The Matinee Idol (1928)

  • NR
  • 03/14/1928 (US)
  • Romance, Comedy
  • 56m

Here's a real comedy of the theater, which takes you behind the scenes of a thrilling melodrama and shows you how they acted in the old ten-twenty-thirties. You'll learn how to make love and say nice things to your sweetheart.

Overview

The famous matinee idol and blackface comedian, Don Wilson, heads out of town to escape adulation. There, calling himself Harry Mann, he accidentally joins a traveling acting troupe, and falls in love with Ginger Bolivar, who runs the troupe and stars in their Civil War melodrama. Don's producer sees the play, and thinks it's a comic masterpiece, and just what Don's Broadway show needs. But when Ginger finds out she's been played for a fool, will she forgive Don? Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. in 1997.

Ernest Pagano

Story

Frank Capra

Director

Robert Lord

Story

Cast

Bessie Love's headshot

Bessie Love

Ginger Bolivar
Johnnie Walker's headshot

Johnnie Walker

Don Wilson - aka Harry Mann
Ernest Hilliard's headshot

Ernest Hilliard

Arnold Wingate
Lionel Belmore's headshot

Lionel Belmore

Jasper Bolivar
David Mir's headshot

David Mir

Eric Barrymaine
Joe Bordeaux's headshot

Joe Bordeaux

Auditoning Actor (uncredited)
Sidney Bracey's headshot

Sidney Bracey

Don's Valet (uncredited)
Sidney D'Albrook's headshot

Sidney D'Albrook

J. Madison Wilberforce (uncredited)

Recommendations