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| name = Earthworm Tractors | name = Earthworm Tractors
| image = Earthworm Tractors (1936) 1.jpg | image = Earthworm Tractors (1936) 1.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = ] with June Travis and Joe E. Brown | caption = ] with June Travis and Joe E. Brown
| director = ] | director = ]
| producer = ] (producer)<br>] (executive producer) | producer = ] (producer)<br>] (executive producer)
| writer = ] (writer)<br>] (writer)<br>] (writer)<br>] (writer)<br>] (stories) | based_on = {{based on|short stories<br>in '']''|]}}
| screenplay = Hugh Cummings<br>]<br>]<br>Joe Traub<br>]
| narrator = | narrator =
| starring = ]<br>] | starring = ]<br>] <br> ]
| music = | music = ]
| cinematography = ] | cinematography = ]
| editing = ] | editing = Doug Gould
| studio = ] | studio = ]
| distributor = Warner Bros. | distributor = Warner Bros.
| released = {{Film date|1936|07|24}} | released = {{Film date|1936|07|24}}
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| gross = | gross =
}} }}
'''''Earthworm Tractors''''' is a 1936 American ] directed by ]<ref>'']'' film review; July 29, 1936, page 14.</ref> and starring ] and ]. The film is also known as '''''A Natural Born Salesman''''' in the ]. '''''Earthworm Tractors''''' is a 1936 American ] directed by ]<ref>'']'' film review; July 29, 1936, page 14.</ref> and starring ], ] and ]. The film is also known as '''''A Natural Born Salesman''''' in the ].


The film is based on characters created by ] in a series of stories that appeared in ''].'' The series featured Alexander Botts, an eternally optimistic self-proclaimed "natural-born salesman", and the Earthworm Tractor Company, and was inspired in part by Upson's actual work experience with the ]. The film is based on characters created by ] in a series of stories that appeared in ''].'' The series featured Alexander Botts, an eternally optimistic self-proclaimed "natural-born salesman", and the Earthworm Tractor Company, and was inspired in part by Upson's actual work experience with the ].


==Plot summary== ==Plot==
In this ] ], the bumbling, but perpetually optimistic "natural-born salesman" Alexander Botts is egged on by his sweetheart Sally to do great things, so he writes a letter to the Earthworm Tractor Company, and is hired as a salesman despite the fact that he knows nothing about tractors. He gets fired more than once for all the destruction he causes, but is rehired by getting orders. After Sally abandons him as a failure and marries another man, he falls in love with Mabel, daughter of the cranky and partially deaf Sam, the owner of a lumberyard who believes he does not need tractors to clear paths for his lumbermen. Botts continues to enrage Sam via various antics such as moving Sam's house with Sam in it without telling him in advance and in the process destroying most of Sam's furniture. Eventually, he proves a super salesman by selling many tractors to Sam after he cures him of his deafness, and wins Mabel's love.<ref>'']'' film review; July 25, 1936, page 119.</ref> Alexander Botts is a bumbling, but perpetually optimistic "natural-born salesman". He is egged on by his sweetheart Sally to do great things, so he writes a letter to the Earthworm Tractor Company, and is hired as a salesman despite the fact that he knows nothing about tractors. He gets fired more than once for all the destruction he causes, but is rehired by getting orders. After Sally abandons him as a failure and marries another man, he falls in love with Mabel, daughter of the cranky and partially deaf Sam, the owner of a lumberyard who believes he does not need tractors to clear paths for his lumbermen. Botts continues to enrage Sam via various antics such as moving Sam's house with Sam in it without telling him in advance and in the process destroying most of Sam's furniture. Eventually, he proves a super salesman by selling many tractors to Sam after he cures him of his deafness, and wins Mabel's love.<ref>'']'' film review; July 25, 1936, page 119.</ref>


