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W. C. Fields in Never give a sucker an even break and Tillie and Gus
Two film scripts, with still pictures from both movies.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1972
5 people want to read
About the author
W.C. Fields
19 books122 followersW. C. Fields was born William Claude Dukenfield, the eldest of five children. Field's parents were a Cockney immigrant James Dukenfield and Philadelphia native Kate Felton
He was an American juggler, comedian, and actor. Fields created one of the great American comic personas of the first half of the 20th century—a misanthrope who teetered on the edge of buffoonery but never quite fell in, an egotist blind to his own failings, a charming drunk; and a man who hated children, dogs, and women, unless they were the wrong sort of women.
Fields was a marvel of marketing, he would go as far as pretending to drown in the ocean or other bodies of water, hoping to draw crowds (i.e. customers). His notoriety began around the age of 19, being propelled by his early 20s. His stardom would reach the heights Perform for Sarah Bernhardt at Buckingham Palace and other high profiled dignitaries. During his life, he would preform with some of the greatest names (e.g. Charles Chaplin) and on some of he greatest stages.
As a person, W. C. Field's had two sons: William Rexford Field Morris and William Claude Fields, Jr. Fields was married only once to Harriet Hughes from 1900 to 1946. Harriet bore Field's one son and a girlfriend by the name of Bessie Poole bore him the other son. However, there is rumor that he had a number of girlfriend's throughout his life, but the most significant were Bessie Poole and Carlotta Monti.
He was an American juggler, comedian, and actor. Fields created one of the great American comic personas of the first half of the 20th century—a misanthrope who teetered on the edge of buffoonery but never quite fell in, an egotist blind to his own failings, a charming drunk; and a man who hated children, dogs, and women, unless they were the wrong sort of women.
Fields was a marvel of marketing, he would go as far as pretending to drown in the ocean or other bodies of water, hoping to draw crowds (i.e. customers). His notoriety began around the age of 19, being propelled by his early 20s. His stardom would reach the heights Perform for Sarah Bernhardt at Buckingham Palace and other high profiled dignitaries. During his life, he would preform with some of the greatest names (e.g. Charles Chaplin) and on some of he greatest stages.
As a person, W. C. Field's had two sons: William Rexford Field Morris and William Claude Fields, Jr. Fields was married only once to Harriet Hughes from 1900 to 1946. Harriet bore Field's one son and a girlfriend by the name of Bessie Poole bore him the other son. However, there is rumor that he had a number of girlfriend's throughout his life, but the most significant were Bessie Poole and Carlotta Monti.
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January 2, 2022
The screenplays to two classic W.C. Fields films.
"NEVER GIVE A SUCKER AN EVEN BREAK" (1941/Edward Cline)
story by Otis Criblecoblis (W.C. Fields); screenplay by John T. Neville & Prescott Chaplin.
Fields' wildest, zaniest free-for-all, and one of his greatest, where he takes on every Hollywood convention. A picture within a picture, in which Fields tumbles out of an airplane in pursuit of his gin bottle, falls two thousand feet down a cliff ("It's only the last foot that matters"), drinks nanny goat's milk, threatens two small boys with a kitten's stocking or "a sock on the puss," sells wooden nutmegs to a Russian colony in Mexico and courts the wealthy Mrs. Hemogloben (the wonderful Margaret Dumont) amongst numerous other crazy moments.
"TILLIE AND GUS" (1933/Francis Martin)
screenplay by Walter Deleon & Francis Martin; story by Rupert Hughes.
An early Fields classic: in this one he plays August Winterbottom in "Tillie and Gus" which features his first encounter with his nemesis - Baby LeRoy. Here Fields saves the toddler from drowning in a tub, though later he spikes the kid's orange juice with gin and boots him clean out of the room while watching the band play.
Although one of the greatest visual comics, these screenplays still capture the genius of Fields through the written word, witty and juicy lines of dialogue that only THE GREAT MAN could deliver in his incomparable style.
With an introduction by Andrew Sinclair and 20 pages of film stills.
"NEVER GIVE A SUCKER AN EVEN BREAK" (1941/Edward Cline)
story by Otis Criblecoblis (W.C. Fields); screenplay by John T. Neville & Prescott Chaplin.
Fields' wildest, zaniest free-for-all, and one of his greatest, where he takes on every Hollywood convention. A picture within a picture, in which Fields tumbles out of an airplane in pursuit of his gin bottle, falls two thousand feet down a cliff ("It's only the last foot that matters"), drinks nanny goat's milk, threatens two small boys with a kitten's stocking or "a sock on the puss," sells wooden nutmegs to a Russian colony in Mexico and courts the wealthy Mrs. Hemogloben (the wonderful Margaret Dumont) amongst numerous other crazy moments.
"TILLIE AND GUS" (1933/Francis Martin)
screenplay by Walter Deleon & Francis Martin; story by Rupert Hughes.
An early Fields classic: in this one he plays August Winterbottom in "Tillie and Gus" which features his first encounter with his nemesis - Baby LeRoy. Here Fields saves the toddler from drowning in a tub, though later he spikes the kid's orange juice with gin and boots him clean out of the room while watching the band play.
Although one of the greatest visual comics, these screenplays still capture the genius of Fields through the written word, witty and juicy lines of dialogue that only THE GREAT MAN could deliver in his incomparable style.
With an introduction by Andrew Sinclair and 20 pages of film stills.
Displaying 1 of 1 review