Little Big Shot
| Little Big Shot | |
|---|---|
 Lobby card | |
| Directed by | Michael Curtiz |
| Produced by | Samuel Bischoff |
| Written by |
Jerry Wald Julius J. Epstein Robert Hardy Andrews Story: Harrison Jacobs |
| Starring |
Sybil Jason Glenda Farrell Robert Armstrong Edward Everett Horton |
| Cinematography | Tony Gaudio |
| Edited by | Jack Killifer |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 78 minutes (Turner Libaray Print is 72 minutes) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
- For the 1952 British film, see Little Big Shot (1952 film).
- For the 2016 American television series, see Little Big Shots.
Little Big Shot is a 1935 American film directed by Michael Curtiz from Warner Brothers Pictures.
Plot summary
Mortimer Thompson (Edward Everett Horton) and Steve Craig (Robert Armstrong) are a pair of sidewalk confidence men working Broadway one step ahead of the police selling phony watches. Broke, they arrange to have dinner with Gibbs, an old friend, thinking he will help them with some money. Gibbs and his young daughter Gloria (Sybil Jason) don't have much money, either, and think that Steve and Mortimer can help them. On top of needing money, Gibbs is in hiding from notorious gangster Kell Norton (Arthur Vinton). After Steve, Mortimer, Gibbs and Gloria finish their dinner, Gibbs is shot and killed by Norton's men as the group leaves the restaurant. Steve and Mortimer hurry to leave before they too get shot, hastily leaving Gibbs' daughter Gloria behind. Steve reminds Mortimer that they forgot about Gloria. Despite Mortimer's protestations, Steve convinces him to go back for the girl.
Gloria stays with Steve and Mortimer for a night at their place. Gloria takes Mortimer's bed, so Mortimer has to sleep in the bathroom. Steve tries to put Gloria in an orphanage, but feels bad when she begins to cry. Steve and Mortimer try to care for Gloria with the help of Jean (Glenda Farrell), a hat check girl at their residential hotel. Steve and Mortimer find out that Gloria can sing and dance, so they get her to perform on the street with them. Gloria also helps them sell their fake watches until Jean finds out. Jean expresses her displeasure, but Steve and Mortimer continue using Gloria.
Jean has Gloria put in an orphanage because Steve and Mortimer aren't responsible enough to take care of her. Steve wins a craps game with small time hoodlum Jack Doré (Jack La Rue) to raise money, but Doré refuses to pay off the gambling debt and Steve threatens to get him. Later Norton kills Doré and passes Steve as he is arriving to ask Doré for his winnings again so he can adopt Gloria. Steve becomes the suspect for the crime. Norton realizes Steve is a witness against him and tries to find him to shut him up. To force Steve out of hiding, he kidnaps Gloria. Steve convinces the gangsters to let Gloria go and take him instead. Just as Norton's gang is about to kill Steve, the police (tipped off by Mortimer and Jean) arrive at the hideout. His name cleared, Steve marries Jean and they adopt Gloria. Steve, Jean, Gloria, and Mortimer move from the city and open a roadside café.
Cast
- Sybil Jason as Gloria 'Countess' Gibbs
- Glenda Farrell as Jean
- Robert Armstrong as Steve Craig
- Edward Everett Horton as Mortimer Thompson
- Jack La Rue as Jack Doré
- Arthur Vinton as Kell 'Nort' Norton
- J. Carrol Naish as Bert
- Edgar Kennedy as Onderdonk
- Addison Richards as Hank Gibbs
- Joe Sawyer as Doré's henchman
- Emma Dunn as Orphanage matron
- Ward Bond as Kell's henchman
- Tammany Young as Ralph Lewis (the rajah)
- Murray Alper as Doré's henchman
- Marc Lawrence as Doré's henchman
- Guy Usher as Lt. Adams
- Mary Foy as Orphanage matron #2
- unbilled players include Howard C. Hickman and Milton Kibbee
Other information
Michael Curtiz filmed some scenes of this movie at real orphanages in Hollywood and used real orphans in this movie. Sybil Jason stated that a young Marilyn Monroe was in this movie but no film historian or Marilyn Monroe biographer has confirmed that yet.