The Columbia Shorts Department
  • Home
    • Historical Overview
  • Two-Reel Comedies
    • The Musical Novelties
    • Leon Errol
    • George Sidney & Charlie Murray
    • Walter Catlett
    • The Three Stooges
    • Andy Clyde
    • Harry Langdon
    • Charlie Murray
    • The Radio Rogues
    • Franklin Pangborn
    • Monty Collins
    • Guinn "Big Boy" Williams
    • Polly Moran
    • El Brendel
    • Charley Chase
    • Herman Bing
    • Tom Kennedy & Johnny Arthur
    • Joe Smith & Charlie Dale
    • Danny Webb
    • Buster Keaton
    • The Glove Slingers
    • Roscoe Karns
    • Alan Mowbray
    • Johnny Downs
    • George Givot & Cliff Nazarro
    • Billy Gilbert
    • Una Merkel
    • Hugh Herbert
    • Slim Summerville
    • Vera Vague
    • Shemp Howard
    • Eddie Foy, Jr
    • Gus Schilling & Richard Lane
    • Sterling Holloway
    • Harry von Zell
    • Selected Short Subjects >
      • Animal Cavalcade
      • Around The World In Color
      • Ben K Blake Productions
      • Candid Microphone
      • Cavalcade of Broadway
      • Cinescopes
      • Columbia Cartoons
      • Columbia Quiz Reels
      • Columbia Tours
      • Columbia-Victor Gems
      • Community Sing
      • Court Of Human Relations
      • Edward Buzzell's Bedtime Stories
      • Famous Bands
      • Film Vodvil
      • Fools Who Made History
      • Monty Collins & Tom Kennedy
      • The Heart Of Show Business
      • Lambs Gambols/Sunrise Comedies
      • The Hall Room Boys
      • Happy Hour Specials
      • International Forum
      • Life's Last Laughs
      • Mickey (Himself) McGuire
      • Minute Mysteries
      • Misc. Shorts
      • Monkeyshines
      • The Movies And You
      • Music To Remember
      • Music Travelarks
      • Musicals
      • New York Parade
      • Panoramics
      • Rambling Reporter
      • Screen Snapshots
      • The Serials
      • Spice Of Life
      • Sport Reels
      • Stars Of Tomorrow
      • Strange As It Seems
      • Thrills Of Music
      • Topnotchers
      • Travel Laughs (Laughing With Medbury)
      • Vera Vague's Laff Tours
      • Victory Shorts
      • Voice Of Experience
      • Walter Futter's Curiosities
      • Washington Parade
    • Joe DeRita
    • Billie Burke
    • Wally Vernon & Eddie Quillan
    • Joe Besser
    • Wally Brown & Tim Ryan
    • Max Baer & "Slapsie" Maxie Rosenbloom
    • Bert Wheeler
    • Harry Mimmo
    • The Mischief Makers
    • Muriel Landers aka Girlie Whirls
  • Order DVDs Here
    • Trades
  • Where Are They Now?
  • Contact Us

Tom Kennedy & Johnny Arthur (1938)

Picture
Image courtesy Ralph Celentano

Picture
When the studio discontinued the Collins and Kennedy series, someone came up with the idea to pair Tom Kennedy with comedian Johnny Arthur, who is best known as the suffering father of Spanky McFarland and Darla Hood in a handful of "Our Gang" comedies.

The result was HALF-WAY TO HOLLYWOOD, which is a decent effort, but apparently audiences of the day did not agree and the idea to continue the series of Kennedy and Arthur comedies was nixed.

Tom Kennedy would continue to appear in two-reelers for the unit, often supporting comedians El Brendel and Shemp Howard in their series of shorts. Johnny Arthur would move on to other work at various studios, including a memorable role in the Republic serial THE MASKED MARVEL,  until his death in 1951.




Picture
Official Films title for 16mm distribution
HALFWAY TO HOLLYWOOD (7/1/1938)

Status-Print Available

Production Number 425
Director-Charley Chase
Producer-Jules White
Associate Producers-Hugh McCollum and Charley Chase
Story and Screenplay-Al Giebler and Elwood Ullman
Photography-Lucien Ballard
Editor-Art Seid

Cast
Ann Doran
Harry Holman
Cy Schindell
Beatrice Blinn
Bobby Burns
Doodles Weaver
Al Thompson
Beatrice Curtis
Victor Travers

Johnny writes a screenplay, then gets Tom and his wife to star with him in his amateur production. Their production is about their boss, who walks in on a screening of the finished product, puts "two and two" together and is infuriated....until the footage reveals the truth behind Tom and Johnny's co-worker...who is collecting workman's comp for his "injuries".



Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.