No Time for Comedy (1940): Cast & Plot

Gaylord Esterbrook is a reporter from Redfield, Minnesota (pop. 786, including livestock), who dreams big and writes a play about Park Avenue high society—even though he has never set foot in New York City. The production is underway but needs rewriting, so the producers bring him to New York to shape the work. There, he meets the leading lady, Linda Paige Esterbrook, who initially mistakes him for an usher, injecting a surprising spark into their encounter. The producer begins to lose faith in the play, but Linda persuades the other actors to continue on a cooperative basis, and their persistence pays off. The project becomes a success, and the couple marry; over the next four years, Gaylord scores four big hits, all starring Linda.