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The Fuller Brush Man
The Fuller Brush Man (1948), starring Red Skelton, Janet Blair
In a nutshell, The Fuller Brush Man is one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. Red Skelton is at his finest, both in verbal comedy as well as in physical slapstick galore. The basic plot has Red Skelton playing the part of Red Jones, a well-meaning young man … Who keeps getting fired from every job he’s ever held within three weeks. The girl he loves, Ann Elliot (played by Janet Blair) refuses his marriage proposal. Until he matures enough to be able to provide for a family. Red decides to emulate his rival for Ann’s love by becoming a door-to-door salesman for the Fuller Brush company. Unfortunately, this leads him to be the witness to a murder, with the police and gangsters following
Red Skelton’s Christmas Dinner special
Red Skelton’s Christmas Dinner starring Red Skelton, Vincent Price, Imogene Coca
Red Skelton’s final television project, Red Skelton’s Christmas Dinner (also known as Freddie the Freeloader’s Christmas Dinner), is one of his best. It centers around Red’s hobo clown character, Freddie the Freeloader, who has been saving up his money to afford a nice Christmas dinner with his friend, The Professor — another hobo clown, played wonderfully by Vincent Price.
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I Dood It
movie review of I Dood It! (1943) starring Red Skelton, Eleanor Powell, directed by Vincente Minelli The movie I Dood It! is a musical comedy,… Read More »I Dood It
Three Little Words
Three Little Words (1950) starring Red Skelton, Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen, Arlene Dahl
Three Little Words is a long-time favorite movie of mine, for several reasons. First, I’m a large fan of the comedy of Red Skelton, and he’s given plenty of room to work his comedy, both physical and verbal. Likewise, I’m a fan of Fred Astaire, and I love to watch him dance. And he has his own very good sense of humor, that plays against Red’s very well. And thirdly, I’m a fan of well-done musicals, and Three Little Words definitely counts in that regard.
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DuBarry Was A Lady
DuBarry Was A Lady (1943) starring Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Gene Kelly, Virginia O’Brien, Rags Ragland, Zero Mostel, Tommy Dorsey
The basic plot of DuBarry Was A Lady is as follows: Hat check man Louis Blore (Red Skelton) is in love with nightclub star May Daly. (Lucille Ball). May, however, is in love with a poor dancer (Gene Kelly). But due to her parents’ poverty wants to marry for money. When Louis wins the Irish Sweepstakes, he asks May to marry him. She accepts even though she doesn’t love him. Soon after, Louis has an accident and gets slipped a doctored drink (meant for Gene Kelly), where he dreams that he’s King Louis XV pursuing the infamous Madame Du Barry (Lucille Ball).
Texas Carnival [Red Skelton]
Texas Carnival (1951) starring Red Skelton, Esther Williams, Howard Keel, Ann Miller, and Keenan Wynn
Texas Carnival is an interesting musical, comedy and romance that s a little bit different. It has 4 very different stars Red Skelton, Esther Williams, Howard Keel, and Ann Miller. They have four different strengths, and each of them has opportunity to showcase their talents.
- Red Skelton has several very funny moments clowning around.
- Esther Williams has one extended swimming sequence.
- Howard Keel sings his heart out in several songs.
- Ann Miller is showcased in two different dancing routines.
Lovely to Look At, starring Red Skelton, Howard Keel
movie review of Lovely to Look At (1952) starring Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson, Red Skelton, Ann Miller
Lovely to Look At is a combination romance, musical, comedy, and fashion show — no, really. It’s the story of three Americans (Al Marsh played by Red Skelton, Tony Naylor played by Howard Keel, Jerry Ralby played by Gower Champion). They’re looking for financial backers for the Broadway show they want to put on … unsuccessfully. They are out of options, when Al’s Aunt Roberta dies. She left him with partial ownership of a fashionable Paris dress shop.
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Neptune’s Daughter – Ricardo Montalban, Esther Williams, Red Skelton
Neptune’s Daughter (1949) starring Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalban, Red Skelton
Neptune’s Daughter is a laugh out loud funny romantic musical comed. Which I enjoyed immensely. Although the movie stars the beautiful (and aquatic) Esther Williams and the dashing Ricardo Montalban (one of my favorite actors), the movie comes to life when Red Skelton is onscreen.
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Bathing Beauty
Movie review of Bathing Beauty (1944) starring Red Skelton, Esther Williams, Basil Rathbone
Synopsis of Bathing Beauty
In Bathing Beauty, Swim instructor Caroline Brooks (Esther Williams) angrily returns to her teaching job at a New Jersey girls school when her brand new marriage to songwriter Steve Elliott (Red Skelton) is disrupted by scheming show producer George Adams (Basil Rathbone). In order to speak with his estranged bride, Steve forces admission to the college, which has never been legally declared “all female”. To rid the campus of him, Dean Clinton places Steve on two weeks’ probation, during which time she plans to hit him with 100 demerits and mandatory expulsion. Steve also encounters heavy resistance from faculty, students and a distant Caroline, who wants their marriage annulled.
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