Callaway Went Thataway (The Star Said No) (1951)

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(47 ratings)

Callaway Went Thataway is an amiable spoof of early television's "Hopalong Cassidy" craze. Fred MacMurray and Dorothy McGuire star as Mike Frye and Deborah Patterson, advertising copywriters who have pulled off quite a coup by purchasing the old "Smokey Callaway" Westerns for TV. Trouble begins when… More Callaway Went Thataway is an amiable spoof of early television's "Hopalong Cassidy" craze. Fred MacMurray and Dorothy McGuire star as Mike Frye and Deborah Patterson, advertising copywriters who have pulled off quite a coup by purchasing the old "Smokey Callaway" Westerns for TV. Trouble begins when the sponsor wants to meet up with Callaway (Howard Keel) and sign him to a long-term contract. But Smokey, a notorious boozer and womanizer, has dropped out of sight and left for parts unknown. In desperation, Mike and Debbie hire a Callaway look-alike named Stretch Barnes (also Howard Keel), whom they give a crash course in the art of being a boyhood idol ("You're a cowboy star. You have two expressions: hat on and hat off"). Barnes not only pulls off the ruse with the greatest of ease, but also takes his responsibilities to his young fans quite seriously. The plot thickens when the real Smoky Callaway emerges from a ten-year bender to demand a piece of the action. Callaway Went Thataway is full of wonderful moments, not least of which is a climactic fistfight between Callaway and Barnes, adroitly edited and photographed so as to make it appear that Howard Keel is actually punching out himself! The supporting cast includes future TV favorites Jesse White, Stan Freberg, and Hugh Beaumont (unbilled), while several MGM stars make surprise cameo appearances. Perhaps to avoid potential lawsuits, the film ends with a timorous disclaimer, stating that most Western stars are generous, upstanding individuals -- and not at all like the bibulous, mercenary Smoky Callaway. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 21 min.
Directed By: Melvin Frank, Norman Panama
Genres: Western, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Nov 15, 1951 Wide

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Cast

            Fred MacMurray as Mike Frye

            Dorothy McGuire as Deborah Patterson

            Howard Keel as "Stretch" Barnes/"Smoky" Callaway

            Jesse White as George Markham

            Fay Roope as Tom Lorrison

            Natalie Schafer as Martha Lorrison

            Douglas Kennedy as Drunk

            Elisabeth Fraser as Marie

            John Indrisano as Johnny Tarranto

            Stan Freberg as Marvin

            Don Haggerty as Director

            Gene Alsace as Cowboy

            Dorothy Andre as Girl

            John Banner as Headwaiter

            Hugh Beaumont as Mr. Adkins

            Paul Bryar
            
            Clark Gable as Guest Star

            Mae Clarke as Mother

            Billy Dix
            
            Helen Eby-Rock as Phone Operator

            Paul Fierro as Mexican Bartender

            Glen B. Gallagher
            
            Ned Glass as Mailman

            Mickey Little as Kid

            Emmett Lynn as Desert Rat

            Paul Newlan as Koch

            Ann Robin as Hatcheck Girl

            Kay Scott
            
            Carl Sepulveda as Heavy

            Glenn Strange as Black Norton

            Elizabeth Taylor
            
            Douglas Fowley as Gaffer

            Dick Powell as Guest

            Roque Ybarra as Native Fisherman

            Harold Cornsweet as Salesman

            James Harrison
            
            Marjorie Liszt as Phone Girl

            Carlos Conde as Native

            Lynn Farr
            
            B.G. Norman
            
            Wayne Treadway
            
            Hank Weaver as Announcer
See full cast

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