That's My Boy (1951 film)

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This article is about the film. For the British sitcom, see That's My Boy.

That's My Boy
Directed by Hal Walker
Produced by Cy Howard
Hal B. Wallis
Written by Cy Howard
Starring Dean Martin
Jerry Lewis
Ruth Hussey
Eddie Mayehoff
Polly Bergen
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) May 13, 1951
Running time 98 minutes
Language English
IMDb profile

That's My Boy is a 1951 film starring the comedy team of Martin and Lewis (Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis) and marked the first film where they actually had 'roles', as opposed to their previous efforts in which they played an extension of their nightclub act. It was released on May 13, 1951 by Paramount Pictures.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Junior Jackson (Jerry Lewis) is the nerdy son of a former All-American football hero, Jarring Jack Jackson (Eddie Mayehoff). His mother (Ruth Hussey) is another former star athlete, having been a champion Olympic swimmer. Junior is somewhat of a disappointment to his father as he has a difficult time understanding how two athletes could produce such a weakling.

Junior, meanwhile, is more interested in animal husbandry than sports, however his father has other plans. In exchange for free tuition to college, Bill Baker (Dean Martin) makes a deal with Jarring Jack to turn his son into a football star. Somehow Junior makes the team, in addition to falling for a beautiful co-ed Terry Howard (Marion Marshall). However, he is too shy to talk to her and she winds up falling for Bill. Some misadventures follow, including Junior scoring a touchdown...for the opposite team, and he gets the idea that Terry likes him. To keep up the ruse (and free tuition), Bill and Terry continue to support Junior and his new-found confidence. However, when Junior tells Bill that he intends to marry Terry, Bill gets drunk and makes a scene at Terry's dorm.

As a result, he is expelled and Junior, after finding out the truth about Bill and Terry, is determined to make things right. He goes on to win the big game singly-handedly and lives up to his father's expectations, who proudly exclaims, "That's my boy!"

[edit] Production

That's My Boy was filmed from December 6, 1950 through January 10 1951. Location scenes were at Occidental College in northeast Los Angeles.

[edit] Cast

  • Dean Martin ... Bill Baker
  • Jerry Lewis ... 'Junior' Jackson
  • Ruth Hussey ... Ann Jackson
  • Eddie Mayehoff ... Jarring Jack Jackson
  • Marion Marshall ... Terry Howard
  • Polly Bergen ... Betty 'Babs' Hunter
  • Hugh Sanders ... Coach Wheeler
  • John McIntire ... Dr. Benjamin Green
  • Francis Pierlot ... Henry Baker
  • Lillian Randolph ... May (Maid)
  • Selmer Jackson ... Doc Hunter (as Selmar Jackson)
  • Tom Harmon ... Himself - Sports Announcer
  • Gregg Palmer ... Student (as Palmer Lee)
  • Hazel Boyne ... Miss Johnson - Housemother (billed as Hazel 'Sonny' Boyne)

[edit] Spin-off

A short-lived CBS TV series based on this film aired from 1954-1955, with Mayehoff reprising his role as Jarring Jack Jackson.

[edit] DVD release

October 31, 2006

[edit] External links

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Martin and Lewis