Mighty Joe Young (1949)

Director:

Ernest B. Schoedsack

Writers:

Merian C. Cooper (story)
Ruth Rose (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 August 1949 (Sweden)

Genre:

Adventure | Fantasy | Drama

Tagline:

Ten Terrific Thrills !

Plot:

Jill Young has brought up her pet gorilla since she was a child. Twelve years later, when the gorilla is fully grown...

Plot Keywords:

Gorilla | Hollywood | Africa | Wrestler | Heroism

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Terry Moore	...	Jill Young
Ben Johnson	...	Gregg
Robert Armstrong	...	Max O'Hara
Frank McHugh	...	Windy
Douglas Fowley	...	Jones
Denis Green	...	Crawford
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Smith
Nestor Paiva	...	Brown
Regis Toomey	...	John Young
Lora Lee Michel	...	Jill Young, as a Girl
James Flavin	...	Schultz
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mary Gordon	...	Old Woman (unconfirmed)
Iris Adrian	...	Woman (uncredited)
Bobby Barber	...	Diner Customer (uncredited)
Ian Batchelor	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Primo Carnera	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Cliff Clark	...	Police Guard Moran (uncredited)
Frank Conroy	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ellen Corby	...	Woman at orphanage (uncredited)
James Craven	...	First Man at Bar (uncredited)
Tom Daly	...	New York greeter (uncredited)
Karl 'Killer' Davis	...	Strongman (uncredited)
William 'Wee Willie' Davis	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Man Mountain Dean	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Joe Devlin	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Eddie Dunn	...	First Bartender (uncredited)
Mary Field	...	O'Hara's Secretary (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Nightclub Patron behind Drunks (uncredited)
Lee Tung Foo	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Edward Gargan	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson	...	Judge (uncredited)
Donald Kerr	...	Diner Proprietor (uncredited)
Henry Kulky	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Charles Lane	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Richard Lane	...	Attorney (uncredited)
Kermit Maynard	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Sammy Menacker	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Anne Nagel	...	Brunette at Bar (uncredited)
William Newell	...	Man at Bar (uncredited)
Phil Olafsson	...	Swedish Angel (uncredited)
Garry Owen	...	Second Bartender (uncredited)
Jack Pennick	...	Truck driver (uncredited)
Ivan Rasputin	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Irene Ryan	...	Girl at the bar (uncredited)
William Schallert	...	Gas Station Attendant (uncredited)
Charles Sherlock	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Sammy Stein	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Harry Strang	...	Policeman With Tramp (uncredited)
Madame Sul-Te-Wan	...	Young family servant (uncredited)
Archie Twitchell	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Ray Walker	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Max Willenz	...	Sketch artist (uncredited)
Norman Willis	...	Man with Mustache at Bar (uncredited)
Fay Wray	...	Woman's Scream (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Ernest B. Schoedsack

Writing credits
Merian C. Cooper		(story)
Ruth Rose		(screenplay)

Produced by
Merian C. Cooper	....	producer
John Ford	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Roy Webb

Cinematography by
J. Roy Hunt

Film Editing by
Ted Cheesman

Production Design by
James Basevi

Costume Design by
Adele Balkan

Makeup Department
Mel Berns	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Lloyd Richards	....	production manager
Lloyd Richards	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Ford	....	second unit director
Sam Ruman	....	assistant director
David Sharpe	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
George Altwils	....	set dresser
Howard Richmond	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
John L. Cass	....	sound
Walter Elliott	....	sound editor
Clem Portman	....	sound

Special Effects by
Fitch Fulton	....	technical staff
Ray Harryhausen	....	first technician
George Lofgren	....	technical staff
Willis H. O'Brien	....	technical creator (as Willis O'Brien)
Pete Peterson	....	second technician
Bert Willis	....	photographic effects
Marcel Delgado	....	technical staff: miniatures (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Linwood G. Dunn	....	optical effects (as Linwood Dunn)
Linwood G. Dunn	....	optical photography (as Linwood Dunn)
Harold E. Stine	....	photographic effects (as Harold Stine)
Herb Willis	....	photographic effects
Jack Shaw	....	matte artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Richard Farnsworth	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Gray	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Kennedy	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kermit Maynard	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Parker	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Sharpe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Steele	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Emmett Bergholtz	....	camera operator
Louie Anderson	....	grip (uncredited)

Music Department
C. Bakaleinikoff	....	musical director

Other crew
Jack Lannon	....	production effects

Production Companies

• Argosy Pictures (as ARKO Inc.)

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Films (1950) (Finland) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1957) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)
• Media Home Entertainment (198?) (USA) (VHS) (as Nostalgia Merchant)
• Turner Home Video (video)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

Mr. Joseph Young of Africa

Runtime:

94 min | USA:84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Swahili

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone) (some sequences) | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15

Company:

Argosy Pictures

Trivia:

A sequel called "Joe Meets Tarzan" was planned in 1950 and would have had Mighty Joe Young team up with Tarzan, played by Lex Barker, who had just filmed "Tarzan And The Slave Girl" that same year. The film was canceled due to the disappointing box office of "Mighty Joe Young".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Wires visible when Joe throws down the piano.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The O'Reilly Factor: (2008-07-01)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Beautiful Dreamer

Charming fantasy

RKO managed to put out a sweet movie, even with the cheesy backdrops (the African scenes) and special effects (they obviously used toy vehicles in one scene). You'll root for the good guys and laugh at the rougish character played by Robert Armstrong as he schemes to get Joe back home. Look for Irene Ryan (who later played "Granny" on the Beverly Hillbillies) in a quick scene in the nightclub.