The Delicate Delinquent (1957)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Don McGuire

Writer:

Don McGuire (writer)

Release Date:

6 June 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Jerry Lewis Rockin' and Rollin' the world with laffs!

Plot:

Sidney Pythias (Jerry Lewis) is the a bumbling janitor picked up by cop Darren McGavin as a teenage gang member worth saving from delinquency...

Plot Keywords:

Juvenile Delinquent | Beautiful Woman | Theremin

Cast

Jerry Lewis	...	Sidney L. Pythias
Darren McGavin	...	Mike Damon
Martha Hyer	...	Martha Henshaw
Robert Ivers	...	Monk
Horace McMahon	...	Capt. Riley
Richard Bakalyan	...	Artie
Joseph Corey	...	Harry
Mary Webster	...	Patricia
Milton Frome	...	Mr. Herman
Jefferson Dudley Searles	...	Mr. Crow (as Jefferson Searles)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jered Barclay	...	Juvenile Delinquent (uncredited)
Joe Bassett	...	Instructor Sergeant (uncredited)
Kenneth Becker	...	Juvenile Delinquent (uncredited)
Taggart Casey	...	Casey (uncredited)
Helen Chapman	...	Young Woman (uncredited)
Dominic Fidelibus	...	Juvenile Delinquent (uncredited)
Frank Gorshin	...	Wise Guy on Street (uncredited)
David Halper	...	Boy (uncredited)
Frances Weintraub Lax	...	Woman with Lamp (uncredited)
Jack Lomas	...	Mr. Fox, Street Cleaner (uncredited)
Kenneth MacDonald	...	Police Lieutenant (uncredited)
Mike Mahoney	...	Police Academy Drill Instructor (uncredited)
Hank Mann	...	Mr. Kellin, Milkman (uncredited)
Rocky Marciano	...	Himself (uncredited)
Don McGuire	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Bill Meader	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Don Megowan	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Emile Meyer	...	Sgt. Kelly (uncredited)
Jimmy Murphy	...	Juvenile Delinquent (uncredited)
Emory Parnell	...	Sgt. Levitch (uncredited)
James Parnell	...	Cadet Chester A. Mizakowski (uncredited)
Jack Perrin	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Michael Ross	...	Police sergeant (uncredited)
Irene Seidner	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Teru Shimada	...	Togo's Japanese Interpreter (uncredited)
Mabel Smaney	...	Fat Woman (uncredited)
Kazuo Togo	...	Lt. Hiko (uncredited)
Anthony Warde	...	Police Academy Drill Instructor (uncredited)
Dave Willock	...	Police Cadet William C. Goerner (uncredited)
Irene Winston	...	Pregnant Woman (uncredited)

Directed by
Don McGuire

Writing credits
Don McGuire		(writer)

Produced by
Jerry Lewis	....	producer

Original Music by
Buddy Bregman

Cinematography by
Haskell B. Boggs		(as Haskell Boggs)

Film Editing by
Howard A. Smith		(as Howard Smith)

Art Direction by
A. Earl Hedrick		(as Earl Hedrick)
Hal Pereira

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Ray Moyer

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Nellie Manley	....	hair stylist
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Caffey	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Winston H. Leverett	....	sound recordist (as Winston Leverett)
Gene Merritt	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Farciot Edouart	....	process photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sy Devore	....	wardrobe: men

Music Department
Samuel Hoffman	....	musician: theremin (uncredited)

Other crew
Nick Castle	....	stager: music numbers
Jack Mintz	....	assistant to producer

Production Companies

• York Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1967) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Home Video (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Paramount Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Video Beat (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Video Beat (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Damon and Pythius (USA) (original script title)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:PG (re-rating) (2005) | UK:U (original rating) | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (certificate #18341)

Company:

York Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

After Hollywood or Bust (1956), this was to have been the next film for Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin. Martin did not want to be seen on screen in a police uniform and refused to do the film. Their partnership soon ended, so this film was Lewis' first solo effort. The part originally meant for Martin was given to Darren McGavin.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

By Myself

First Movie Without Dean Martin

At age 10, I kept my fingers crossed en route to see this movie. I loved both Martin and Lewis, was shocked at their breakup and truly wished them both happiness and success.

The movie did not disappoint me and I sensed that Jerry would be OK. Jerry's next movie, " Sad Sack " was much funnier; I thought - although I do remember having a huge poster of Liliane Montevecchi hanging in my bedroom for at least two years after seeing the movie - and perhaps "that" had something to do with my preference LOL.

The rest is history of course. For those in my age bracket, I also think it is worthwhile to mention how many times Jerry Lewis chose Kathleen Freeman to co-star in his movies. She was, of course, one of the two actresses to portray the maid in the 1953 TV series " Topper " which starred Leo G Carroll.