The Errand Boy (1961)
-
50% of critics liked it
(8 reviews) -
68% of users liked it
(2,215 ratings)
The second of Jerry Lewis' directorial endeavors, The Errand Boy, like its predecessor The Bellboy, is essentially a series of "spot gags," some hilarious, others only moderately amusing. The gossamer-thin plot finds Morty Tashman (Lewis) being hired by the CEO of "Paramutuel… More The second of Jerry Lewis' directorial endeavors, The Errand Boy, like its predecessor The Bellboy, is essentially a series of "spot gags," some hilarious, others only moderately amusing. The gossamer-thin plot finds Morty Tashman (Lewis) being hired by the CEO of "Paramutuel Pictures" (Brian Donlevy) to spy on studio employees and report any incidents of wastefulness and sloth. This gives Morty a chance to wander all over the Paramutuel Pictures lot, inadvertently interfering with work in progress, encountering strange characters and inexplicable events, and overall making as much of a nuisance of himself as possible. Some of the better gags include Morty's chaotic behavior at the "wrap party" for a vainglorious movie queen (Iris Adrian); his attempts to eat lunch while a noisy battle scene from a war picture rages all around him; his misguided effort to dub in the singing voice of a tone-deaf actress; the "Mr. Baebrosenthal" bit; and Morty's tete-a-tete in the studio swimming pool with a scuba diver. The weakest scenes involve Morty's sugary encounters with the Ritts Puppets, and a smug curtain speech about the importance of laughmakers in this troubled world. The huge supporting cast includes such reliable chucklemeisters as Howard McNear, Sig Ruman, Milton Frome, Benny Rubin, Fritz Feld, Doodles Weaver, Joey Forman, Dick Wesson and Joe Besser; also making fleeting appearances are actress/writer/director Renee Taylor, veteran movie tough guy Mike Mazurki (in drag!), silent film comic Snub Pollard, and the four stars from TV's Bonanza. Even non-Jerry Lewis fans will come down with a case of loose chuckles while watching The Errand Boy. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Jerry Lewis
- Written By
- Jerry Lewis, Bill Richmond
- Genres
- Classics, Comedy
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1961 Wide
- Studio
- Paramount Pictures
Critic Reviews
-
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
The skeleton of Hollywood, half fakery and half magic
-
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The film is a series of sight gags, with not too many hitting the mark.
-
Eric Henderson, Slant Magazine
The self-reflectivity of The Errand Boy is so pervasive it truly becomes the content of the film.
-
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
One of Lewis' more successful efforts.
-
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Apesar do fraco roteiro, que se resume a uma série de quadros mal-amarrados, o filme contém seqüências inspiradas que se encontram entre as melhores da carreira de Lewis.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
No Featured Audience Ratings Found…
Also available on
UltraViolet Retailers
Other Retailers
Subscription Services
Not Available
Not Available
Not Available
Cast
-
Jerry Lewis
as Morty S. Tashman
-
Brian Donlevy
as Mr. T.P.
-
Howard McNear
as Dexter Sneak
-
Dick Wesson
as The AD
- Robert Ivers
-
Renée Taylor
as Miss Giles
-
Pat Dahl
as Miss Carson
-
Stanley Adams
as Grumpy
-
Kathleen Freeman
as Mrs. T.P.
-
Isobel Elsom
as Irma Paramutual
-
Sig Rumann
as Baron Elston Carteblanche
-
Felicia Atkins
as Serina
-
Doodles Weaver
as Man on scaffold
-
Fritz Feld
as Foreign Director
-
Kenneth MacDonald
as Mr. Fumble
-
Joey Forman
as Jedson
-
Iris Adrian
as Great Actress
-
Del Moore
as MC
-
David Landfield
as Lance
- Murray Alper
- Phil Arnold
- Roscoe Ates
- Don 'Red' Barry
- John Benson
-
Joe Besser
as Himself
-
Dan Blocker
as Himself
- Jan Bradley
- Sue Casey
- Harry V. Cheshire
- Booth Colman
- Milton Frome
-
Lorne Greene
as Himself
- Bob Hopkins
- Frances Lax
- Barry Livingston
- Sally Mansfield
-
Mike Mazurki
as Blonde "Movie Siren"
- Quinn O'Hara
- Harry "Snub" Pollard
- Sherwood Price
- Tony Regan
-
Mary Ritts
as Herself
-
Pernell Roberts
as Himself
- Sheila Rogers
- Michael Ross
- Frank J. Scannell
- Mary Treen
- Herb Vigran
- William Wellman Jr.
-
Dick Wessel
as The A.D.
- Dick Winslow
- Richard Bakalyan
-
Michael Landon
as himself
- Benny Rubin
- Theodora Davitt
- Jean Engstrom
- Judy Howard
- Hal Rand
- Caroline Richter
- Connie Cezon
- Barry Gray
- Rita Hayes
- Sig Ruman
