Dreamboat (1952)

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Dreamboat stars Clifton Webb as Thornton Sayre, the perfectionist professor of literature at a sedate Midwestern university. Widowed and with a pretty daughter (Anne Francis), Sayre has given no clue to his previous life before becoming a teacher. But thanks to television, everyone discovers that… More Dreamboat stars Clifton Webb as Thornton Sayre, the perfectionist professor of literature at a sedate Midwestern university. Widowed and with a pretty daughter (Anne Francis), Sayre has given no clue to his previous life before becoming a teacher. But thanks to television, everyone discovers that Sayre is actually Bruce Blair, a former silent screen star known as "America's Dreamboat." Sayre's onetime leading lady (Ginger Rogers) has made a comeback hosting screenings of her old films on TV, and the result is acute embarrassment for both the professor and his college. Sayre takes the case all the way to court, where he wangles a compromise agreement: he will permit his films to be televised as long as they're not "doctored" to accommodate commercial endorsements (this was based on a real-life lawsuit involving cowboy Gene Autry -- which Autry lost). The ensuing publicity costs Sayre his college job, but the renewal of interest in his old films results in a new movie contract. Although silent movies and singing commercials are easy satirical targets, Dreamboat still delivers the laughs, and it's fun to see Clifton Webb camping it up as a "Doug Fairbanks" type. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 23 min.
Directed By: Claude Binyon
Written By: Claude Binyon, John D. Weaver
Genres: Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Jul 26, 1952 Wide

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Cast

            Clifton Webb as Thornton Sayre

            Ginger Rogers as Gloria Marlowe

            Anne Francis as Carol Sayre

            Jeffrey Hunter as Bill Ainslee

            Elsa Lanchester as Dr. Coffey

            Fred Clark as Sam Levitt

            Paul Harvey as Harrington

            Ray Collins as Timothy Stone

            Helene Stanley as Mimi

            Richard Garrick as Judge Bowles

            George Barrows as Commandant

            Jay Adler as Desk Clerk

            Marietta Canty as Lavinia

            Emory Parnell as Used Car Salesman

            Helen Hatch as Mrs. Faust

            Harry V. Cheshire as Macintosh

            Everett Glass as George Bradley

            Paul Maxey as Clarence Bornay

            Sandor Szabo Sr. as Giant Arab

            Lee Turnbull as Denham

            Helen Brown as Dorothy

            Howard Banks as Hotel Clerk

            Jack Mather as Hotel Detective

            Matt Mattox as Man in ccommercial

            Gwen Verdon as Girl in Commercial

            Richard Allan as Student

            Laura Brooks as Mrs. Gunther

            Steve Carruthers as Bit Man

            Leo Cleary as Court Clerk

            Jean Corbett as Bit Girl

            Robert Easton as TV commercial actor

            Fred Graham as Bartender

            Victoria Horne as Waitress

            Richard Karlan as Husband

            Paul Kruger as Doorman

            Alphonse Martell as Maitre D'

            Clive Morgan as French captain

            Robert Nichols as Student

            Vicki Raaf as Receptionist

            Mary Treen as Bit Wife

            Robert B. Williams as Photographer

            May Wynn as Cigarette Girl

            Tony DeMario as Waiter

            Don Kohler as Photographer

            Joe Recht as Busboy

            Warren Mace as Bit Man

            Al Herman as Drunk

            Barbara Woodell as Receptionist
See full cast

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