JOY OF LIVING

May 6, 1938

• Directed by Tay Garnet
• Produced by Felix Young for RKO Radio Pictures
• Written by Gene Towne, Graham Baker, Allan Scott, based on an original story by Dorothy and Herbert Fields

Synopsis ~ Broadway star Margaret Garrett (Irene Dunne) has spent her whole life working to support her sponging relatives. When she meets carefree Dan Webster (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.), she learns how to have fun for the first time.

The film was in production at RKO Studios from December 6, 1937 until February 8, 1938.

PRINCIPAL CAST

Lucille Ball (Salina Pine) makes her 36th film since coming to Hollywood in 1933. 

“Do you expect me to support this family of leeches?” ~ Salina Pine 

Irene Dunne (Margaret “Maggie” Garret) had appeared with Lucille Ball in 1935′s Roberta. Between 1931 and 1949 she was nominated for five Oscars. 

Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (Dan Brewster) also appeared with Lucille Ball in Having Wonderful Time (1938). 

Alice Brady (Minerva) won an Oscar in 1938 for In Old Chicago. This is her only film with Lucille Ball. 

Guy Kibbee (Dennis) also appeared with Lucille Ball in Don’t Tell The Wife (1937). 

Jean Dixon (Harrison) also appeared with Lucille Ball in I’ll Love You Always (1935). 

Eric Blore (Potter) appeared with Lucille Ball in Old Man Rhythm, I Dream Too Much, and Top Hat, all in 1935. He also appeared with Ball in Fancy Pants (1950). 

Warren Hymer (Mike) also appeared with Lucille Ball in Kid Millions (1934). 

Billy Gilbert (Café Owner) appeared with Lucille Ball in His Old Flame (1935), I Dream Too Much (1935), So and Sew (1936), and Valley of the Sun (1942). 

Frank Milan (Bert Pine) makes his only appearance with Lucille Ball. 

Dorothy & Estelle Steiner (Dotsy & Betsy Pine) were real-life sisters making their first and only appearance with Lucille Ball. 

Phyllis Kennedy (Marie) appeared with Lucille Ball in 1937′s Stage Door. She was also Tallulah Bankhead’s maid in “The Celebrity Next Door”, a 1957 episode of the “Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” 

Franklin Pangborn (Band Leader) appeared with Lucille Ball in Stage Door (1937), A Girl, A Guy, and a Gob (1941), and Lover Come Back (1946). 

James Burke (Mac) appeared with Lucille Ball in Blood Money (1933), The Bowery (1933), and The Affairs of Annabel (1938). He was also seen on “I Love Lucy” as the owner of “The Diner” (ILL S3;E27) in 1954, and would go on to make an appearance on “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour” (1958) as the man who deliver Whirling Jet the racehorse to the Ricardos. 

John Qualen (Oswego) appeared with Lucille Ball in The Three Musketeers (1938). 

Spencer Charters (Magistrate) appeared with Lucille Ball in The Farmer and the Dell (1936) and Look Who’s Laughing (1941). 

UNCREDITED CAST

• Richard Alexander (Angry Man in Revolving Door)
• Stanley Blystone (Cop at Dock)
• Bill Cartledge (Boy at Skating Rink)

• George Chandler (Taxi Driver)

• Joe De Stefani (Waiter)
• Bill Dooley (Courtroom Janitor)

• Pat Flaherty (Autograph Hound)

• Tay Garnett (Man on Phone in Newspaper Office)
• Chuck Hamilton (Court Bailiff) 
• Al Hill (Look Photographer)
• Kenner G. Kemp (Roller Skater)
• Fuzzy Knight (Sideshow Piano Player)

• Mike Lally (Backstage Photographer) was a background performer who did ten films with Lucille Ball as well as two episodes of “I Love Lucy,” and at least one of “The Lucy Show”.  

• Charles Lane (Fan in Margaret’s Dressing Room) was a ubiquitous character actor appeared in 7 films with Lucille Ball between 1933 and 1949; four episodes of “I Love Lucy” from 1953 to 1956, all as different characters; two episodes of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”; and four episodes of “The Lucy Show” as Banker Barnsdahl.

• Frank Moran (Cop with Gravel Voice)

• Clarence Nash (Donald Duck Voice)

• Dennis O’Keefe (Man in Building Lobby)

• Franklin Parker (Third Producer)
• Bob Perry (Seaman)
• Russ Powelll (Man Leaving Elevator)
• Cyril Ring (Man in Margaret’s Dressing Room)

• Bert Roach (German Waiter)

• Grady Sutton (Florist)

• Frank M. Thomas (Arthur)

• Charles Williams (Pitchman at Recording Studio)
• Harry Woods (Cop)

JOY OF TRIVIA

“Why do you always smile when I talk to you?” Miss Ball queries Doug [Fairbanks] between takes. “Because I’m a polite little boy,“ he replies. "You Rat” says Lucille coldly.

The film features the hit song "You Couldn’t Be Cuter,” written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields.

The working title of this film was Joy of Loving.

According to an October 1937 news item, John Barrymore was set for the lead in the production.

It seems that the entire town of Tulare, California go on board to promote Joy of Living, with a give-away contests and all the local merchants participating. 

On April 16, 1942, a tragic car accident happened outside the Tudor Theatre in New York City where the film was playing. A car plowed into a pole by a drunken driver, killing his passenger. The press flashcubes also captured the ironic marquee in the background as the police attempted to cover the body.  

Ty Garnett’s production budget quickly ballooned out of control, topping out at over a million dollars, an astronomical sum for films at that time. Despite the priceless talent, Joy of Living didn’t have a chance at recouping its costs and was a financial failure for the studio.

A publicity photo of Lucille Ball taken for Joy of Living. 

Lucille Ball remembered watching the stars and comparing their styles; “Hepburn ‘telegraphed,’ she said – ‘Well, I’m going to be funny’ – whereas [Irene] Dunne always surprised, even in repeated takes of the same scene. But I watched her do takes-literally, one day there were thirty-two takes-and twenty-five must have been different. She really worked on how to do that scene. Where Kate would do it the same way every time and telegraph it every time.’”

The film enjoyed a worldwide release.  Here are film posters for France (left) and Belgium, which include both the Flemish (”Levens Vreugd”) and French titles. 

The film was released on DVD (Warners Archive Collection) on April 20, 2009.