==Cast== ==Cast==
*] as Alexander Botts * ] as Alexander Botts
*] as Mabel Johnson * ] as Mabel Johnson
*] as Sam Johnson * ] as Sam Johnson
*] as Emmet McManus * ] as Emmet McManus
*] as Sally Blair * ] as Sally Blair
*] as George Healey * ] as George Healey
*] as Mr. Blair * ] as Mr. Blair
*] as Mr. Henderson * ] as Mr. Henderson
*] as H.J. Russell * ] as H.J. Russell
*] as Mr. Jackson * ] as Mr. Jackson
*] as Taxicab Driver * ] as Taxicab Driver
*] as The Doctor * ] as The Doctor
*Frederick Schmitt as tractor driving stunt double for Joe E. Brown * Frederick Schmitt as tractor driving stunt double for Joe E. Brown


==Copyright status== ==Copyright status==
The failure of the original copyright holder to renew the film's copyright resulted in it falling into public domain, meaning that virtually anyone could duplicate and sell copies of the film. Many of the versions of this film available are badly edited and of extremely poor quality, having been duped from second- or third-generation copies. The failure of the original copyright holder to renew the film's copyright resulted in it falling into public domain, meaning that virtually anyone could duplicate and sell copies of the film. Many of the versions of this film available are badly edited and of extremely poor quality, having been duped from second- or third-generation copies.

==Soundtrack==
{{Empty section|date=December 2009}}


==References== ==References==
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* {{IMDb title|id=0027562}} * {{IMDb title|id=0027562}}
* {{Internet Archive film|id=earthworm_tractors}} * {{Internet Archive film|id=earthworm_tractors}}
* {{tcmdb title|id=579}}
* {{AFI film|11142}}


{{Ray Enright}} {{Ray Enright}}
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] ]
] ]
]




Latest revision as of 20:51, 21 December 2024

1936 film by Ray Enright
Earthworm Tractors
Film still with June Travis and Joe E. Brown
Directed byRay Enright
Screenplay byHugh Cummings
Richard Macaulay
Paul Gerard Smith
Joe Traub
Peter Milne
Based onshort stories
in The Saturday Evening Post
by William Hazlett Upson
Produced bySamuel Bischoff (producer)
Hal B. Wallis (executive producer)
StarringJoe E. Brown
June Travis
Guy Kibbee
CinematographyArthur L. Todd
Edited byDoug Gould
Music byLeo F. Forbstein
Production
company		Warner Bros.
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • July 24, 1936 (1936-07-24)
Running time69 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Earthworm Tractors is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Ray Enright and starring Joe E. Brown, June Travis and Guy Kibbee. The film is also known as A Natural Born Salesman in the United Kingdom.

The film is based on characters created by William Hazlett Upson in a series of stories that appeared in The Saturday Evening Post. The series featured Alexander Botts, an eternally optimistic self-proclaimed "natural-born salesman", and the Earthworm Tractor Company, and was inspired in part by Upson's actual work experience with the Caterpillar Tractor Company.

Plot

Alexander Botts is a bumbling, but perpetually optimistic "natural-born salesman". He is egged on by his sweetheart Sally to do great things, so he writes a letter to the Earthworm Tractor Company, and is hired as a salesman despite the fact that he knows nothing about tractors. He gets fired more than once for all the destruction he causes, but is rehired by getting orders. After Sally abandons him as a failure and marries another man, he falls in love with Mabel, daughter of the cranky and partially deaf Sam, the owner of a lumberyard who believes he does not need tractors to clear paths for his lumbermen. Botts continues to enrage Sam via various antics such as moving Sam's house with Sam in it without telling him in advance and in the process destroying most of Sam's furniture. Eventually, he proves a super salesman by selling many tractors to Sam after he cures him of his deafness, and wins Mabel's love.

Cast

Copyright status

The failure of the original copyright holder to renew the film's copyright resulted in it falling into public domain, meaning that virtually anyone could duplicate and sell copies of the film. Many of the versions of this film available are badly edited and of extremely poor quality, having been duped from second- or third-generation copies.

References

  1. Variety film review; July 29, 1936, page 14.
  2. Harrison's Reports film review; July 25, 1936, page 119.

External links

Films directed by Ray Enright


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