Hellzapoppin’ (1941): Cast, Box Office & Plot
Hellzapoppin’ is a 1941 music comedy directed by H. C. Potter, starring Martha Raye as Betty Johnson, Shemp Howard and Don Brodie. It runs 1 hour 24 minutes and earned $4,982 worldwide.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 24m (84 min)
- Director
- H. C. Potter
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Mayfair Productions Inc.
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Hellzapoppin’ About?
The premise of Hellzapoppin’ without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Stage duo Olsen and Johnson finally bring their chaotic revue to film, attempting to adapt their zany stage production into a movie while orchestrating the romance of a young couple. The comedy constantly shatters the fourth wall with wild sight gags, musical numbers, and slap‑stick chaos, making the picture feel even more outlandish than the original live show.
Hellzapoppin’ Themes & Keywords
· 13 tags- screwball comedy
- vaudeville
- breaking the fourth wall
- demon
- conga
- b movie
- singing
- pianist
- poverty row film
- olsen and johnson
- couple
- young
+1 more Show fewer
- falling into a drum
Hellzapoppin’ Cast & Characters
Martha Raye leads the cast as Betty Johnson, with Shemp Howard as Louie and Don Brodie as Theatre Manager (uncredited). Directed by H. C. Potter; 73 actors are credited in all.
- Director H. C. Potter
- Martha Raye as Betty Johnson
- Shemp Howard as Louie
- Don Brodie as Theatre Manager (uncredited)
- Ole Olsen as Ole Olsen
Also Starring in Hellzapoppin’
· 69 more- Chic Johnson Chic Johnson
- Richard Lane Director
- Elisha Cook Jr. Harry Selby
- Norma Miller Dancer - Cook (uncredited)
- Bert Roach Robert T. MacChesney (uncredited)
- Robert Paige Jeff Hunter
- Nella Walker Mrs. Rand
- Clarence Kolb Andrew Rand
- Jane Frazee Kitty Rand
- Lewis Howard Woody Taylor
- Mischa Auer Pepi
- George Davis Russian Butler (uncredited)
- Hugh Herbert Quimby
- Bess Flowers Audience Extra (uncredited)
- George Chandler Movie Cameraman (uncredited)
- Charlie Hall Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Show all 73 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Dick Gordon Audience Member (uncredited)
- Eddie Acuff Drafted Devil (uncredited)
- Samuel S. Hinds Showboat Captain (uncredited)
- Frank Darien Man Calling for Mrs. Jones
- Billy Wayne Photographer (uncredited)
- Dale Van Sickel Man Who Falls Into Pool / Frankenstein Monster (uncredited)
- Hal K. Dawson Photographer at Pool (uncredited)
- Ellinor Vanderveer Audience Extra (uncredited)
- James Carlisle Audience Member (uncredited)
- Andrew Tombes Max Kane (uncredited)
- Barry Norton Party Guest (uncredited)
- Ethelreda Leopold Blonde Woman at Skeet Range (uncredited)
- George Humbert Chef with Bread (uncredited)
- Dave Willock Orchestra Trombone Player (uncredited)
- Ben Hall Goofy Man in Betty's Way (uncredited)
- Joe Gilbert Party Guest (uncredited)
- Jody Gilbert Louie's Girlfriend (uncredited)
- Angelo Rossitto Dwarf Devil (uncredited)
- Gil Perkins Butler in Pool (uncredited)
- Jack 'Tiny' Lipson Junior (uncredited)
- Sig Arno Orchestra Bass Player (uncredited)
- Billy Curtis Bodyguard (uncredited)
- Frank Austin Chauffeur (uncredited)
- Gus Schilling Orchestra Conductor
- Julia Griffith Party Guest (uncredited)
- Leota Lorraine Audience Member (uncredited)
- Hazel Dohlman Audience Member (uncredited)
- Jean Porter Chorine (uncredited)
- Kathryn Adams Girl (uncredited)
- Jimmie Lucas Taxi Driver (uncredited)
- Kay Johnson Lena - Lady Looking for Oscar
- Karen X. Gaylord Party Guest (uncredited)
- Joseph North Butler (uncredited)
- Lyle Moraine Young Man (uncredited)
- Bob Rose Shorty - Butler (uncredited)
- Harry Monty Midget Taxi Driver (uncredited)
- Olive Hatch Water Ballet Specialty
- Terry Walker Maid (uncredited)
- Dean Collins Betty's Jitterbug Dancing Partner (uncredited)
- Susan Miller Mother Calling for Junior (uncredited)
- Slim Gaillard Slim
- Dorothy Raye Dancer (uncredited)
- Danny Beck Man reading magazine
- Slam Stewart Slam
- Rex Stewart Trumpet Specialty (uncredited)
- Fred Sanborn Man Playing Tic-Tac-Toe (uncredited)
- Milton Charleston Undetermined Role (uncredited)
- Harlem Congeroos Dancers
- William Downe Themselves
- Frances 'Micky' Jones Themselves
- Al Minns Dancer - Butler (uncredited)
- Billy Ricker Themselves
- Willa Mae Ricker Themselves
Hellzapoppin’ Plot Summary
What happens in Hellzapoppin’ from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Louie, Shemp Howard, the projectionist of the Universal Theatre, starts showing a musical pageant of chorus girls promenading down a grand staircase. The moment the dancers reach the top, the stairs collapse and morph into a slide that yanks them into a bleak, hellish realm where demons torment them. In the middle of this surreal chaos, Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson (playing themselves) arrive by taxi, sparking a string of pranks that gradually reveal they’re not in a backstage mishap at all but on a movie soundstage.
Full summary
The whole story of Hellzapoppin’, scene by scene
Hellzapoppin’ Box Office
Hellzapoppin’ grossed $4,982 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$5K
- International
- $5K
How Well Do You Know Hellzapoppin’?
9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 9
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
Which actor plays the projectionist Louie in the film?
Cars in Hellzapoppin’
7 cars on screen, including the 1936 De Soto Airstream and the Fageol unknown.
-
1936 De Soto Airstream Important role -
Fageol unknown Important role -
1936 De Soto Airstream Minor role -
1942 Nash Ambassador 600 Minor role
Hellzapoppin’ Also Known As
13 alternative titles, including “Il cabaret dell'inferno” and “헬자포핀”.
- Also known as
-
- Il cabaret dell'inferno
- 헬자포핀
- 헬지포핑
- Hellzapoppin' - Il cabaret dell'inferno
- In der Hölle ist der Teufel los
- Loquilandia
- Czyste szaleństwo
- Ад раскрылся
- 地狱机械舞
- הלזאפופין
- Пекло відкрилося
- Galopperande flugan
+1 more Show fewer
- Pandemônio
Seen Hellzapoppin’?
Movies Like Hellzapoppin’
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Crazy House, Video from Hell and Going to Hell: The Movie.
Hellzapoppin’ FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office and post-credit scenes of Hellzapoppin’, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Hellzapoppin’?
Hellzapoppin’ runs 1 hour 24 minutes (84 minutes).
When was Hellzapoppin’ released?
Hellzapoppin’ was released on December 25, 1941.
Who directed Hellzapoppin’?
Hellzapoppin’ was directed by H. C. Potter.
More films by H. C. Potter Who is in the cast of Hellzapoppin’?
Hellzapoppin’ stars Martha Raye as Betty Johnson, Shemp Howard as Louie and Don Brodie as Theatre Manager (uncredited), among 73 credited actors.
How much did Hellzapoppin’ make at the box office?
Hellzapoppin’ grossed $4,982 worldwide.
Does Hellzapoppin’ have a post-credit scene?
No. Hellzapoppin’ has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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