Off the Dole
| Off the Dole | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Arthur Mertz |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by | John E. Blakeley |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | John W. Boyle |
| Edited by | Dennis Cantlan |
| Music by | Arthur L Ward |
Production company | |
Release date |
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Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Off the Dole is a 1935 British film starring George Formby. Formby appeared as John Willie, a stage character originally developed by his father, George Formby, Sr.; Beryl Formby, Formby Jnr's wife, also appeared in the film.
Plot
[edit]John Willie has his dole money denied him for moonlighting and not trying to find work. His uncle asks him to take over his detective agency.
Cast
[edit]- George Formby as John Willie
- Beryl Formby as Grace, Charm and Ability
- Constance Shotter as Irene
- Dan Crisp as The Inimitable Dude
- James Plant as Crisp and Debonaire
- Stan Pell as The Most Inoffensive Parson
- Stan Little as Little Jack
- Tully Comber as Measured for his Part
- Clifford McLaglen as A Villain and Proud of It
- Wally Patch as Revels in his Part
Background/production
[edit]Off the Dole cost £3,000 to make, and earned £80,000 at the box office.[1] As with Formy's previous film, Boots! Boots! (1934), the film was in a revue format, and also showed Formby in the role of John Willie; Beryl was his co-star.[2][3] According to Formby's biographer, the cultural historian Jeffrey Richards, the two films "are an invaluable record of the pre-cinematic Formby at work".[4]
Notes and references
[edit]Notes
References
- ^ Richards 2010, p. 198.
- ^ "Off the Dole (1935)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
- ^ Richards 2004.
- ^ Richards 2010, p. 196.
Sources
[edit]- Richards, Jeffrey (2004). "Formby, George [real name George Hoy Booth]". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/33205. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- Richards, Jeffrey (2010). The Age of the Dream Palace: Cinema and Society in 1930s Britain. London: I.B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84885-122-1.
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