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34-473: In 1928, aging and lonely New York millionaire Samuel Fulton ( Charles Coburn ) decides to leave his fortune to the family of the late Millicent Blaisdell, the only woman he has ever been in love with, but did not love him back. Samuel explains to his lawyer Edward Norton ( Frank Ferguson ) that losing Millicent inspired him to become a wealthy businessman. Fearing the family will spend the money unwisely, he decides to visit them in their small Vermont town, renting

68-435: A perfectionist, filmed many takes of each scene and shot from multiple angles. McCrea recalled that studio boss Cohn approached him during production, saying, "What's that son of a bitch Stevens doing, making all that film? He used more exposed film in one picture than in any five pictures I've ever made." Stevens was working under a three-film contract at Columbia Studios, and completed the terms of his contract with The More

102-905: A retired millionaire playing Cupid in The More the Merrier in 1943. He was also nominated for The Devil and Miss Jones in 1941 and The Green Years in 1946. Other notable film credits include Of Human Hearts (1938), The Lady Eve (1941), Kings Row (1942), The Constant Nymph (1943), Heaven Can Wait (1943), Wilson (1944), Impact (1949), The Paradine Case (1947), Everybody Does It (1950), Has Anybody Seen My Gal? (1952), Monkey Business (1952), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), and John Paul Jones (1959). He usually played comedic parts, but his roles in Kings Row and Wilson showed his dramatic versatility. For his contributions to motion pictures, in 1960, Coburn

136-536: A room in their house under the alias John Smith. Roberta, the youngest daughter, ( Gigi Perreau ) wastes no time in making him feel welcome. He notices that the Blaisdells are a happy family who, although poor, are proud of their background. Father Charles ( Larry Gates ) has taught the family not to value materialistic products. Nevertheless, mother Harriet ( Lynn Bari ) wishes for her daughter Millicent "Millie" ( Piper Laurie ) to marry Carl Pennock ( Skip Homeier ),

170-548: A stand-alone DVD as part of its Universal Vault Series . There is also a Region 2 DVD release of this film. Charles Coburn Charles Douville Coburn (June 19, 1877 – August 30, 1961) was an American actor and theatrical producer. He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award ("Oscar") three times – for The Devil and Miss Jones (1941), The More the Merrier (1943) and The Green Years (1946) – winning for his performance in The More

204-453: A traveling bag as an apology gift, and she allows him to stay until he departs for Africa in two days. Joe asks Connie out to dinner that night; she is initially reluctant but decides she will accept his invitation if Pendergast does not call her by 8:00. At 8:00, Joe and Connie prepare to leave, but her nosy teenage neighbor seeks her advice and delays her until Pendergast arrives downstairs. As Connie and Pendergast leave together, Joe spies on

238-422: A wealthy, snobbish young man who can buy Millie everything that Harriet never had. Millie, however, is not keen on Carl and prefers to marry local soda jerk Dan Stebbins ( Rock Hudson ). One night, Millie and Dan announce their engagement, which upsets Harriet. Shortly after, Norton arrives, announcing that the family has inherited $ 100,000 from an unknown man. The family immediately gives up their humble life for

272-440: Is determined not to repeat that mistake. Dingle meets Pendergast by chance at a business luncheon the following day and decides that Joe would be a better match for Connie. One day, Dingle reads aloud to Joe from Connie's diary, including her thoughts about Joe. Dingle is caught by Connie, who demands they both leave the next day. Dingle takes full blame for the incident, and retreats to his now-available hotel room. Joe gives Connie

306-411: Is facilitated by Dingle having conscripted a group of men living downstairs to remove the wall between their two bedrooms. Outside, Dingle changes the nameplate on the apartment door to read "Mr. and Mrs. Sgt. Carter". Jean Arthur got the ball rolling on The More The Merrier , paying playwright and writer Garson Kanin $ 25,000 to adapt his short story "Two's a Crowd" into a screenplay. She hoped to take

340-408: Is fine." Time Out Film Guide noted, "Despite a belated drift towards sentimentality, this remains a refreshingly intimate movie." TV Guide characterized the film as "[a] delightful and effervescent comedy marked with terrific performances" and praises Coburn as "nothing short of superb, stealing scene after scene with astonishing ease". On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes ,

374-496: Is interested in a room to stay for a week while waiting to be shipped overseas. Recognizing Joe as a suitable young man for Connie, Dingle rents him half of his half. When Connie discovers the new arrangement, she angrily orders both men to leave, but is forced to relent because she has already spent the pair's rent. Joe and Connie soon develop a mutual attraction, though she is engaged to pompous bureaucrat Charles J. Pendergast. Connie's mother married for love, not security, and Connie

