The Lemon Drop Kid

Director: Sidney Lanfield Sidney Lanfield

Overview

In this film, Bob Hope stars as a bookie who is known as the Lemon Drop Kid. Hope finds himself deeply in debt to Florida gangster Fred Clark. Magnanimously, Clark gives Hope a chance to raise the money -- but he'd better have it ready by Christmas, or else.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/04/2017
UPC:	0738329216030
Original Release:	1951
Rating:	NR
Source:	Kl Studio Classics
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[B&W]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	1:31:00
Sales rank:	58,021

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Bob Hope	Lemon Drop Kid/Sidney Melbourne
Marilyn Maxwell	Brainey Baxter
Lloyd Nolan	Charlie
Jane Darwell	Nellie Thursday
Andrea King	Stella
Fred Clark	Moose Moran
Jay C. Flippen	Straight Flush
William Frawley	Gloomy Willie
Harry Bellaver	Sam the Surgeon
Sid Melton	Little Louie
Ben Welden	Singin' Solly
Ida Moore	Bird Lady
Francis Pierlot	Henry Regan
Charles Cooley	Goomba
Society Kid Hogan	Society Kid
Harry Shannon	Policeman John
Bernard Szold	Honest Harry
Tor Johnson	Super Swedish Angel
Tom Dugan	No Thumbs Charlie
Sidney Lanfield	Actor
Harry Tyler	Santa Claus
Stanley Andrews	Judge
Helen Brown	Ellen
Ray Cooke	Willie
John Doucette	Muscleman
Slim Gaut	Professor Murdock
Roy Gordon	Judge
Fred Graff	Pimlico Pete
Tommy Ivo	Boy Scout
Richard Karlan	Maxie
Jack Kruschen	Muscleman
Mary Murphy	Girl
Almira Sessions	Mrs. Santoro
Douglas Spencer	Thin Santa Claus
Sid Tomack	Groom
Fred Zendar	South Street Benny
Jay Livingston	Composer
Victor Young	Composer
Ray Evans	Composer

Technical Credits

Robert O'Brien

Frank Tashlin

Edmund Hartmann

Sidney Lanfield	Director
Robert L. Welch	Producer
Robert O'Brien	Screenwriter
Frank Tashlin	Screenwriter
Edmund Hartmann	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Although often understandably classified as a "holiday movie," The Lemon Drop Kid is actually an enjoyable little flick for any time of the year. Mixing with Bob Hope with Damon Runyan is a tricky combination, but it works well here. Certainly, in some ways Hope is a good fit for Runyan, as he's both appealing and underhanded, with a layer of selfishness, cowardice and egotism on top of the goodness beneath. But Hope's rapid-fire joke style is not a natural fit with the characteristic Runyan dialogue style. The two aren't totally reconciled in Kid, but the friction they sometimes create actually works to the film's advantage, painting Hope as something of an outsider -- a take that's not inaccurate when discussing the character's inner life. It also helps that the writers have supplied Hope with some good gags this time, and he delivers them in very fine form. Having lovely Marilyn Maxwell and dependable comics Fred Clark and William Frawley along is also a bonus, as are Lloyd Nolan and Jane Darwell. And then there's the immortal "Silver Bells," a timeless paean to big city Christmases, which certainly adds to the fun -- especially in Frawley's amusing take on it. While not one of Hope's absolutely best pictures, Kid is still very good entertainment.