Smith, Camp Yardbird
Edgar Kennedy	...	Sgt. Ed Cooper, ex-Revenue Agent
Sarah Padden	...	Lowizie Smith
J. Farrell MacDonald	...	Gen. Rosewater
Doris Linden	...	Cindy
Jimmie Dodd	...	Pvt. Don Elbie
Andria Palmer	...	Janie (as Andraia Palmer)
Patrick McVey	...	Lloyd (as Pat McVeigh)
Frank Austin	...	Saul
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Carlisle	...	Army Officer (uncredited)
Riley Hill	...	Army Officer (uncredited)
Pierce Lyden	...	War Games Umpire (uncredited)
Hart Wayne	...	Army Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Edward F. Cline

Writing credits
Billy DeBeck		(comic strip "Barney Google and Snuffy Smith")
John Grey		(original screenplay) and
Jack Henley		(original screenplay) and
Lloyd French		(original screenplay) and
Doncho Hall		(original screenplay)

Produced by
Jack Dietz	....	associate producer
Edward Gross	....	producer
Daniel Keefe	....	associate producer (as Dan Keefe)

Cinematography by
Marcel Le Picard		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert O. Crandall		(as Robert Crandall)

Art Direction by
Richard Irvine

Makeup Department
Ern Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Nelson Gross	....	assistant production manager

Sound Department
William R. Fox	....	sound director (as William Fox)

Music Department
Rudy Schrager	....	musical director

Other crew
Doncho Hall	....	dialogue director

Production Companies

• Capitol Productions Inc.
• Monogram Pictures

Distributors

• Monogram Pictures (1942) (USA) (theatrical)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• VCI Home Video (????) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Snuffy Smith (UK)
Snuffy Smith, Yard Bird (USA) (original script title)
Yard Bird (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

67 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (Western Electric Wide Range System)

Certification:

USA:Approved

Company:

Capitol Productions Inc.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Hillbilly Blitzkrieg (1942)

Soundtrack:

Times-a-Wastin'

lotsa hilarious Hicks and hick-ups!

Monogram's well calculated hillbilly comic strip / army antics comedy from 1942 must have made zillions at the box office, given it's time and themes. Hilarious actors Bud Duncan and wife Sarah Padden playing tiny Snuffy Smith and his huge wife Lowzie make a very funny on screen sight. I have to say I watched this under protest; but within 10 minutes found myself laughing at my own prejudice: this is a well made and very entertaining 40s crowd pleaser ...and transfer that into huge crowds watching either in bumpkin Bijous or Army cinemas and the roof would have lifted an many occasions during this farce well connected with its intended audience. The dialog alone spoken in some sort of contrived hillbilly pilgrim Shakespeare is suitably mangled and hilarious. The cheap production adds to the hick locales and tent city of the army; the comic book look and action suit the antics perfectly. I really liked this deliberately silly film and found it a real surprise. Filmed with a real eye for being as crazy as possible with a cast matched (in the credits) to the comic book...well it all is a treat...and "filmed" just around the corner from Dogpatch, I am sure, they would have known Li'l Abner, Daisy Mae, the Beverly Hillbillies and even both Hatfields and MacCoys. Bud Duncan, veteran of over 120 silent comedies is a perfectly diminutive and crafty WC Fields which adds to the film. What a surprise! Republic Pictures must have been soooo jealous of Monogram scoring this bullseye! Remember these silly films were made to entertain wartime audiences sitting in huge theaters, not clever new century us in alone in our DVD caves...so allow that notion in your viewing of these old films...and have fun..that's what they are made for!