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408-480: Is ruining the family image, unaware of the reason he ended up in jail. He is supported by Dan, who wants to leave town to build a career. Trying to prevent Millie and Dan from disappearing out of each other's life, Samuel sets up a meeting at the cinema. There, an argument follows, and Millie exclaims her hatred for the family's sudden wealth. She is comforted by Samuel and attracts the attention of other theatre-goers, who suspect that Samuel and Millie are dating. During

442-426: Is shocked to learn that Joe and Connie share the same address. When they ask Dingle to tell Pendergast that their living arrangement is purely innocent, he denies knowing them. Outside the station, Dingle says he lied to protect his reputation. Taking a taxi home, they all discuss what to do to avoid a scandal. Connie grows angry when Pendergast only cares about his career and returns his ring. When another passenger in

476-688: The 1940s, Coburn made his home at the National Arts Club in New York City. His late wife's mother lived there with him. Coburn married Winifred Natzka on June 30, 1959, in Los Angeles . She was the widow of the New Zealand bass opera singer Oscar Natzka . They had one child, a daughter. Coburn died of a heart attack on August 30, 1961, at age 84 in New York City. He was interred at Bonaventure Cemetery . The More

510-527: The Merrier The More the Merrier is a 1943 American romantic comedy film produced and directed by George Stevens , and starring Jean Arthur , Joel McCrea , and Charles Coburn . The film's script—from Two's a Crowd , an original screenplay by Garson Kanin (uncredited)—was written by Robert Russell , Frank Ross , Richard Flournoy, and Lewis R. Foster . Set in Washington, D.C. ,

544-527: The Merrier only at Arthur's request. The pair had a working relationship dating back more than a decade, having met on precode romantic melodrama The Silver Horde (1930). McCrea was initially suspicious that the studio was willing to cast him as Joe Carter, feeling that if it were a good part, they would have pursued Grant or Gary Cooper , but the role later became his own favorite of his comic performances. Contemporary reviews were broadly positive. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times enjoyed The More

578-441: The Merrier , calling the film "as warm and refreshing a ray of sunshine as we've had in a very late Spring". He praised all three leads, the writers, and the director, singling out Coburn as "the comical crux of the film" who "handles the job in fine fettle". Variety called it "a sparkling and effervescing piece of entertainment". Harrison's Reports wrote, "Excellent entertainment! George Stevens' masterful direction, and

612-544: The Merrier . He had previously shot two Cary Grant vehicles at Columbia—the melodrama Penny Serenade (1941) and the comedy-drama The Talk of the Town (1942). Less than a month after finishing work on The More the Merrier , he traveled to North Africa with the Army's combat photography unit. The More the Merrier was Stevens' last comedy, as he turned to drama and Westerns after the war. In early drafts, The More The Merrier

646-654: The Merrier . He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (in Hollywood , Los Angeles, California ) in 1960 for his contribution to the film industry. Coburn was born in Macon, Georgia , the son of Scots-Irish Americans Emma Louise Sprigman and Moses Douville Coburn. Growing up in Savannah, he started out at age 14 doing odd jobs at the local Savannah Theater, handing out programs, ushering, or being

680-531: The Pennocks refuse the loan and leave, calling off Carl and Millie's engagement. Much to Harriet's distress, the Blaisdell family returns to their old lifestyle, and Millie and Dan get engaged again. At the end, Roberta reveals that 'John' has won the first prize at an art show, since she secretly entered his paintings. Samuel leaves the house to avoid the press and realizes that the Blaisdells now think of him as

714-455: The couple from his window with binoculars. When the neighbor asks what he is doing, Joe flippantly tells him he is a Japanese spy. Dingle calls Joe to meet him for dinner at a restaurant, where they run into Connie and Pendergast. Playing Cupid , Dingle invites Pendergast to his suite to discuss the housing shortage, so that Joe and Connie can be alone together. Later, Joe walks Connie home. The two share their romantic pasts and end up kissing on

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748-470: The doorman. By age 17 or 18, he was the theater manager. He later became an actor, making his debut on Broadway in 1901. Coburn formed an acting company with actress Ivah Wills in 1905. They married in 1906. In addition to managing the company, the couple performed frequently on Broadway. After his wife's death in 1937, Coburn relocated to Los Angeles, California , and began film work. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as

782-468: The film presents a comic look at the housing shortage during World War II . The film received six nominations at the 16th Academy Awards , among them Best Picture , Best Director for Stevens, Best Actress for Arthur, Best Writing (Original Motion Picture Story) , and Best Writing (Screenplay) . Coburn won Best Supporting Actor . The film was remade in 1966 as Walk, Don't Run starring Cary Grant , Samantha Eggar , and Jim Hutton . The setting

