The Matinee Idol

The Matinee Idol

1928
56m
6.4

6.4/10

18 votes • View on IMDb

"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.

Status: Released

Language: EN

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Production Information

Production Companies
Columbia Pictures
Production Countries
United States of America
Spoken Languages
No Language

Quick Facts

Release Date March 14, 1928
Status Released
Language EN
IMDb ID tt0019151

Cast

Bessie Love
Bessie Love

Ginger Bolivar

Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker

Don Wilson - aka Harry Mann

Ernest Hilliard
Ernest Hilliard

Arnold Wingate

Lionel Belmore
Lionel Belmore

Jasper Bolivar

David Mir
David Mir

Eric Barrymaine

Joe Bordeaux
Joe Bordeaux

Auditoning Actor (uncredited)

Sidney Bracey
Sidney Bracey

Don's Valet (uncredited)

Sidney D'Albrook
Sidney D'Albrook

J. Madison Wilberforce (uncredited)

Mary Gordon
Mary Gordon

Woman in Audience (uncredited)

Key Crew

Frank Capra
Director
Harry Cohn
Producer
Frank Capra
Producer