Father Was a Fullback
| Father Was a Fullback | |
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1950 Theatrical Poster
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| Directed by | John M. Stahl |
| Produced by | Fred Kohlmar |
| Written by | Aleen Leslie Casey Robinson Mary Loos Richard Sale |
| Starring | Fred MacMurray Rudy Vallee Maureen O'Hara Natalie Wood Betty Lynn Thelma Ritter |
| Edited by | J. Watson Webb Jr. |
| Distributed by | Twentieth Century Fox |
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Release dates
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Running time
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84 min |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Father Was a Fullback is a 1949 film black-and-white of Twentieth Century Fox based on a comedy by Clifford Goldsmith. The film is about a college American football star and his woes. The film stars Fred MacMurray, Maureen O'Hara, Natalie Wood, and Betty Lynn.
Contents
Plot summary
State College football coach George Cooper (Fred MacMurray) has more than enough problems on the job without his teenage daughter Connie (Betty Lynn) complicating his life at home. She has written a story, but no publisher gives her a positive answer. Further more she's in that particular phase in which she is convinced she's unattractive to the opposite sex and being very much frustrated she wallows in self-pity. Resigning herself to a loveless existence, she decides to make literature her life. When one day she gets a cheque over 180 $ for a fictional article she pens about a teenage bubble dancer that just has appeared in a confessions magazine, the boys come calling. The young author dates a high school football star from across town who chooses to attend State College (rather than Notre Dame) to be near his newfound sweetheart. The first girl he likes more than football. George's gridiron and domestic problems are solved, maybe. Wife Elizabeth (Maureen O'Hara) and the wonderful housekeeper Geraldine (Thelma Ritter) are the big supporters of the family members in distress. While the younger sister Ellen (Nathalie Wood) helps out in the difficult time of sister Connie and her father, losing one game after the other, at the end she is in the mood Connie was at the beginning. But now it's not the first time.
Cast
Principals
- Fred MacMurray as George "Coop" Cooper, a college football coach
- Maureen O'Hara as Elizabeth Cooper, his wife
- Betty Lynn as Constance "Connie" Cooper, his oldest daughter
- Natalie Wood as Ellen Cooper, his youngest daughter
- Thelma Ritter as Geraldine, his housekeeper
- Jim Backus as Professor "Sully" Sullivan, his neighbor (performing under the name, James G. Backus)
- Rudy Vallee as Mr. Roger "Jess" Jessup, a football supporter
Supporting players
- Robert Adler as Grandstand Bit Part (uncredited)
- Don Barclay as Grandstand "Coach" (uncredited)
- Gilbert Barnett as Stinky Parker (uncredited)
- Rodney Bell as Grandstand "Coach" (uncredited)
- Tom Bernard as Delivery Boy (uncredited)
- Harry Carter as Grandstand Bit Part (uncredited)
- Ruth Clifford as Neighbor (uncredited)
- Heinie Conklin as Ed (uncredited)
- Fred Dale as Cheerleader (uncredited)
- Gwenn Fields as Daphne Sullivan (uncredited)
- Bess Flowers as Football Fan (uncredited)
- Charles Flynn as Policeman (uncredited)
- Tom Hanlon as Radio Announcer (uncredited)
- Sam Harris as Alumnus at Dinner (uncredited)
- Joe Haworth as Skip, Reporter in Locker Room (uncredited)
- Don Hicks as Bill (uncredited)
- Pat Kane as Bellhop (uncredited)
- Kenner G. Kemp as Alumnus at Dinner (uncredited)
- Louise Lorimer as Mrs. Jones (uncredited)
- Lee MacGregor as Cheerleader (uncredited)
- Mike Mahoney as Pete, the Sailor (uncredited)
- Buddy Martin as Cheerleader (uncredited)
- Mickey McCardle as Jones (uncredited)
- John McKee as Cy (uncredited)
- Frank Mills as Assistant Football Coach (uncredited)
- Forbes Murray as Mr. Higgins, College President (uncredited)
- Robert Patten as Manager (uncredited)
- Bill Radovich as Football Player (uncredited)
- William Self as Willie Davis (uncredited)
- Richard Tyler as Hercules Smith a.k.a. Joe Birch (uncredited)
- Wilson Wood as Grandstand "Coach" (uncredited)
Behind the scenes
- Father Was a Fullback marked the second time child actor Natalie Wood was cast as Maureen O'Hara's daughter. The first was in Miracle on 34th Street. A month after the film was released Wood received the Child of the Year Award in celebration of Children's Day.
- Actress Betty Lynn would achieve immortality almost ten years after making Father Was a Fullback as Thelma Lou, Barney Fife's girlfriend in The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968). Lynn made 26 appearances on the series.