816-552: The fine acting of Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea, and Charles Coburn make this one of the brightest and gayest comedies to have come out of Hollywood in many a season." David Lardner of The New Yorker wrote, "As is the case with a lot of madcap comedies, this one tends to fall apart somewhat toward the end, when all the accumulated mixups are supposed to be resolved without a complete sacrifice of logic, but by no means are. As long as these mixups are purely being established, however, and nobody's worrying about clearing them up, everything

850-529: The front steps. Inside, a sleepless Joe confesses through his bedroom wall that he loves her. She tells him she feels the same way, but refuses to marry him, as they will soon be forced apart when he leaves for Africa. Joe and Connie are interrupted by the arrival of two brusque FBI agents, who have been tipped off that Joe is a Japanese spy. Joe and Connie are taken to FBI headquarters. They assert that Dingle can vouch for Joe's identity and innocence. Dingle arrives, bringing Pendergast. During questioning, Pendergast

884-585: The grandfather he could have been. Working titles of the film are Oh Money, Money and Has Anybody Seen My Girl . James Dean has an uncredited role as a young man in one of the soda fountain scenes. Universal released this film on DVD in 2006 as part of the Rock Hudson Screen Legend Collection , a 3-disc set featuring four other films ( A Very Special Favor , The Golden Blade , The Last Sunset , and The Spiral Road ). Universal then re-released this film in 2015 as

918-425: The ongoing social party at the Blaisdell house, Harriet overhears gossip about Millie from the cinema, and forces Millie to announce her engagement to Carl. Meanwhile, Charles announces he has lost his investments, which makes Samuel realize that the Blaisdells are in no position to make wise financial decisions. Obligated by Samuel, Norton refuses to give them a loan, after which Charles begs the Pennocks for money, but

952-562: The role of Connie and serve out her contract with Columbia Studios , which had become irksome due to her deteriorating relationship with studio boss Harry Cohn . Kanin co-wrote the script with Robert Russell and Frank Ross, Arthur's husband. Arthur also brought director George Stevens (with whom she had recently worked on 1942's The Talk of the Town ) and co-star Joel McCrea to the project. Principal photography took place between September 11 and December 19, 1942, with additional "inserts" filmed in late January 1943. Stevens, known as

986-594: The shared cab turns out to be a reporter, Pendergast runs after him to try to stop him from writing about his fiancée cohabiting with Joe. Dingle assures Connie that if she marries Joe, the crisis will be averted, and they can file for a quick annulment afterwards. With 26 hours until Joe leaves for Africa, they follow his advice and fly to South Carolina to wed, where a license can be more quickly obtained than in D.C. Returning home, Connie allows Joe to spend his final night in her apartment. As Dingle had foreseen, Connie's attraction to Joe may yet overcome her misgivings; this

1020-466: The upper-class lifestyle. The oldest son Howard ( William Reynolds ) immediately starts gambling and lands in debt, which prompts Samuel to help him. Meanwhile, Dan, feeling he can never live up to Millie's expectations, breaks off their engagement. Afterwards, Millie reluctantly starts dating Carl again, under the pressure of her mother. Samuel helps Millie and Howard escape from a raid, which results in him being jailed. Harriet feels that Samuel's presence

1054-609: Was changed to Tokyo, which had experienced housing shortages due to the 1964 Summer Olympics . Retired millionaire Benjamin Dingle arrives in Washington, D.C., as an adviser on the housing shortage, and finds that his hotel suite will not be available for two days. He sees a classified ad for a roommate and talks the reluctant young woman, Connie Milligan, into letting him sublet half of her apartment. The next morning, after Connie leaves for work, Dingle meets Sergeant Joe Carter, who

Has Anybody Seen My Gal? (film) - Misplaced Pages Continue

1088-671: Was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6268 Hollywood Boulevard. In the 1940s, Coburn served as vice president of the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals , a group opposed to leftist infiltration and proselytization in Hollywood during the Cold War . Born and raised in the southern state of Georgia, Coburn was a member of the White Citizens' Council, which

1122-593: Was part of a network of states' rights groups known as the Citizens' Councils . These groups were associated with their opposition to the Civil Rights movement . A staunch Republican , Coburn supported Thomas Dewey in the 1944 United States presidential election . Coburn married Ivah Wills on January 29, 1906, in Atlanta, Georgia . They had six children. They were married until her death in 1937. In

1156-470: Was titled Two's a Crowd . Other titles considered included Washington Story , Full Steam Ahead , Come One, Come All , and Merry-Go-Round , which actually tested best with audiences. Washington officials, though, objected to a title and plot elements that suggested "frivolity on the part of Washington workers". The More the Merrier was finally approved as the title. McCrea was exhausted after already shooting three films in 1942, and signed on to The More

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