Who Done It? (1942)

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(616 ratings)

With only a minimal romantic subplot and no music whatsoever, Who Done It? is pure, undiluted Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, and a good mystery on its own to boot. Bud and Lou star as Chick Larkin and Mervyn Milgrim, a pair of soda jerks who aspire to become radio detective-show writers (their latest… More With only a minimal romantic subplot and no music whatsoever, Who Done It? is pure, undiluted Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, and a good mystery on its own to boot. Bud and Lou star as Chick Larkin and Mervyn Milgrim, a pair of soda jerks who aspire to become radio detective-show writers (their latest epic is "The Midget Gets the Chair-or, Small Fry"). Invited by their radio-scrivener pal Jimmy Turner (Patric Knowles) to attend a broadcast of the "Murder at Midnight" program, Chick and Mervyn are on hand when network president Colonel Andrews (Thomas Gomez) is murdered just before delivering a vital patriotic message. While waiting for the official police to show up, Chick and Mervyn decide to try to solve the case on their own, thereby securing their reputations as writers. The boys manage to convince everyone-even the real killer-that they're genuine gumshoes, only to be exposed when the real cops, Moran (William Gargan) and Brannigan (William Bendix) arrive on the scene. Ultimately, the murderer is revealed, leading to an exciting rooftop chase, with poor Mervyn suspended between two skyscrapers on a slender electrified wire. The comic highlights of Who Done It? are too numerous to mention here, but they include Mervyn's misadventures in the radio-transcription room, his confrontations with a wise-guy page boy (Walter Tetley), his "Not watts, volts!" exchange with the exasperated Chick, and an athletic interlude with those world-famous tumblers, the Flying Bordellos (sic!). Best bit: Upon winning a quiz program, the boys eagerly turn on their prize, a portable radio--only to turn it off in disgust when Abbott and Costello sign on the air ("Every time you hear those guys, it's 'Who's on First-What's On Second!'") ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 17 min.
Directed By: Erle C. Kenton
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Nov 9, 1942 Wide

No Critic Reviews Found…

Featured Audience Ratings

Marion R

A cute film with the classic duo. The comedy in this film can go from slapstick to absurd. It had one or two good scenes. It was a nice watch.

Cast

            Bud Abbott as Chick Larkin

            Lou Costello as Mervyn Milgrim

            Patric Knowles as Jim Turner

            William Gargan as Lieutenant Moran

            Louise Allbritton as Jane Little

            Thomas Gomez as Col. J.R. Andrews

            William Bendix as Brannigan

            Don Porter as Art Fraser

            Jerome Cowan as Marco Heller

            Mary Wickes as Juliet Collins

            Ludwig Stossel as Dr. Anton Marek

            Walter Tetley as Elevator Boy

            Edmund MacDonald as Jenkins

            Bobby Barber as Technician in Booth

            Gladys Blake as Telephone Operator

            Margaret Brayton as Radio Actress

            Eddie Bruce
            
            Paul Dubov
            
            Edward Emerson as Announcer

            Alice Fleming
            
            Jerry Frank as Customer No. 2

            Shemp Howard as Goof

            Edward Keane as Carter

            Joe Kirk as Thompson

            Milton Parsons as Coroner

            Frank Penny as Spinelli

            Harry Strang as Truck Driver

            Crane Whitley as Radio Actor

            Duke York
            
See full cast

Who Done It? (1942)

No Critic Reviews Found…

Featured Audience Ratings

Marion R

Cast