TWO SMART PEOPLE

June 4, 1946

• Director: Jules Dassin

• Producer: Ralph Wheelwright for MGM
• Writers: Ethel Hill & Leslie Charteris, story by Ralph Wheelwright & Allan Kenward

Synopsis ~ One of two con-artists ends up arrested and given five days of freedom before he must go to jail. The man loves to eat; knowing that prison food is lousy, he decides to spend his days stuffing himself with the finest foods available. He is accompanied to numerous 4-star restaurants by his partner and the arresting officer. Each of these two are interested in learning where he stashed a half-million dollars in loot. Eventually the man begins looking at his lovely partner and thinking of things other than his stomach. This leads to marriage. After serving his time, he and his bride go on to lead honest lives.

PRINCIPAL CAST

Lucille Ball (Ricki Woodner) makes her 65th film appearance since coming to Hollywood in 1933. 

John Hodiak (Ace Connors) appeared on Ed Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town” on October 3, 1954, which was a Salute To Lucy and Desi. He was also seen in the 1944 film Lifeboat with Tallulah Bankhead. 

Lloyd Nolan (Bob Simms) went on to appear with Lucille Ball in Easy Living in 1949.  Nolan and Ball both did cameos on a 1970 episode of “The Dean Martin Show.” They both were in attendance for the “AFI Salute to Henry Fonda” in 1978. 

Hugo Haas (Senor Rodriguez) was a Moravian-born actor who makes his only appearance with Lucille Ball. 

Lenore Ulric (Senora Maria Ynez) makes her only appearance with Lucille Ball. 

Elisha Cook, Jr. (Fly Felleti) makes his only appearance with Lucille Ball. 

Lloyd Corrigan (Dwight Chandwick)  had previously appeared with Lucille Ball in A Girl, A Guy, and a Gob (1941). He would do three episodes of “The Lucy Show” as well as “The Lucy-Desi Milton Berle Special” in 1959. 

Vladimir Sokoloff (Jacques Dufour) makes his only appearance with Lucille Ball. 

David Cota (Jose) makes his only appearance with Lucille Ball. 

Clarence Muse (Porter) had previously appeared with Lucille Ball in Kid Millions (1934), Broadway Bill (1934), Muss ‘em Up (1936), and Without Love (1945). 

UNCREDITED CAST

• Gloria Anderson (Grecian Girl)
• Jean Andren (Policewoman)
• Lucius Brooks (Waiter)
• George Calliga (Stewart)
• Gabriel Canzona (Monkey Man)
• Harold DeGarro (Stilt Walker)
• Harry Depp (Spectator)
• Helen Dickson (Woman)
• Marie Dodd (Woman)
• Phil Dunham (Drunk)
• Mary Emery (Woman)
• Bess Flowers (Policewoman) was known as “The Queen of the Hollywood Extras,“ appearing in more than 950 films and television shows in her 41-year career. Flowers holds the record for sharing the screen with Lucille Ball in more movies than any other performer: 17 films from 1933-1963. She appeared in episodes of “I Love Lucy,” “The Lucy Show,” and other Desilu Productions. 
• Jessie Graves (Dining Car Porter)
• Jimmie Horan (Reveler)
• Margaret Jackson (Bystander)
• Frank Johnson (Fat Man)
• Bobby Johnson (Waiter)
• Erwin Kalser (Franz)
• Paul Kruger (Cop)
• Lorenzo Lopez (Gardener)
• James Magill (Reveler)
• George Magrill (Taxi Driver)
• Leo Mostovoy (Headwaiter in French Restaurant)
• Cleo Morgan (Cleopatra) was Lucille Ball’s cousin who was adopted by Lucy’s mother. She went on to become Producer of “Here’s Lucy” as well as a number of other productions.
• Fred Nurney (Victoire)
• Frank O’Connor (Night Club Waiter)
• John Piffle (Jolly Fat Man)
• Tom Quinn (Sheik)
• Emil Rameau (Riverboat Waiter) 
• William McKeever Riley (Pete)
• William Tannen (Clerk) did three more films with Lucille Ball and a 1969 episode of “Here’s Lucy.” 
• Fred "Snowflake” Toones (Redcap)
• Peter Virgo (Indian Attendant)
• Connie Weiler (Hat Check Girl)
• Lynn Whitney (Swedish Girl)
• Marek Windheim (Captain)
• Shelley Winters (Princess) makes her twelfth film appearance. She won Oscars in 1960 and 1966. In1968 she appeared on “Here’s Lucy” as Shelley Summers in “Lucy and Miss Shelley Winters” (HL S1;E4).

“SMART” TRIVIA!

“Except for a lively and colorful series of Mardi Gras sequences in New Orleans, which are introduced quite late in the picture, Two Smart People is an otherwise dreadfully boring hodgepodge about love and the confidence racket… John Hodiak and Lucille Ball are the principals and they are painfully defeated by the script at almost every turn. Lloyd Nolan as the patient sleuth fares a little better, however. But in addition to its pedestrian plot, Two Smart People also suffers from lack of competent direction.”

This film failed at the box office, resulting in a loss to MGM of $252,000 ($3.5M in 2018) according to studio records.

“How About You?” by Burton Lane is playing in the background when Ace arrives at the restaurant for his meeting with Dwight Chandwick.  Lucille Ball and Van Johnson sang (and danced) to this song on “I Love Lucy” in “The Dancing Star” (ILL S4;E27) in 1955.  It was first heard in the 1941 movie Babes on Broadway.

This film was first telecast in Philadelphia December 8, 1957 on WFIL, in New York City on December 28, 1957 on WCBS, in San Francisco on March 9, 1958 on KGO, and in Los Angeles on April 8, 1958 on KTTV.

The working title for this film was Time for Two. 

It’s True!  Well… not exactly. Lucille Ball was NOT born in Butte, Montana!