One Sheet Poster
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Production Company: Twentieth Century Fox Films
Producers: Darryl F. Zanuck
Associate Producer: Harry Joe Brown
Director: Allan Dwan
Assistant Director: Aaron Rosenberg
Screenplay: Rian James and Sid Silvers
Based on the stageplay The Gorilla by Ralph Spence
Cinematography: Edward Cronjager
Musical Director: David Buttolph
Art Director: Richard Day and Lewis Creber
Sound: Roger Heman Sr. and George Leverett
Makeup: Perc Westmore
Editor: Allen McNeil
Set Decoration: Thomas Little
Costume Design: Gwen Wakeling
Running Time: 65 minutes
Cast:
Jimmy Ritz: Garrity
Harry Ritz: Harrigan
Al Ritz: Mulligan
Anit Louise: Norma Denby
Patsy Kelly: Kitty, the maid
Lionel Atwill: Walter Stevens
Bela Lugosi: Peters, the butler
Joseph Callela: Stranger
Edward Norris: Jack Marsden
Wally Vernon: Seaman
Paul Havey: A.P. Conway
Art Miles: Poe the Gorilla
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Spokane Daily Chronicle, December 27, 1938
STARDUST
The Ritz brothers are set to star in “The Gorilla” as soon as they return from a personal appearance tour.
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Dallas Morning News , February 1. 1939
The Milwaukee Journal, February 1, 1939
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The Pitsburgh Press, February 1, 1939
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The Pitsburgh Post-Gazette, February 1, 1939
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The Spokane Daily Chronicle, February 1, 1939
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Omaha World Heralds, February 6, 1939
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St. Petersburg Times, February 17, 1939
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Spokane Daily Chronicle, February 20, 1938
STARDUST
The Ritz Brothers, who revolted on “The Gorilla” set, will be billed about $15,000 for the resulting two day’s delay.
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Canton Repository, February 27, 1939
Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 16, 1939
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The Times-Picayune , March 26, 1939
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The Pitsburgh Press, April 11, 1939
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Marietta Journal, April 19, 1939
Spokane Daily Chronicle, May 3 1939
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Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 7, 1939
The Miami News, May 14 1939
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The Pitsburgh Post-Gazette, May 17, 1939
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Pitsburgh Post-Gazette, May 18
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The Miami News, May 19 1939
Daily Illinois State Journal, May 19, 1939
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The Reading Eagle, May 20, 1939
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Seattle Daily Times , May 23, 1939
Seattle Daily Times , May 24, 1939
Seattle Daily Times , May 27, 1939
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Showman’s Trade Review, May 27, 1939
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The New York Times, May 28 1939
The Screen
‘The Gorilla,’ With the Ritz Brothers, Patsy Kelly and Lionel Atwill, Opens at the Roxy
Twentieth Century-Fox has not, we regretfully report, enhanced the standing of the comic muse, nor has it contributed much to the enjoyment of patrons of the Roxy this week, through its comedy treatment of the ancient Ralph Spence chiller tersely titled, “The Gorilla.” The Ritz Brothers—Harry, Jimmy and Al—are there to supply a note of hilarity to the supposedly eerie proceedings, but even their antic buffoonery is not equal to the task. The real comedian of the show, strangely enough, is a gentleman named Art Miles (he’s the gorilla) who pops up every so often emitting strange noises and thumping his hairy chest—courtesy of the prop department—in the best Tarzan tradition.
As for the story—well, its the old one about the country gentleman who receives threatening notes from an unknown source signed “the gorilla.” Midnight is the hour of his (Lionel Atwill) doom and the Ritzes arrive at the scene an hour or so before to see that he is properly protected, they, of course, being private detectives. From this point on things begin to happen. People like Anita Louise and Patsy Kelly shriek themselves hoarse; Mr. Atwill disappears, the Ritz brothers disappear (one by one), Bela Lugosi appears out of the nowhere; secret panels in the walls open and close; flashes of lightning illuminate gloomy rooms.
It’s all supposed to be either very funny or shockingly thrilling, depending how you look at it. We couldn’t see it either way.
THE GORILLA, as adapted by Rian James and Sid Silvers from the play by Ralph Spence; directed by Allan Dawn; produced by Darryl F. Zanuck for Twentieth Century-Fox. At the Roxy.
Garrity . . . . . Jimmy Ritz
Harrigan . . . . . Harry Ritz
Mulligan . . . . . Al Ritz
Norma Denby . . . . . Anita Louise
Kitty . . . . . Patsy Kelly
Walter Stevens . . . . . Lionel Atwill
Peters . . . . . Bela Lugosi
Stranger . . . . . Joseph Calleia
Jack Marsden . . . . . Edward Norris
Seaman . . . . . Wally Vernon
Conway . . . . . Paul Harvey
The Gorilla . . . . . Art Miles
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Oregonian, May 29, 1939
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The Spokane Daily Chronicle, June 2, 1939
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Spokane Daily Chronicle, June 3 1939
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The Miami News, June 3, 1939
Richmond Times Dispatch, June 4, 1939
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Spokane Daily Chronicle, June 5 1939
San Francisco Chronicle, June 6, 1939
San Francisco Chronicle, June 8, 1939
Canton Repository, June 8, 1939
Trenton Evening Times, June 8, 1939
The Times-Picayune, June 9, 1939
The Times-Picayune, June 11, 1939
Dallas Morning News, June 25, 1939
The Evening Independent, July 3, 1939
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The Evening Independent, July 4, 1939
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Daily Herald, July 4, 1939
Justice de Biddeford, July 7, 1939
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Heraldo de Brownsville, July 17, 1939
The Kentucky New Era, July 20, 1939
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The Afro-America, July 22, 1939
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Timpson Daily Times, August 16, 1939
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The Register-Guard, October 8, 1939
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Herald
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Stills
Bela Lugosi, Edward Norris and Anita Louise
Anita Louise, Bela Lugosi and Edward Norris
Edward Norris, Anita Louise and Art Miles as the gorilla
Courtesy of www.hollywoodgorillamen.com
Art Miles as the gorilla and the Ritz Brothers
Courtesy of www.hollywoodgorillamen.com
Art Miles
Courtesy of www.hollywoodgorillamen.com
Art Miles
Courtesy of www.hollywoodgorillamen.com
Art Miles
Courtesy of www.hollywoodgorillamen.com
Courtesy of www.hollywoodgorillamen.com
Courtesy of www.hollywoodgorillamen.com
Courtesy of www.hollywoodgorillamen.com